failure

I tried leading the real rock yesterday. And miserably failed (and also have numerously fallen too). We were climbing the corner (5.10b) on the north face of the Main Rock at Mickey's Beach.

While I had no problems with a top-rope. I couldn't repeat my success and couldn't find my way up when I tried to lead it.

Nevertheless it was fun. To much dirt around though, for my liking. 

goog gives good ideas

Looking at driving directions to Mickey's Beach I just found a Google Earth kmz from rockclimbing.com with places to climb in the Northern California. It's pretty cool considering that there are bunch of geotagged photos you can find around locations.

What is missing is the approach from parking lots. Since I have the gps logger I will start creating them  for the places I visit.

Lead Test

I've passed my lead test today in the gym. It was uneventful. It's been 3-4 month since I took the lead clinic but my regular partners were not ready until now. 

I am not sure if I was anxious or afraid of falling during the test. Some irrationality that was put aside. 

well

Attempt to mock-lead 5.11a was not a total fiasco :) In a month or so leading it should be no big deal.

v3

Ok. Was back to same old 5.11a, it was easy. Also did like 2.5 v3 problems, it was fun too. But I guess bouldering really abused my fingers. Couldn't do much after that 5.11.

trad

So, I went today to another trad clinic. In the end Dave said that I wouldn't die. Do I feel confident?  Yeah, I can't see why I wouldn't be able to lead. Some of my placements totally sucked, but in general I was ok.

Today I also saw that I need to resole my mythos... and that just after 6 month of climbing? Well, I just hope my footwork will get better than that.

ok. I'm getting back in shape

It feels like my muscles are still not recovered since Sunday. Yesterday I couldn't do my regular 5.11a (maybe I had to actually warm up :). And realized that I forgot most of the sequences for a favorite 5.10d. So I had relearning experience. Spend a night climbing in the lower 10s and found another interesting 10d. But all of this is ridicules TRing, I got to go into leading.

New Shoes and more

Before I started to climb my shoes/boots of choice were Dr. Martins. Long story from my past life. Anyway. After I started to climb I have noticed that my view is shifting. First thing after the Mythos I got were 5.10 approach shoes (Clogs), that I got on sale. I can't say I like them much, but I probably wear them 90% of the time now. Still thinking about new approach shoes I saw at Red Rock Rendezvous, but today I finally went "just" to see Vibram FiveFingers 

and... well, I have them now and already tried to walk, drive, run and traverse. They are so cool, I want another pair!

But what I really wanted to say in this post,  is that in the gym I tried to spend as much time on straight-arm climbing as I could handle. After that I tried to climb same old 5.11a and I don't think I felt the difference, but I definitely felt something. Also blind-climbed 5.10a, that was fun. I think I should start to systematically work on my technique. Let it be so.

Oh, yeah. Since this week, on toprope I can finally climb that route without falling (usually after I fail to start for a couple of tries). 

beginning

I started to climb when I was 9 or so. Climbed exposed strips of wood inside the apartment building I was living back then. Fell approximately 2 meters and could not talk for 5 minutes but otherwise was fine. I think I was impressed by Wolfgang Güllich  climbing in Yosemite videos, but can't say for sure. Before and after that I climbed trees, fences and what else, but never rock.

Next attempt to join climbing was maybe 11-10 years ago. One of the colleagues at that time climbed Everest and I believe I expressed the desire and he willingness to go teach me some climbing skills outdoors. That never happened for whatever reason.

And now for 5 month or so I lick plastic in the gym, occasionally letting myself play outside.

I've been having various blog posts about this struggling for some time. But being tired of LiveJournal and lazy/occupied to write my own blog engine decided to create a dedicated blog.

At this stage I probably can climb any 5.10c in the gym without falls, practically have sufficient sport rack (but no real leading skills) and ropes (70m Mammut and ~40m Sterling). Run for 15 minutes without loosing my breath, can hang for 5 seconds from the lower pocket of the Metolius Rock Rings, do a set of 80 pushups and maybe 10 pull-ups. When I started in November I maybe could do 5.7 with just a couple of falls. So, essentially I am very far from where I see myself in 5 years :)