Late March
Alright, so I got back from the South a couple weeks ago, and am back in frozen New England. The second half of the trip was lots of fun, yet not as productive as the first. Instead of going through it I will just post the link to the video, which shows a good amount of the climbs Rachel and I sent during our trip.
https://vimeo.com/123195285
Anyways!
The Tuesday after I got back we decided to try Speed of Life. Normally Speed of Life has a horrendous landing, but due to some 'work of man' there became a giant snow landing, turning it into a soft lowball downgrade pile choss downclimb. Well.. just the lowball part. Liam took it down on the quick, Jonah fell towards the top, and despite my major links last session (where the boulder was dripping wet) I managed to get my all time lowpoint on the boulder, barely able to link 3 moves together before numbing out and dry-firing off the wall. It was a bummer, and I don't know what happened, except for the fact that I hadn't eaten or slept very well the day before so I will blame it on that.
Here is the video of Liam cruising speed. https://vimeo.com/123161336
Escaping to happier places the next weekend, Doug, Brian and I headed out to Lincoln Woods, a supposedly classic area for New England, yet an area I had only visited once, back when I was a mere gumby. Searching for dry rock, we decided to give it a chance.
Maybe it is because I am a snob, and have spent the last ten days climbing on boulders such as The Shield, Deception, Space, Speed of Life, Party Wolf, or maybe because it is the harsh reality, but I was exceedingly and increasingly disappointed with Lincoln Woods the as the day went on. I would honestly say that Lincoln Woods is my least favorite climbing area in New England.
10 Reasons I would rather have the Graffiti cave in my backyard instead of all of Lincoln Woods
1. Contrivances are okay, eliminates are not. The rock at Lincoln Woods is simply too featured for there to be any "natural contrivances," lines that follow obvious features or walls that are appealing enough to be done without bailing onto easier terrain, i.e. an arete, or topping out early. Eliminates are stupid, avoiding holds that climb within the obvious path is infuriating to me.
2. You should be able to look at a guide book and immediately know what climb you are on. Period. Brian should not be facebooking me the morning after telling me that I climbed 'soft clutch' instead of 'clutch' because I used a pinch that 'drops the grade if you are tall and can reach off it' even though I did not reach off the pinch, but still used it for a different move.
3. Its not in nature. Dog shit. Everywhere. Trash. Everywhere. People. Everywhere.
4. The rock is bad. It is somehow some of the most glassy, and sharpest rock i've ever grabbed.
5. Classics? I was psyched to try Barbed Wire actually.. literally a DOWNCLIMB CONTRIVANCE TRAVERSE with chossy, breaking feet. Doug would have sent had he not broken off a foot off the size of an easter egg.
6. The climbs start too low. I am not trying to lay down and struggle to lift my ass off the ground from a hold six inches off the dirt. That is no 3/4 star boulder.
7. You have to hike too damn far to get to the pond cave.
8. Even the pond cave isn't that good. Best climbing at the woods for sure, but still, I should not be falling on the last move of a six move climb and still be sitting in the dirt wondering why i'm not putting in time on Brother's Keeper, or working the Riverblock project....or doing taxes.
9. Pedestals should never be on. Leap frog is hilarious. You might as well be standing on the ground for the first 3 moves.
10. 7 feet is not an appropriate average boulder height. We've all already done atlas at p-way, that was enough.
Anyways, it was still nice to be outside, and climbing again, I climbed a few boulders v4-v9, but I don't remember what they're called and I probably didn't even do them right, so it doesn't matter. Brian busted out an impressive ascent of Shoot to Maim v10, but even that is a giant eliminate, so compliment revoked. ;) I don't think i'll be back in the foreseeable future, but you never know.
Temps look great this week! I'll probably put some time in at Farley after school working some hard rigs so hopefully I will have some success. I also want to go to P-way soon. This weekend? We'll see.
Kai
https://vimeo.com/123195285
Anyways!
The Tuesday after I got back we decided to try Speed of Life. Normally Speed of Life has a horrendous landing, but due to some 'work of man' there became a giant snow landing, turning it into a soft lowball downgrade pile choss downclimb. Well.. just the lowball part. Liam took it down on the quick, Jonah fell towards the top, and despite my major links last session (where the boulder was dripping wet) I managed to get my all time lowpoint on the boulder, barely able to link 3 moves together before numbing out and dry-firing off the wall. It was a bummer, and I don't know what happened, except for the fact that I hadn't eaten or slept very well the day before so I will blame it on that.
Here is the video of Liam cruising speed. https://vimeo.com/123161336
Escaping to happier places the next weekend, Doug, Brian and I headed out to Lincoln Woods, a supposedly classic area for New England, yet an area I had only visited once, back when I was a mere gumby. Searching for dry rock, we decided to give it a chance.
Maybe it is because I am a snob, and have spent the last ten days climbing on boulders such as The Shield, Deception, Space, Speed of Life, Party Wolf, or maybe because it is the harsh reality, but I was exceedingly and increasingly disappointed with Lincoln Woods the as the day went on. I would honestly say that Lincoln Woods is my least favorite climbing area in New England.
10 Reasons I would rather have the Graffiti cave in my backyard instead of all of Lincoln Woods
1. Contrivances are okay, eliminates are not. The rock at Lincoln Woods is simply too featured for there to be any "natural contrivances," lines that follow obvious features or walls that are appealing enough to be done without bailing onto easier terrain, i.e. an arete, or topping out early. Eliminates are stupid, avoiding holds that climb within the obvious path is infuriating to me.
2. You should be able to look at a guide book and immediately know what climb you are on. Period. Brian should not be facebooking me the morning after telling me that I climbed 'soft clutch' instead of 'clutch' because I used a pinch that 'drops the grade if you are tall and can reach off it' even though I did not reach off the pinch, but still used it for a different move.
3. Its not in nature. Dog shit. Everywhere. Trash. Everywhere. People. Everywhere.
4. The rock is bad. It is somehow some of the most glassy, and sharpest rock i've ever grabbed.
5. Classics? I was psyched to try Barbed Wire actually.. literally a DOWNCLIMB CONTRIVANCE TRAVERSE with chossy, breaking feet. Doug would have sent had he not broken off a foot off the size of an easter egg.
6. The climbs start too low. I am not trying to lay down and struggle to lift my ass off the ground from a hold six inches off the dirt. That is no 3/4 star boulder.
7. You have to hike too damn far to get to the pond cave.
8. Even the pond cave isn't that good. Best climbing at the woods for sure, but still, I should not be falling on the last move of a six move climb and still be sitting in the dirt wondering why i'm not putting in time on Brother's Keeper, or working the Riverblock project....or doing taxes.
 |
| Riverblock Project. This is NOT at Lincoln Woods, just so that is clear. |
9. Pedestals should never be on. Leap frog is hilarious. You might as well be standing on the ground for the first 3 moves.
10. 7 feet is not an appropriate average boulder height. We've all already done atlas at p-way, that was enough.
Anyways, it was still nice to be outside, and climbing again, I climbed a few boulders v4-v9, but I don't remember what they're called and I probably didn't even do them right, so it doesn't matter. Brian busted out an impressive ascent of Shoot to Maim v10, but even that is a giant eliminate, so compliment revoked. ;) I don't think i'll be back in the foreseeable future, but you never know.
Temps look great this week! I'll probably put some time in at Farley after school working some hard rigs so hopefully I will have some success. I also want to go to P-way soon. This weekend? We'll see.
Kai
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