Home Sweet Red River Gorge

Hey hey hey! Sorry for being so late at posting this and basically being nonexistent! There is this thing called research and I'm preparing for a Master's Symposium where I present my work. That ought to go just great. At least all my data is collected and analyzed :)  Now, I just need to get it into a presentation and talk to my peers and then start writing a thesis. I know I sound calm while typing but I'M FREAKING OUT GUYS!!!

So there, that's the non-climbing part of my life: AKA the sucky part. 

Guys, something really cool and exciting happened last weekend. Last Thursday, after I got done with TA duties, I picked up my friend Dane and left Raleigh. I then proceeded to stop in Wytheville, VA (actually, I missed the exit and had to drive 10 miles to the next one to turn around) to pick up Alex Cummins. That's right, Mr. Alex Cummins, Aaron's friend from Amazon. Anyways, we jammed my trunk full of climbing gear and turned towards Slade, KY. Guess who was there waiting for me? You guessed it. The one and only Aaron Wait! Thankfully, Aaron had gotten there way earlier with his roommates and had set up camp so all I had to do was show up, hand him my sleeping pad and bag and curl up next to him - what that really means is still his body heat :)

The Solarium in Muir Valley

 Friday morning came around and Angie, Aaron, Alex and I (yes, I was the only one whose name didn't begin wit an A. Sad times) went to Muir Valley. We started in the Boneyard and warmed up on two 9s: Cindarella & One-Armed Bandit. As we were up on the climbs, we heard some sending yells from across the way and we eyed up two beautiful huecos. We decided we needed to over there and climb. To the Arsenal Wall we went!

Aaron and Angie hopped on Bullfighter (12b) and Alex and I did Bathtub Mary (11a). Aaron hid out in the hueco for awhile, came out, went back in, out again, back inside, and then finally continued the climb. Alex chilled out in his hueco for awhile too. Alex made it to the top so I followed his lead. Once I unclipped the draw next to the hueco, I hauled myself inside. Only then did I realize why Alex and Aaron stayed in theirs for so long. I could work out the pump in my arms, shed a few layers, crack my knuckles, stretch, take a nap, talk to the guy next to me. There was this awesome undercling on top of the hueco (which I could stand up in and barely touch the top) to get back onto the climb. To the anchors I went.

Bathtub Mary!! To the right of him is the hueco Aaron and Angie hid out in for awhile.

Next Alex put up Sacriledge (10d) which I'm pretty sure was harder than the 11a. Anyways, he made it to the last bolt, came down and then put me on the climb. I can see exactly why he stopped there - you're tired and don't really want to go any higher. Anyways, I chilled out at that bolt for awhile and then went to go conquer the anchors.  There was a mini-roof and i found a sweet toe-heel cam. When I got close to the anchors, I struggled to get a draw into the hanging chains. I tried multiple different techniques and decided I wasn't going to be able to do it. So I had Alex take up the slack and I let go. The only thing was I didn't realize how high above the bolt I still was. In my head I was much closer to the bolt than reality. But don't worry, I like to fall :)

After that, I convinced them to go to Bruise Brothers Wall so I could work on my project: Critters on the Cliff (10d). Aaron hung the draws and then it was my turn. The last time I worked this climb, I top-roped it and took a few times. This time, I cruised through the first 4 bolts, got to the crux, did a layback with two fingers in a crack and hauled myself up to the 'thank god' hold. Then it was cruise control to the anchors. DANG did that feel good to completely crush my project! Then Aaron and I did Rat Stew (10a) and then Workin' for the Weekend (10c). Poor Alex finished his climb in the dark (forgot his headlamp too) and then we went home and had delicious Miguels Pizza. 

How can you not fall in love with a place like this?

Saturday we went to the Gallery. I hopped on 27 Years of Climbing (a fantastic 8!) and then Murano (10b). Then I had the pleasure of belaying Aaron on 'Zen and the Art of Masturbation'. How does heinous crimping and mellow pockets on an overhang sound? Just lovely. For some reason, he managed to convince all of us to try it on top-rope. Poor, dearest Alex got the short end of the stick and had to clean it :(  I attempted a techy balancey 11b: Random Precision but that didn't go so well. They did a 10c somewhere along the way and then we went back and made veggie chili. And by we, I mean Angie and Aaron doing all the cooking while Alex and I drank beer. 

Sunday, the worst day ever, we went to warm up at Tectonic Wall. We did Getting Lucky in Kentucky (10b) and Fifth Bolt Faith (10c). Then Aaron and I headed over to The Sanctuary so he could work his project: Prometheus Unbound (13a). Someone was climbing the route next to him and me and the belayer were nice and close. Aaron fell, I got lifted into the air and I thought I was going to kick her in the head on accident. I've never been so scared that I'd hurt someone while climbing. Thankfully she saw me, ducked a little and we didn't collide :)  Just as Aaron was finishing the climb, Angie, Alex, and Dane came on over. We packed up and then went back to Miguel's. Aaron realized he left his climbing shoes at the crag so he went back to go get them. Alex Dane and I went to eat at Subway (slash Megan wait for Aaron to get back...) and thankfully Aaron made it there before we rolled out! So therefore, Sundays are the worst because they steal my man away from me.

Someone asked me the other day, 'What would you be doing if there was no such thing as rock climbing?' I managed to come up with an answer but what they were really asking is "What would you do if part of you never existed? What would your passion be? How would you breathe? Where would you be in life?" The answer is something I can't even imagine. I wouldn't know what to do with my spare hours each week. What the heck would I do 20 hours a week? Would I ever have gone to all the beautiful places I have? What would I have done there instead of climbing.? It's what I am.

So yup, that was my climbing weekend at Red River Gorge. Two last things:

1. This trip is also called: The Trip Patrick Didn't Come On and Should Have  (It's okay Patrick, we still love you).

2. Dane: