Thursday, April 26, 2012

More from Joe's

Here are a couple more pictures from Joe's Valley.  

 Mike sending Arbor-day

 Kate on the beautiful Beyond Life

An overview of one of Joe's best walls.  It contains the classics Wills a Fire, They Call Him Jordan, Arbor-day, and Beyond Life.  I wish there where move faces like this one

Friday, April 20, 2012

Wills a Fire

My computer has officially died, taking with it quite a bit of work on video projects and a small amount of pictures/videos from the end of the USA trip.  So it goes.  At least I managed to backup most of the footage from the trip.  Here's a couple pictures from Joe's Valley that survived the fire.


If you take a trip to Joe's Valley chances are at some point you will find yourself beneath the main wall at the "right sign area".  There is good reason too as this single wall holds several amazing problems of various difficulties.  Perhaps the walls main attraction is the popular Wills a Fire that climbs the striking line on the far right. While in Joe's I went there a couple days to support Dan on this gem.  It was looking to be a fruitless epic but in the end Dan pulled a send out of his nether regions and was grinning ear to ear.  Good times.


Dan finding the fingerlock before the big move to the lip

Dan grabs the jug for the send.  

Monday, April 16, 2012

Back in Sweden and Bishop Highballs

I've made it back to Sweden in one piece and I'm hoping to pickup where I left off this winter.  There is so much rock to explore and off the top of my head I can think of dozens of amazing projects that need to go down.  I better get busy. Unfortunately I'm not sure what my body is up for as the elbow I thoroughly abused in the States is looking to be more serious than I thought.  We'll see how it goes.

In the meantime I'll continue to sort pictures and videos and make retro posts about the States.  It was a scrumptious 4 months and I'm still digesting.  Hmmmmmmm.

Here are some highballing pictures from Bishop.


Lisa finnishing off the super-classic Jedi Mind Tricks

Lisa on Golden Shower.  This one totally shut me down.  Didn't even get a chance to fall from the crux near the top.....maybe that was a good thing

Brian fires another cool highball at the Pollen Grains

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Painted Cave

Painted Cave isn't a standard Buttermilk problem.  Located a short walk from the main area it offers fun roof climbing to a sloper crux.  I went there with Andy on a coldish day and after he fired the stand I figured he'd do it from the low with relative ease.  Things don't always go as planned.

Andy standing on the top after warming up on the stand

Pulling out of the roof and preparing for slopers

Showing some grrrrrrr on  granite slopers

The sun began to bake the slopers and Hammie consoles Andy, reminding him that there is always next time


Monday, April 9, 2012

Fiery Furnace

One of the problems I'll have to return to at some point is Fiery Furnace in Joe's.  After 3 tries I became fairly certain I'd sent "next try" but after almost sticking the slopey jug for 20 attempts the frustration and fatigue made me walk away.  I'm sure I'll send it in a few tries when I return......right?

 Ryan on Fiery Furnace

Setting up for the "easy" dyno I never managed to stick

Saturday, April 7, 2012

A Spotter in Training

Sometimes it's hard to find a spot so I recruited Hammie.  Can't wait until she can carry a pad to the boulders as well.  

Friday, April 6, 2012

The Last Leg

I'm fast approaching the end of my time in the States.  It has been an excellent 4 months but now it's time to go home.  My last week in the States is unlikely to hold any climbing as I'll be saying the final goodbyes and preparing for the return to Sweden.  A little rest is probably for the best as I left Joe's Valley on the verge of a physical breakdown with an injured finger, throbbing elbows and achy knee.  Getting older is rough as I guess I'm not meant to climb every day.

All-in-all the trip was great.  I managed to maintain motivation at the old stomping grounds (Hueco and Bishop) and I visited some new areas (Black Mt, Joe's Valley) that had me running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I seem to be in great shape as throughout the trip I managed to tick off old projects and make quick work of many new ones.  I just hope things go as well for me back in Sweden.

Our little family continued to dial in the van life as it only gets easier the more we do it.  Hammie is becoming more self-sufficient and is an absolute joy to have out at the boulders, and Lina and I get closer and closer to finding the perfect balance of climbing.  For the most part the weather was very cooperative and made for lots of climbing and comfortable camping.

The biggest downer of the trip actually happened in Sweden as Lina broke her foot upon her return home.  She left the States in her best shape in years but now has 6 weeks in a cast and the subsequent rehab.  We'll try to maintain fitness and climbing motivation in the coming months.

For the time being Hammie and I have 6 days left to soak up as much freedom as possible before heading home.  Good times.

 The open road

 Our winter home

An apple fritter as big as your head for 75 cents.  The price of freedom and a ticket for type 2 diabetes 

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Joe's Valley

Joe's Valley is awesome!  The weather has been great and the multitude of good friends make climbing with a two year old easy.  Everyday I've somehow managed to scrape up several classics and there are so many more I've never seen.  It's nice being in an area I'm unfamiliar with as the psyche remains high and the hardest thing is choosing which amazing boulder problems to climb on.  I've only got one day left and since I don't think I'll send everything I'm already scheming a return.

Dave on Frosted Flakes.  A moderate classic.

Ryan approaching the crux of Anti-Future Plan.  A great high-ball

Cletus on the fun and slopey Ghost King.  Best to climb on this one on a colder day and not so bad when you figure out the subtlety 

Mike on the difficult Mask of God

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Broken

Lina has been back in Sweden for almost two weeks and her psyche for climbing was high.  This is always the worse time for an injury and unfortunately disaster struck as a bad fall has left her with a broken foot.  She is currently getting a screw in her ankle and we are sending good vibes and hoping for a quick recovery.  Hammie and I wish we could be in Sweden for take care of our princess but we still have a little over a week in the land of the free.  We love you Princess.


 An unbroken Lina sending in Hueco Tanks.