Two More Summers Till 30

Gus giving new meaning to, "What was once yours is now mine!"

Headed up to the Saddle Boulder yesterday with Justin and the Dogs. It was Gus' first climbing day and he did awesome! With the heat, the smoke, and the horseflies; the conditions could not have been worse. However, the progress made on "Midnight Train" was exciting and made me thirsty for more. Watching Justin get one foot placement away from "The Real Deal," shocked me quickly back into psyche-mode after a two week hiatus. On the drive back I started to count my free days remaining. The only good news that came from it was that Fall is right around the corner. But don't talk about Falls to come with Justin it is just a tad bit depressing.

The Adventures of Caesar Augustus "Gus" Newman

My Boy; Gus!!!

Gus mid-takeoff!!

Hanging with Grandma Nan and Grandpa J

Someone's Got to Work, Just Not Me!

The summer has gotten off to a great start! Since truly being done with school responsibilities I have been to the coast, Donner, the Valley and South Lake. Not bad for only seven days. When I was in my youth I would always seemingly let summer run by me. I would get up late watch “Saved By the Bell,” eat ice cream and conjure up deals with my sister to make chocolate chip cookies daily. These days I have been trying to live up to my commitment to my own sanity. Many say that teachers have it so easy, always pointing to the fact that we get all this time off. Well, without these six weeks off in the summer you probably would be reading a news article of the teacher on trial for killing his students, rather than this pathetic excuse for a blog. But alas, you are! In the last week I have found awesome boulders at the coast, my project still within my reach, the valley climbable until 3am, it fun to climb until your tips resemble ground-chuck, and tons of great information in my puppy parenting books.

Here is to five more weeks!
Peter, Self-Sponsored Athlete

Justin Trying to Stay Awake at Fort Ross

3am in the Valley

Below Vicki Using Stave's Beta

The Snags

So I know that I have been lacking on the posts as of late, but I only have three more days of work and then it is on like Donkey Kong.

Heather on Two Face

Today, Heather, T-Rex and I made our way to the Secret Boulders for a little fun in the sun. I left the guide in the car and showed the girls the circuit. The circuit is something that I like to do when I want a little bouldering mileage. There is nothing too outstanding, just a cluster of fun problems.

T Testing Her Heel Rubber

It was a perfect day to be a little higher in elevation with temps in the 90s down in the central valley. Unfortunately, Vicki was unable to join us, but we could all tell she was keeping a eye on us.

Awe the Valley

Valley Live'n

Last weekend, I took an extra day due to the fact that I was working until Saturday night. After Warp Tech, a school fundraiser, Turtle and I headed down to the Valley for the first time since last November. Justin has just moved back to the ditch for work and it was great to see him and catch-up. As always, the valley was beautiful. Although the weather was a bit warm, I made a conscience attempt to do a little reconnaissance for future problems and projects. Before Mission I’m-lost-and-don’t-know-where-to-begin began, both Justin and Wick wanted to work on their respective goals. For Wick it is an obsession of Thriller that could plausibly cause his school grades to take a back seat until it is sent, while for Justin it is the goal of doing a new problem every time he heads out. The day’s choice was All Hands on Deck, a problem that requires nerves and the ability to perform circus tricks on command. For me the mission of the weekend was made easier due to the fact that Wick and Colton were down to explore the valley’s bouldering a little more. The discovery was Cathedral and two lines called Octagon and The King.

On a side note: I bought a new Giants hat under the sole condition that I keep it and wear it, without buying a new one, until the G-men win the pennant. It might take them a few years, but I felt that as my hat grows in comfort and shape the team would grow together in ability. Hum-Baby Go Giants!! And thank God Zito is out of the rotation!!!

-Peter, the Fan

A New Season

Here is to Late Night Sessions and Good Times

Sunday marked the beginning of a new season with a bbq and session on the wall. People came from far and wide to take part in the festivities. The glorious weather we had over the weekend was an inauspicious reminder that the Valley and Bishop are starting to get too hot for climbing. I have started to realize that summer time climbing is not the most ideal, but in many ways the most important. Last summer the time spent at Donor and on the wall, were the biggest contributors to the success of the fall and winter. Where as last summer I fell into summertime training with the guidance of Master Jedi Justin, this season I am making the conscious and “force” driven decision to use the next months to push new limits and train for those on the horizon.

Nasty Pete

The Flow

So I went to Bishop this weekend with two young ladies who were kind enough to let me tag along. This weekend was all about determination, mixed in with some physical sarcasm. The mornings started with a great tradition I hope to carry with me, espresso in bed!!!

Julie Turning the Lip on Sky Dance.

Vicki and Julie were my inspiration; both made progress on their perspective projects. Saturday we did the long hike up to the Druid Stones. On the way we met an awesome couple who were quite interested and taken aback by the fact that we were carrying up big pads of foam to the top of the steep hill. After explaining what they were for, I tried to gain a little sympathy by telling them they weighed 60-70 pounds, but of course, because she is tough. Vicki took the approach saying that they could not have been more than 15-20. Both Vicki and Julie continued the trend as they pushed themselves to gain more clarity in the solving of their problems, while losing enough skin to do a skin graft on my ass. It was DOPE!!!

Vicki Styling in Buttermilk Country

The awesome thing about working on projects is the spectrum of emotions one goes through in order to eventually achieve partial or total success. In many ways working on a problem is kind of like starting a new relationship. When an attraction speaks to you, the hardest thing to do is to be yourself. With people one has to trust that the person really just wants to find out who you really are; rather than for you to create a person who you think they want you to be. Similarly, when walking up to a boulder problem one has to allow oneself to come through, they have to trust that their physical and mental ability will “match-up.” When meeting a new interest it is easy to not trust enough to let it flow.

Let it Flow,
Peter