apAdventures

Next up is Dragonfly, v5. Congratulations to Tom on the flash! Have a nice weekend…

Click on the picture to play the Dragonfly video

Posted by pjv

For starters, the climb called Full Service on the Hardman Rock is described by the Hueco guidebook as a mega-classic. It’s been over 3 years since we’ve gone on a tour to the East Mountain area of Hueco so I figured it was time to add this one to my tick list. I knew the beta and feeling stronger than ever, I pulled on and slipped off….whoops! Then I pulled on and sent! It may be my favorite v10 ever. You can hear Silas cheering for me in the background, or he was just excited because the trees were blowing. Probably both. Enjoy.

More to come…

posted by pjv

Last weekend marked the first of many at Hueco for us. We’ll be spending a lot of time there over the next couple months…including an extended stay with our Pittsburgh friends, Brian & Jen & little Seb and Oren. This is what we’ve been training for, and so far….well, so good.

First up for the weekend was my request to go to the New Meadow. I have a silly little goal of ticking a grade for each of Silas’ months. v2 when Silas was 2 months old (just *barely* scrapped my way up Nobody Here Gets out Alive!), v3 at 3 months, v4 at 4 months, and so on. Well, he’s 5 months now so I tried to repeat a v5 gimme – for me, anyway. I’ve probably done Lobster Claws at least 30 times. And yes, Saturday I did it again. Wooo!

Next up was some work on my first real project I’ve picked out (post-Silas), King Cobra, v6. And based on my performance on it, hmmmm, this climb may go down sooner than expected (hopefully before Silas turns 7 months so I don’t blow my silly little goal, haha!)

Then it was on to Raquel’s obsession, See Sharp, v6. For those of you that have been on this climb, you know I mean when I say “dang it’s a feisty one.” Not very tall, not very steep, and not very hard-looking. Uh yeah, until you touch the holds. Raquel though, is totally styling the moves (and the heinous crimps! Yow!). Styling so well in fact, that her performance on it has lured me in too. I, however am *very* far from ticking this one. Go Raquel! This one’s your’s girl.

Next up on the list, a little clean-up action by Paul over at the Terminator area. As you might recall from our last Hueco trip in January, The Governator, v10 was close to going down. And it did, first try. That was too easy Paul, you need to get on something harder. 😉

Which brings us to the final highlight of the weekend: Alma Blanca, v13. Paul’s new project. Stay tuned…

My two boys. Ready to hit the road and head to the boulders.

Raquel styling See Sharp, v6.

Paul trying to look as good as Raquel.

And me just trying to get my butt off the ground!

A surprised Silas

A happy Silas

The Governator, v10

Paul on Power of Silence, v10. Still a project.

Oh the places Silas’ bouncy seat will take him: propped under blowing shrubs and trees and grasses (Nature’s Mobiles)

..or under the swirling colorful roofs of little caves.

posted by arr

It’s not often that we go to Hueco without reservations. Especially during the busy season. However, when you know you’re going to send you can’t sit at home waiting. So…we packed the van and showed up to the biggest line we’ve ever seen at the entrance of Hueco. We were a little stressed at first but managed to get in (a BIG thanks to our El Paso friends). After a quick warm-up I walked over to Diaphanous Sea. With Daniel Woods cheering from behind I over powered the climb and nearly made the big move static. ha ha. He said, “Dude, you almost did that static.” I said, “I didn’t mean to, I’ve always had to dyno like crazy to hit that.” After that “warm-up go” I knew I could do it. A few minutes later Diaphanous Sea became another classic Hueco problem ticked off my list. YEAH! And a little bit later Daniel made the 3rd ascent of Terremer, v15. Nice!

Diaphanous Sea v12

Mama and Silas cheer Dad on

Perfect weather

A lot of family fun

Silas loves the views

Mama and son

The monster hat rules

It was cloudy an hour earlier. Perfect for The Governator, v10 which is always in the sun.

Hot but still rad

No cheers from Silas on this climb

posted by pjv

We ticked off our second trip to Hueco with little Silas last weekend. Yet again, we find ourselves driving home after 2 days of good hard crankin’ with the obsessive itch to return ASAP. Paul is 1 move away from completing Diaphanous Sea, v12, a climb that he first drooled over 5 season ago. This trip our friends Mia and Tom joined us, vowing to return very, very soon to finish off See Spot Run, v6. And me, I’m in repeat mode, trying to repeat the good stuff to quicken my comeback. Fueled by the obsession, Paul attached some campus rungs to the woody. It’s time to get serious people. 🙂

Here are a few pics from the trip:

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Paul’s sequence on Diaphanous Sea, v12

Tom and Mia

Tom making quick work of the classic, Sign of the Cross, v3

Mia, right on Tom’s heels

Too much climbing? Never!

Silas sending a good cat-nap in his bouncy seat

More napping. Dang, this is hard work!

Next project: Eating, mmm!

And Silas’ other fav pastime at the boulders: taking in the view

Wow, breathtaking!

“This is a nice spot. I can see my momma.”

Life is good

posted by arr

Well, the Bambino has officially been initiated. Silas got to enjoy his first Hueco trip this weekend! And enjoy it he did! He spent most of his climbing time snuggled up warm in his snowsuit puffy, chillin’ in his bouncy seat or in mama’s or dad’s arms (when we weren’t climbing of course). From the looks of his goofy smiles all day, we’re thinkin’ he digs the place. Already he’s got an eye for good bouldering. 😉

It was really nice heading back over to the old stompin’ grounds. We spent both Sat and Sun on North mountain and got to meet up with the crew, including our old friend Nate whom we hadn’t seen in a couple seasons. It was good to be back on real rock. Paul has somehow gotten stronger during these pre and post Silas-days and proved it with a quick send of Dean’s Journey, v10…long-standing unfinished business of his. Then he linked some promising moves on Diaphanous Sea, v12…also a first (damn him). Me, on the other hand, am slowly but surely thrashing my way up the rock – sorry, no big sends to report from my end, haha.

Just one Hueco trip is all it ever takes to get Paul and I into crazy obsessive training mode. And this trip wasn’t any different. I already made a phonecall this morning to add a few more weekends to our Hueco reservations….as little Silas was laying on my lap giving me those goofy smiles that can only mean one thing: “yeah yeah, let’s go!” 😉

Silas in his carseat on the way to Hueco. What’d I tell ya, this boy is psyched!

Dad and the marshmallow

Mama and the marshmallow

Mama warming up at the Small Potatoes

Our buddy Steve giving See Spot Run, v6 a try

posted by arr

Here are a few photos of our recent Hueco action. We do have a couple worthy sends to report but have been a little lazy on the blogging scene. Stay tuned for some BIG adventures to come…

Posted by pjv

You can’t have just one weekend at Hueco. We’ve said this before but started the oh-so familiar drive last Friday thinking we’re just going to go to Hueco once. Just one trip to Hueco to say hi to our good friends Mike, Raquel and Steve. However, we may be headed back, um next weekend?

Here are a few pics from our short trip of several amazing climbs:

Posted by pjv

What do you do when it’s your last Hueco weekend, your car breaks down, and your manager calls and says you have to work?…

Personally, I didn’t care at all. I’ve pulled off some sends over the last several months that I’ve been really proud of. April on the other hand, was extremely close to ticking her first V8 this season, until the ultra-classic Mushroom Roof was closed. She worked all the moves and made excellent links on Left Martini V10, worked out and started sending gos of Bloody Flapper Traverse V9, fell on the last move several times, on King Cobra (a burly V6) and there were countless other problems where I noticed her make a tremendous amount of progress. For a good bit of the season I was jealous because I could see her progression and wondered if mine was as obvious. Or if I was progressing. But perhaps that jealously fueled my motivation to achieve new levels. Overall we certainly can’t complain. The last several months at Hueco contained weekends spent with great friends, good food, fun times and plans to climb yet again in places far.

“Dirty Martinis with Grey Goose, all around!” This was our friend Raquel’s request to our waiter last night over dinner in El Paso. Six dirty, hungry climbers raised their martini glasses to cheers to Paul’s big send. After many weekends of nail-biting sending go’s and subsequent devastating failures, Paul was finally able to pull it all together yesterday for the biggest send of his life: Right Martini (aka Shaken not Stirred), v12, in the Martini Roof at Hueco. Click on video pic to see the excitement: