Finally Some Action

I just got home from a wonderful trip to the Red River Gorge over Easter Weekend. What a time it was. We got down there Thursday night and I learned my first enjoyable saying, "Ohio is the state that God forgot." This will come back later on, just understand both my and Rebecca's hatred for the state of Ohio.

Friday we tried to go to Phantasia wall to climb Creature Feature, Creep Show, and Count Floyd Show. But it was like a river flowing down the face containing these climbs so we had to head somewhere else, we ended up at Pistol Ridge. There I had a great day, flashing a 5.9+ and a .10a, also getting the onsight on a .7 and a .8. The .7 I started with a completely unnecessary sit-start, heel-hook. But none-the-less it was fun. After Pistol Ridge we headed down to Roadside crag. There I hopped on a 5.9- which was kinda cool, just a hell of a lot longer than I was able to climb at the end of the day.

Saturday, we went to check Phantasia again, and it still soaking wet. From there we went to Military wall which we had both climbed before. I finally got the red-point on Moonbeam (5.9) and then decided to climb Stay Left a short .10a. If I hadn't messed up the sequence between the first and second bolts, I would have sent that rig. But I didn't get up it clean. Also, there was this really nice/cold puddle of water in a very crucial hold. Still, it was a weird climb that maybe someday I will try it again and send it clean. Also, while at Military Rebecca and I re-named Moonbeam and Sunshine to Ohio and New Jersey. These new names are very fitting to the climbs because nobody who climbs them likes them, just like no-one who goes to Jersey or Ohio actually enjoy themselves.

After Military Wall we headed down to the land of the little people (a.k.a. The Shire). We got there and started out with a really cool .10a, and met some cool people from Michigan who let us use their draws on the neighboring .10b. This climb lead me to really appreciate my belayer. After clipping the second bolt the route got interesting and I fell a few feet, nothin major, just a little dangle. Then I climbed the rest of the way to the last bolt, and all i had left were the ~10-12 feet to the anchors. I was climbing on tiny crimpers and terrible feet (for the most part), evidentally I was usin all of the holds that everyone else skipped over for better holds. Never-the-less I lunged for the ledge to clip the anchors from. It looked like a large flat ledge from below, My right hand hit it, it was a damn sloper where I grabbed, in my pumped state there was no holding on "Rebecc, I'm coming OFF" I screamed. Down I went for a long 20+ foot ride. When I got myself collected I asked the people from Michigan how girly my scream was, to which Ryan replied I think I screamed louder than you. Anywho, I jumped back up, and finished the route off. After this fiasco I climbed a .8 that I started inside a cave with a cool heel hook and what not, just super cool. Then I climbed a cool 5.7 that was neat.

The last day, was so damn cold. We went up to Pebble Beach, and I climbed this REALLY COOL 5.9+ that was a ton of fun and I would have onsighted it if my hands handn't frozen solid. I really plan on going back to this wall because there was also this really sweet looking .10b that I want to hop on.

Overall it was a great trip. I can't wait to get my hands back on some real rock again. Cooper's is coming up in a week or two, and there are always my trips to the New this summer. Overall it was a great start to the summer.