Back on the Job

It's good to be back in Sweden as the weather has cooled down and "the season" is upon us. All those uncleaned boulders I found this summer are prime for grappling and the number of projects is daunting. Hammie and I are back on the job as the last two days we swung buy one of our new areas with Lina one day and Kim the next. The area now has has about 10 established problems and 5 brushed projects. With a little help the area with yield much more and some of the projects are top class. If there are any takers Hammie and I would love to show some folks around.

Family Huddle starts on a juggy rail and tops outs with a heinous slopers

Kim sends Lina's arete

Kim on Rainbow Crack

A cool bulge. I didn't have time to send this one but I think the top will be spicy

Cherry Canyon

I made it back to Sweden and the weather is perfect. I'm psyched to tackle some of my projects with the good temps but first i got to shake off a cold and some jet-lag, should be good in a day or two.

Here's a couple pics from my last climbing day in the States. We went to Cherry Canyon for some fun highballs and project slaying. We ended the day on the Bulge wall and after 5 straight days of climbing I could only manged to work moves and look forward to an off day. Good times.

A fun high ball

Lisa fires Jean Val Jean

Jason walks Jean Val Jean

Face down in the Muck

The Flagstaff trip wasn't all peaches and cream as driving through the small town of Mountaineer proved treacherous two days in a row. The first incident involved a loose dog and some white trash. The owner of the pitbull that tumbled underneath the Motherload wasn't angry at all, he was actually apologetic as his dog miraculously emerged unscathed. One of his neighbors on the other hand was very putout by the vehicles left in the road while we checked on the dog and decided yelling at us was appropriate. "I've got to protect me and mine". Ahhhhh, white trash.

The very next day we had a run-in with a mud puddle just minutes from where we had hit the dog. After some shovel work we ended up calling a friend to drag the Motherload free (Andy is hero).

Fortunately that was the extent of the hard times and everything worked out in the end.

Here's some pics of the Motherload.

Betsy, who lives nearby, shovels mud while Jason and Hammie supervise

Mud left on the running board

Broken Symmetry

Another noteworthy Dacite problem is found in middle Elden. As far as I know Broken Symmetry is still unrepeated as the strange mix of finesse and power has left suitors unsuccessful but feeling the problems is possible. Definitely one I'd love to go back to.

Jason finding balance on the crux

Lisa reaches the intermediate before the long crux reach

Jason feeling the crux move

The Peanut

I'm generally not psyched on the Dacite around Flagstaff. It tends to be sharp and chossy but occasionally it makes for some great problems. One of these is the Peanut and despite a couple days of effort I've been unable to make it to the top. It's just one of those problems. I wish it wasn't so damn good so I could walk away from it forever.

Joe eyeballing the shallow pocket before the big dyno

Lisa

Andy on the first move

Pasty Gangster

Priest Draw still has a few problems I haven't done. One of these I've been avoiding until I got beta as the key grip, while cool looking, is pain inducing. Lisa had done the hard part of working out the beta to the Pasty Gangster but thus far I am still a failure. I've got a max of 6 burns before the throbbing in my thumb and finger render me a writhing mass. Maybe I'll do it today.

Reaching the painful hold

Closeup

Oh the pain!

Two Dudes and a Baby

I'm not sure if Jason new what he was signing up for when decided to jump in the Motherload with Hammie and myself. A road trip with an infant is a bit different than the standard one but thus far it has been great. We've gotten more than enough climbing as other friends always join and we are rarely less than four (and a half if you count Hammie). Hammie is making heaps of new friends and is content to play in the dirt while dad and others climb. Flagstaff was a good choice for our last week in the States and Hammie and Jason have done some serious bonding.

Hammie and Jason chilling outside the Motherload

Hammie with a couple new friends

One dirty girl

Jason flexes, Lisa climbs and Hammie plays in the dirt

Flagstaff, AZ

Lina is on her way back to Sweden while Hammie and I have another week in the States. The plan is for Jason to join us for a trip to Flagstaff for some limestone roofs and visiting friends. We actually just came from Flag as we rolled up there for a few days after Pie Fest and before dropping off Lina at the airport. We'll see how it goes without Lina but if there is one place that it's possible to climb heaps with an infant it is Flagstaff. Hope Lina enjoys her week without poopy diapers and early morning.

Here's a couple pics for a few days ago.

Lisa pieces out Pasty Gangster

David gets confused on Underachiever

Toad Race

By now the Pie Fest is old news but I thought I'd post a couple pics from this years Horny-toad race. I don't know what possesses a toad (technically they are lizards but) to run toward a wall of screaming people but it's certainly entertaining. This year's race was the shortest I've ever seen as the winning toad bolted straight across the finish line with no hesitation. It took much of the suspense out of the race but folks still shouted support for 2nd and 3rd place. Good times.

Release the Toads!

The bewildered contestants

The winning toad crossing the line

Pie Feastival

If you come to a Pie Festival you better bring an appetite. The gorging began the second we arrived to Pie Town just past midnight as pie was waiting for the weary international travelers. From there on out it was a constant flow of deliciousness from the traditional spaghetti feast and smashed Jersies to BBQ ribs and Navajo tacos. Good times.

My dad's famous "smashed Jersey" sandwiches

David preparing his "man pie". Meat is gooooooooood

My old man preparing a spaghetti feast that will feed roughly 150 people

Pie was of course the main attraction. I reckon I sampled over 20 different pies in 3 days and my mom further solidified her status as pie queen.

Monster Island

Yet another Pie Fest under my belt, which needed to be loosened a couple notches due to obscene amounts of deliciousness. Good times. When I've got a little more time I'll write a little something about the festival but in the mean time here are a couple pics from the local bouldering at Monster Island.

Jason nabs the FA of a sweet highball named "More Death, Less Rail".

Charlie on one of the area classics, Velcro Kitty.

Jason on the Poop Shoot sit start

Lina on Frankenstein wall

Pie Fest

September is here and on Saturday the 11th we are once again celebrating the majesty of pie at the annual Pie Town Pie Festival. We are flying in from Sweden to gather with the other revelers for a weekend of climbing rocks and stuffing our faces. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

If you can't come this year then mark it on your calander for next year, the Pie Festival falls on the second Saturday in September every year and you know I'll be there.

Here's a short vid from last year and another with a sample of the area's bouldering.

Pie Fest 2009 from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Monster Island Bouldering from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Bräcke Video

Bräcke is just one of the many small areas located in the middle of Gothenburg. Awhile back I went there with Peter and Per-Ola and while I sent a project it was Peter scraping up Envy that made my day. There is something extremely gratifying when a problem gets sent with bleeding tips after a mini epic.

Here's a little vid from that day.

Swedish Bouldering: Bräcke from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.