omg. to the three people who read this blog and click refresh every twenty minutes to no avail, why can't you be better readers like steph davis' readers? what the hell is wrong with you? do you not idolize me? do you not worship every life and session decision i have ever made? write me letters telling me how awesome i am and ask my advice on how you too can be awesome like i am awesome [as if you could ever be as awesome as i am, even if i tell you how].
omg. be better at reading this blog.
love me. oh, umm, i mean: LIVE THIS PLAN.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
upper chaos / rmnp / "riddles in the dark"
rylan and i vie for sends of the original 'riddles in the dark' while silven works out the full version 'riddles in the park'... silven slipped out of the last hard move of the link this day, then slipped off matching the jug well post-hard moves a few days later. send is imminent!
also, ladies: it is right and natural for you to feel the feelings that you will feel at the end of this video. rylan wants to assure you that your urges are normal and should be embraced.
also, ladies: it is right and natural for you to feel the feelings that you will feel at the end of this video. rylan wants to assure you that your urges are normal and should be embraced.
RMNP / riddles in the dark, july 2009 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
upper chaos video: terrorism arete, vortex, whirlwind
ok, so here's the first of a couple videos from the riddles area of upper chaos canyon, rmnp. terrorism arete, vortex, and what i think is whirlwind are depicted. whirlwind may start lower, but even asher thought it was ultra cramped and retarded to do so. the muzak may not jive with what tool calls 'hip gangster wannabes', but it has always cracked me up and any tone-deaf fool like me can sing along perfectly.
so, BEHOLD:
so, BEHOLD:
rmnp / terrorism arete, vortex, whirlwind, july 2009 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Monday, July 13, 2009
session update: upper chaos/riddles... text before the visual
ok, so i finally made it to chaos canyon this season. upper, to be exact. i had heard that riddles in the dark/park was finally melted out enough to try, but that the snow is melting fast. once the snow is gone, starting from the original matched undercling becomes scary and very very awkward... requiring many stacked pads just for me to touch the holds and pull on. so, the hammer was down.
anyone who has climbed with me knows that i do not typically "project" climbs in the traditional sense. i try my projects, but if they feel funky or hard, i usually give up within a 1/2 hour and go try easier lines. it is very rare for me to keep trying moves that i haven't stuck within a few minutes. any actual "projecting" is usally when i've done all the moves quickly, but need time to link them together for a send.
since the window of opportunity for riddles is so small, and there is zero chance that my schedule would allow any weekday efforts, i felt like this was the time i had to focus and forego easier quarry... to buckle down and give 100% effort to this one line till it goes, or until my time runs out.
amazingly, this is exactly what i did. the first batch of efforts i had on riddles in the dark were horrid. i felt weak and incompetent on the moves, but with rylan and ryan's beta/support, the moves started coming together. also, watching asher destroy some of the moves fueled my desire to up my own game a notch.
and it started coming together. after about an hour, i began laying down sending efforts, but kept popping off at the cruxy reach through move. successive efforts left me gassed, gasping, and bleeding. things were not looking good.
then, glassberg pulled on and found a great subtle toe scum for the crux moves that totally balanced out your body... took away the low-percentage nature of the move and boiled it down to only finishing power.
in the end, my 10 minute breaks on this steep, unrelenting climb were too much for me to recover from and my final efforts were jittery and weak. i had to leave dejected. i know i can send the line after linking different sections a billion times each, but i'm hyper stressed about the fact that i may not be able to return for it while the snow is in place. it's very frustrating to get to try a project once a year, and i hope to finagle a second session on it before the snow dissipates.
regardless, it was fantastic to see the treacherous rylan rest up and absolutely walk 'riddles in the dark'. i did nab video of the send and i'll be posting it soon. similarly, rylan, who has already done this line from the original start, was putting out send burns for the lower, full roof version and getting to the last difficult move, where his fingers crawled, just missed, and ripped out of the "last" hold. the send seems imminent and i hope to be on hand for it if my schedule abides.
i will mention that asher and i did get to do 'terrorism arete' as a pumpy and a little too involved warm up and 'whirlwind' as a warm down. video of those, too, in additon to video of glassberg taking a warm-up ride on the infrequently tried dave graham "moderate", 'vortex'
woots.
anyone who has climbed with me knows that i do not typically "project" climbs in the traditional sense. i try my projects, but if they feel funky or hard, i usually give up within a 1/2 hour and go try easier lines. it is very rare for me to keep trying moves that i haven't stuck within a few minutes. any actual "projecting" is usally when i've done all the moves quickly, but need time to link them together for a send.
since the window of opportunity for riddles is so small, and there is zero chance that my schedule would allow any weekday efforts, i felt like this was the time i had to focus and forego easier quarry... to buckle down and give 100% effort to this one line till it goes, or until my time runs out.
amazingly, this is exactly what i did. the first batch of efforts i had on riddles in the dark were horrid. i felt weak and incompetent on the moves, but with rylan and ryan's beta/support, the moves started coming together. also, watching asher destroy some of the moves fueled my desire to up my own game a notch.
and it started coming together. after about an hour, i began laying down sending efforts, but kept popping off at the cruxy reach through move. successive efforts left me gassed, gasping, and bleeding. things were not looking good.
then, glassberg pulled on and found a great subtle toe scum for the crux moves that totally balanced out your body... took away the low-percentage nature of the move and boiled it down to only finishing power.
in the end, my 10 minute breaks on this steep, unrelenting climb were too much for me to recover from and my final efforts were jittery and weak. i had to leave dejected. i know i can send the line after linking different sections a billion times each, but i'm hyper stressed about the fact that i may not be able to return for it while the snow is in place. it's very frustrating to get to try a project once a year, and i hope to finagle a second session on it before the snow dissipates.
regardless, it was fantastic to see the treacherous rylan rest up and absolutely walk 'riddles in the dark'. i did nab video of the send and i'll be posting it soon. similarly, rylan, who has already done this line from the original start, was putting out send burns for the lower, full roof version and getting to the last difficult move, where his fingers crawled, just missed, and ripped out of the "last" hold. the send seems imminent and i hope to be on hand for it if my schedule abides.
i will mention that asher and i did get to do 'terrorism arete' as a pumpy and a little too involved warm up and 'whirlwind' as a warm down. video of those, too, in additon to video of glassberg taking a warm-up ride on the infrequently tried dave graham "moderate", 'vortex'
woots.
Friday, July 10, 2009
old movies! refried entertainment!
lately, i've been feeling the rage. thus, i went into my archives and re-uploaded the old BURN THE EARTH video to vimeo and found it to still be relevant to my contemporary mental environment. behold:
rmnp / hallett boulder / The Last Straw /aka/ WORLD ESPLODE, august 2006 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
sing the sorrow
i'm trying not to apologize for a lack of blog updates, since a.bishrat pointed out that it is hella lame to do so. "oh, noooz... without your blog updates how can us audience members ever Live????" lament.
in actuality, there is one person on earth who feels this way. i am it who is he.
so, since the rest of you do not care, NO apologies here! suck it!
that said, hayden posted a few shots of me on jemerson's "sing the sorrow" from a very wet day in the late spring. we made the best of thick foggy clouds and persistent drizzle. gosh, what a strange weather year we're having. puke.
in actuality, there is one person on earth who feels this way. i am it who is he.
so, since the rest of you do not care, NO apologies here! suck it!
that said, hayden posted a few shots of me on jemerson's "sing the sorrow" from a very wet day in the late spring. we made the best of thick foggy clouds and persistent drizzle. gosh, what a strange weather year we're having. puke.
underinsured
$1000.00 deductible on homeowner's policy. set up upon purchase of home, never really thought through fully. hail damage to roof on the heels of emergency vet bill a month or so ago. budgetary collapse.
$500 deductible then 80/20 co-insurance if i want to have my knee re-built before it fully explodes.
dreams of hueco. dreams of yosemite. dreams of squamish. dreams of any vacation of any kind. gone.
man on fire.
$500 deductible then 80/20 co-insurance if i want to have my knee re-built before it fully explodes.
dreams of hueco. dreams of yosemite. dreams of squamish. dreams of any vacation of any kind. gone.
man on fire.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
nerve damage
so, in the shadow of the tragic loss of another hero of the climbing community and on the other end of the spectrum, tales of crushing hard lines around colorado and sud afrika, comes this lackluster update. i've continually struggled this season with trying to get outside and trying to be the man i think i should be...
this weekend we had to say goodbye to our neighbors, the parkers, who have now moved to texas. we spent part of the weekend helping them to fill up the moving vans and just hanging out before they headed out onto the highway on sunday morning. the parkers have been looking out for us in a major way since we moved in... helping me with home repair and maintenance, filling us with food, and letting me beat up their children. amy had become particularly close with robin and little haley, as well.
it was a very sad parting and in addition to their friendship, it cannot be overstated how much they have helped us in the nearly five years we've lived at our home.
in between hang out sessions with the parkers this weekend, amy and i also were able to slip out to do a few outdoor things with our holiday weekend. on friday morning, despite some setbacks, we made it out for me to play on a chossy, sharp project i've had in the back of my mind for a while. the session was fruitful and i was able to tick off a few variations on the overhang. next time i will need to man up to finish a low start since a brooding storm chased us out of there prematurely and our 3.5 hour LATE start was chewing up too much of the neighbor hang out time we had intended. in any event, the ultra edgy sharpness of one of the pockety holds on the wall made my finger burn with suddenfire, then go numb. this was friday. it is still numb. like frostbite numb, but with apparent bloodflow. not purple, not white, not in pain. just numb. what the hell? anyone know about this kind of thing? it still works, it's just tingly. permanent? i haven't tried to put it to flame or prick it with a pin or anything, but very very strange....
in any event, on the 4th, to blow off some frustration regarding the horse business, amy and i raced out to rent a 2-person kayak to get on the water at cherry creek reservoir. despite more storm clouds, we went anyway. after a short paddle down wind, of course that storm hit us full force. thankfully, it wasn't lake erie, or the storm swell that kicked up would have made retreat against the wind even harder and we couldn't have handled waves much higher than what kicked up on the reservoir... though not very impressive in size, those touring kayaks are not particularly apt at handling rougher water.... maybe an ocean model would fare better?
anyway, within about 15 minutes, we were SOAKED. i couldn't see through my glasses and just kept paddling into the stinging rain until we finally got back to the marina.
the whole time i was laughing, though, that it was still WAY better than getting caught in upper chaos canyon with a storm and lightning.
anyway, all the sending that's been going on around here has been incredible and though it's a bitter pill for me to swallow since i havent been able to be a part of the fun, it's truly awesome and i hope to get out with you all soon.
this weekend we had to say goodbye to our neighbors, the parkers, who have now moved to texas. we spent part of the weekend helping them to fill up the moving vans and just hanging out before they headed out onto the highway on sunday morning. the parkers have been looking out for us in a major way since we moved in... helping me with home repair and maintenance, filling us with food, and letting me beat up their children. amy had become particularly close with robin and little haley, as well.
it was a very sad parting and in addition to their friendship, it cannot be overstated how much they have helped us in the nearly five years we've lived at our home.
in between hang out sessions with the parkers this weekend, amy and i also were able to slip out to do a few outdoor things with our holiday weekend. on friday morning, despite some setbacks, we made it out for me to play on a chossy, sharp project i've had in the back of my mind for a while. the session was fruitful and i was able to tick off a few variations on the overhang. next time i will need to man up to finish a low start since a brooding storm chased us out of there prematurely and our 3.5 hour LATE start was chewing up too much of the neighbor hang out time we had intended. in any event, the ultra edgy sharpness of one of the pockety holds on the wall made my finger burn with suddenfire, then go numb. this was friday. it is still numb. like frostbite numb, but with apparent bloodflow. not purple, not white, not in pain. just numb. what the hell? anyone know about this kind of thing? it still works, it's just tingly. permanent? i haven't tried to put it to flame or prick it with a pin or anything, but very very strange....
in any event, on the 4th, to blow off some frustration regarding the horse business, amy and i raced out to rent a 2-person kayak to get on the water at cherry creek reservoir. despite more storm clouds, we went anyway. after a short paddle down wind, of course that storm hit us full force. thankfully, it wasn't lake erie, or the storm swell that kicked up would have made retreat against the wind even harder and we couldn't have handled waves much higher than what kicked up on the reservoir... though not very impressive in size, those touring kayaks are not particularly apt at handling rougher water.... maybe an ocean model would fare better?
anyway, within about 15 minutes, we were SOAKED. i couldn't see through my glasses and just kept paddling into the stinging rain until we finally got back to the marina.
the whole time i was laughing, though, that it was still WAY better than getting caught in upper chaos canyon with a storm and lightning.
anyway, all the sending that's been going on around here has been incredible and though it's a bitter pill for me to swallow since i havent been able to be a part of the fun, it's truly awesome and i hope to get out with you all soon.
Monday, June 29, 2009
KING OF THE RODEOS
u arrived at this blog looking for climbing medias. u get no climbing medias. what you get is knowledge that i showed our horse for my first time this weekend. amy did too, of course, but that's not the news. the news is that i did. and what was the result, a fool may ask? omg u bitches KNOW that i owned that pen. i was in the novice rider class and now 7 other novice riders know how rad i am. fifth-grade classes all over the parker area will be missing students this morning, since they stayed up all night knowing that they have been bested by SOCK HANDS: KING OF THE SLOWPACED RODEOS! well, actually, a few won't, since i didn't exactly win, but i would have if i didn't spin in a circle instead of backing up, but any idiot can back up, i floated a heli, fools!
yes, i roll that strong. rolling thunder. wisen to this beat, or be trampled by my hooves.
yes, i roll that strong. rolling thunder. wisen to this beat, or be trampled by my hooves.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
this is so, like, NEWS
today, i again attended a horse show where i began to stink of sunburn, ammonia piss, and poops.
also, i product tested for organic. no, foolish bitch, i did not go climbing... i put my neighbors in my crashpad and swung it around by the handles and pulled them around the yard on it like a magic carpet until i g-force of doomed them off the back end resulting in dizziness, cranial trauma, and total friggen joy/puke.
u r so jealous.
also, i product tested for organic. no, foolish bitch, i did not go climbing... i put my neighbors in my crashpad and swung it around by the handles and pulled them around the yard on it like a magic carpet until i g-force of doomed them off the back end resulting in dizziness, cranial trauma, and total friggen joy/puke.
u r so jealous.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
omg strongmo fools read this:
in the spirit of posting project media at evans, peep this mini video of what i discovered was seth's "futurama" problem in the talus above gorillas in the mist. note that the stone needs more cleaning lower down, but there are fat pinches and slopers of doom that would link into the stand start's slopers and pinches of goodness, thereby making a worthy non-highball problem.
so, take a brush, clean and send this rig too.
that is an order
so, take a brush, clean and send this rig too.
that is an order
mt. evans / 'futurama', august 2007 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Monday, June 22, 2009
dbc: tuesday night sessions
Tuesday Night Sessions
June 14, 2009 at 11:03 pm · Filed under Community and tagged: guest passes, tuesday night sessions
Now that members are enjoying the gym on a regular basis, we thought it would be fun to organize a climbing session on Tuesday nights.
We’ll have new routes up and ready for lots of energy. Members, bring your favorite tunes, cause the sesh will run as late as you want.
Also on Tuesday nights, guests can get in for just $10 after 6pm. I assure you, you will leave with a work out!
A couple of things to note, people can come with out a member on Tues, so anyone can come check it out. If they decide to buy a membership that night, we'll credit the $10 against their initiation fee. They need to bring cash or a check no credit cards and they need to be over 18. We get started around 6 but last time most folks showed up between 7-8 and they climbed until almost 11.
June 14, 2009 at 11:03 pm · Filed under Community and tagged: guest passes, tuesday night sessions
Now that members are enjoying the gym on a regular basis, we thought it would be fun to organize a climbing session on Tuesday nights.
We’ll have new routes up and ready for lots of energy. Members, bring your favorite tunes, cause the sesh will run as late as you want.
Also on Tuesday nights, guests can get in for just $10 after 6pm. I assure you, you will leave with a work out!
A couple of things to note, people can come with out a member on Tues, so anyone can come check it out. If they decide to buy a membership that night, we'll credit the $10 against their initiation fee. They need to bring cash or a check no credit cards and they need to be over 18. We get started around 6 but last time most folks showed up between 7-8 and they climbed until almost 11.
Friday, June 19, 2009
castlewood canyon / punani / spring 2008
i snapped these shots during a spring after-work beer session at c-wood. at the time, i was talking with andy mann and sharp end publishing and there was some interest in these and other shots for the "women of climbing" calendar, so i kept them off the radar. as expected, however, the slow shutter speed and funky light deep-sixed them from consideration... so, YOU GET 'EM!
punani is one of the classic lines of c-wood, which sports decent stone and great moves above a grassy flat landing. unfortunately, that flat grassy landing is a favorite hang out for ticks, snakes, and ivy this time of year.
in any event, enjoy! maybe these shots will make marvez long for castlewood canyon while she visits the rocklands in south africa for the third year?
of course.
punani is one of the classic lines of c-wood, which sports decent stone and great moves above a grassy flat landing. unfortunately, that flat grassy landing is a favorite hang out for ticks, snakes, and ivy this time of year.
in any event, enjoy! maybe these shots will make marvez long for castlewood canyon while she visits the rocklands in south africa for the third year?
of course.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
mt. evans / FA of 'tactical error'
in case you didn't see it previously... [also, as i've said before, i uploaded about 60 videos to vimeo. check it].
mt. evans / tactical error FA, 2007 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
clear creek clean up
was a success, yet it confirmed my plan to become a serial killer who selects victims by driving around and waiting for a butt to be casually tossed from a car. then, DEATH.
like dex, i am of the belief that the world would applaud my dark efforts.
picked up probably between 300 and 500 butts myself on one side of the road in a .75 mile stretch. omg. rage.
anyway, before hand i conned mckenzie into meeting me to do a spurt root or two. only one was dry enough on the crux [weird seepage on anarchy wall] to complete. it should have been made into a highball. i've certainly bouldered things out higher.
no climbing could occur after the pick up for me. woe.
i was somewhat happy that even hungover and tired with wet rock and bad temps, one can still go out and do something new if that something is a route. what a novel idea!
tourists often question why we boulder instead of climbing "up there" [pointing to some death choss cliff]...
maybe i will finally have the nerve to be that jerk who shrugs and says "when i'm too feeble to boulder, i'll start climbing with ropes." it's always good for a shocker. unfortunately, it seems that those days are fast approaching for me.
i have no point. i slept in the longest i've slept in for a long time... or at least tied with memorial day weekend... out of coffee filters and drinking tea. this means i am full of rage. beware!
like dex, i am of the belief that the world would applaud my dark efforts.
picked up probably between 300 and 500 butts myself on one side of the road in a .75 mile stretch. omg. rage.
anyway, before hand i conned mckenzie into meeting me to do a spurt root or two. only one was dry enough on the crux [weird seepage on anarchy wall] to complete. it should have been made into a highball. i've certainly bouldered things out higher.
no climbing could occur after the pick up for me. woe.
i was somewhat happy that even hungover and tired with wet rock and bad temps, one can still go out and do something new if that something is a route. what a novel idea!
tourists often question why we boulder instead of climbing "up there" [pointing to some death choss cliff]...
maybe i will finally have the nerve to be that jerk who shrugs and says "when i'm too feeble to boulder, i'll start climbing with ropes." it's always good for a shocker. unfortunately, it seems that those days are fast approaching for me.
i have no point. i slept in the longest i've slept in for a long time... or at least tied with memorial day weekend... out of coffee filters and drinking tea. this means i am full of rage. beware!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Denver Climbing Coalition CLEAR CREEK CLEAN-UP TOMORROW, SATURDAY THE 13TH
BE THERE. check the denverclimbingcoalition website for details. starts at 9am.
also, here's an old video that i've been spamming again. i had so much fun making it that i will continue to post it over and over till you explode.
also, here's an old video that i've been spamming again. i had so much fun making it that i will continue to post it over and over till you explode.
BOOT of DOOM / gimpmode squad, volume 2, fall 2007 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
the DBC: a long-term experiment in radness
ok, so you've all read some stuff on the new denver bouldering club, located at the crotch of highway 6 and i25 in denver... if you didn't go last night, however, you are still ignorant to the goodness.
wisen thine self to this: this is, in fact, a club. you join. it is not designed as a pay as you go joint. thomas, kevin, and lee have invested lots of their own hard earned cash, blood, sweat, and tears in this join and it is good. the walls are pretty darn big compared to most other bouldering caves in the denver-boulder area. when you pitch from the lip, you feel your height. there's enough room to swing around with powerful flowing problems that cover some major ground. the foam in the landing zone is plush and i never felt it too stiff or insufficient for my many falls from the very top. i also had a back flap from midway that was softer than any gut wrenching back flap i've taken in other gyms. this landing will only get better as the gym evolves. and that's the point. this gym is by and for climbers. yeah, we've all heard that pitch before, but this is one of those unique instances when it's true. members are given an access code to use the gym whenever they wish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. the terrain is basic angles right now, but they do satisfy every dark urge... furthermore, the terrain will also evolve. as the club builds steam, membership dues will be used to fund improvements, including the addition of a 60 degree wall and additional features.
since this is a lovechild of the three kings mentioned above, the club was opened quickly and is ready to serve. how the gym evolves depends on YOU. my understanding is that the business model is intended to make a self-sustaining operation... not a primary source of income for the three kings... so, the deal is not about how to get your bro-pass to climb for free. your support of the club direct affects its ability to serve.
the current phase one is indeed compelling and i had more fun at the opening then i've had indoors in a long long time. this is the scene, the crew, the community that the dbc creates. this is your crew. it's waiting for you and will make you strong.
"synergy" [like a BOSS]
wisen thine self to this: this is, in fact, a club. you join. it is not designed as a pay as you go joint. thomas, kevin, and lee have invested lots of their own hard earned cash, blood, sweat, and tears in this join and it is good. the walls are pretty darn big compared to most other bouldering caves in the denver-boulder area. when you pitch from the lip, you feel your height. there's enough room to swing around with powerful flowing problems that cover some major ground. the foam in the landing zone is plush and i never felt it too stiff or insufficient for my many falls from the very top. i also had a back flap from midway that was softer than any gut wrenching back flap i've taken in other gyms. this landing will only get better as the gym evolves. and that's the point. this gym is by and for climbers. yeah, we've all heard that pitch before, but this is one of those unique instances when it's true. members are given an access code to use the gym whenever they wish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. the terrain is basic angles right now, but they do satisfy every dark urge... furthermore, the terrain will also evolve. as the club builds steam, membership dues will be used to fund improvements, including the addition of a 60 degree wall and additional features.
since this is a lovechild of the three kings mentioned above, the club was opened quickly and is ready to serve. how the gym evolves depends on YOU. my understanding is that the business model is intended to make a self-sustaining operation... not a primary source of income for the three kings... so, the deal is not about how to get your bro-pass to climb for free. your support of the club direct affects its ability to serve.
the current phase one is indeed compelling and i had more fun at the opening then i've had indoors in a long long time. this is the scene, the crew, the community that the dbc creates. this is your crew. it's waiting for you and will make you strong.
"synergy" [like a BOSS]
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
maybe now that the DBC is opening
lee won't struggle like this on lowballs? see you there tonight, bitches.
mt. evans / silven and hanna session
in contrast to all the very somber and thoughtful posts about jonny, micah, and wade, who were lost from our community in china, i'm throwing down this standard rubbish. regardless, if you are in the one-percent who isn't privy, go to the narc's page, steve's page, or even pimpin' and crimpin' to learn a bit more about the way each of these three had enriched the lives of those in our communtiy.
--------------------------------
i had a few hours saturday to play in the mountains, so i agreed to meet silven and hanna out for an assault. rylan and others were going to meet up with us. the plan was simple: warm up at the dali wall, watch hanna send the dali, carry our own pads in to try 'city walls of dying dreams', send, revel in our awesomeness.
unfortunately, i had relapsed back to being a horrible and weak rock climber and i was on edge about the rapid passage of time since i had to hike out and be driving by 3:15pm in order to make a timely airport run.
anyway, the morning started off fun and mellow. we repeated a line near seurat and established another. video below. then, silven and i put a few burns in on clear blue skies. the holds felt way more painful than my first try this year. i was again demoralized. mental pollution still seems like v13 and we didn't have time to play on no more greener grass... though recent internet mediaz suggest that all these lines should be possible within a few minutes of effort. woe is me.
hanna made killer progress on the static version of the dali. while i laugh that folks think there is a "low" start to the dali and that it is "harder", i would say with a straight face that the static version should get a solid v9 rating, and is certainly harder than the dyno beta.
my SLR was in ohio at the time, but here's hanna via our pointandshoot...
it seemed like the day was on hyperdrive and before i could even calm down and put forth real effort on a climb, it was time to go. i hiked my big boy organic pad, a franklin pad, and a 15 lb gear bag out from the farthest reaches of area b to the car at echo in 60 minutes. i believe that for this load, it was a personal record. a hollow and joyless personal record.
but i guess if there is one thing to learn from the tragedy in china, it was that i really always do have a great time talking smack and hanging out with friends while bouldering. even on this day, when i felt completely on-edge the entire day and devoid of skills, it gave me a little power-up to make it through the work week... so that i can obsess about my next session out with all of you. word.
video:
--------------------------------
i had a few hours saturday to play in the mountains, so i agreed to meet silven and hanna out for an assault. rylan and others were going to meet up with us. the plan was simple: warm up at the dali wall, watch hanna send the dali, carry our own pads in to try 'city walls of dying dreams', send, revel in our awesomeness.
unfortunately, i had relapsed back to being a horrible and weak rock climber and i was on edge about the rapid passage of time since i had to hike out and be driving by 3:15pm in order to make a timely airport run.
anyway, the morning started off fun and mellow. we repeated a line near seurat and established another. video below. then, silven and i put a few burns in on clear blue skies. the holds felt way more painful than my first try this year. i was again demoralized. mental pollution still seems like v13 and we didn't have time to play on no more greener grass... though recent internet mediaz suggest that all these lines should be possible within a few minutes of effort. woe is me.
hanna made killer progress on the static version of the dali. while i laugh that folks think there is a "low" start to the dali and that it is "harder", i would say with a straight face that the static version should get a solid v9 rating, and is certainly harder than the dyno beta.
my SLR was in ohio at the time, but here's hanna via our pointandshoot...
it seemed like the day was on hyperdrive and before i could even calm down and put forth real effort on a climb, it was time to go. i hiked my big boy organic pad, a franklin pad, and a 15 lb gear bag out from the farthest reaches of area b to the car at echo in 60 minutes. i believe that for this load, it was a personal record. a hollow and joyless personal record.
but i guess if there is one thing to learn from the tragedy in china, it was that i really always do have a great time talking smack and hanging out with friends while bouldering. even on this day, when i felt completely on-edge the entire day and devoid of skills, it gave me a little power-up to make it through the work week... so that i can obsess about my next session out with all of you. word.
video:
Monday, June 8, 2009
the DBC grand opening wednesday!
from betterton/brown/payne: Join us at the Denver Bouldering Club on Wednesday night, as we christen the walls that will strengthen Denver's community of climbers.
The gym officially opens for business at 7 P.M. on June 10th, and that's when you're invited to enjoy new routes, free food, and the company of each other's psych!
To sign up for 24/7 access at the open house, we're only charging $75 dollars for membership (that's half off). Then, your monthly membership dues will also be discounted to $49/month for the first year. Bring your checkbook, or sign up for ACH transfers with your bank account information. Just in town for the night? Everyone at the open house can climb until midnight for just $10.
So, bring your shoes, and a lot of energy, cause we’ll be climbing through the night!!!
Who - Denver's dedicated climbing enthusiasts
Where - 2485 W. 2nd Ave, Unit 18 Denver, CO 80223
When - Wednesday June 10, 2009, at 7:00 P.M.
What - Huge membership deals, free food, good times, and superb climbing!
Why - 24/7 access to training and support that will improve your fitness and reward you on the rock!
More - Visit www.denverboulderingclub.com to see construction photos and to learn more about the DBC.
How - The crowd is growing quickly, so please RSVP!!!
Stick Send,
The Denver Bouldering Club
The gym officially opens for business at 7 P.M. on June 10th, and that's when you're invited to enjoy new routes, free food, and the company of each other's psych!
To sign up for 24/7 access at the open house, we're only charging $75 dollars for membership (that's half off). Then, your monthly membership dues will also be discounted to $49/month for the first year. Bring your checkbook, or sign up for ACH transfers with your bank account information. Just in town for the night? Everyone at the open house can climb until midnight for just $10.
So, bring your shoes, and a lot of energy, cause we’ll be climbing through the night!!!
Who - Denver's dedicated climbing enthusiasts
Where - 2485 W. 2nd Ave, Unit 18 Denver, CO 80223
When - Wednesday June 10, 2009, at 7:00 P.M.
What - Huge membership deals, free food, good times, and superb climbing!
Why - 24/7 access to training and support that will improve your fitness and reward you on the rock!
More - Visit www.denverboulderingclub.com to see construction photos and to learn more about the DBC.
How - The crowd is growing quickly, so please RSVP!!!
Stick Send,
The Denver Bouldering Club
clearing the air...
this spring/summer has been pretty difficult for me for a number of different reasons. i hope to find that yesterday's tornados have wisked away all the darkness.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
escape from evans: morrison south
mt. evans and morrison south / the ladder, squirming coil, and breshears crack, may 2009 from sock hands on Vimeo.
ok, so shaw is from the gunks crew and she pulls really really strong. unfortunately, my tour guide itinerary took us to mt. evans, where the rain clouds rolled in approximately 30 minutes after we arrived at A. so, we got in a warm up and we put a few burns in on dali wall projects [mental pollution is harder than clear blue, die all of you die] until the on-and-off rains made us bail to areas warmer, drier, and closer to beverage venders... so morrison south it was, where we had a fun, though very non-serious session. word on the street is that rylan and ben did stay at evans and ended up getting some dry stone before the day was out. andrew v. was not nearly as lucky... he reportedly drove to evans to meet us, as planned, but arrived in the parking lot to rain... then he drove to g-pass, and somewhere else, before going up to the spot in boulder. uuggghhhh. the suck! anyway, it was cool to see shaw onsight 'squirming coil', which has some very fussy body-position moves and one snot slick sloping edge of doom. word.
rmnp / into the wild and outta season
rmnp / into the wild and outta season, may 2009 from sock hands on Vimeo.
on sunday, we headed up to the park against my better judgment... the 50% chance of thunderstorms predicted is usually the death knell for a session, but the estes webcams painted a clear picture at 7am so we went for it. it turned out to be a beautiful day. a bit on the warm side, actually, but quite pleasant in the trees. we spent a ton of energy hiking around in the snow until i realized that i had made a fatal reading comprehension dab on olson's prime beta [reading comprehension is essentially my career... hmmmmm] and then found the 'into the wild' block with the quickness. though sore from the soggy hike and hangover the day before, 'into the wild' seemed like it would go quickly for me, and some rumbling thunder and an approaching dark cloud within the first 15 minutes at the problem sufficed as a 'warm up'... i was worried we were going to have a repeat of the prior day at evans... finally hike in and RAIN... the first time i stuck the intro crux deadpoint, i pad-scuffed a bit... no momentum change, but audible. i topped it out anyway, forlorn that i may not be able to do it all again. but, after a brief rest, i did it clean. the doom cloud, and about a dozen others through the course of the day, actually passed us to the south-east, leaving the block dry with a slight cool breeze. it looked like glacier gorge and the diamond were getting HAMMERED by rain/snow, but we dodged the bullets and enjoyed the lightning cracks from our distant outlook.
after 'into the wild', the three-finger slot poket start of 'outta season' looked very compelling to me and shaw was making great progress on it, but i was jittery and bonked after my flurry of efforts on 'into the wild.' i tried the opening stab move and felt like i couldn't even go for it. so, in a totally sudden policy shift in the sock hands head administration, i decided to eat some food that was neither candy, caffeine pop, nor alcohol. weird! lo and behold, it worked. i felt much stronger after about a half hour of digestion... which was a very unique feeling for me. usually when i eat a sandwich or other 'real' food, i feel groggy and lethargic. it's a fine line, i suppose. this same thing worked for 'whisper of wisdom' a couple years ago and didn't work for a large number of other climbs.
in any event, i quickly learned that shaw's beta for the second move made 'outta season' a grade or more harder than 'into the wild', but after trying some dynamic throws out left, i finally realized that a large bump to a jug was the best option; despite how stretched out it made me, it was cake. the send quickly followed. hopefully, shaw can use my beta for her second session... otherwise, i'll give her at least 10 points for her imminent tick of this one.
finally, on our way down the hill, we stopped at storm pass to check out the mini roof that rolson, nic, and campface had been playing on the week before. right as we found it a doom cloud finally found us and it started to rain. what transpired was a rabbid ferret assault on this block, trying to tick as much as possible before the top outs were too wet. i really enjoyed "cumquat" and i had the most scary, epic topout experience i've ever had on a 7 foot jugfest when i pulled off 'american human being'... i watched as my hands slide and slip on huge holds while i pressed out a mantle.... it was time to call it a day.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
boulder-denver locust effect
bitchrat's good read on what i've always called the locust effect or the flavor of the month when we all swarm for the climb that the joneses just sent.
HERE
HERE
marching on, to the apocalypse
danny pik.
i have almost entirely avoided espousing my political views on this blog, save for the politics of climbing access, but i've been enjoying forwards from my friend, kevin [of montana backcountry adventures, linked at the left]... folks, i am not a democrat, though i am very liberal with respect to personal liberties. anyway, i have appreciated how kevin's forwards have not necessarily forced a conclusion, but rather raised questions about policies on both sides of the fence. here's the latest. beautifully simple:
-------------------------
"In a defining moment for American capitalism, President Barack Obama ushered General Motors Corp. into bankruptcy protection Monday and put the government behind the wheel of the company that once symbolized the nation's economic muscle:"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090601/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_gm
“Owners of capital will stimulate the working class to buy more and more of expensive goods, houses and technology, pushing them to take more and more expensive credits, until their debt becomes unbearable. The unpaid debt will lead to bankruptcy of banks, which will have to be nationalized, and the State will have to take the road which will eventually lead to communism.”
— Karl Marx, 1867, Das Kapital
---------------------
it's all so interesting to me. neither capitalism nor communism will ever work flawlessly due to the human mindset which will corrode and undermine the text book simplicity of each. we will just pendulum between the two haplessly. communism does not work - those with management power eventually exploit the system to their own benefit more and more until collapse. capitalism does not work because of its unsustainable, voracious appetite for more... under each regime, the subversive element may be traced back to fundamental drives in all organisms: self-preservation and niche domination.
i'm curious if parents will eventually need to teach their children that it is ok for ambition to take a back seat to comfortable and happy mediocrity... that it's ok to become excellent at the mundane... that it's ok to aspire to become a masterful plumber or baker and not an astronaut or -gag- another lawyer... that having a small business that supports and is supported by a community is just as important and respectable... maybe even more so... that buying a big home and a car that you cannot afford is a sign of weakness rather than strength....
i think we are in this mess because we all want to be bigger than we are and we want it now. the media and big business feed off this need of ours, lure us to their web, but surprise: the media and big business are all just people too - people who themselves want to be big-time. even the spiders are caught in their own web and eventually, there's nothing left to catch.
in order to make this global society thing work out without world war cycles or total Armageddon, people are eventually going to need to take responsibility for their own insecurities and realize that not everyone gets to be the big shot, but everyone can excel in their own little niche... to do their job the best they can with a constant desire to help their community.
but here i am... typing this rubbish... wishing i was a big shot at climbing rocks... another false facade of strength...
neglecting my job.
Friday, May 29, 2009
the dbc
from charles lee payne, kevin 'biggs' brown, and thomas something betterton: The Denver Bouldering Club is ready to open its doors for monkey business. This is your chance to see Denver’s best bouldering area in person!
We will be offering big membership specials, along with the opportunity to explore the fresh climbing surfaces. Bring your shoes and your checkbook if want to start climbing right away.
Who - Denver's dedicated climbing enthusiasts
Where - 2485 W. 2nd Ave, Unit 18 Denver, CO 80223
When - June 10, 2009, at 7:00 P.M.
What - 24/7 access to training and support that will improve your fitness and reward you on the rock!
More - Visit www.denverboulderingclub.com for more information and photos as they become available
How - Please RSVP if you can attend so we are prepared for the coming crowd...
Stick Send,
The Denver Bouldering Club
We will be offering big membership specials, along with the opportunity to explore the fresh climbing surfaces. Bring your shoes and your checkbook if want to start climbing right away.
Who - Denver's dedicated climbing enthusiasts
Where - 2485 W. 2nd Ave, Unit 18 Denver, CO 80223
When - June 10, 2009, at 7:00 P.M.
What - 24/7 access to training and support that will improve your fitness and reward you on the rock!
More - Visit www.denverboulderingclub.com for more information and photos as they become available
How - Please RSVP if you can attend so we are prepared for the coming crowd...
Stick Send,
The Denver Bouldering Club
Thursday, May 28, 2009
more old videos uploaded to vimeo channel
such as this old poudre deal:
poudre canyon / gandolf area / 'crime', 'harder they come' aka 'as hard as they come', 'gandolf', and part of 'free flowstyle' a from sock hands on Vimeo.
Friday, May 22, 2009
vimeo channel
fools: i located my cd archives of old, oh so horrible bouldering videos and i'm methodically uploading them to vimeo. so, if you want to review your old least favorites, i direct you to the straightouttabedlam channel
i have already uploaded the original idiotic videos from 2005/2006:
- six-o-six, a merry miracle
- no more greener t-shirt
- hollow's way with old man
- josh the incredible helke /aka/ count helkula on his veduwoo line: analog
i will soon upload the crested butte bachelor session and others.
count helkula video, embedded for the lazy:
i have already uploaded the original idiotic videos from 2005/2006:
- six-o-six, a merry miracle
- no more greener t-shirt
- hollow's way with old man
- josh the incredible helke /aka/ count helkula on his veduwoo line: analog
i will soon upload the crested butte bachelor session and others.
count helkula video, embedded for the lazy:
vedauwoo / 'analog', may 2006 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
it gives me great displeasure to bring you this news...
most of you know that i am hyper competitive. nothing gets me more psyched than watching my good friends fail, except for when they succeed, and i then piss on their success with deft daft skillz. generally, if i cannot be the big man, i want no part of the scene. this is why i love v7s, because they do not hurt my ego like harder lines. anyway, back to the point: nothing burns my sphincter more than when my friends break through their personal barriers to excel at their dreams. RAGE! for instance, you have all heard me speak with nostalgia of the days when pander sick used to epic on flagstaff mountain v5s. yeah, he'd eek out the send, but only with momentus struggle and eye-of-the-tiger determination. you can imagine my anger when this very determination has helped him leap-frog my skillz! now he warms up on my lifetime uber projects! rage! kill!
all this brings me back to another story. one lonely, stormy day at mount evans, before you had ever been there [unless you are like bennett, cam, jemerface, or something], i randomly bumped into two fools at the dali wall. one of them was from summit county. his name was ryan. i remembered him as summit county ryan. i recall watching this little stick man flail all over the dali. i mean, the kid was on a v7 and had heart, which was dope, but i had already done that shiz so i knew i had more silver on my back, so we got along ok - you know cuz he was no threat or nuthin. however, the chest-beating challenge was full on with this australian andy kid. we went shot for shot trying the crux moves of a then-unrepeated claytor problem known as "super gui". now with the 20/20 i know i should have never turned a blind eye to that little man struggling on the dali - I SHOULD HAVE BEATEN HIM DOWN ON THE SPOT AND GROUND HIM UNDER MY HEEL LIKE A ROACH!
now, bitches, flash your shit forward. even this little stick man has turned up the burners on me! eternia, dead raccoon, replacement killers, elegant infinite?? damn i cannot do these problems, which makes me vengeful through my tears.
and finally, this 80 lbs climber has twisted the knife: sending whispers of wisdom. you may say: lots of people have climbed whispers, even your foolish self has climbed whispers. bitch, of course i know this. but you are dumb and missed the point: whispers was the one colorado classic that befuddled mr. silven. though having the moves wired, he always seemed to bitch out for the send, never getting it done. you know this filled me with glee. but now, nothing! whispers was the handful of sand i could throw in silven's eyes to win the fight... but now, we are fighting on pure rock, a realm where he has already long surpassed me.
oh wellz, there's still RYLAN! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
PEOPLE OF EARTH - HEAR THESE WORDS:
know that i am off the leash may 30th and 31st. i will be drunk and exposing myself while climbing on your projects with a mini aussie duct taped to the bottom of each of my feet. i will reek of barbeque sauce and i will cuss constantly. i may spit when i talk. you will hear distant, inexplicable sounds of sikk heavy metal riffs at all hours of these days and you will know in your hearts that it is awesome. i will be at the end of every rainbow, stealing your sandwiches and beer. too bad there will be no rainbows because rain is not invited to this party. in fact, only 50 degree dry conditions with a cool soft breeze has been invited. and you know it already RSVP'd to this shiz on e-vite.
i will also be doing these awesome things that following saturday until the early afternoon before running out to the airport.
if you are smart, you will plan on joining me climbing whereever i tell you to go after analyzing temperature, moisture, and other climactic patterns all of the preceding week.
basically, pack a gear bag ready for radness and await my call to battle.
you are a grunt and you will bend to my will, having faith that my orders are pure, enlightened, and the only possible way to survive the mayhem of that weekend.
the golden light of victory and immortal glory will shine upon us gentlemen [and ladies willing to wake up early and bend to my will, which is like zero]
HOOOO-RAH
WOOT
etc.
LIVE. THIS. PLAN.
ps: i know some of you will be in south africa during this weekend. i have only included you in this email to inform you as to what you are missing, which is totally like a lot. i know you are crying. i do not blame you.
i will also be doing these awesome things that following saturday until the early afternoon before running out to the airport.
if you are smart, you will plan on joining me climbing whereever i tell you to go after analyzing temperature, moisture, and other climactic patterns all of the preceding week.
basically, pack a gear bag ready for radness and await my call to battle.
you are a grunt and you will bend to my will, having faith that my orders are pure, enlightened, and the only possible way to survive the mayhem of that weekend.
the golden light of victory and immortal glory will shine upon us gentlemen [and ladies willing to wake up early and bend to my will, which is like zero]
HOOOO-RAH
WOOT
etc.
LIVE. THIS. PLAN.
ps: i know some of you will be in south africa during this weekend. i have only included you in this email to inform you as to what you are missing, which is totally like a lot. i know you are crying. i do not blame you.
Monday, May 18, 2009
climbing shoe and rubber review: 2009 madrock con-flict
Madrock 2009 Con-Flict
When I posted my ‘findings’ for my rubber test between Vibram XS-Grip and Five Ten Stealth HF, I received emails and comments suggesting I should check out other climbing rubber. I casually mentioned that I would give a fair test to anything I’m given. Flash forward a few weeks and behold: a brand new pair of Mad Rock Con-Flicts! These were given on loan from a sponsored friend of mine who was eager to see what I thought, and I have to admit, I was intrigued. See, Mad Rock is often passed off as a second-rate company that only survives due to budget-minded climbers and parents of climbers. Pro climbers seem to leave their team as soon as greener pastures are presented, and previously, I had assumed that every problem would feel 3 v-grades harder in these detestable shoes. However, I had more than one person suggest to me that the Mad Rock rubber is actually really sticky. So, off and on, I have donned the con-flicts and given them a run and I must say that, despite a few drawbacks, I was pleasantly surprised by certain aspects of their performance. Though all of this was intended to be a review of different climbing shoe rubber, I guess this became a review of the shoes themselves. Game on.
Executive summary: Sticky rubber on a very stiff platform. If it doesn’t fit, the heel will deform and slip while being very uncomfortable. It seems best suited for climbing square to the wall where its stiffness and resulting power can be utilized; despite the softer center sole, there is very little ‘feel’. If it fits your foot well, it should be a good performer. The construction seems pretty good overall… much better than my memory of the first series offered by Mad Rock.
Fit and Feel: I was given a size 8.5, though I would have expected to wear a 9.0. The fit is very tight on me [refer to comparison chart], but my toes were not too agonized. In fact, the front and mid-sections of the shoe felt very well contoured to my foot with the help of the three Velcro tabs. The surprise, however, is that the heel KILLED. I’ve never really had trouble with pressure points in the heel of climbing shoes… only on the toes. For the Con-Flict, it was the opposite. What was strange is that despite the tightness of the heel, it readily deformed and peeled off strong heel hook moves.
The feel of the shoes is very stiff. Super stiff. Mega stiff, even compared to the Sportiva Solutions or Muiras. To some extent, the rigidity of the Con-Flicts felt clunky and I was not able to perch my toe around corners as is necessary on many climbs [i.e. toe in high on an edge around the side of an arête, or, grab an angled edge that faces away from you]. On the other hand, due to the stiffness and stick of the rubber, I felt that I was able to front-point very strongly off of some pretty tiny features on my 60 degree wall. These shoes excel on positive edges and nubbins when you are climbing fairly square to the wall or back-stepping [read: “crimp ladder”].
Heel and Toe: Though Mad Rock pats itself firmly on the back for its heel and toe hooking designs, I was very disappointed with the shoe’s performance in both arenas. Even though I have some trouble with the design of the Solution’s heel, I found that it did a much better job on desperate heel hooks and a tremendously better job on toe hooks… not sure exactly why.
I have not used the Con-Flicts outside as much as I have on plastic, but I did have a positive experience when heel hooking on a very irregular feature. The different features in the heel rubber seemed to grab the crystals on the hold in question quite well. On smooth features, however, I think that a normal, smooth rubber heel will do much better and the “hooker heel” is reduced to mere gimmick.
The Rubber: I can confirm the reports that Mad Rock’s newest rubber is in fact sticky and nice. It consistently stuck to slick plastic features on my basement wall that xs-grip and stealth HF gave inconsistent performance on [i.e. the mad rock rubber stuck every time whereas the others would slip unexpectedly some times and stick others].
What was strange to me is that I could watch the mad rock rubber torque and bend at the edge when powering off a feature. Typically this would result in a sudden pop off the edge, but due to the very stiff backbone of the shoe, it never seemed to occur. Edge roll can be very frustrating when climbing on micro features, so I’m curious whether my feelings about the rubber would change when powering off of tiny crystals. I guess I’ll find out as time goes on? In any event, this was a bit concerning for me.
Finally, the dual density sole: Good? Bad? My jury is still out on it. I did like how it did seem to improve the performance of this stiff shoe on slopers when you could get the center of your foot on the meat of one, and I do believe that the softer center rubber did help on a few desperate moves that I tried…. So I guess, I’d give the dual density sole good marks for now… but if I was to have any of my shoes re-soled in mad rock rubber, I do not think I’d have a dual density sole used, so maybe that undermines my positive reaction?
Anyway, I’d say that if these shoes fit your feet well, I will not mock you or pity you for using them. Because of the bagginess of the heel even in a crazy small size, I do not think that I could ever wear them in a size big enough to alleviate the heel pain – it would make the heel totally ineffective for me. I was surprised by the performance of the rubber and I think that Mad Rock is on the right track if they can improve on the back-end fit and sometimes debilitating stiffness.
When I posted my ‘findings’ for my rubber test between Vibram XS-Grip and Five Ten Stealth HF, I received emails and comments suggesting I should check out other climbing rubber. I casually mentioned that I would give a fair test to anything I’m given. Flash forward a few weeks and behold: a brand new pair of Mad Rock Con-Flicts! These were given on loan from a sponsored friend of mine who was eager to see what I thought, and I have to admit, I was intrigued. See, Mad Rock is often passed off as a second-rate company that only survives due to budget-minded climbers and parents of climbers. Pro climbers seem to leave their team as soon as greener pastures are presented, and previously, I had assumed that every problem would feel 3 v-grades harder in these detestable shoes. However, I had more than one person suggest to me that the Mad Rock rubber is actually really sticky. So, off and on, I have donned the con-flicts and given them a run and I must say that, despite a few drawbacks, I was pleasantly surprised by certain aspects of their performance. Though all of this was intended to be a review of different climbing shoe rubber, I guess this became a review of the shoes themselves. Game on.
Executive summary: Sticky rubber on a very stiff platform. If it doesn’t fit, the heel will deform and slip while being very uncomfortable. It seems best suited for climbing square to the wall where its stiffness and resulting power can be utilized; despite the softer center sole, there is very little ‘feel’. If it fits your foot well, it should be a good performer. The construction seems pretty good overall… much better than my memory of the first series offered by Mad Rock.
Fit and Feel: I was given a size 8.5, though I would have expected to wear a 9.0. The fit is very tight on me [refer to comparison chart], but my toes were not too agonized. In fact, the front and mid-sections of the shoe felt very well contoured to my foot with the help of the three Velcro tabs. The surprise, however, is that the heel KILLED. I’ve never really had trouble with pressure points in the heel of climbing shoes… only on the toes. For the Con-Flict, it was the opposite. What was strange is that despite the tightness of the heel, it readily deformed and peeled off strong heel hook moves.
The feel of the shoes is very stiff. Super stiff. Mega stiff, even compared to the Sportiva Solutions or Muiras. To some extent, the rigidity of the Con-Flicts felt clunky and I was not able to perch my toe around corners as is necessary on many climbs [i.e. toe in high on an edge around the side of an arête, or, grab an angled edge that faces away from you]. On the other hand, due to the stiffness and stick of the rubber, I felt that I was able to front-point very strongly off of some pretty tiny features on my 60 degree wall. These shoes excel on positive edges and nubbins when you are climbing fairly square to the wall or back-stepping [read: “crimp ladder”].
Heel and Toe: Though Mad Rock pats itself firmly on the back for its heel and toe hooking designs, I was very disappointed with the shoe’s performance in both arenas. Even though I have some trouble with the design of the Solution’s heel, I found that it did a much better job on desperate heel hooks and a tremendously better job on toe hooks… not sure exactly why.
I have not used the Con-Flicts outside as much as I have on plastic, but I did have a positive experience when heel hooking on a very irregular feature. The different features in the heel rubber seemed to grab the crystals on the hold in question quite well. On smooth features, however, I think that a normal, smooth rubber heel will do much better and the “hooker heel” is reduced to mere gimmick.
The Rubber: I can confirm the reports that Mad Rock’s newest rubber is in fact sticky and nice. It consistently stuck to slick plastic features on my basement wall that xs-grip and stealth HF gave inconsistent performance on [i.e. the mad rock rubber stuck every time whereas the others would slip unexpectedly some times and stick others].
What was strange to me is that I could watch the mad rock rubber torque and bend at the edge when powering off a feature. Typically this would result in a sudden pop off the edge, but due to the very stiff backbone of the shoe, it never seemed to occur. Edge roll can be very frustrating when climbing on micro features, so I’m curious whether my feelings about the rubber would change when powering off of tiny crystals. I guess I’ll find out as time goes on? In any event, this was a bit concerning for me.
Finally, the dual density sole: Good? Bad? My jury is still out on it. I did like how it did seem to improve the performance of this stiff shoe on slopers when you could get the center of your foot on the meat of one, and I do believe that the softer center rubber did help on a few desperate moves that I tried…. So I guess, I’d give the dual density sole good marks for now… but if I was to have any of my shoes re-soled in mad rock rubber, I do not think I’d have a dual density sole used, so maybe that undermines my positive reaction?
Anyway, I’d say that if these shoes fit your feet well, I will not mock you or pity you for using them. Because of the bagginess of the heel even in a crazy small size, I do not think that I could ever wear them in a size big enough to alleviate the heel pain – it would make the heel totally ineffective for me. I was surprised by the performance of the rubber and I think that Mad Rock is on the right track if they can improve on the back-end fit and sometimes debilitating stiffness.
Friday, May 15, 2009
river monsters
apparently, there are over 4 species of catfish worldwide that can eat people. one of them certainly has. it's a terrifying world.
Monday, May 11, 2009
karma-esque
amy has been meeting me at the cherry creek reservoir for picnic lunches on nice days... it's a great diversion from the office for a lil while... anyway, she brought kai to watch us eat food. he was tied so he couldn't cause shenanagans. within about 3.5 minutes, kai bolted to play with an unleashed dog and its clueless owner. somehow when kai's leash went taut, the leash clasp caught his chest and ripped it open while he back-flipped in the air. he limped a bit, but didn't seem very hurt... until amy checked him and came away with a bloody hand and an aghast face. i stretched the huge flapper open to see what was up. so much skin was internally separated from his chest muscle that you could fit a few golf balls in the pocket it made. sickening.
this happened about 12 hours after i made a very short video called "beating the recession" in which kai ["the recession"] is physically abused with hulk smash hands.
now, i haven't the heart to post it... which will probably save me from a PETA type lynching [though only idiots don't know that our dogs are babied to insane degrees].
oh wellz. no kai... err... recession beating videos for you.
[and perhaps, no road trips for me. i hope vets never complain about their legal bills].
ok bitches: here it is... not that funny... could have been, but kai wasn't getting psyched, biting me and getting nasty growly like he normally does, so it just looks abusive.
this happened about 12 hours after i made a very short video called "beating the recession" in which kai ["the recession"] is physically abused with hulk smash hands.
now, i haven't the heart to post it... which will probably save me from a PETA type lynching [though only idiots don't know that our dogs are babied to insane degrees].
oh wellz. no kai... err... recession beating videos for you.
[and perhaps, no road trips for me. i hope vets never complain about their legal bills].
ok bitches: here it is... not that funny... could have been, but kai wasn't getting psyched, biting me and getting nasty growly like he normally does, so it just looks abusive.
beating the recession vol 1 from sock hands on Vimeo.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
millennium block / ghost dance .... and FAIL AGAIN
saturday was yet another bust. fifth one in a row. the landing of the new river wall was innundated with water, so i could not finally land the dark waters traverse. also, with drunk friends still waking up, i didn't feel safe venturing up to some of the other clear creek lines w/o support, etc., because i'm a sally. so, i decided that slow head wound death could not occur with a flat landing at the millennium block and despite the light rain, i decided it was time for my annual failure at 'purity control' and its not easier impure variation. so, failure i did so have and i decided to spin a lap on ghost dance and i set up the camera on my jacket to capture the magic. i know you will be so amazed that you will shower me with gifts and try to make t-shirts with my face on them. mosh pits generally form when i climb due to the awesomeness that i exude. lighter sales go up all over the local piece so big hair doods and womens can hold them in honor of my sendz. after this failure, i went to morrison and saw chris baker do some ridiculous moves while i linked links. you should be jealous. i know you are and you are horrible at pretending you are not.
2009 millennium block / ghost dance from sock hands on Vimeo.
Friday, May 1, 2009
put your dreams away, vol. 5
last weekend, i had planned to session down south on saturday since it was the better day for more fools... weather wise, it was not looking prime. however, with a forecast of 0% precip until 7pm, i set off at 7am to get my fill at the early bird special. despite driving the two hours through sections of hard rain, i had hope that things would be better at the blocks. maybe kinda sorta nope. dan and a few other good kids were already in place and dan agreed to hike in with me despite the saturated ground to see what was dry. fortunately, some of the overhung faces had avoided having the misty wetness condense on them, so despite the ultra humid conditions, we tried a few things. for me, ever hold seemed to goo up within seconds, but tried anyway...
dan / half way there:
this line is the nickness right, which as jamie puts it, is a total turd, but worth doing if someone else is keen on that block. it was not actively wet on the slabby crimpy moves so i tried. if you're tall, you can skip the second crux entirely with a high heel and long reach. i could not. so i had to do the second crux proper style, which is to stab what used to be a bomber foot horn then do a crossed up bicycle and match a small gaston before powering through a big move to end the difficulties. the sequence is actually very techy, hard, and cool, despite being a variant slab traverse turd. jamie explained later that the tiny crimps are actually a bit bigger than before, probably due to some harsh brushing. if you look closely in the second shot, you can see that the foot horn is actually quite a bit smaller now due some harsh mid-move exploding. this hold was bone dry. its time was just up.
dan / half way there:
this line is the nickness right, which as jamie puts it, is a total turd, but worth doing if someone else is keen on that block. it was not actively wet on the slabby crimpy moves so i tried. if you're tall, you can skip the second crux entirely with a high heel and long reach. i could not. so i had to do the second crux proper style, which is to stab what used to be a bomber foot horn then do a crossed up bicycle and match a small gaston before powering through a big move to end the difficulties. the sequence is actually very techy, hard, and cool, despite being a variant slab traverse turd. jamie explained later that the tiny crimps are actually a bit bigger than before, probably due to some harsh brushing. if you look closely in the second shot, you can see that the foot horn is actually quite a bit smaller now due some harsh mid-move exploding. this hold was bone dry. its time was just up.
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