Grand Ledge

Here in Michigan's Lower Peninsula we have a limited supply of rock.  So limited, the first time I visited Grand Ledge I had already climbed in Kentucky, Alabama and maybe even my first National climbing competition.  Needless to say everyone had told me how awful, terrible, chossy, waste of time it was, to even check out.

Across the railroad tracks

My first visit was with my dad.  We had brought our top rope gear and went to it on routes like Doug's Roof and Despondency.  I remember thinking about all the negativity and wondering why this place was so bad.  In fact, I told my father how much fun I had, not everyday I can climb outside.  Looking back I had a great attitude.  8 years later ...  A few friends and I packed up the truck and decided to go back and enjoy a day of outdoor bouldering.

Eight crash-pads in total

I have not climbed outdoors in more than a year so I was excited.  It took a while to get warmed up, make due with very wet conditions and a few eliminate boulder problems later we started getting after the problems we came for.  Mike Sabatini had caught some footage of some epic fails, good sends and a bunch of heckling!  I'm hoping that goes up soon and I will share it with you when it does.

Overall, it was a good day.

Training and Progress

I have had the privilege, recently, to climb with some very motivated people over the last 2 months.  I feel very lucky.  What is more, I have established a solid schedule and have been able to balance school and climbing very well.

Campus Board - Planet Rock's Hidden Gem

I reflected a little bit after a basement climbing session last Tuesday and realized how fortunate I am.  At the beginning of September I attended the Backyard Bouldering Competition at Adam Page's and reconnected with some friends I had not seen in a long time.  There was a great turn out and I climbed great, for not climbing for close to a year.  

Backyard Bouldering!

It really sunk in, getting looks of disbelief from friends, when I climbed so well that I have a talent for climbing.  Right then.  I felt the need to push myself again.  That brings me to the present day.  I have been training since that competition and Tuesday I had a moment of clarity; I am getting stronger.  I want to detail my work out and refine the schedule.  I plan to do a write up and post what I have been doing.  

DRCC Hangboards!

For now enjoy this hangboard program I have started from Chris Webb Parsons.  

Courtesy of klenodium.com

Fresh Motivation

This year has been quite unusual if you look at my previous years of life.  This is my first complete year at the University of Detroit Mercy as a Titan!  I decided to participate in college life.  The best way I could think of was to become an athlete.  So, I tried out for the fencing team at school this year.  Having not fenced before I thought it would be a good idea to go and participate in intramural fencing to learn as much as possible before tryouts.  I took it all in and after tryouts they announced names.  Mine included! 

It felt good to be chosen and I know I would have been a great fencer, but UDM is a NCAA Division 1 team, which means they have strict restrictions and regulations.  One regulation is eligibility and I was not eligible to be on the team, due to age.   Eligibility slowly decreases after the athlete turns 21. 

I had prepared myself for competition and intense conditioning.  I had even prepared a schedule to make sure I could train 12 hours a week while staying on top of my schooling.  Being prepared without being able to represent UDM as a Titan left me bummed, but for only half a thought.  I quickly decided to focus my energy toward climbing. 

The past three weeks I have been training at many climbing walls scattered throughout the metro Detroit area.  I have not come up with a specific climbing goal yet, but I know where my physical energy will be focused this winter.  

Just one of the 60 Degree Training walls

Long Time No See!

There seems to be some truth in my friends saying I drop off the face of the earth.  It seems to happen in a few aspects of my life.  But now, I am back to share moments for a while and hopefully fill in some of the ever approaching winters' dull moments. 

Unintentional art - Thanks TJ

I haven’t posted since November of 2011, so let me fill you in on a few developments.  Where I left off in my last post, I got a job at Moosejaw and shortly after I started to work at Detroit Pump as well.  Working both jobs takes it toll and within a less than 2 months at Moosejaw I left and solely worked at DPM.  A year after that I started school studying Mechanical Engineering at University of Detroit!  I should be graduating in 2016 and school has been and will be my main focus of my life.  And in the in between classes I plan to update my recent domestic adventures.  

Monroe

I recently heard a lyric, it goes like this “ If you got the tools be careful what you build, When the arrows in the bulls eye every time, its hard assuming the archers blind.”  Really, made me think about future and how I play a role in it!  Once upon a time I would try to dissect this into a philosophical argument.  Ahemm!  I’ll make it easy and move the focus to goals. 

Golden Boy 

Dracula

Everyone has goals and how they plan on accomplishing them.  Narrowing the focus even more, probably the most thoughtful goal, out of pure longevity, would be my climbing goals.  They have been around for a decade or so and things have to change, and they might.  

Life without climbing

Time is not always on our side!  Luckily, I have found a little bit.  Let's turn that frown upside down!