Packed and Ready!

I've packed all my gear and and clothes and all for the Valley into my truck and tomorrow I pick up Tim to head west to Yosemite Valley! This trip has been a long time coming. I've been to the valley 3 times before but never during the cool season when the California sun isn't melting the rubber off your shoes. 

After spending 35 days sport climbing in Spain and punching many laps at the Spider's Web over the last few weeks, I'm feeling more ready than ever for our goals in the valley. Our main goal is to send the Freerider a 5.12+ variation to the Salathe Wall. Free climbing El Cap has been a lifetime goal of mine and I can't wait to get up on it! Stay tuned...

El Chorro

Flowers in the breeze with the Makinodromo in the background

We've been in El Chorro now for several days after making the all night drive from Terradets and picking up Naomi in the airport. The scenery here is drastically different from the Catalunya with lush green everywhere and endless olive groves stretching to the horizon. The weather is much warmer as well and feels like summer in the midday. We've had a few great climbing days so far at the famous Makinodromo crag but I think we'll be retreating to the shade tommorrow as it is getting too hot to climb there. 

The approach to Makinodromo is an adventure in itself which starts by walking through several train tunnels for 25 minutes or so before pounding up the steep slope to the crag for another 25. All in all a good days climbing there is hard earned. The setting is absolutely beautiful and the views are some of the best I've seen from a sport crag. Kind of what I'd imagine Ceuse in France to be like.

Naomi on the approach to Makinodromo. Almost there!

We we're lucky to have a stiff breeze on both of our days at the crag which cut the temps a little. The climbing was fantastic on tufas and a variety of other holds. I got on Porrot (7c+) and sent it 4th go! The climbing was amazing with a really cool bouldery crux. Also Naomi is crushing after training all winter and sent to of her hardest sends ever a 6b+ called Life is Sweet and another 6c! On top of that she flashed the 6b+! Siiiick! She is crushing! I'm really excited to check out another area called Desplomilandia tomorrow which is mainly in the shade and looks to have some great routes.

Some more pics!

Naomi flashing "Life is Sweet" 6b+

Leaving Terradets!

Today was our last day in Terradets and climbing at the amazing Bruixes wall. I have to say, and it seems that others agree, that this crag is maybe one of the best single sectors of sport climbing in the world. Every route I got on felt super-classic and the beautiful scenery is hard to beat! We've spent the last couple of days climbing with our friend Annika and Martin. They are living in France and made the drive down for the weekend! I really feel like I've been getting stronger and sent my first 8a+ yesterday! 

Tonight Aaron and I will start the drive down to El Chorro to meet Naomi (Yeeaah!) and climb down there for 16 days! I'm looking forward to the drive through Spain the opportunity to see a lot of the countryside. The experience over here has been incredible so far. My Spanish has been improving a little and it's been really cool to chat with people from all over the world at the crag. There have been people from Poland, Spain, France, Argentina, Portugal, England, Scotland and more! The only other place I've experienced this was in Yosemite!

The other day we dropped Jason off at the airport and Aaron and I went into Barcelona to check out the city. We walked through a lot of beautiful  old neighborhoods and went to the Picasso museum and also saw the famous La Ramlbas street as well as the Gaudi "familia" cathedral. It was a nice change of pace to be in the city and get some of that culture. 

So it's more than exciting to have over 2 weeks more to spend over here and I'll try my best to post more pictures and reports!

Here are some more pics...

Jason on "Primera Linea" 8a

Self-portrait in front of the Gaudi Cathedral

Martin at the lip of an awesome 8b we tried the last couple of days!

Spain 2!!!

I've not been so good about keeping this blog up to date but here's an update on things over here in Spain. The weather turned from amazing to colder and much more rain and even some forecasted snow! Despite the turn in weather the climbing continues to be amazing and everyone is sending hard! Jason leaves on Friday so we are resting today and will climb tomorrow whatever the weather and then drive him to the airport Friday. I think Aaron and I are going to check out some of the architecture and maybe the Picasso Museum on Friday afternoon before heading back to the climbing area. 

Most exciting is that we head down to El Chorro on Tuesday to meet Naomi and climb down there for a few weeks! I can't wait to see her and spend time together over here in Spain! It's going to be incredible!

Here are some more pics!

Our friend Frej on Primera Linea! I sent this the other day. My second 8a!

The tufas and little pockets take there toll!

Terradets!

Aaron, Jason and I have been camping and climbing in Terradets for about a week now. Terradets is in the Catalunya region of Spain within sight of the Pyrenees mountains and the French border. The main attraction here is the Bruixes crag which is a mere 10 minutes from the campsite. The cliff is 25-35 meters tall and stacked with routes in the 7b-8a realm. The first few days I found myself climbing hesitantly and a bit overwhelmed by the length and amount of climbing found on the routes. Over the last couple of days I've relaxed and all the training this past winter seems to be paying off. Today I sent two of the most different routes I've ever sent in a day. One was an extremely bouldery 7c and the other a 7c+ of pure endurance for 35 meters capped by a crux boulder problem right at the anchor. I'm sooo psyched to have sent both and expecially the 7c+ energia positiva. I feel like I've figured out how to relax and recover on these long routes and am psyched to get on more of them.

The climbing is situated in a beautiful location with seemingly endless limestone cliffs of every size. We're planning on staying here for a while and possibly going to check out Margalef which I climbed at last year a bit. I'm really excited to develop some endurance here and take that to El Chorro in a couple weeks! I can't wait!

Here are some photos!

Me on a 7b+

The view from the crag!

Getting artsy with the camera at night

Aaron adrift in a sea of limestone on Energia Positiva 7c+

Vermont and more!

I've decided that I'll be posting a whole lot more on this blog in the months to come for those who are interested. Much has happened in the time since I last wrote. Most significant of course is that I reached the end of the first semester and the end of my time teaching at Lincoln-Sudbury. Despite my excitement at finally moving to Vermont, it was bittersweet leaving the many friends, colleagues and students there. Ultimately I am unbelievably happy in Burlington with Naomi and the incredible crew up here. Since leaving MA I've been trying to make the most of my time. Spending much time in the gym training for the upcoming trip to Spain and also doing the most sport mixed climbing I've done in years. 

Me on the first ascent of "Tunnel Vision" M9+ Snake Mt. VT

Thanks to an epic belay put forth by Freddie Wilkinson, I finally sent my new route at Snake Mountain on a bitterly cold day the weekend of the Adirondack Ice Fest. I continue to be blown away by the quality of this crag for this type of climbing. As more routes go in it more and more proves itself to be the centerpiece sport mixed crag in New England. Get on over if you haven't yet!

On Whorley's "Alien Nation" M10- 

Naomi and I went over for the Mountainfest and had Will Roth's old trailer all to our selves.  The mountainfest was great as usual and we got out to Chapel Pond and enjoyed the festivities at night. 

More recently we went over to North Conway for the Mount Washington Valley Ice Fest. I must say that this years festival was by far the most fun I've had at one of these events and that Anne and Sara did any incredible job organizing it. Friday night featured a great Kevin Mahoney slideshow followed by an indoor drytooling face-off. Myself, Aaron, and Josh all competed and Josh won by a handful of second in a tie-breaker with Bayard! Sick! Way to to represent VT! Josh is climbing super strong and those who know were non too surprised that he crushed. I finished 3rd I think and was a bit disappointed but had an awesome time none the less. Here are some pics!

Audrey, Naomi, and MC Freddie reacting to the competition

Josh and Bayard

The rest of the weekend included some true to form North Conway style partying including 

a retro dance party on Saturday night. Mayo and I sneaked out for some time in the Cathedral 

Cave on Saturday during the day and Will sent the visionary Jim Ewing masterpiece 

"Work of the Devil" M11. Will is crushing! On Sunday Naomi and I climbed a super fun 

Goofer's Delight and then spent some time in the cave before heading back to VT.

So I am finally down to my last week before I leave for Spain and feeling pretty strong so

we'll see what happens over there. Aaron and I fly out on Tuesday and we'll be meeting the

famous Huston in Barcelona. So Psyched! I 'll be updating more frequently now so stay tuned

for more from Espana!

The Red and other happenings

I've always connected to the song So Many Roads by the Grateful Dead. I driven many roads to "soothe my soul." In fact, I know of only one other person who drives more than I do. Right now I'm about to go down another road, 15 hours away, to the Red River Gorge. A place that is certain to benefit the soul. Naomi and I had planned on going to the New River Gorge in West Virginia but then changed our plans when we found that there was 6 inches of snow on the ground  there. I've never been to the Red and I'm psyched to check it out. I'm also looking forward to experiencing Miguel's famous Thanksgiving dinner. Yeah boy!

I've slowly been coming to grips with the fact that winter is upon us in the Northeast and although I am psyched for the ice and mixed game, I also psyched on getting out to Rumney and Bolton on the sunny warm days. Naomi and I headed down to Rumney last weekend to climb on Sunday and to hang out with Jay & Leesa and Jay & Kayte. Jay and Leesa just go a new puppy so we were psyched to meet him.

Poko and Naomi at the Main Cliff

Naomi had some good goes on Peanut Man and I did some laps for endurance. I'll need it! Anyway. Off to the Red now. I'll be posting more about my adventures on here for those who care to read.