Snow on the ground and conditions are just fine – come on in.
Spent the day up at The Buttermilks. There are few things better then spending a day up at The Milks. Its getting down right chilly here in Bishop, CA – which means lots of layers and primo bouldering conditions. When the sun drops behind the ridge the 30 min clock starts before its time to pack up and get the hell out of there before everything starts to freeze. Few better scenes around. A bunch of blocks on the hill with a bunch colorful folks trying to scale them……..cheaper then skiing.
Da Germans and I worked a couple of lines in the neighborhood. No sending, but maybe we got close. Not sure really. Actually, not really that close yet, but its a lot of fun. The youngins can sure throw themselves at a boulder problem. Out the window goes pace, timing your burns, piecing together moves methodicaly. If so, then Axel is putting it together at light speed. Though it is damn cold in that cave so who has time to waste.
I enjoy nice long rests in the sun. Perfecting the leisure life while tearing through the fingertips. Somewhere between breathing, worrying about sending my project, working on a tan, being a cheerleader towards whoever happens to be on the route at the time, and breathing, is about where I fall in. And some climbing of course. Cant forget the good times.
Its amazingly beautiful here. I have’nt ventured into a proper city for a couple of months. I get awesome invites to travel down to LA or across to the Bay Area – but I keep thinking about all the traffic and all the people. Does’nt really get me psyched. I hear that Hueco is super fun right now, but that will have to wait. Bishop has been good to me so far and I’m still psyched on A LOT of the boulder problems out here. When you spend an extended period of time in a place it does give the opportunity to go after some projects and spend time on harder lines. Usually a climbing trip rolls through an area and you have to get on a bunch of lines quick – the classics – to sample them, know them, consider them for later. Or just flash it if thats your style…….Taking a little longer, as I do, to really work a project is thrilling and to me really gets at the deeper levels of climbing. Past the grades and the gear. Patience and time. Some dedication. That feels like the most difficult to me. Its easy to just move on to the next problem, the next place. I find it more difficult to commit to spending a longer amount of time in an area with particular objectives in mind.
Now, planning is not my strongest suit. And every time I think I have a plan or a project in my sights something happens and I get psyched on something else. Keeping super focus, living and breathing the project, to me, thats incredibly admirable. Sharma has done it on numerous occasions. Fred Nicole, Paul Robinson, Woods, Trotter, Dai K, Rands, Hill, JC Hunter, all the top climbers of the age. The unrelenting focus seems to be what seperates the average from the great. The Hobbyist from The Professional.
Nothing about bouldering is easy, as far as I’m concerned. But it does seem easier to jump between problems, work a couple of moves, then split to the next line, the next town. Sticking with it – damn thats hard. I certainly don’t have it dialed. Mad respect to those that do. Someday I hope.
Hope you’re gettin out.