Flashbacks and Foresight

Earlier this year, I hit some pretty interesting climbing goals. Much of the progress stemmed from long term plans I had laid out for my climbing, so it was super interesting to experience these accomplishments and reflect on them over the summer.

As for difficulty, I climbed my first two V10 boulders. The first boulder actually went hand in hand (or hand-foot matched) with another accomplishment, my longest completed project to date. I spent just a couple weeks short of two years working on Dean's Journey, in Hueco Tanks. For me, this boulder was one of those problems that just absorbed my being. I fell in love with the line the moment I saw it, I didn't even know its name or grade or anything. Not only was its appearance aesthetic, but I super enjoyed the style of climbing. It reminded me of what I sometimes call "the good ol' days" of climbing in North Carolina. My teammates from Underground Climbing and I would spend hours in the gym doing dynamic moves and going big. This climb made me go big. I returned to this climb for a total of nine or ten days over the next two years.

This past season, I also accomplished my longest climbing trip to date. In late March I hit the road for about three weeks. I realize it isn’t all that long of a trip, even more so since I didn’t stay put. I actually visited Hueco Tanks, Joe’s Valley and Flagstaff for a week each. I knew people from Arizona moving back and forth between each location at the time, so I hit all of them. At the time, I hadn’t lived in Phoenix for two years and it was so awesome seeing friends again on these trips. It wouldn’t have been possible without you, Rick, Jeremy, Jason and Shantelle!

Not a great shot, but here is me on Dean's Journey.

These achievements were great to reflect upon after the season ended. I spent my summer doing this as I prepared for some changes in my personal life. It was actually on a climbing trip in Colorado in June with my friends Ander and Chris that I psyched myself into some new goals while talking with them.

Chris and Ander were familiar with my style, goals and personality and it was of great benefit to discuss what I should focus on next. The big talking points came out and I found myself constantly approaching three ideas. One, I wanted climbing to be more consistently focused on. Two, traveling to climb, domestic or international, is of growing importance as I progress. And three, I want more strength than what one climb has to offer.

Consistency in my climbing is something I have often lacked since I moved out of my home state of North Carolina in 2011. There has never really been any absence of climbing more than seven to ten days, but the lack of training for extended periods was not only halting my progress, it actually led to an injury once or twice. Fortunately, my fingers and elbows have been pain free for over two years now. But what I really mean in a more consistent focus is to have my training and performance cycles really nailed down so that there aren’t gaps in between. Train, Perform, Recover. Too many times I have I let recovery mold into a state of lethargy where I let a month or two of solid effort turn into a holding stage of just keeping my strength rather than growing. This is wasted opportunity cost, and it will delay my next goals if I continue to do it. So it is time to get organized.

Having a streamlined climbing cycle goes hand in hand with taking trips. I have never lived in a town where there is extensive climbing in my backyard, so I travel to climb like many others. I’ve had some great crags within two hours, but that turns into a day trip on weekends, not morning sessions before work. I enjoy day trips, but what I really crave is longer trips on the road. At some point I’d like to do a month in Hueco, Rocklands or Squamish. These trips are what I will move toward, although probably infrequently.

The last goal I’m setting for myself is to climb stronger than what one climb requires. What I mean is I just want to send more V8 and V9 boulders. Sure, I want projects in the V10/11 range, but I also want to get more mileage under my belt. Several days at the crag are spent burning a couple moderates in the V4-V7 range, and then projecting a V10. I want to start racking up more sends because it is a good training strategy for climbing, and of course it will put me on even more great problems. Time to do a bit more climbing and a bit less grade chasing!

So the season has begun, it is mid October now and I have many days of bouldering lying ahead of me. I actually just returned from a weekend in Joe’s Valley, my first return to the crag. It was a fun, little trip. I was craving some outdoor camping and Joe’s never disappoints. This trip was particularly exciting because I finally got to break in my first pair of Nexxos from Evolv. The shoes kicked ass, I mean I was so stoked when I tried them on several weeks ago but to finally climb in them! They performed super well, with a clearly improved last that really molded your foot to an aggressive position of precise power. Toe hooking had really improved, too! I also broke in a fresh pair of Bandits. This has been my technical shoe of choice since I lived in North Carolina, I absolutely love how comfortable the shoe is and yet the performance it holds from slabs to overhangs is phenomenal. These shoes will be with me for the season as I tackle new challenges and old foes, so stoked! A big thanks to Evolv for providing such a great product to the community at large, it has been awesome climbing with their shoes for years and years.

Taking a lap up Chips in Joe's Valley the other week. 

Speaking of travel and a season begun, I’m headed to China! This year, Kailas is hosting their annual Yangshuo Climbing Festival at the end of October. Yangshuo is incredibly famous for its primitive and beautiful landscapes, with steep, mountainous spires all around. The festival is one of China’s largest climbing celebrations, and will play host to an extended weekend of dry tooling clinics, highlining, sport climbing jaunts, and an epic concert. There is also going to be a bouldering competition and I am so unbelievably excited to announce I accepted an invitation to route set for it! I have been free-lance route setting for about four years now, and this will be my first international experience with it. I cannot properly express my thanks to Kailas for inviting me on their adventures and hosting me while I take my first trip to China. Look back here in a couple weeks for a recap of the trip, I leave on October 27^th!

How to Climb This and That: Shaping Your Approach to Climbing

TL;DR After two years of climbing, I went to Hueco Tanks where I began to learn how to be a rock climber…

My first trip to Hueco Tanks State Park was unlike most climbers’ introduction to the world renowned crag. It was early June in 2011. I was moving from North Carolina to Arizona and thought, “What the hell.” I camped for two nights in the back of my car to get two days on the rock. It was 105° F both days and I’ll never forget just how empty the park was. There wasn’t even another car there besides mine. I picked up one of the vague ‘Dr. Topo’ maps at the check-in station and began to trudge my way around the park. After a day of chasing shade and losing myself at every turn, I finally called it quits. Having only finished a half dozen V0-V2 climbs, I was beat. Even my midday nap couldn’t offset what seemed like a defeated day. One climb in particular stuck out in my head as I crawled back into my car. A painful taste was left in my mouth as I recalled how much I had flailed on it. Frustrated, I simply resorted to stuffing Clif Bars and fell asleep as the desert air quickly cooled off. The next day rang out the same tunes: scorching heat, emptiness and unforgiving boulders. But I was determined to climb something. This was Hueco Tanks. I had heard stories of this place for years. I was not going to be defeated.

Late the next morning, I found myself back underneath the same short, sharp climb that Dr. Topo threw a V4 on. It wasn’t my style; it was crimpy on a steep overhang (typical of Hueco). But as I drew blood on the first moves, my motivation skyrocketed. I was nothing short of manic to finish this problem, this V4 that scoffed at my previous outdoor experience. Which, to be honest, was not much experience anyway.

Growing up in North Carolina, I got into climbing when I was 17 and had enjoyed a handful of weekend trips to Boone for some outdoor bouldering. A few months before moving to Arizona, I spent a week at Rocktown, in northwest Georgia. There I finally managed to grab some sends closer to what the gym rat in me “thought I should be climbing.” Yet here I was, lying under a V4 in the middle of a sweltering day. I was alone with my thoughts, alone with my own abilities, my own limitations. My mind soured at the thought of the permanent sting the rock would leave on my fingers. I was not about to be dwarfed by this climb.

But, doubt still clouded under the rock. I struggled with the lack of inspiration this climb yielded. I wasn’t even impressed with the problem. An average V4, it deterred my psych and pelted my motivation with embarrassment. This climb would hold no mantel place on my tick list if I finished it. I didn’t even like the movement. The thought of it poisoned my mind for hours that day. I was thrown off the wall, chewed up and spit out, as if the problem could taste my ego and detested the rancid flavor. But as I kept at the problem, my determination grew. Movement, progression, each connection was drawing the poison from my veins. I visualized myself sinking the mini jug on the lip. I had never fought this hard for a climb that I would have claimed meant nothing to my tick list. I was one attempt away. I took a deep breath, pulled off the start holds and connected the moves. Suddenly, I was on the last holds and made a clean move for the finish. An easy press and moments later, I was done. It was all over. I sat on top of the rock, took a deep breath and looked around me. I was alone. There was no spotter to cheer me on. There was no teammate to high-five. There certainly wasn’t another plastic pusher to fist bump. An unwatched send felt weird. It was not a glorious fanfare, not a monumental epiphany but rather a simple question that formulated in my head: Why did I just work so hard for that climb?

I don’t mean to say “its not about the grade.” Shut up. Of course the grade matters, to a large amount of people. It’s a measurement of progress. I set expectations and I measure that success by a number of factors, with one of the easiest to quickly identify being grades. But do I let grades rule my life? Not anymore. And this was the first time I truly began to believe that. When I first started climbing outside I was four, count it, four grades below my indoor climbing ability. I was a pissed off, whiney, gym rat. I craved to be outside to get the next send. Eventually, I found myself sending within three grades. Over time, two grades. Then one. I was almost humble enough to let it go at that point. But I wasn’t quite there yet. Everything my ego had learned in the gym told me the number makes the climber. I might even argue that one of my biggest motivations to be outside was to reach my indoor grade.

But not everyone is a grade chaser. Throughout your climbing you meet these people, the ones that tell you to forget grades. I have met several of these climbers but one of them stood out in particular to me. A good friend and, naturally, an avid outdoor climber, he took me on trips that shaped my attitude when climbing at the crag. He watched me and told me to ignore the numbers, to climb what I wanted and never ask what the grade was. His advice worked for a bit; I found myself more relaxed under the boulders. I could shut out the idea of failure and focus on completing movement that still felt so new to me. But it left me hungry. I felt like I put my psych on a diet, I just couldn’t fill up my appetite. I still yearned for bigger numbers. It wasn’t to say I didn’t try hard things nor did I become aware of the grades. Of course I did. But there was something different to the approach of no grades versus grades. It was a different way to climb and I just don’t think it sustained me. Everyone has his or her own method, and everyone tries to tell you how you should approach it. So here I am, no different than them, about to tell you how to approach it.

Climbing is not a fast food meal. It’s not Six Minute Abs. It’s not something that just works for people. It’s a tough piece of wood and you have to carve it out one layer at a time. You start with a block. Some people throw the block away. Some people are so excited that they jump up and down and buy a pair of shoes after their first day.

For the long-term climber, we shape this block. We find our own methods at first, but we begin to rely on tools we have thrown at us from the community. Rocks and Rocks magazine interviews pro climber Rocky Hard who tells you how to train for the hardest sends.  At the gym, a gear slinger tells you pulling plastic is only to prepare for the outdoors, while they top rope with half of a trad rack on their waist. A local damn-bro grunts so loudly on his project that he doesn’t even have to say what it means: I rock more than you. Everyone is effectively telling you how to carve your block. But the fact is, climbing just isn’t the kind of activity where one approach suits everyone.

I was an indoor climber for over a year. It shaped the base of my climbing. Everything I knew was based on what I adopted from indoors, but my lessons didn’t have to stop there. My ungraded friend taught me a valuable lesson; a completely new approach to climbing but his style couldn’t be mine. It didn’t fit me. However, I adopted tools from him. He helped shape the climber I am today. Then Hueco taught me something about myself, the feeling that I can find strength in many styles of approaching my climbing. I can chase grades. I can ignore them. I can hate the movement. I can beat my anti-styles. I found success that day in Hueco, not just in a climb, but also in myself as I walked away feeling truly accomplished with a climbing goal like I never had before. It was enlightening. A new feeling of capability overcame me as I continued to adapt my approach to climbing.

            It takes time to shape your block, to craft it into something we never would have imagined. This carving cannot be done for everyone by any one method. Outdoor monogamy is not for everyone. Training to get double-digits is not for everyone. And thankfully, being a damn-bro is not for everyone. Go start shaping your block. You might surprise yourself.  

Photo Journal

Check out some cool photos from the past year! To see more photos recounting my adventures, check out my Instagram: c_love_92

Here is Stone Moves, a gym in Houston where I received my first USAC route setter's certification. Gym owner, John Muse, has been a great mentor for route setting and I'm thankful for the opportunities to set with him. Head route setter and good friend, Phillip Symons, and his crew are always a great team to work with! -Houston, TX 10/2013

Local strong man Sam Latone exploding for the finishing hold on Celestial Mechanics, V7 in Stone Fort. This sandstone crag holds some of the southeast's best boulders. I had the privilege of climbing here a few times this last season. Although I didn't see the entire crag, I hope to return here soon to continue to explore the area. -Chattanooga, TN 11/2013

Beautiful clouds rolling in over Queen Creek. Much of this crag sits on property owned by Resolution Copper, and for many years there was a lot of friction between climbers and mining lobbyists. In 2012, the Queen Creek Coalition entered a Recreational Use License, ensuring rock climbing and mining can co-exist for future generations. -Queen Creek, AZ 11/2013

Young gun Michael Whitley at ABS Regionals in late 2013. Michael and I started climbing around the same time in 2009 in North Carolina where we joined Team Underground and began competing together. Still in his youth eligibility, Michael had his best year yet, finishing 4th in ABS Nationals and joining Team USA. Great job, gecko! -Planet Rock, Ann Arbor, Michigan 12/2013

Dean's Journey. This climbs will always have a place in my heart. I came across this climb in 2012, and immediately fell in love with it. I didn't know it's name, the grade or even the correct path on the rock. I just knew I had to climb it one day. Here I am, sticking the crux move for the first time in January. A month later, I returned to Hueco Tanks for the send, completing my first V10. -El Paso, TX 01/2014

Nothing like a like disc in the snow! Ian and Sunni share a game of toss in between classes at NC State. -Raleigh, NC 01/2014

 Ms. Sunni Utt and I exploring around the Bay area on a sunny winter day. San Fran proved to be a wonderful area with many opportunities for fun and adventure. -San Francisco, CA 02/2014

Anneyong-haseyoooo! Melissa Merrick (thumbs up) and I made a comeback to our worldly travels with a visit to Seoul, South Korea to see our friend Hannah who was teaching English there! Korea was full of new and exciting adventures for us as we plowed through street food and language barriers. Cannot wait to return to Asia! Safe travels, Hannah. -Seoul, South Korea 03/2014

I cannot get enough of Hueco Tanks. Seriously, this is my favorite crag. Here I am setting into the crux sequence of Ten-Ten, a super fun, core tension line where you fight to keep your ass off the ground. Wrapping it up for the send was a matter of just squeezing everything for as long as I possibly could. My second V10, I was psyched when I put this one away only a month after Dean's Journey. -El Paso, TX 03/2014

Feels Like Grit. This slab climb will get you eight V points but it won't do much for your skin or your shoe rubber. While my Evolv Bandits were holding some good friction that day, my hands weren't doing much. Seen here at the crux, I fell from that right hand rail about 6 times that day, just unable to really grasp it. My only visit to this boulder during my stay in Joe's Valley, I was a bit bummed when I left the crag and realized I hadn't gone back to finish this one. There is so much climbing at Joe's, I cannot wait for another season to return so I can go back for the donuts (and the climbing). -Orangeville, UT 04/2014

Jeremy, Jeanette, Logan and myself. Oh, and can you spot Jason in the background? This neat little group braved biting winds and frequent snow to come climb in Joe's Valley this year. It was unseasonably warm for the time, but we enjoyed rocks a plenty. -Orangeville, UT 04/2014

I can't lie, it was annoying and astounding to be caught in this white walled snow storm in Arches National Park in Moab this past month. Jason and I stopped in Moab for a day on the way back to Arizona and tried to hike all the Arches in one day. The snow storm came through about midday and was unrelenting, sort of. It held up for about 3 hours and without any proper hiking gear (think short sleeves) we had to call it quits around late afternoon. But of course as we drive out of the park, the weather clears. Oh well, we were beat and turned in. Next time! -Moab, UT 04/2014

Returning to Arizona brought Jason and I straight through Flagstaff where we decided to stop and climb a bit. Here is Wife Beater at Priest Draw. A fun sloper problem, this one stacks at eight V points. I hadn't been on this climb in about two years until this day, and it felt nothing short of awesome to cruise this line three times. You know, to make sure I had it. I definitely felt like my training over the last two years had paid off. -Flagstaff, AZ 04/2014

 The route setting continues! inSPIRE Rock, in Houston, TX invited me to come set some ropes with them one weekend. Being a sales rep for a climbing hold manufacturer, I was enraged to see additional hold companies besides my own. I only set with Three Ball Climbing holds!!!! Haha just kidding. Big thanks to Paul and Nicole at inSPIRE for coming up with this clever little promo picture for the gym that day. -Houston, TX 04/2014

Back to Stone Moves! Here I am with John and Phil, the setters I mentioned from the first photo in this blog post. Quite the fun group, I enjoyed coming out and setting with these guys while I was in town. Stone Moves has a strong community of climbers and we make sure to keep their psych up with a variety of fun styles and challenging movements. Get psyched! -Houston, TX 04/2014

Thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed this little collage of pictures from the past few months! I'd like to thank Evolv for sharing my passion for rock climbing and helping me along my journey. Stay tuned for an upcoming article explaining some of the things I've learned about how to approach your climbing. Cheers!

Instagram: c_love_92

BoCo!

Thursday, September 19th

      It is this time of the year that tickles me. Windy days, pumkpin flavored everything, morning fog, and the start of the outdoor bouldering season. All these things begin to tease you on and off again in September, hinting at the great Autumn just around the corner. If you have second thoughts about this time of the year, I suggest you try the following:
     I was in Colorado today. Specifically, I flew into Denver and then bused up to Boulder. I went to see the world premiere of the Reel Rock Tour 8, a compilation of short, climbing documentaries that were released every year. I have been following Reel Rock since about the start of my climbing and I was beyond ecstatic to be heading to the world premiere. And in Boulder, Colorado!!!!

Hooray public transportation!

     I arrived in Boulder right around noon, adjacent to the University of Colorado-Boulder campus. I began crossing the campus to go meet up with some friends, and I was immediately taken away into the beauty of the area. Fresh, green grass, aesthetically pleasing architecture, and mountains in most of the background. The campus bustled with cheerful students and I was reminded of my freshman year of college. If I ever went back to school, this would certainly catch my eye. 

UC-Boulder

     So I met up with my friend, Chris and we set out for one of our biggest mutual past times: beer. Colorado is well known for it's breweries and Boulder was no disappointment. Seeking local stuff only, we first came to Fate Brewing Company. Stop number one. One flight later, I had tasted a delicious variety of heavily European-influenced brews, including a  LAIMAS KÖLSCH STYLE ALE. The wings weren't anything special, but then again I just didn't want to be on an empty stomach for what was ahead of me. 

Line 'em up!

     We were then joined by Ronja, an acquaintance I met in Boulder and a friend of Chris'. We set off to what was to be one of the best breweries I've ever been to: Avery Brewery. Walking in, I was instantly sold as they announced a brewery tour starting in 5 minutes, with room for us to join! I glanced over the menu and quickly decided upon a barleywine style ale. I love this kind of ale, and at 9.2% ABV, Hog Heaven exceeded all of my tasteful expectations. A few sips in and we were off on the most informative, engaged and fun tour I've ever been on. A young brewer named Kyle led us and swept us off our feet as we toured the tanks and silos and all the magic that is brewing. We even came to the tasting room and saw their extensive collection of barrel-aged beers that made my eyes bulge. I was so impressed not only with Kyle's extensive knowledge of brewing, but also of what the company was doing for its consumers: frequest release parties, community events and parties, and lots of experimental brewing ideas to push the boundaries of American craft brewing. I cannot wait to get my hands on some of their Suerte Tequila barrel-aged ales, I guess I'll have to pay Avery another visit real soon!

Chris and I at Avery's Tasting Room. Suerte!

     We left Avery with some buzz and headed over to the nearby tap room of Upslope Brewery Company (every brewery was within a mile of the last, so perfect). And wouldn't you know it, we came on the night of their release party for their seasonal Pumpkin Ale. I enjoy pumpkin ales and this was to be my first one of the season. Again, at this point I wasn't even surprised that I loved everything I tasted. Boulder lived up to all of its expectations in beer, and I couldn't be happier to have had to opportunity to visit. But the trip wasn't over yet!
     It was at this point that our premiere was drawing near, so we made our way to the auditorium and fought the crowds to get pretty good seats. The air was saturated with energy as climbers poured in and exclaimed to each other in anticipation for the film. As the lights dimmed, the buzz settled down and the film premiered. I don't want to spoil the films, in case any one is inspired to go watch them now =] But they were as exciting as ever! You could see the passion in the climbers' eyes, it was a very moving film and reminded me exactly why I love climbing and why I love the climbing community. I CANNOT wait for next year's film! 
     The rest of the night panned out in a mellow fashion. Not really sure there was any other option after a day of drinking, palm sweating, and lots of walking. We grabbed some sandwiches at a local sub shop and I met up with an old friend, Michael, who was one of my original climbing partners when I moved to Phoenix. Michael had moved to Boulder to continue his schooling and it was the first time I had seen him in over a year. Reunions are the best =] A laid back night of laughs and stories followed as we all enjoyed each others' company. A quick sleep, a brisk and chilly walk and I was back on the bus in the early morning for Denver's airport. 
     36 hours from doorstep to doorstep, I was back in my apartment, still stirred by the exciting films and memories I had created in Boulder. I will return to that city ASAP. And next time I will stay long enough to climb outdoors!

Summer Travels

     What an exciting summer it has been! I'm sorry for not staying as up to date with my blog as I had hoped, I was quite busy. This summer has seen a lot of traveling, making for an enjoyable and exhausting season!

     I'll start where I left off, July. A few trips to Phoenix were in order. I spent a lot of my time cooking and going climbing, and maybe had a toga party. The usual! Enchiladas, cauliflower tortillas, curry, date cookies. It was a feast! It was also really nice to see so many of my friends on a fairly regular basis. I miss the Phoenix crowd a lot. But I'm starting to find my bearings in Atlanta :)

                            Cauliflower tortillas!

     Another great part of this summer was my first visit to the Northwest! In early July, I took a visit to Seattle with my friend Melissa. We spent the week going up and down the state with her friend Sean who hosted us the whole time, and I quickly came to like Sean through our mutual appreciation of beer, climbing and stellar mutual friends!

I quickly fell in love with Washington. What a beautiful state. Our week there was such an adventure, every day we had a different journey. Cliff jumping in Bellingham. Surfing in Westport. Climbing in Leavenworth. Swimming in Wenatchee River. Hiking in Skykomish. And of course exploring Seattle, highlighted by Pike's Market! 

                                  Beautiful lake along our hike!

                                             Summer in Seattle

                                                    Surf's up with Sean & Melissa!

     I don't think I can reiterate enough how gorgeous Washington was. It was so great getting to explore the state with friends, new and old. I cannot wait to visit again!

     Another special trip I made this summer was actually quite an exhausting trip, physically and emotionally. As many of you know, I used to climb competitively in North Carolina when I was a senior in high school. I trained with Team Underground on a private indoor gym at a warehouse where my coach ran his business. This indoor gym was particularly special to me, not just because I had trained on it with my team for over a year, but because I had helped build it myself. Hours of sweat had gone into building and training this wall. So many fond memories rested here. But this past July my coaches, Kat and Aron, were moving back to Texas and the time had come to disassemble the wall. I made a VERY quick sprint to NC and in a short 48 hours we took down the walls. But not without some great laughs and recalled memories throughout. The original Underground Climbing wall will always be remembered by myself and all of the lives it touched. I cannot wait to see the next chapter of Underground Climbing unfold.

                                                    All panels removed

     So August comes up and I find myself running off to the Outdoor Retailer Summer Trade Show in Salt Lake City. This is one of my favorite trips that I take every year. I love SLC, it's an amazing location we a loving outdoor community. I could really see myself living here one day. The trade show is an industry event that gives me an opportunity to stay current with new products and technologies for the outdoors, as well as connecting with new and returning companies. I tackled the show head on this year, and it was a complete blast. I met up with my friend Michael Pang out there, too. And the rest is history!

                    Squatter's Brewery with Pang

     Just recently, I took another trip to Houston, Texas to see my friends Kat and Aron in their new home in August and help them unpack and settle in. Putting together furniture and unpacking boxes in their new home kept us busy. Its a beautiful house sitting on dozens of acres of land about an hour and a half north of Houston. But we didn't keep our noses in the grindstone the entire trip. Michael, one of the original members of Team Underground, joined us for a weekend of sport climbing up in Austin, Texas. We drove up to Reimer's Ranch to enjoy the amazing limestone crag and we topped our days off with refreshing laps and cliff jumping in the Pecos River. It was the perfect weekend getaway, a mini reunion with some of the old team. Rocks, friends and lots of Blue Bell Ice Cream!

                                        Mike, myself, Kat and Aron at Pecos!

                           My Osprey pack takes Blue Bell everywhere!

                                 Power spot!

     My last few days in Texas were spent back on their property north of Houston, getting more chores done when I received an awesome text message. My friend Sunni at NC State University told me about an Ultimate Frisbee pick-up tournament that the NC State men's and women's club teams were hosting. I checked my work schedule and I just happened to be off the days of the tournament so what did I do? Hopped on a plane and went straight to NC to play some ultimate! Sunni had some cleats for me to borrow, fortunately. Thanks again :)
     Ultimate was one of my favorite activities freshman year at NC State, and it felt great to be playing on their fields again. I even reconnected with some other NC State friends, Ian, Ian and Geoff who came out to play as well! Post game time was filled with tasty beers and even more good times as I reminisced in the cool August evenings at NC State. It was a short two evening visit, but I wrapped it up with what seems like such a common theme from this summer: cliff jumping! This time the water was clear as we splashed into the Eno Quarry in Durham, sun shining making it the perfect temperature to wrap up August in North Carolina.

                                               Eno Quarry

     Well, I left out a lot of smaller trips but this pretty much wraps up my June, July and August. September will see me returning to Texas and possibly Arizona and North Carolina if time permits. So much travel excitement! I want to throw a big shout out to everyone that has let me crash on their couch and driven me to the airport haha :) I miss all of you guys, I hope you enjoyed your summers! Until next time, cheers!!!

Farewells and celebrations

Wednesday, June 5th
     For aesthetic purposes, I highly recommend everyone play this song as they read the first half of this blog. Click here to access Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel."
     So I'm headin' down south to the land of the pine this week. A couple weather delays and I finally landed in Raleigh late evening on Wednesday night. This trip I made it back to my hometown, Rocky Mount, NC. I had not been home in several months, so it was good to reconnect with family and friends there. At one point during the trip, I needed to borrow a friend's car which had a manual transmission, so guess what I finally learned!! Manual was actually much easier than I thought, I picked it up in a few minutes. It made driving much more entertaining all of a sudden, and now I feel so open to new possibilities next time I want a car. Hooray productive vacations! So after couple short days of catching up with old friends and family, and maybe a little climbing here and there, I was headed back to Raleigh for a special event.

     Friday evening we arrived in Raleigh in mellow fashion. My best friend Tony was having a going away party the next day, as he received a job in Detroit. A few brews and some laid laughs, the night continued in its calm nature as I enjoyed the company of great friends. 

     The next day I ventured out into Umstead Park with two friends from my previous major at NCSU. This was particularly nice because A) I had never spent a considerable amount of time at Umstead and B) I really miss my friends from my major. We hiked for a few hours, and even did some trail running. Being in the NC woods again felt so perfect. It's how I spent a lot of my childhood and its where I feel truly relaxed. After some sweating, we made a quick run through some showers before joining Tony's party in the late afternoon. 

     If there is one thing NC does right, it's a BBQ. And this was no exception. A classic pig pickin', at this party you could find a 50 lbs roasted pig, potatoes, mac'n'cheese, baked beans, spicy greens and sweet tea! An excellent way to send Tony off! The food was devoured of course, and as the party entered the dark hours, out came the keg and party juice. I have to say, arguably my favorite thing about NC parties is the one definite sing-a-long, Wagon Wheel. If you've been to a party in NC, you know what I'm talking about. The violin begins to ring out of the speakers, grins spread from ear to ear as everyone starts to look at each other, exchanging happiness in glances as the same burst of joy shoots across everyone's mind. The choir of voices practically scream as EVERYONE sings EVERY WORD to the song. Oh what a feeling to experience. Even those not native to NC become captivated by the folk music exploding around the room, caught up in whirlwind of exasperating pleasure. NC is everyone's home during this song. 

     The party roared late into the night, full of cheers, a few speeches and many fond farewells. The following morning I literally had to drag myself out of bed to get to the airport for a super early flight (not the easiest decision but a good one). A short connection and 5 hours later I was in Phoenix, Arizona for what was sure to be a great trip. 

     And in fact, it was! Birthday parties, video games, man cave time, and excellent climbing sessions filled my run through Phoenix as I soaked in the sun and bore the triple digit heat.

     I hate to make this post end abruptly, but I put off my blog for two weeks and I'm just going to go ahead and start the next post which will also summarize two weeks. Trying to keep up with everything, I want this to stay afloat! Take care :)

         Best man date: pizza and beer.

Sweet Desert

Wednesday, May 29th
     The people you meet while traveling. The people you encounter for 5 minutes, or for 5 hours. It is these interactions that make traveling more than just a chance to go sight seeing. And it is a person I met while traveling that brought me to this past week's adventures.
     Tuesday afternoon I was considering staying home this week but I was suddenly struck with an impulse to goclimbing in one of my favorite climbing areas ever: Hueco Tanks in El Paso, Texas. I picked up the phone and called my friend Matt who was more than happy to join me. Matt lives in El Paso and I met him in Hueco in 2012. We stayed in touch and when I moved from Phoenix to Atlanta last April, he and his family warmly hosted me for a night during my drive. Matt is an avid outdoor climber, and he frequents Hueco on a weekly basis. With about 24 hours notice, Matt and I confirmed planes and the next day I landed in El Paso for a quick trip of climbing, chilling and adventure.

The perfect carry-on

     Before I begin with Wednesday night in El Paso, I want to make a quick side comment. If you've spent a fair amount of time around me, you know I like to whistle (even if I do it poorly). Wednesday at the airport in Atlanta, I was boarding a plane and the guy in front of me was whistling one of my favorite tunes to whistle, the Rooster's tune from Disney's animated Robin Hood. I interjected and completed the next verse, and we proceeded to finish the song together. It was freaking awesome. After we shared a laugh and went about our trip. Those 5 minute encounters, man. Freakin awesome.
     El Paso! So Matt and I swung by his house, dropped off my stuff, picked up his brother Adam and went out into the night. One of the big things I am into when I travel is getting a local's perspective. Matt did not fail, as he took me miles and miles outside of El Paso to hang out wth some of his friends. I rolled the window down as we drove through raw desert into the night. I sort of tuned everything out, caught in a trance by the overwhelming nostalgia that hit me as I breathed in the desert air. I remembered the two years I had spent living and climbing in Phoenix. I definitely miss the desert, and while I cannot be certain of when or where, I feel I will return to it one day.

     We arrived at a small farmhouse, greeted warmly by its occupants and enjoyed a relaxing evening. These El Paso residents are wonderful people. I've never been welcomed so openly by a room full of total strangers, and I mean that. Throughout the night we took the kickback outside where we played with the Google Sky app, following constellations and stars. It felt good to be back outside of a city. As the night closed, I exchanged goodbyes with the people I would probably never see again. 

     The next morning we found ourselves barely crawling out of bed, haha. But after talking about what areas we wanted to hit that day, and eating a little breakfast, we were soon bouncing in our seats. At least I thought so, until Matt took me the "back way" through some desert trails in his 4 wheel drive. Racing through tight turns and dropping in and out some contructed ditches, it was much more exciting than the usual approach to Hueco Tanks. We arrived at the park around 10 and were surprised to be met with relatively cool temperatures and an excellent breeze. The day was set.

Matt, Mike and Eric

     We were joined by some of Matt's friends, and we ventured out into the park for what was sure to be an excellent day of climbing. One of the guys, Eric, made quick work of a V11 he had been working on. For me, it is always inspirational to watch someone better than myself. It motivates me to want to work harder and push my limits. This wtiness set the stage for two great climbs I finished later that day. The first was a sort of lowball V6, Guns of Navarone. I say lowball because while it could have been a highball, there was a steep landing that followed you about halfway up the climb, making your fall only about 5 feet before sliding down pads to the base. Still, the thrill of throwing to the lip always gets me. With the first attempt on the problem, I snagged the flash as I pulled myself over the tall lip. Success. We continued to climb in the area before moving on. To save the non-climber readers from boredom, I'll wrap this up quickly haha. Next I did a pretty well known problem in Hueco, Pumped Full of S****. A soft V9, I actually made relatively quick work of the problem. Fueled by awesome company, a desire to score my first 9, and a little help from a day 40, a topped it out without even realizing I had actually done it. It took a while to sink in, but even for a soft climb that was my style I was still thrilled to finish it.

I really like my goofy hat

     The rest of the day continued in laughs and sends as we made our way out of the park and over to La Placita, a post-Hueco traditional burrito joint. As I ate the delicious food, I noticed then that I had spent two days in a row with two different but totally awesome groups of people from El Paso. Was El Paso a breeding ground for some strange, friendly energy? Was somebody in Juarez putting something in the water? Probably. But I wasn't going to question it. After a quick nap back at the house, we entered the night with one last adventure as we were joined by a third and equally great group of people (I know, I'm being ridiculous at this point). We decided to take our adventures on foot tonight, as we grabbed a few beers and walked straight into the desert for about a mile. Matt already lives outside the city, so once we were out of his backyard, the stars quickly came into view as we left cityscape far behind. The stars and the desert, coupled with friends and brews. I need no more. This was a perfect end to an excellent stay in El Paso.
     But that isn't the last of it. The next morning Matt drove me to the airport but along the way we got a flat tire and were shocked to discover the jack didnt raise the truck high enough to change the tire. With onl an hour before my flight and a necessity to avoid paying a cab, I ran into a local gas station and began trying to bum people for a ride to the airport, about 15-20 minutes away. It was here that I met Carlo, a truck driver who spoke very little English. Fortunately, I still know my way around Spanish and he was quick to offer me a ride when I explained the car trouble. I think knowing Spanish totally got him to say yes. I grabbed my stuff, said goodbye to Matt, and jumped in Carlo's car. During the ride, Carlo and I got to know each other which was awesome because he was really cool and also because I got to practice my spanish for more than 5 minutes. He was a truck driver living in El Paso with his family and he drove to all of the 48 continental states. We spoke of his earlier life in Mexico, and how the Mexican community brought a strong cultural blend to the US. We also agreed upon our love for mexican food and latn styles of dance. Needless to say, I became a huge fan of Carlo haha. We arrived at the airport, I thanked him for everything and wished him and his family well, and then I dashed inside to catch my flight. A few hours later I was back in Atlanta and all was right with the world. Ta-da!

Carlo, mi salvador

     Next week I will be out of town for quite a while. I know I am already slow at these posts, so don't expect much haha. I will decide whether or not to split it into two posts or not, depending on time and whatnot. And I'll try to take more pictures! Salud, mis amigos.