I tweaked my shoulder about a month ago in the gym--I guess I was just pushing it too hard with training and climbing on the weekends, too. It's a real downer that climbing in the gym once a week and hitting the boulders once per weekend is too much training. I used to climb like 4 days a week in Boone (which is, really, what got me into this mess). I guess I just need to stay on top of the PT and stretching more to keep a good equilibrium.
It's hard staying motivated when you're in pain. It's hard to get psyched on a project or even getting out at all if it's just going to feel like climbing kid stuff. But then you've got to remember why you climb in the first place. It really is about more than pulling hard; in fact, a little time away from the rock only reinforces this. I've been dreaming about bouldering in my sleep. The action of it is totally hard wired in my brain, whether it's v1 or v8.
So I've been hitting the PT bands and the pushups hard, and throwing in some stretching for good measure. It's hard to be out at the top of the season here in WNC, and especially rumbling bald. Hopefully by this weekend I'll be getting back up to speed...
1.12.2009
Rumbling Bald-good weather for pics
1.11.09. Even though it rained like holy bejebus on Asheville on Saturday nite, the conditions were good on Sunday, and the weather was perfect for pictures. Low sun=even lighting.
My shoulder was still feeling so-so; therefore, I kept it pretty easy for most of the day. We caught up with a big crew of folks on the East side, and spent most of the afternoon in the Slave Driver area.
The Bald seems to be growing in popularity. When I showed up at noon-thirty, the parking lot was packed out in a way rarely seen. But the east side was fairly low-key. It was a pretty killer winter day at the height of the Bald season.
To see all of the pictures, click on the 2 below the image thumbnails:
1.10.2009
Twitter Conditions Report Info & Instructions
The Conditions Report uses Twitter (which is free) to create an easy way for all of us to get updated on our phones as to the conditions at different climbing areas. Here's how it basically works and can save everyone a lot of driving time and gas: Say it just rained on Saturday. So Sunday morning we're all sitting around wondering if it's too wet at the Bald to go climbing. If Chris happened to drive down there early, he'd only need to send one text message out to the number #40404, and everyone on the Twitter list would get it on their phone and on their Twitter page.
Now expand this idea to beyond just a small group of friends, and eventually it can grow to the point where we can be getting conditions reports for boulders in Boone, climbs at Looking Glass and Linville Gorge, and bouldering at Barnardsville, etc on any given day if people from all over WNC sign up. It seems like it has a lot of potential. And the best part is, you can turn the feature off for your phone if you don't want to get too many text messages. Then, you only need to check your Twitter home page on the days you want to go climbing and need to see conditions updates.
Also, if you haven't heard a conditions report but want to know what's going on at a particular place, you can just send a text to the number listed above and write: "Does anyone know if it's dry at the Bald?" Anyone who is networked to you and happens to be there can let you know. No more calling around or wondering!
Here's how it works, as far as I know now:
1: Sign up at for Twitter.com. It will prompt you to see if contacts from your email address are already on Twitter. Do this and add any climber you want to follow.
2: Add your phone. This step can easily be found on the links to the right of the page. This will let your phone receive updates and allow you to send them to the climbers while you are out at the crag. (This feature can also be turned off easily at any time.)
2: Go to the page at: http://twitter.com/frixtion and click 'Follow'. You will now be following Frixtion's posts and you will show up as someone following this profile. The Frixtion profile can be the "home base" to see everyone who has joined the report; they will all appear under "Followers" on the right side of the page.
3: Click on each of the Followers you'd like to get updates from, and click on the Follow button on their profile page. This will allow you to receive their updates.
And that's it--you are all set to get weather and condition updates from everyone you are following. I'll add more posts as I learn more about the process. Let me know if you have questions!
1.05.2009
SE xmas trip Part 2: Little Rock City
A day of warmups in LRC because my shoulder was still all wacked out. Melissa did great though, and climbed hard, scary stuff for her experience level. Wish i had gotten some pictures of her, but i was too busy spotting!
1.01.2009
SE xmas trip Part 1: Chattanooga/Rough Start
Melissa and I were going on a weeklong SE climbing roadtrip and I had everything packed up the nite before. Then, when i packed the car, i forgot to put the bin full of climbing gear into my truck. Genius. And i didn't realize it until 2 hours down the road! No climbing shoes, no gear, chalk bag or harnesses. I did have the crash pad tho and my truck smelled strongly of burning oil. I thought it better to just get to where M was staying with her parents to save my car climbing back up into the mountains.
On the 28th we had to buy climbing shoes at Rock Creek Outfitters so we could climb at all. It rained hard the nite before but the afternoon was clearing up nicely. A sales guy at the store told us about some boulders 10 minutes outside of town, so we headed there for a short afternoon session. To add to the good times, my shoulder has been feeling like crap lately, so climbing was limited to v2/v3 and below. But there was some cool stuff at this place, and it's literally right next to an apartment complex. Lucky apartment bastards. Chattanooga is definitely the home of close-proximity climbing in the southeast.
More to come soon, on Little Rock City.
Pictures of Chatty at nite and the Mountain Brook Boulders:
On the 28th we had to buy climbing shoes at Rock Creek Outfitters so we could climb at all. It rained hard the nite before but the afternoon was clearing up nicely. A sales guy at the store told us about some boulders 10 minutes outside of town, so we headed there for a short afternoon session. To add to the good times, my shoulder has been feeling like crap lately, so climbing was limited to v2/v3 and below. But there was some cool stuff at this place, and it's literally right next to an apartment complex. Lucky apartment bastards. Chattanooga is definitely the home of close-proximity climbing in the southeast.
More to come soon, on Little Rock City.
Pictures of Chatty at nite and the Mountain Brook Boulders:
12.26.2008
Rumbling Bald-Some East Side Bouldering
12.18.08: Today I met up with Robert H, Chris D. and Ben (hey, Ben--what's your last name?) up at the Wishing Well Area. Chris Had just sent the sit down start to Ned's Arete (normally a V8 from the standing start). He had been working the project for over a year, and this was the climb he badly broke his ankle on a few years back (and got a helicopter ride out of the crag!). So a big congrats to Chris on sending this psychological beast. I think he named the sit "It is Finished"...or something like that.
We then all headed over the below the Cereal wall and climbed Sunny Side Up. Is this thing really V8? You can just reach over the lip and traverse to the top out! It's an eliminate, i guess. It felt like V3 or V4 at best.
We then got on Razor Burn (V8) and Bic (v7). I was able to send Razor Burn from the unofficial starting hold. You can actually start it like 2 moves down the boulder, but it actually detracts from the climb, if you ask me...and it adds little to the difficulty. We all sent Bic after about a half an hour right as the sun was going down. It was great day with temps in the 50s, but dropping quickly as the sun went down.
We then all headed over the below the Cereal wall and climbed Sunny Side Up. Is this thing really V8? You can just reach over the lip and traverse to the top out! It's an eliminate, i guess. It felt like V3 or V4 at best.
We then got on Razor Burn (V8) and Bic (v7). I was able to send Razor Burn from the unofficial starting hold. You can actually start it like 2 moves down the boulder, but it actually detracts from the climb, if you ask me...and it adds little to the difficulty. We all sent Bic after about a half an hour right as the sun was going down. It was great day with temps in the 50s, but dropping quickly as the sun went down.
10.28.2008
Gear For Sale
No gear for sale right now. If you want to list something, drop me a line through the contact link.
Photo Slide Shows
Here you can see all of the photo slide shows from the site without having to wade through all of the blog posts. Over the last few months I've gotten a bit more serious about the photography, so it's not just an afterthought to climbing anymore. Take a look around and, if you feel the spirit move ya, drop me a line with any feedback.
Also, please note that many of the older images were uploaded as very lo-res files, so if they look pixelated when you choose the full screen slide show option, simply return to the smaller window and view them there.
Also, if anyone sends me pictures, I'll start a slide show of reader-submitted photos of WNC and Southeast craggin' and try to keep it at the top of the pile here.
02.15.09: Sunday in Hickory Nut Gorge
02.07.09: Linville Cavern Boulders
Linville Gorge Bouldering Photos by Mike Stam
1.31.09. Saturday @ Rumbling Bald
1.25.09 Rumbling Bald:
1.11.09:Rumbling Bald East Side.
Note: the pics are very lo-res and will look best if viewed in the window below. It can be maximized to full screen, but I don't recommend it.
12.28.08: Mountain Brook Boulders and Chattanooga, TN
Note: the pics are very lo-res and will look best if viewed in the window below. It can be maximized to full screen, but I don't recommend it.
12.29.08: Little Rock City, Chattanooga, TN
Note: the pics are very lo-res and will look best if viewed in the window below. It can be maximized to full screen, but I don't recommend it.
12.18.08: New Area-Access Sensitive?
09.08: Little Wilson's Boulders, Boone NC
10.08: Hound Ears Comp 2008
Summer 2008, Hawksbill and 1 Linville Gorge Photo
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