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December 18, 2007
One Day’s Worth
Hopefully by now we have been providing a convincing argument that our crazy amounts of driving to and from various climbing destinations is totally worth it. And yet again, I think we can prove it. After we used up our last Hueco reservations for the year, we said our goodbyes and set our sights on our near term holiday plans. Relax, rest, eat lots of food and recover for the rest of the Hueco season. However, as April and I sat in the car during the long drive back to Tucson last weekend, contemplating our next few weeks, one of us asked the classic question, “How about just one more trip?” Within milliseconds we had the answer. Next weekend. Turns out the only available reservations were on Monday (today). Hmmm, after about another millisecond of thought we figured out a way to make one last trip happen. So, as I sit here in the car on the way back to Tucson, I am still convinced that we are not crazy for driving all the way to El Paso for just one day. Once again we had an amazing time and it was totally worth it!
This stellar last day started off at the Mushroom Boulder. While warming up, our good friend Nate, whom we hadn’t seen for nearly two years, randomly strolled up. Coincidentally it was the last day of his short four day trip all the way from New Hampshire. A pleasant surprise!
When my feet started to get cold and I couldn’t wait to leave to try some problems at the next spot I said to April, “Hurry up with Mushroom Roof. Either send it or let’s go. I’m psyched to try some other stuff.” April replied, “Alright, I’m about done here. Today isn’t the day for Mushroom but I’m going to give one go on Left El Murray before we leave.” Many a hardman and hardwoman have claimed the ultimate classic Left El Murray (v6) HARDER than Mushroom Roof (v8), myself included. April has given Left El Murray much attention over the years, and to no avail. Well, today was an exception to all of the above. She crushed it.
The rest of the day was a combination of running into more old friends (the season is ON) and linking up hard moves on all the problems we touched. April & Raquel had a good little session on King Cobra (v6), while my bros and I slapped the finishing hold on Anal Intruder #10 (v11). After that, I managed to make my best link yet on Right Martini (v12). It’s now time for sending go’s! And the day concluded with some spontaneous interest by myself, April, and Raquel in The Bloody Flapper Traverse (v9) - a climb that I’ve dabbled on in the past but never managed to send....until today.
So now what? April and I are both climbing harder now than we’ve ever climbed before. To keep us in tune for the duration of the Hueco season, which has only just begun, it’s time to take a short pitstop. We’re going to rest up, enjoy the holidays with the families, let our tendons relax and get reacquainted with our muscle fibers, and continue the season stronger than ever. See you in January, Hueco.
Posted by Paul at 12:40 AM
December 02, 2007
El Murray Hardman
As I studied the razor sharp crimps of the partially chalked, slightly overhanging wall, home to the classic Right El Murray (v8), my friend Justin said, “Hey, are you going to try that climb? Good luck dude, because if you fail to tick it you’ll only go home half a hardman.”
I was like, “Uh, whatever macho saying you just told me doesn’t sound good. Where did you come up with that rule? I mean, I’ve basically written this crimp nightmare off of my tick list but for some reason I’m going to try it again today. I guess by the sounds of it, I have to do this climb to really get credit for completing the three El Murrays. Right?”
Justin said, “Check out the guidebook man, I’m not lying.”
“The steepest section of the wall is home to the Left, Center, and Right El Murrays. The Center El Murray has been justly dubbed Hueco’s Greatest Problem. Many a tough guy has had fits at the El Murrays, knowing that if he doesn’t tick all three he’ll leave Hueco only half a hardman.”
John Sherman, “Texas Tall Tales”
Climbing Magazine No. 116.
It was funny because after hearing Justin tell me that goofy phrase something in my brain clicked. I thought to myself, “I can’t leave this problem undone. I have to do it. I have to do it even if my fingers snap off. I can’t leave here today knowing that I’m half a hardman. I am a FULL HARDMAN!” Yes. Psyched. The moment of psychedness overcame my body and I yelled to April, “Hey, quit working Mushroom Roof, gimme the pads now! I’m psyched.” She was like, “Alright fine, but hurry up. My feet are getting cold watching you flail on your attempts.”
Oh well, it didn’t quite register what she said. I grabbed the pads, threw them down, chalked up and pulled on.
Thought process:
- Ouch, left hand fingers crimp side-pull, thumb digs deep into a sharp spike
- Right hand crimps something but first move is to a hold that doesn’t really exist and isn’t chalked that much but I pretend it’s there and crimp HARD. Ouch again.
- Ok, left foot up, the jarring movement of my foot grinds my left thumb and right crimp deeper, ouch. Oh well, go.
- One more left foot smack. Ouch.
- Cross over to another no-chalk imaginary crimp. OUCH! Oh man I stuck it!
- Don’t fall now! Or you will have to repeat those moves again
- Right hand to a sharp, fairly good, side-pull...breath baby
- Set feet and move left hand from very painful crimp to less painful crimp. Mini ouch.
- Now, setup, look, spot the final jug hueco with birds nest inside, leap and do not damage bird’s nest...STICK! Yeah. Let out loud yell for good measure and to unleash all the pent up pain. Whoooo hoooooo.
- Top out and say, “Damn, I’m never doing that climb ever again!”
Ahhhhhhh. Damn it feels good to be a HARDMAN!
Posted by Paul at 11:27 PM