Monday, Momentum:
The boys are going to be out later tonight, so we took Tan to the gym. All day long "me want to climb". The minute I got home from work she made a beeline for the door "Daddy, take me climb." I changed and off we went.
She did some bouldering, and we managed to get her harness on and tied into a toprope on the "rainbow" route - maybe 5.3 if you think too hard. It's the one they put kids on in the classes.
She didn't balk too bad (last time she fought the harness off real quick) and managed to get about 6' up before she began thinking scary thoughts. DW was belaying and I was ready to grab the harness straps in case she looked like she was about to smash her face on a hold. She went up there about ten times before she started tiring too much, so we wrapped it up and took her to the daycare.
Then it was our turn. We went around to the arete with the purple 5.8 (the one I thought was a decent 5.9 or stiff 5.8) where there is a new green route - unrated.
I made it about 7/8 the way before bailing. Very smooth rounded feet and some of the handholds were at odd angles and not friendly at all. In fact, DW was laughing about it remembering a climbing video in which Sharma said something like "the best technique, for lack of a better term, is 'humping the arete'."
Anyway, DW ran up it, so it's probably a 5.8. If she doesn't have to think it's a 5.8. If she pauses to think at all it's a 5.9. I tried it again and got to the same spot, but quicker and simpler this time.
DW did a new 5.9 on the curvy wall. K came up and asked how she was doing. I said it's not too bad, she's moving quick. She said it was tough (using slightly stronger language) and that DW was doing very good, and then DW fell. Total pop-off surprise. We laughed it off, she said hello to K, and then finished it.
I went to a new green 5.8 and onsited it. It's nice to be doing that now. DW did a new yellow 5.10 that starts on the arete by where the old red "pockets" route is (was?). She did great.
We grabbed Tan and chatted with the desk crew, two of whom want to go dry-tooling with us soon, and maybe ice later as well.
Tuesday The Quarry:
We got a little later start than expected this morning, but we got right to it at The Quarry in Provo. DW did a 5.10-like 5.7 and then I tried it and bailed right away - my left fingers did not like that at all. I slid to the side and started a 5.6 that kicked my butt when I got to a set of green SoIll teeth - with, yes, my left hand. I hung for a bit, then tried again and failed finding somewhere to put my feet to work my way up, and hung a bit more. Finally I got past it and tried hard to run my way up. I rested in a low frog position (monkey hang) and chalked. Yes, she yelled "go Pooch". I finished it. Dang that was tough.
DW tried it then, and did make it, but she had to think. That makes it a 5.9 equivalent. Whew! She also said she hated the teeth. I skipped a turn cause my left arm/hand was hurting pretty bad, and she went to the 5.8 roof that kicked her butt before. She hung once near the bottom because she was confused thinking it was a different route and she couldn't find her holds, but then went right on up and over the roof like it was nothing. I told her it was all the practice on the mid-grade routes that was helping her technique.
I got on the pink-tape 5.7 and made it up to the same spot, but a lot quicker and more confident this time. I think I have it worked out, but ran out of gas in my left hand - and it's the one that needs to be holding on while I reach up with my right, so no go.
We packed up and left then to get me back to work on time. On the way I suddenly had a cramp in my left forearm and thankfully she had a Hello Kitty Ice Pack
in her lunch pack, so held it tight to my forearm and tried hard not to whine too much. Oh, well.
I know this has nothing to do with our climbing, but found it on my phone. Left over from our trip to Farm Country.
The boys are going to be out later tonight, so we took Tan to the gym. All day long "me want to climb". The minute I got home from work she made a beeline for the door "Daddy, take me climb." I changed and off we went.
She did some bouldering, and we managed to get her harness on and tied into a toprope on the "rainbow" route - maybe 5.3 if you think too hard. It's the one they put kids on in the classes.
She didn't balk too bad (last time she fought the harness off real quick) and managed to get about 6' up before she began thinking scary thoughts. DW was belaying and I was ready to grab the harness straps in case she looked like she was about to smash her face on a hold. She went up there about ten times before she started tiring too much, so we wrapped it up and took her to the daycare.
Then it was our turn. We went around to the arete with the purple 5.8 (the one I thought was a decent 5.9 or stiff 5.8) where there is a new green route - unrated.
I made it about 7/8 the way before bailing. Very smooth rounded feet and some of the handholds were at odd angles and not friendly at all. In fact, DW was laughing about it remembering a climbing video in which Sharma said something like "the best technique, for lack of a better term, is 'humping the arete'."
Anyway, DW ran up it, so it's probably a 5.8. If she doesn't have to think it's a 5.8. If she pauses to think at all it's a 5.9. I tried it again and got to the same spot, but quicker and simpler this time.
DW did a new 5.9 on the curvy wall. K came up and asked how she was doing. I said it's not too bad, she's moving quick. She said it was tough (using slightly stronger language) and that DW was doing very good, and then DW fell. Total pop-off surprise. We laughed it off, she said hello to K, and then finished it.
I went to a new green 5.8 and onsited it. It's nice to be doing that now. DW did a new yellow 5.10 that starts on the arete by where the old red "pockets" route is (was?). She did great.
We grabbed Tan and chatted with the desk crew, two of whom want to go dry-tooling with us soon, and maybe ice later as well.
Tuesday The Quarry:
We got a little later start than expected this morning, but we got right to it at The Quarry in Provo. DW did a 5.10-like 5.7 and then I tried it and bailed right away - my left fingers did not like that at all. I slid to the side and started a 5.6 that kicked my butt when I got to a set of green SoIll teeth - with, yes, my left hand. I hung for a bit, then tried again and failed finding somewhere to put my feet to work my way up, and hung a bit more. Finally I got past it and tried hard to run my way up. I rested in a low frog position (monkey hang) and chalked. Yes, she yelled "go Pooch". I finished it. Dang that was tough.
DW tried it then, and did make it, but she had to think. That makes it a 5.9 equivalent. Whew! She also said she hated the teeth. I skipped a turn cause my left arm/hand was hurting pretty bad, and she went to the 5.8 roof that kicked her butt before. She hung once near the bottom because she was confused thinking it was a different route and she couldn't find her holds, but then went right on up and over the roof like it was nothing. I told her it was all the practice on the mid-grade routes that was helping her technique.
I got on the pink-tape 5.7 and made it up to the same spot, but a lot quicker and more confident this time. I think I have it worked out, but ran out of gas in my left hand - and it's the one that needs to be holding on while I reach up with my right, so no go.
We packed up and left then to get me back to work on time. On the way I suddenly had a cramp in my left forearm and thankfully she had a Hello Kitty Ice Pack
in her lunch pack, so held it tight to my forearm and tried hard not to whine too much. Oh, well.I know this has nothing to do with our climbing, but found it on my phone. Left over from our trip to Farm Country.
great climbing POOCH! luv you!
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