I'll Follow You Into the Dark.

Team Fartsurfers.

It’s been two solid days of climbing, and I feel good. I’m working hard on the 5.9s and I feel like soon I’ll be able to climb one successfully. It’s all just a work in progress, but I can feel myself getting better and more familiar with how I need to move my body and position myself. I’m getting stronger and I can tell. We met two older guys who were lead climbing in the silos. One had been climbing for 26 years and hadn’t started until he retired, and the other was a 15 year climber. It was beyond cool to talk to them about their adventures climbing out west and climbing some of the first traditional lead routes there were. Seeing people like that just makes me love the sport more. Even after they finished telling us stories and were winding up their rope they stayed to give us climbing advice and suggestions on improvement. They were both real class acts and I hope to see them around again.

Started work on the 110 ft outdoor climb that’s a 5.8. It’s a complete ass kicker but I’m loving it already. It’s got so many interesting maneuvers and tricky holds and sketchy spots where you have to get creative, it’s so wonderful. I got just over half both times I attempted it, but I’d maxed out my strength and trying it as the last climb of the day wasn’t one of my brighter ideas. I got to one problem spot each time where I had my legs really far apart, with my left foot hold being kinda sketchy and the only handhold I had was a natural that I couldn’t hold firmly enough. I had to get my foot to a hold just above my belly button and I just couldn’t do it with how little strength I had left. But next time, I’m demolishing that wall. It’s a blast. All the people bouldering behind us thought I was hilarious for how much I was swearing and yelling FUCK I DIDN’T THINK THIS THROUGH WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO OH FUCK OW. I still smell like smoke from Annelyse’s car and the cigarettes I had earlier. Menthols are surprisingly good, I liked them more than I thought I would. Gorged myself on a burger and fries and drove back to town playing word games and laughing and listening to Bob Dylan and Queen. For the first time in a while I’m leaving climbing trips feeling so happy. There’s no drama, no bullshit, nothing but climbing and fun. It’s fantastic. It’s been a solid two days of climbing but now I’m beat. My hands are trashed and my arms aren’t working well, my hips are shot and I’m not sure if I can get off the couch. Oh well. Worth it.