On the Road Again...

It’s been a few since my last post.  Lots to talk about.  The first thing is that Nikki and I have left Boulder, hopefully not forever.  Nikki and I truly felt at home in the bubble.  It may not be for everyone; drunken college kids, snobby yuppies, and a high price on everything make Boulder a hard place to settle down.   I know Nikki and I will be back some day.

So the last week, well two weeks I sent every climbing day trying to finish off the endurance problem that is Freaks of the Industry.  I had tried Freaks in the beginning of September and got close but then stepped away frustrated by my lack of endurance.  Since I had other problems in mind I didn’t much care for trying freaks anymore.  Then a month later I finished off my other problems and was then left with Freaks.  First day back I fell very, very close to the end and thought in was in the sach.  little did I know what I would be facing the next 4 or 5 days trying to finish it off.  Maybe my 3^rd day I got to the very end again but couldn’t close the deal.  Next day back I didn’t even come close to my previous high point.  Motivation was nil.  I had lots of work to do packing up my entire life into my truck so I figured freaks would have to wait until I was back in CO. whenever that would be.

I had to bring some things to Estes Park that my friends are going to bring to me later in the fall so I knew I had one chance to finish freaks.  I headed up with Jason and Sander to what were arctic conditions.  It had to be sub 20 deg. with a fierce wind.  Warming up felt like I had a needle full of hot oil injected into my arms and fingers.  Things were not looking good.  First couple of tries were far less than sub-par.  I just figured to hell with it.  So I said “This I going to be my last try for ever.  Wouldn’t it be great if I could just pull it off right now.” (That was verbatim.)  So I pulled on and got through the technical beginning.  Set up for the big move out right, stuck it.  I set the heel hook and just started climbing faster.  Now I was at the infamous match, a hold bigger that a door jam that feels like crimping a glass table.  I got past that and thought, I will not get back here today if I fall, this was my last day in CO.  I had already fallen here three times before so now was my final chance.  I felt like I was falling off but sketched my way through the next moves and was looking at the final jug.  Normally and anyone who has ever tried freaks knows how easy this move is.  Well for me it felt like a V13 move by itself.  I reached my hand up for what felt like eternity and then felt the jug.  I had done it!!!

Now Nikki and I are in Joes.  The weather is perfect and hopefully I can manage an accent of Black Out.  It's a crimper problem on perfect rock.  Here is the video of Freaks, thanks to Jason for it.  I had given up and left my camera in the bag.