Injury Strangth

About eleven days ago i started to feel a slight pain on the top of my left middle finger. Needless to say i didn't climb for quite a while. Yesterday was my first day back, and as the day started i was sceptical about what would happen and how i would feel. We started the day at a classic warm up area called the "Gunks", which is also the home of one of my long standing Projects. After warming up thoroughly, due to the finger, I sat down at my proj and nearly sent it first try. I was very pleased, all those days off actually made me stronger not to mention I was climbing with D. Woods and my buddy Cooper, its hard not to be psyched while climbing with them. I finished off the day by completing a three climb circuit called the "The Mark of the Beast" because it's three classic v6s (the Hunger Artist, that Hi-pro Glow, and Uncut Yogi) that you have to do in one day, but I'm going to rename it the "Three-6 Mafia" circuit. In conclusion I had one of best days climbing since i got here. I needed it too, up to this point I've had a lot of "almost really good days" but that is only fun for so long if you know what I mean. We all come out here to hang out, have a good time, and climb. I had been doing so much of that that it had become almost not fun and I needed a change of pace. Back to the injury now, the day i hurt my finger was quite a good day as well. Cooper and I climbed around North Mountain checking out a new problem dubbed "Blood Line" a sweet vertical tufa line. Then we went to a line that has a really hard pull off a three finger left hand pocket, so ya, that was it. The days that followed where fill with lots of excitement and boredom. I spent a majority of my time reading! I know right, me! reading! like i said "excitement and boredom". The book was called East of Eden, and when i picked it up I had know idea what to expect, except that it was the name of one of my first Trad leads. Which means you climb a wall using only protection that you bring with you. At first it was slow reading, because, well at first it was boring, but as i got into it i kept wanting to know where it was going, what where the people in the story going to do, and how do all these different people connect in the end. I still haven't finished it, but it's a long book and I've only been reading for little over a week and... I'm not Anna. Other than the reading I've helped start construction of a gazebo for the Ranch, and one of my other friends Brett and I built a hatchet range out side my trailer. It has brought many hours of enjoyment to my life of leisure. The target is really cool looking and is made out of an old telephone pole, three 2x4s and three 2x6s and buried two feet in the ground. All the way at the back corner of the Ranch is where it's located so it doesn't bother any of the other campers, which is good because not many people are as excited about it as me and Brett. It's wired to me though, I mean who wouldn't want to spend a day learning how to through an Ax, that's true blooded fun right there. I like to think that it's the 970 contribution to the Ranch, hopefully after we leave other people will be as psyched as us and to continue to use it. It's raining right now and is said to keep raining for the next couple days, which means no climbing but i can finally climb now... long live the Rest Day.

One week alone

The New Year is and has been here for a couple of action packed weeks now. I have been on my own for most of it since Ian has gone back to the Front Range for a bit of recovery and to compete in a completion out in Utah, more on that when he returns. For me, I've been hanging out and climbing with the seasonal "locals" of Hueco. All great people who love to party just as much as they love to climb. I was down here last year for New Years and the party was bump'n, (if that makes sense, if not go to my last years blogs). The party this year was a little more low key, still a party but not as crazy. we started out with burgers for all then moved on to booze for all which i had a hand in because i help at the bar. I helped till I had my fill then moved out to the fire with the rest of the party where we proceeded to throw everything in site on to the ragging inferno, including a TV. Upon waking up the next day we slowly started to realize that we burnt... everything, so we had no fire for a couple days. We all climbed our harts out until the next party, a theme party, with the theme being "Pimp's and Ho's"... interesting party. In the days following that party I've climbed and hiked a lot, up to the top of East with two pads, exploring North for new climbs, finishing old and finding new projects. All the mountains and even the different sectors on the mountains are so different and unique its hard to go back to climbs undone. You always seem to find something new and awesome that you haven't seen before. But a month has already gone and past with another close behind. Its getting down to the wire, we all need to find and finish our projects then go back out and repeat.

Tanques de Hueco

The Holidays are an exiting time for everyone. and for the visitors of Hueco this time of year the entrance and mountains seem to closely resemble Macy's on Black Friday. lots o people. But have no fear holders of the reservations for there will be no waiting for you, except in the rangers station. Once your on everyone is psyched, pads on all the classics, and you even meet people from your home town that you didn't know. We've been down here for about a month now slowly working and sending North Mountain with some memorable assents for all. I made quick work of all my projects from last year, and Ian has been sending all the... well everything. His hardest being Diaphanous Sea (v12) and Skid Mark (v11 HB). I don't really have any projects but I'm going to send Baby face and See Spot Run one of these days. Ian has his projects with Terre de Sienne checking in at nomero uno. The last couple days have been pretty laxted we haven't really done anything and with tomorrow being Christmas we will probably rest up a little more and then take the mountain by storm before the New Year rolls around.

Appache Helicopter

more later

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Ian on Wild Turkey

Diaphinous Sea

Bleeding Brothers

Hueco sunset