TT Rock Climbing Club

“hey msdolittle!

the thought crossed my mind but i opted to do the long run thing on saturday (about to head out, do some climbing in the gym with a friend, and go to ted's montana grill for a bison hamburger and a beer afterwards.

it's NOT a bad alternative. hehe!”

“anyone up for some climbing in the carbondale / southern il area? either that or devil's lake... i am really gagging to get out on the rock. my climbing run on the potomoc has me really stoked for the season.”

“mounted my metolius cnc simulator or whatever it's called. it's cooler than cat crap. my wife even let me hang it in plain view (in the laundry room).”

“my arms are killing me... damn i had no idea how piss-poor my finger strength was. i need to start using more open-hand holds. then again i prolly shouldn't feel bad that i can't do three pull-ups on my fingertips yet... :)”

“dudes, gotta share this #&%!$... just the other day I asked my bro to gimme a catch while I sent this sickass .12c XRS offy at the Woo. Anyhoo, I was gastoning and ringlocking a nice fingy up the arête just after my bud gave me a holler “SEND IT BRO!!!” After smearing into a dihedral I mantled onto a sloper after missing the chicken head when I peeled and flossed the sky on a 20’ whipper! My leg got caught in the rope so it flipped me and then when I hit the wall below the roof of course off went all my friends, wallnuts and aliens as well as my ATC and TCU’s! POW! Shoulda wore a brain bucket ‘cuz my noggin is ringin’ today. Careful when liebacking the flakes on pitch 3 as well, but I don’t wanna suss the beta or spray too much so I’ll leave it at that.”

“whoa! glad you are ok doof.

any fall you can walk away from is a good fall.

dude... wear a helmet!

sending a 12c... holy cat krap! impressive!”

“LOL, nah - i don't even look at 12c stuff.... i just couldn't resist copying the ridiculous overuse of spray talk. Copied that from a discussion elsewhere that was making fun of the 'lingo'. thought it to be humorous.”

“LOL!

did you really take that fall?”

“heck no!! If i ever manage to fall upside down and dak my head into a cliff, i might just lower off and walk away (assuming i could) for good!

i did finally take a leader fall a couple weeks ago - about a 12 footer, nice little arced lob on good steep rock. but nothing dramatic at all.”

“lol!

i took a fall like that (no pro pulled out) last year. i was climbing up a chimney and got jammed in a strange way i looked down and saw the ledge below me i had climbed from. i had thought about stopping and belaying the second up and giving up the lead... but i am hog and the next ledge seemed a good goal. well the point is it dawned on my that if i fell from where i was that i would be ok unless i hit the ledge... i.e. i was way over my point of protection. my foot jam failed and i fell down to the ledge, landing on my butt... yet that wasn't enough... i then flipped backwards off the ledge upside-down like spider man. all said it was about 20-25 feet with the ledge breaking my fall about more than half way.

i hung there upside down and stared up the rope that pointed right to the cam i had set in the crack before i started up the chimney... it was framed between my legs...

if that cam had pulled i would have hit ANOTHER ledge (this time upside down). the placement was bomber but it was a sobering fall.

i got to camp that night (captain jack, nigal, etc were in the gorge camping and we met them to eat, drink, and be merry) and while shaken i was in good spirits. my right hand was swollen and bruised... i was a mess.

but what a great day!

god i love climbing!”

“wow - that's a skerry fall.

think i'll try to avoid bouncing off ledges.

Going to Clear Creek Canyon after work to clip a few bolts. Big day at Lumpy Ridge on Sunday.”

“it happens

worrying about falling is a huge waste of energy”