WAGG Day 17 - Goes 47-49

9/20/15

Jay and I went right back to Necedah after Friday's attempts. We had a huge crew there, and we got a lot of climbing done, although most of mine was done on Whiskey. I took a total of three goes this time, and they were very encouraging. The first was a TR go that took me to my highest point yet from the ground, falling only 2-3 moves from the top - I was psyched. A while later I decided to give it a shot on lead, and went bolt-to-bolt after the first 2-3 bolts. The third and final go of the day was another TR go, and I made it within a move or two of the top, bettering my earlier go. It was heartbreakingly close, but it would have to wait. I tweaked my left pinky a bit on this last go, and I plan on taking a break from Whiskey for a couple weeks - hopefully I don't lose too much.

Cross One Off the List!

I love Thoroughfare, and I have loved it since the first time I climbed it on a top-rope close to a decade ago. At that time, if anyone would have asked if I would ever lead it, or any 5.11 trad route for that matter, I would have told them they were crazy! Even my considerably bolder early-twenties self would have thought leading 5.11 on gear was unlikely - I just did not have the mindset, commitment, or process that I do now. Latching the jug you see me holding in the picture below, is the result of over a year-and-a-half of hard work, dedication and commitment to a process. Two years ago this was an impossibility, and last night it became a reality - it won't land me in any of the mags next month and #Thoroughfare won't be trending on Twitter anytime soon, but I accomplished a goal I was not even aware that I had until recently and considered impossible up until a few months ago. There is no secret to doing this, and I really believe anyone can do it...set a goal, create a plan, and work the plan. It will take sacrifices along the way, but that moment, where you blow so far through any prior expectations you could have conceived of for yourself, is worth every bit of sacrifice along the way - the smile on my face speaks for itself.

James Schroeder, hitting the jug at the end of the difficulties on Thoroughfare (5.11a) at Devil's Lake - Jay Knower Photo

WAGG Day 10 - Go 30

04/24/15 (weight 179.2, AMRHR 44)

I drove up to Necedah on Friday after work to meet Charles and take a few quick burns on WAGG. To warm up, Charles led Tower Route while hanging draws, we pulled the rope, and then I led it with the draws in place. Then we hurried to the top of Y-Crack Wall and set a top rope on WAGG. Charles rapelled the line and I followed hanging draws and cleaning holds.

Conditions started to deteriorate almost as soon as Charles tied in for his first go, and they weren't any better by the time it got to be my turn. So, in a full rain, I tied in for a go  of my own (the route overhangs 10-12 feet, but the wind was blowing mightily) and found (mostly) dry holds up to and through the crux. For the first time ever, I climbed from the ground through the crux and fell a few moves above. I ended up two-hanging the route on TR, and doubt I would have sent if conditions were better, but I might have been able to one-hang it instead. I topped out in a full rain, cleaned the TR setup and rapelled to the ground. It was the happiest I had ever been in the face of failure and bad conditions. I was, and still am, incredibly psyched. Up until Friday, I was feeling like I had lost some ground over the winter, so the huge progress I made was exceedingly welcomed.

I cannot wait to get back to Necedah again. While a lead of the route is probably still a ways off, it feels like a real possibility. From here on out, I hope to leave the TR behind and make each go a lead go.

The Birth of an Obsession

I have been trying to become a better climber since I started climbing seventeen years ago. At times, when the circumstances of life have allowed, I have been very focused on this goal, and, at other times, when life's circumstances were not so generous I have been less focused. Recently, the circumstances of life have allowed me the opportunity to focus on climbing in a way that I have not been able to for over a decade - and I am grateful for that. Since February, I have been climbing, a lot and enjoying every minute of it. I have been pushing myself both on and off the rock, and the effort has rewarded me with regular PRs for a variety of climbing styles. Things have been going very well, and I am having a great time climbing, but my quest has been lacking one thing that I enjoy...a long-term project.

"Tickled" is the only way to describe it.

I have two-year old son, and one of my favorite things in this world is tickling him. His laugh is adorable, and the joy in his laughter is unmistakable. It is the kind of innocent, head-tossed-back, happy-to-be-alive-in-this-exact-time-and-place, sound that comes out of us with less and less frequency as we age. An "I-do-not-care-who-sees-or-hears" joy that cannot possibly be self-aware. I tell you this because as I briefly sat alone at the top of Gill's Buttress last night, the sun low on the western horizon, the valley below lit as if from within by the late-evening glow, I felt this feeling. I did not laugh out loud, but I felt tickled.

A Rad Weekend of Climbing in Wisconsin!

I had a great weekend climbing in Wisconsin this past weekend! It started on Saturday with a trip to Hillbilly Hollow. I met Justin, Matthew and Brittany in the parking lot and we headed back to the cliff.

Catching Up

Sorry I have been lazy about keeping the blog up over the last week or so. I needed a rest week from training, climbing and, I guess from blogging too.

By my judgement I had a good May, at least in comparison to my climbing over the last decade. The days leading up to, and including, Memorial Day weekend were no exception to that trend. I kicked my Memorial Day weekend off on Wednesday with a top rope send of a long-standing nemesis of mine at Horse Rampart. I took Thursday off from climbing, so I could see the Doctor about the nagging pain in shoulder/neck. On Friday, Christina and I agreed to meet my friends Willie and Heather at the Lake for a little more climbing.

The Weekend That Was 5/10-5/11 2014

Saturday:

Phil had driven up Friday night again this week and we set our sights on heading back to Old Sandstone. A part of the Lake that I have always had a special affinity for. Phil had a score to settle there with Mammalary Magic (5.10a) from earlier in the season, and was planning on putting that score to bed. Our friends John, Paul and Justin were planning on meeting us up there, so we had breakfast and jumped in the car. The psych was palpable.

The Fine Line Between “F” and “F-YEAH” Revisited

This is a rewritten version of a "Weekend That Was" post from May 20th, 2007 - the rewrite took place on May 12th, 2014 two days after repeating Pacific Ocean Wall (5.11d) and regaining that previous high point after nearly seven years in the doldrums of adulthood. Now that the past has been equaled, the future must be improvement. The rewrite is a sanitized and hopefully more mature version of the original - I updated the description of the beta as well.

The Weekend That Was 5/3-5/4 2014

Sorry it's so late, but here it is:

Phil came up this weekend for another session of preparing for our trip to the Bighorns in July. Because we have the generous support of the American Alpine Club and The North Face via a Live Your Dream Grant, we want to make sure we have all of the details well-ironed before the trip starts. All this planning means we spend a good portion of the weekend discussing mundane details about food, fuel, and shelter - but at least we get to do this at the crag while climbing.

My right shoulder has been giving me some issues since I was in Joshua Tree, I'm guessing my repeated goes on Saturday Night Live might have had something to do with it. The Doc said it was not my rotator cuff and that a couple weeks of taking it easy would probably have me back to full-speed. I took this as reasonably good news and actually enjoyed my visit with Dr. Furukawa - it is nice to have a doc that understands the needs of an individual training for an event.