Charleston on Saturday: 5.9 warmup before trying The Equalizer 5.13a. It's a mildly overhung route at the left entrance to the Compton Cave. The guidebook notes it as a "great tendon-wrecker of a route." Shawn immediately developed a liking for the route. This liking then mated with his laser-like goal oriented focus (how else could he be one of the chosen few to Teach For America?) to become his obsession, pushing Wailing Soul into the background. So Saturday Shawn worked out most of the moves to the 5th bolt. All of the moves are consistently demanding on small divets for feet with big moves and burly crosses through bi- or mono-pockets. Fortunately, some of those pockets are 2 knuckles deep. I then took a stab at Straight Outta Compton 5.12d but with little gas left after wrecking my tendons on The Equalizer. So SOC smacked me down at the third bolt.
Sunday morning we headed to Cannibal Crag at Red Springs, which I wrote about in my last post.
Yesterday, Monday, we returned to Charleston, Shawn with only one thing on his mind, and it wasn't girls. We warmed up on a 5.11ish slab thing that had zero good hand holds. Then The Equalizer beckoned. It's called The Equalizer because it puts the musclebound boys in their place while girls are able to capitalize on smaller fingers and better technique to send. This time Shawn deciphered the crux move twice, making it look easier than a V0. I could not for the life of me fathom the move. However, after hang-dogging to the 5 bolt, I was able to use Joe Brooks' advice about a blind foot switch while hanging on to a left pinch and right gaston, followed by a big right cross to a sloper. Unfortunately neither of us had the power endurance to link more than a few moves. So it's training time. Also, mental note: if it's less than mid 90s F in Las Vegas, it's pretty cool up at Compton, so bring something warm. A lot of climbers there actually wear down jackets while belaying. Shawn and I just had microfleece things and we were shivering.
Shawn working The Equalizer.
2 comments:
Wow, I look great. Plus, for some reason, I now have access to the blog at school. Check that out.
Yo sorry for the butt shot, and for almost dropping you while obtaining said butt shot.
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