Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Has Been


With my usual menu of epic fare reduced to training and my comments on the latest health news being posted at The Nerd, there hasn’t been much to blog about here at The Straight Dope. To keep the entertainment coming, I’ve made a new silly video of yet another traverse.

It’s not like I only traverse. It’s generally saved for days when I don’t have much time or a partner. This traverse, which tackles the base of the Hell wall at American Fork, is unique because you can link it into a bunch of routes. A couple of these are projects for this fall, while a couple others are going to require me to get a lot fitter. But the first bit of business is wiring the base. Its tenuous movement featuring small, hard-to-use hand holds and slick tiny feet that Ben calls “don’t breathe” climbing. It’s also overhanging and pumpy. Currently, I can’t recover too well on the one flat jug, which is going to have to change if I want to complete any of the harder routes. As is the case with all the climbing in the Hell area, it’s not much to look at but the moves grow on you. The Ruckman guide calls this V8. It’s definitely harder than V5S1 in Deaf Smith and much easier than the G-Spot, giving me a perfect trifecta of traversing options for training near my home.

I’ve gotta say, despite being a self proclaimed has been, I don’t feel as though I’m fading into the sunset. I’m not as strong as I was 10 years ago, but I’m probably technically climbing as well as ever. Motivation is high and I’m finding that working through my injuries is rewarding in itself. While I’ll never be as prolific as I was when I was climbing full time, I still harbor thoughts of strategizing well enough to do the hardest climbs of my life.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't traversing like the bastard step child of sport climbing?

Steve Edwards said...

Just because I wrote that doesn't mean that it affects me. I've never been one to stake much value on the traditional family unit.

Steve Edwards said...

And, in this case, it's probably even moreso as you traverse into sport climbs.

I'm just one-upping the Tor. If all real climbs there have a sit-start, all real climbs in Hell start with a traverse.

Anonymous said...

Where's John Sherman when I need him? You should traverse into it with a harness on, and then have someone clip you in with a twist lock carabiner, a la B. Moon.

Frankly, the best part of the video is B.

Josh

Anonymous said...

No, they actually all start with really long runout slabs. You have to wear oven mitts, so there is no obscenely-strong-sport-climber pinching of miniscule nubs.

If you actually like long, friction pitches (like me), you have to climb in wax coated flip flops...

Reedster said...

I can't imagine where you are getting the motivation to drive from Salt Lake down to American Fork to go traversing. I mean, it wasn't even raining, which at least might make some sense. The fact that you also got Ben to go with you makes me think that Lynn must have been out of town with the kids.

And Josh is right. The best part is B.

Steve Edwards said...

Well, it was raining but I go down there in the evening all the time. It's 40 minutes from my house. Less time than it took me to get to Indian Rock from my place in Berkeley.

Anonymous said...

Now you admit that you used to go to Indian Rock?

Reed is on to something here.

You're clearly nuts.

~Josh

Anonymous said...

Why is there a watermelon there?

Pecos said...

I'll tell you later.

Wills Young said...

Looked like you were going pretty well until you dabbed near the end there.

Steve Edwards said...

Lol - actually I didn't dab, but it sure does look like it. The ground is down below at that point. Well, actually it kind of looks like I dabbed near the beginning too. Didn't feel it, but could be. Anyway, it's all just training.

Wills Young said...

LOL... What? You almost kicked that pad into the video camera...! That's what I'm talking about!

Better be "just training!" I'd hate to have to call you out if I found this on your 8a score sheet!

Totally joking of course.

Steve Edwards said...

Oh, yeah, that's right. Another thing I didn't even notice until I edited the footage. I was wondering how I didn't notice that. Maybe I was a little pumped or something. My 8a scorecard is so full there isn't even room for this. U usually only add stuff their once I campus it using two fingers or less.

Good to hear from you. Hope you're doing well!

Micah said...

Pretty rad for a home video of a traverse... But then again, I'm so horny to climb right now, a video of someone projecting Cathedral Peak would get me up.

Lookin strong Steve. Keep it up! You're cranking days are far from over.