apAdventures

Here is a nice video and slideshow that April put together documenting our amazing trip to Colorado for the Imogene Pass Trail run. Check it out…

Click here to play the video

The other day when we were complaining about being rained out from climbing it actually cleared up and we managed to get in some route climbing on Mt. Lemmon in the later part of the afternoon. I was pretty convinced that we were not going to see much more of the storm but each day we’ve been getting more and more rain. This morning we woke to a very stressful situation. As I drove to work and neared the end of our road I noticed a puddle larger than I had ever seen. I figured that I knew where the road was and I would simply drive through it. Well…the car stalled half way into the puddle! I had to get out, in the pouring rain, with my dress clothes on and push my car out of the puddle. After a few tries I got it started and bailed on trying to get to work.

April, Holly, Morgan and I decided to check out the Agua Caliente wash several hundred feet behind our house. Watch the video and you will see why we are REALLY NERVOUS about our house getting flooded right now. Also…more rain is coming…

We’ve put together a video of the “Super Bad” duo, Holly and Joe, ticking off some of the classic boulder problems at Priest Draw in Flagstaff, Arizona. Watch out, they are climbing S T R O N G.

Currently, the Brins fire and others are burning up around Flagstaff. Due to the extreme fire danger, they’ve closed the Coconino National Forest until the monsoon rains come. Unfortunately, this means Priest Draw is closed as well. Hurry up monsoons!! We’ve got more climbing to do!

Another Hueco weekend for us. This time, with our dear friends from Pittsburgh, Jason and Kathy and their friend Stuart. Needless to say, a great weekend was had by all. Some notable sends:

Fri, North Mtn:
Unnamed Slopey (v4) – Jason
Nobody Here Gets out Alive (v2) – Kathy

Sat, East Mtn:
Tri Hard (v4) – Paul
Ostracizer (v2) – Jason & Stuart
The Ventral Fin (v5) – Paul

Sun, North Mtn:
Everybody Wins (v3) – Kathy [First v3 for Kathy!!! WOOHOO!!]
Lobster Claws (v5) – Jason
Lithologic (v4) – April
Right El Sherman (v2) – Paul & Jason
Local Flakes (v2) – Jason & Stuart

Extremely Close Sends (one or two moves from sending!!!):
Mexican Chicken (v6) – April
Fern Roof (v10) – Paul
Brutus (v5) – April
Crimping Christ on the Cross (v10) – Paul
Dragonfly (v5) – Jason, Stuart & April
Big Nose Milley (v9/10) – Paul

Once again Jason, looks like you’ve got some unfinshed Hueco business still. Start planning for your spring trip back. 🙂

So there’s this problem at Hueco called 99 Heroin Balloons (V8/9). Super rad, tension-y, explosive, committing moves. Super aggressive full contact, football player style, spotting required! Here is a little video clip of Paul and Justin getting tackled by gravity and by a sketchy landing.

After a long week of driving (J-Tree to Tucson) and climbing (Hueco Tue and Wed) and driving (Hueco to Tucson, Tucson to Hueco) and climbing, the time is 4PM on Sunday afternoon, the place is Martini Roof, the problem is Baby Martini, the climber is April….and…SHE SENDS….AT LAST! Who says you can’t pull a send out of the bag when your arms are blown and it’s time to hop in the car for a 6 hour drive home? This was the ultimate conclusion to a great week of climbing.

Here are four videos that we put together to show some of the fun climbs, cool people and excitement of the week.

Well here we sit in our favorite sandwich place in Las Cruces, NM, on our way home from Hueco. Sadly, we are not talking about my send of Baby Martini (my first V6) because, well, I didn’t send it…nor am I going to send it any time soon because we’re not coming back for a while. I’ve decided to leave this unfinished business for the time being because if I attempt it anymore, I may actually begin to hate one of the best boulder problems in the park. I’m so close, so very close. Last weekend was my best attempt I think, and had I not fudged my beta….who knows, maybe it would have went down. But…on to bigger and better things…..LET’S CLIMB SOME ROUTES NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5.12 here I come, haha.

posted by arr

Sunday Paul and I spent the day hanging out at the house….a rare occurance for us, so it was quite nice. We even treated ourselves and slept in, haha…till 7:30am.

Sunday night we threw a little fiesta at La Casa de April & Paul. Tequila and a hottub – now what makes a better party than that?

Everyone crashed at our place (except Dan who BIKED home at 3am…crazy nut). Next morning, Paul and I turned betty-homemaker-style and fired up some home cookin’ for everyone: Eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy. Yum. Then Paul, myself, Vince, Dan, Marcus, and the two pups packed into Tammy and Vince’s 4-runner and headed out to The Dry for some route climbing. Poor Tammy had to stay behind….a little too much tequila for that girl. Heh heh.

Check out Vince cruzin’ on Spinal Twist, 5.12b.
Click on the photo to see the footage…

posted by arr

Paul and I spent Fri and Sat of Memorial Day weekend at Hueco….deadset on sending.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hueco Tanks, Texas
Friday, May 27th
Noonish