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jakedatc
Jun 26, 2007, 12:18 AM
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Hey guys.. I think we should post all our trip reports in here instead of screwing around in the Gatherings thread.. it's good for planning but this is where the reports should be right? Let everyone see what fun was had in a more visible place :)
my truck is only half unpacked and the shower is calling louder than the peregrine babies but i'll add my stuff in here too soon..
Jake
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cracklover
Jun 26, 2007, 3:47 PM
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Okay, I'll respond here.
jammer wrote: This was the best so far. I say so far, cause it will happen again, we just don't have a solid place yet, but it will happen.
Yeah, hope so!
In reply to: Gabe is secretly starting up the vaulgarian method of climbing ... let's hope it stays at the gunks ... Rumney just ain't ready for it yet!
Nah, not unless you count the vulgar T-shirt I was wearing on Saturday!
jakedatc wrote: I agree.. gabe and allison rock.. i had a great time roping up with you guys..
Hey, thanks for the compliment - glad you had fun climbing with us. And congrats to you on sending Cereal Killer(5.11c). That's a proud send for you, man!
In reply to: congrats again on the onsite and early season proj killing. new proj!
Yeah, Allison rocked, no doubt! Next time I'll not be a wimp, and I'll get on some of my projects, too.
In reply to: hard 11c is made much easier with gabe providing the birthday party belay on steroids. "wow i didnt even stand on the rock and i'm going up!"
Well, I outweigh you by like 30 lbs, whadaya want? ;)
By the way I'd like it to be known that Mr. Sport-weenie-4-lyfe here, actually did a hand jam. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I led The 5.8 Crack By The Road, he followed it, and he actually jammed his right hand in the crack! Ha! Indian Creek next, Jake!
blueeyedclimber wrote: cracklover wrote: Let's see - things I learned this weekend: 1 - If it flies, Josh doesn't like it. Birds, bees, bats. Doesn't seem to matter. Hey, come on now, your painting me into quite the animal hater. Let me explain. <yadda yadda - this that and the other>
Yeah, I saw that as soon as Tiff started flying, you started getting a little twitchy. No fooling me! You were planning to swat her, weren't you!
In reply to: 5. Gabe and Allison give Tiff and I some competition for cutest couple.
Thanks, man! We do our best. Now I just need to find some way to compete with the high-tech doodad on helmet, and the cutest couple cup will be ours!
Tiff - you looked good on Waimea. You were nearly through the crux when you whipped. You'll send it next time, I bet. I'll look for the pics I took, hopefully there's a good one of you.
Just remember these words of wisdom and you'll send it for sure: "Get a good rest at the rests, because the non-rests, are not restful."
Allison has an interesting story to tell about a sight we saw at Parking Lot Wall on Sunday, but I'll leave that for her.
GO
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cracklover
Jun 26, 2007, 3:55 PM
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Oh, and two other things (yeah, slow morning at work).
surgicalfocus wrote: 2. If Gabe was grainy and not in the frame on Waimea does that mean that you were nowhere to be found in the frame when it was my turn to helm cam? Oh hell. Now I am scared.
No, don't worry, I'm just kind of a grainy guy. By the way, it was very nice to meet you!
In reply to: 2.5 It was truly a treat to watch Allison climb Waimea and she made all of the french climbers go ooh la la. Gabe is lucky guy.
Yup, Gabe knows it well!
Also, the title of the thread reminds me, I've some important beta to report. The loose rock on Romancing the Stone is no more! I think it came out early Saturday morning. There's a decent ledge in that spot, so it probably won't change the grade of the route. But a new name has been proposed anyway: Reminiscing The Stone. I think it's very clever! Courtesy of Tom Georgevitz (sp?)
GO
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jakedatc
Jun 27, 2007, 2:55 AM
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Alright.. since i was there for many days in a row the easiest way for me is to go day by day.. try to follow along ;)
Thursday: Hung out with Kate in the morning and she was sad to see me leave since she wasn't able to go this year. Arrived in Rumney around 3 or so.. few cars in the parking lot.. I wandered through the meadows.. down to 5.8 crag.. back to the meadows.. found a QD laying on the ground that was missing an owner.. got up to Curly for president and Idiots deluxe where I found a nice lady Rachel to give me a belay on Curly. In hopes of doing Idiots also i ran up it about as fast as i can confidently climb 5.9 without falling.. luckily i did since when i got to the top the thunder started rolling in and we didn't want any part of what caused the noise. So.. 1 route thursday :). Got to Colleens and met up with Alan. I set up my tent and then helped him chop firewood. Then got throughly Pwned in Horseshoes. Ate some dinner.. started a fire.. chatted about the days to come until Rich arrived. We helped him set up the Taj Majhal. more fire talk.. sleep.
Friday: Hit the parking lot around 8:30-9 and was surprised to see the Trad crew in the parking lot. Rain on Cannon.. gee.. shame.. ;) No searching for partners today.. sweet. Climbed L&P and Hippos on parade with Ed, bill, matt, and Rich. Then moved over to 5.8 where i cruised up Sky Pilot and then watched Ed work his way up Arm and Hammer and bill etc play on some new .8
Between rain drops we some how made it to Below New Wave and were mostly protected to do Debbie does CPR, Son of sammy, couch potato and matt's favorite route EVAR Sixth sense. called it quits.. went to the dinner put on by C4C and the great people at the Rumney baptist church. Great food, good people, dessert like whoa. totally not preachy like i had feared it might be. thanks todd! fire.. more people rolling in.. sleep.
Saturday: Up at 8 again.. decided to tag along with Gabe and Allison for the day. We warmed up at 5.8 crag and did ashbury park, snake skin slab, bolt and run, and some thing with a crack, doodads and an easily denied balance maneuver. Then we watched Allison crank up Milktoast onsite and solid. As gabe said we also mourned the loss of "the stone" in Romancing the stone. (sidenote: it wasn't still on that rock monday.. i dunno where it went). We headed up to Main cliff from there. Decided Cereal Killer would be a great route to tick off the list. I gave it a go first and was not very efficient. So i hung once then finished the top. Gabe went and cruised it nicely and i snagged more beta. Allison gave it a go on TR while i rested up. Then I did much better the 2nd time and sent it clean. Allison went down to the car and Gabe and i made the fateful decision to try Gunboat Diplomacy. "harder if you are short" is an understatement. Took gabe some falls and a few hangs but boldly kept at it and then it was my turn.. major flailage ensued but finally topped it out and we met folks at the parking lot. They went off to make dinner and i joined Josh, tiff and others for dinner at RHP.
Sunday: Finally got the chance to rope up with Josh and Tiffany.. We headed straight up to Jimmy cliff with their friend Kathy. Tiff led Lonesome Dove with the "Laser" while josh and kathy went to do Clippity do dah. We met them over in the alcove area and i warmed up on Things I never learned, Tiff also led it in fine style. Then Josh and I decided to work more on Things As They Are Now. I gave him foot beta for the bottom, he figured out foot beta for the dead point. I pulled a muscle in my forearm on the first slap out left after a few tries i decided to not make it worse and belayed josh as he finished it with only one hang. I put up Teachers Pet for Kathy and she TR'd it. We headed down to Waimea and watched Allison get All the way clean. then tiff led it with some nice whippage. Dropped down to Triple corners and repeated Man with a hueco in his Tights with new beta i learned. SO much easier.. josh cruised it the same way even though he was tired. I walked over and talked with Mark Sprague for a little bit about his new problems in that area that i will have to get on next time. Tiffany tried TRing it but was feeling the effects from Waimea so i got to lead it again. They left for home and i went out in search of others. I got down to parking lot wall as everyone was packing up so we all left.. i picked up some food and built the fire while alan was gone. yep.. fire :)
Monday: Packed up.. It was Alan's day to get guided around after guiding many others around all weekend. So we warmed up at 5.8 crag.. did snake skin and bolt and run. Then it was time for Al to push some limits. He said all weekend he didn't know how hard he could climb.. so i gave him a quiz :) I put Sky pilot back up.. He TR'd it with one maybe two hangs that were fairly expect for the fairly sequency route. "what's next?" haha sweet he wants more. I take him to Bonsai but show him Monsters of the Id on the way up.. steep hard shit is inspiring. We got on Peer Pressure while surrounded by Team Waimea from Boston. Jer, I talked with Alexi.. he seems to be doing well. Al TR'd it and did great through the crux but the pump at the end ate him up and i think missed some feet but will get it clean soon enough. We watched Olivia metcalf cruise Social Outcast before heading over to Jimmy Cliff. I wanted one more shot on Things.. and a few quick falls later i remembered josh's foot beta and i stuck the deadpoint. but the middle crimps were caked with chalk and i was pumped and had to finish it with a hang. We decided to do Clippity for shits and giggles to end things off. going from 12a to 5.3 was pretty funny. I led both pitches since if i was going to do it i might as well do it right. Cinch worked great for belaying off the anchor too. Walked off and down and headed for home.
Great to see old faces and meet new people. We'll find a place next year.. Maybe something will pop up sooner and we can have an October one again.
Thanks for all your work Alan.
Cool Luna moth from Fri night?
(This post was edited by jakedatc on Jun 27, 2007, 3:16 AM)
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jammer
Jun 27, 2007, 12:41 PM
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Thought I'd toss in what happened to my little group while you all worked your butts off on hard rock...
Thursday night came with threatening clouds and rain drops as I sat waiting for Jake and Rich to arrive. The sky’s opened up and the rain fell. Great! Just like all three years prior … rain. I sat mumbling a simple prayer for the rain to stop. I was amazed as the rain ceased, and found myself wondering if it would last.
Jake drove in and the thought of the threat of rain dwindled as the excitement of the first climber arriving. Jake, an old pro at these gatherings, was optimist about the weekend and that hit the spot. We sat and talked for quite awhile before Rich arrived … it was about 10:30. Now … Jake showed up with his one man tent for himself … Rich showed up with a hotel. We could fit three tents in his one. Then out comes a bar, chairs and the works … Rich was ready. We sat and threw stories around and discussed the plans for Friday. Rich was to meet a crew at Cannon for a nice day of trad while Jake thought he would head to Rumney.
Friday morning rolled in and when I opened my eyes and came out of my cave (Colleens), Rich’s car was gone. He was set. Jake’s truck was there, so I assumed that he had left with Rich. While they were off having fun on the rock, I continued preparing for the weekend. After returning with the grills and gas, setting up the cooking area, I started to hear rumbling coming from the West. Yup, the skies opened up and it poured. Alone again, sitting under the canopy as the rain pounded the roof, the previous three years rolled back through my memory once again. Remembering the results of the prayer I had mumbled yesterday, I thought I’d give it another go. Well, within an hour, the sun was out and the skies cleared! I thought it must be due to the influence Todd, from Climber for Christ, had on the event … hummm.
Later in the day Todd drove in. We sat talking for awhile, getting to know each other. I was excited to learn that Todd is the leader for expeditions in the Climbers for Christ ministry. (http://www.climbingforchrist.org/) Here I was thinking that I had been talking to just another Joe. After awhile, Todd had to leave me sitting around the camp and headed to the Rumney Baptist Church to prepare for the supper. Not long after that, Jake returned, stating that “the boyz” didn’t make it to Cannon, but had been at Rumney all day clipping bolts. After a few minutes, in rolls Rich, Matt, Ed, and Bill. Can’t remember if Kevin was with them at this point or not … old mans memories! Anyway, they sat and swapped stories about how hard they had climbed and how they could not even see the ledges of Cannon in the morning due to the rain. About 6:30, they decided to give this free meal a go and headed for food. Not long after they left, a couple of climbers from Conn. arrived, quickly pitched a tent and headed to Rumney to get in a few climbs before the sun set. Once again, sitting, waiting for supper, Gabe drives in with Allison (another climber that can kick my butt … as if Tiff wasn’t enough!). Then others started to arrive and I lost track of who showed up when. Yes, it started to look promising.
Around dusk, I lit the fire that I had built earlier that day, which had been covered due to the early thunderstorms, and waited for the supper that had been promised upon their return. Gabe and Allison were busy making some great looking shish-ka-bobs over the fire while more climbers arrived and pitched their tents. Finally, the food arrives! As my mouth started to water, I noticed that Bill was not moving too fast. I asked him if he was Ok and he smiled and started to tell me how much he had eaten and how stuff he was. When all had eaten, the stories began. We stayed up well after midnight, laughing and having a good time.
The sunrise seemed earlier Saturday morning then it had for Friday, but never the less, I crawled off the comfy bed I had been in and moved out to the group gathered around the fire. As everyone stood around eating and making plans, I found myself wishing I could join this elite crew and be schooled by the experienced ones, but alas, I waited for my son to arrive with his friend. Not long after the last car pulled out and headed for rock, my son pulls in. Excited, we jump into the car and head for the parking lot to meet up with more friends, Abby and Chester. While I decided to stick with those whom I had asked, the rest hit the hard routes while we played on 7’s and 8’s for the day. It was Chester’s first day on real rock … yup, fresh from the gym, and the first time Matt, my son, was taking climbing seriously. This alone left a smile on my wrinkled face all day. We managed to get in a couple of routes, Cold Feet (5.7) and Hinterland Highway (5.6+). We then epiced up the gully toward Jimmy Cliff and discovered it was full, so we trampled down to Upper Vader. It was empty and we were excited. Then I checked the time and realized that I had less then ½ an hour to meet my son, Alan, who was doing the music that night. I left Abby and Chester alone in the parking lot after loaning them some draws and they headed up to the Parking Lot Wall to play on a Week with Pete and other easier stuff. Matt and I headed back to Lebanon to get the equipment.
We got back in enough time to set up the equipment, make a sound test and enjoy music as we waited for the rest to show. After quite awhile, one lonely car pulled in and set up their tent. Asking them if they knew where everyone else was, they informed me that they had gone down to the pizza joint in Plymouth for the traditional beer, pizza and pool, which I had forgotten all about. Well, as the sun started to set, we lit the fire and relaxed. Not long after, a train of cars pulled in, but no Ed. I was thinking that he had ditched us sport climbers for some rugged trad terrain, when I overheard Bill laughing and talking to Matt about how he had seem Ed being pulled over. Knowing how rubbery legs can be after climbing all day, and a few beers on top, I wondered if I’d see Ed again this weekend … then he came rolling in. We all sat eagerly anticipating a horror story as he explained that he had trouble with his lights earlier in the week and forgot to put the fuse back in for the parking lights. More stories flew and laughter could be heard over the music. The night wore on as heads started to nod and figures disappeared into the darkness toward their tents. Music shut down, Kevin, my son Matt and I sat around the fire till after 1 am, being the good boy scouts we were and not leaving the fire unattended.
Early Sunday morning, everyone was up and ready for another great day of schist. Groups of three and four mingled over coffee and off they went. The five of us decided to enjoy a nice breakfast, so we opted out of an early start for eggs, sausage, home fries and coffee. That was mine, the others had even more. It’s a wonder we could even make it up Kate’s Arête (5.4), which was Chester’s first lead! Hat’s off to another member of the sharp end. Then we hung out at the Parking Lot Wall for the rest of the day, where this small group of beginners put down classics like Squeeze My Lemon (5.8), Glory Jeans (5.6) and Easily Amused (5.7). It really don’t sound like much, but with setting up just one rope, five people taking turns, that’s 20 climbs. They did well.
Sunday night was very quite as only Jake and I shared the fire. Ed decided to check in with some friends in Franconia Notch area, not sure if he was going to return or pull on some granite. With a smile on his face, Jake reminded me that I had mentioned looking to push past the 10d mark and wanted to get a taste of what everyone else smiled about, so he pulls out the book and turned to Sky Pilot. He said it was probably one of the easiest 11b’s in Rumney and that I’d enjoy it since I enjoyed pulling on crimps. I remember thinking that I only wanted to taste the 11’s, like an 11a, and was wondering just how hard I was going to be schooled?
Monday morning came a little later for me cause Jake mentioned that he was going to sleep until 8 … so I shut the alarm off and let Colleens boys wake me instead. Unfortunately, Jake woke a little after sunrise and was patiently waiting from me … sorry Jake. Parked in an almost empty lot and headed to 5.8 crag. We warmed up on Snake Skin Slab (5.8) and then Bolt and Run (5.9). Nice and warm, Jake takes me to my school room and pointed out my lesson for the day. The route looked clean and reminded me of the type of climbing I did when I first started out, crimps and balancing on nubbins. Jake led it, making it look so easy I thought it was a 9. Then it was my turn. Pulled off the ground fine, moved up to the pinch and reached out right for a nice hold and it happened … I popped off. Frustrated, I started up once again only long enough for my tips to feel the pocket that I had just missed. The third time Jake gave me beta about a foot placement, and it made all the difference in the world. After that, it was nice climbing in the 10 range. Yup, TRed it and now have this taste that won’t go away till I send it clean on lead. Feeling great after that, and a bit too confident, I agreed to try Peer Pressure (5.10d). We headed up to Bonsai only to find the remarkable Team Waimea doing laps on 12’s and 13’s. I think we sat there and watched these kids in their teens, make the climbs look like fun and not work. I could of spent hours watching them, and would if Jake hadn’t nudged me to remind me that I was belaying. Like he had previously done, Jake moved up the wall with ease, stopping only for a minute at the rest area on Social Outcast before making the final moves to the anchors. Again, it looked easy, and I really believe I can climb it, but burned out just below the anchors. I should of slapped the anchors and call it good for TR, but I wanted to switch to the quick clips and finish the clean. It just wasn’t gonna happen. I couldn’t pull myself up more then half way. Looks like another climb for another day. Jake can tell us who the member of the team was that retrieved his draws, but he made it look as easy as Jake did. Yup, I was feeling my age. We spent another half hour watching the team and headed up to finish the day on Clip a Dee Doo Dah, the sweetest multipitch 5.3 in NH, with a view.
I met more people then I mentioned and wanted you all to know that it was the best Ruckus to date due to them, and to let Rich know that there will be another day, Bro.
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losbill
Jun 27, 2007, 1:19 PM
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Nice TRs guys! Good job on Sky Pilot Alan! Good on ya Jake and major karma points for doing the guide thing with Alan. He deserved it after all the work of putting the RR on.
I didn't get to weight thus couldn't fit into any of Bonnie's or Caitlin's old dresses, not even close! Next year I'm going to start assembling the wardrobe sooner than the morning I'm leaving! Maybe have one of my Irish-Scot cousins send me over a kilt.
However I did lose 8 pounds in two weeks. Tired of portion control, the count was 5, yes 5, heaping plates of spaghetti and meatballs at the church dinner.
Moving slow? Heck you guys should have been carrying me around after that heroic showing. As I was leaving the church hall Rev Dan leaned over and whispered into my ear, "I will pray your eating problem is soon cured." Maybe I over did it.
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percious
Jun 27, 2007, 3:22 PM
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Registered: May 19, 2005
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Thought I would put in a few notes as "the guys from CT". We had a great weekend and it was nice to meet all of you.
Friday:
Headed up after work. Arrived at Rumney, set up our tent and then headed up to the cliff. It was a longer drive to the base than anticipated. We jumped on some heinous 5.7 and then climbed Lies and Propaganda (5.9) to the right (Onsight/Flash). We spent a few hours around the fire with the rest of the ruckus. It was mellow.
Saturday:
Mike was up early, and we stopped at IME in north Conway for a weather report before heading up to Cathedral. We hiked Funhouse. There was some blood on-route which was tough to look at. Mike lead upper refuse and we were soon at the top. At the top I a stranger called us back and offered us a ride. I was happy to shake hands with Henry. Our second lap we climbed the weird Pooh (5.7) and found a beautiful hand crack(5.10b) after the first pitch. It was a hang-fest, but I made it up. At the ledge above we were held back by another party on our route for over 1 hour! I met another climber at the top and brought him up as well as mike, after tying into the center of the rope.
Sunday:
Whitehorse: Slabs Direct(5.7R) to Wavelength(5.8) to Sliding Board(5.6). No real story here. There was a big traffic jam at the lunch ledge on the rappel, but we managed. We jolted back to Rumney to finish the day. We hopped on Espresso (5.10d) and Mike 1 or 2 falled it. I went for it and fell at every bolt. It was pumpy. We met up with some of the ruckus folks and I made an attempt on Red Sea Pedestrian(5.10b) one fall. Mike flashed it, and then one other climber tried it before my redpoint attempt. My heart was racing before the crux, and it took me a while to get my composure. The route went. Mike and I moved on.
Mike wanted to get on some 5.12 somewhere but it was in another area and so we ended up on Apocalypse Later (5.11c). It was a pump-fest, and Mike gave up after the second bolt, despite a concerted effort to stick-clip the third bolt. It was my turn to siege the fort. I got the rest of the bolts clipped (without a stick, but with some creativeness), and was thwarted at the last move. I just could not pull to the anchors, despite about 15 leader falls. What fun! Mike gave it a try, and got about 6" higher than I did. We were spent, so we drove home.
Nice to meet you all.
-chris
(This post was edited by percious on Jun 27, 2007, 3:24 PM)
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jammer
Jun 27, 2007, 4:16 PM
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percious wrote: Thought I would put in a few notes as "the guys from CT". We had a great weekend and it was nice to meet all of you. -chris
Sorry Chris. I suffer from old timers memory. I'll remember the face, but not the name. I was, at one point, trying to write down everyones name, but blew it ... sorry once again.
Edited to add that you have an interesting site. Hope to see you again.
(This post was edited by jammer on Jun 27, 2007, 4:18 PM)
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percious
Jun 28, 2007, 11:15 AM
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Not meant as a dig jammer. We had a good time out with you guys. Hope we can do it again next year. Might bring my 5 year old next year!
-percious
PS. Thanks for the compliment; a newer version of my site:
http://percious.webfactional.com
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jakedatc
Jul 2, 2007, 3:28 PM
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Me on Sky Pilot 11b friday at the ruckus.. photos by Ed
(This post was edited by jakedatc on Jul 5, 2007, 3:20 AM)
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pharmboy
Jul 3, 2007, 12:07 PM
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Nice pics Jake, too bad you left out the handsome belayer!
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jammer
Jul 3, 2007, 12:13 PM
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Yup ... even tho I pealed off twice at the crux, finishing on TR gave me the chance for a red point ... it will go down! What cha think Rich ... shall we both punish the Pilot?
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c4c
Jul 3, 2007, 12:35 PM
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I could belay .11b
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