Been a while

Shitloads has happened since I went to Yank-merica. Literally shitloads. Yosemite was good. I tried to write a post/trip report thing, but it crossed the terminal boredom threshold so I canned it. Lifes too short to be boring yourself, never mind inflicting it on unsuspecting others. Did half dome with Jane, most of SF of washington column with Bren, some bouldering and some stuff in Tolumne. Even got on an american offwidth, instead of just talking about it (on top rope I admit, but that fucker was hard!). It was emotional. And I found out I quite like bigwalling.

If for whatever reason you want details, ask me with a revolutionary new social networking interface I'm using these days.....its interactive, 3d,  and tactile. Unfortunately you have to feed it every day, and shave it occasionally. Yep, i'm taking the "book" out of facebook.

Proudest send of the trip

Its been strange since I got back. Like I said, lots has happened in pretty much all aspects of life (work, personal, climbing...). Its left me in need of a certain amount of direction in my life, and right now I think that direction is West. Working to figure out the finer details at the moment, but suffice to say that any projects this winter have a fixed time limit...

Climbings been a funny one after Yosemite. I haven't been psyched. Thats not to say I haven't wanted to get out and I haven't enjoyed it. Because I have. Its the most fun you can have with a really tight pair of shoes on.... But I don't have the psyche I had two or three years ago. That ball of fire twisting in my gut that used to keep me awake at night at the prospect of a trip to the quarry. That thing that made me hop in a car on my own and drive to the burren when I knew everything would be wet, just for the possibility that the shitty roof behind the church in fanore might be dry (it wasn't). It hasn't been there.

I don't want this to turn into metaphysical knob-jockery, but I think it might be a case of my changing relationship with climbing. I've been obsessed with things before. I'd dive in head first, go through the steep learning curve with glee, get pretty good then.....stop. It was about an 18 month cycle. Climbing is different. Its 5 years down the line and I'm still at it. The infatuation period is over, and I'm pretty sure its something I'll be doing for a long time to come. Every trip isn't going to be the first or the biggest or the best, and the improvements won't come so fast. I have my goals and ambitions, but from now on I think I have to learn how to take joy from the minutiae and satisfaction in the process rather than the outcome....

....though its always possible to spice things up. Think muckross in October with waves crashing and jugs full of water, or aid-solo hooking on snappy limestone/shale shit. Its as exciting and fun as you make it, and theres too many options to really get bored :-)

Peace Out

p.s Heres one of the more esoteric, exciting and rewarding options.....glad I wore my good boxers that day!






Yeah, theres nothing new to be done in Donegal. Climbed out. And what hasn't been done is probably chossy and not worth the effort. Sher its a long drive and it'll probably be wet. Okay, Muckross and Gola are nice, so its probably worth going there. But if I were you I'd leave the rest alone. Lifes too short....

[Internal monologue]Ha, the fools, they bought that horseshit! Donegal will be mine I tell you, all MINE Mwahahahahaha[/monologue]