Saturday, February 26, 2011
Heartbroken
Feelings have no place in a public bog. Stupid to get all mushy and carried away. Just events from now on.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Vegas and Red Rocks happenings
Saturday 19 February 2011
Finally got the guidebook for Red Rocks! Nice job by Handren, its almost as good a publication as the Blue Mountains and Arapiles updated guides. I'm glad people are putting in so much effort to make the new guidebooks so user-friendly and great reads beyond just route-finding. Also picked up the new grigri and the BD Gridlock carabiner (prevents cross-loading in a very cool design). Great combo to belay with, and so light I've been taking it on multipitch trad and using it instead of the ATC Guide. I never would have taken the old grigri on a trad multipitch!
I met one of the RV campers this morning that I parked next to the night I arrived - Nick the Alaskan. He offered to share his parking space to save cost ($15/night). After shopping and internet time I came back to the camp to be invited to come into Nick's RV and use his kitchen to cook my dinner. Very friendly chap! We ended up combining dinners, which meant I contributed a carrot and a capsicum, plus most of a bottle of scotch; and he rice, roast chicken, stirfry and beer. A bit lopsided! We had a great chat over dinner, and were nicely tipsy by the time his lady friend arrived. We three knocked over most of the scotch plus beers, and had the best time chewing the fat and generally laughing up a storm. Claire was very much a pro-Boulder Colorado girl, but Nick had other views on that town! They will be great people to see again in the future somewhere around the US.
Sunday 20 February 2011
I wandered down to the 2nd pullout carpark of the loop road in the canyons, because Nick told me that would be the best place to find people to climb with. It's a sport area mainly, with loads of single pitch routes at a variety of grades. One wall has a row of 5.9, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.11a and 5.11c all in order! Geat warmups and I managed to onsight the 11c that the guys I was climbing with were projecting. 5.11c is about Ewbanks grade 23 I think according to my conversion chart, and if so then the route was very soft. Also tried a cool 5.12c, but it had a long throw in it that I didn't get. The rest of the route was very easy, so I think that whole cliff is a little soft.
Sunday night Teissia arrived from LA to join me for some climbing, and I met her at her family's holiday house in the suburbs of Vegas. Nice little shack indeed! We went out to the Strip for dinner at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, where there was a live band playing. Good food, good music, great company! Afterwards we went upstairs to a bar that had a wonderful view of the strip and took photos. The cover charge was $10 to get up there, but we avoided paying that with a pout and and some story about me being an Aussie fresh off the boat, or some such! Its great to be out with a girl who knows how to get things done!
Monday 21 February 2011
Climbed 'Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun' (5.7); a single pitch trad line that we split into 2 in order to practice multi-pitching. I cooked my 'safe dish' Beef and Blackbean stirfry (thanks Jamie Oliver!) before Teissia and I went to the Strip to watch Circ de Soleil - Mystique. Such a phenomenal show! Some of the things those acrobats are capable of...wow.
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Climbed 'Physical Graffiti' (5.6), a wonderful 2 pitch trad line with bolted belays and a second pitch that ate perfect gear and just went on and on.
After the route and lunch we took a drive around the loop road of the park to scope out a climb that Teissia's Dad had tried years ago. It is 9 pitches and looks fantastic. We plan to come back and do the route in the Fall.
Tuesday night we went out for pizza and watched "Unknown", which wasn't too bad but after "Taken" I expected a little more from Liam Neeson.
Wednesday 23 February 2011
Teissia went back to LA on Wednesday so I'm back sleeping in the van and looking for people to climb with :( There are quite a few people out and about climbing but it's hard to continually have to approach strangers to climb. I miss climbing with my close friends!
Sorry there aren't more photos but blogger.com is very slow posting large photos. I'll post more to facebook as its easier.
Finally got the guidebook for Red Rocks! Nice job by Handren, its almost as good a publication as the Blue Mountains and Arapiles updated guides. I'm glad people are putting in so much effort to make the new guidebooks so user-friendly and great reads beyond just route-finding. Also picked up the new grigri and the BD Gridlock carabiner (prevents cross-loading in a very cool design). Great combo to belay with, and so light I've been taking it on multipitch trad and using it instead of the ATC Guide. I never would have taken the old grigri on a trad multipitch!
I met one of the RV campers this morning that I parked next to the night I arrived - Nick the Alaskan. He offered to share his parking space to save cost ($15/night). After shopping and internet time I came back to the camp to be invited to come into Nick's RV and use his kitchen to cook my dinner. Very friendly chap! We ended up combining dinners, which meant I contributed a carrot and a capsicum, plus most of a bottle of scotch; and he rice, roast chicken, stirfry and beer. A bit lopsided! We had a great chat over dinner, and were nicely tipsy by the time his lady friend arrived. We three knocked over most of the scotch plus beers, and had the best time chewing the fat and generally laughing up a storm. Claire was very much a pro-Boulder Colorado girl, but Nick had other views on that town! They will be great people to see again in the future somewhere around the US.
Sunday 20 February 2011
I wandered down to the 2nd pullout carpark of the loop road in the canyons, because Nick told me that would be the best place to find people to climb with. It's a sport area mainly, with loads of single pitch routes at a variety of grades. One wall has a row of 5.9, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.11a and 5.11c all in order! Geat warmups and I managed to onsight the 11c that the guys I was climbing with were projecting. 5.11c is about Ewbanks grade 23 I think according to my conversion chart, and if so then the route was very soft. Also tried a cool 5.12c, but it had a long throw in it that I didn't get. The rest of the route was very easy, so I think that whole cliff is a little soft.
Sunday night Teissia arrived from LA to join me for some climbing, and I met her at her family's holiday house in the suburbs of Vegas. Nice little shack indeed! We went out to the Strip for dinner at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, where there was a live band playing. Good food, good music, great company! Afterwards we went upstairs to a bar that had a wonderful view of the strip and took photos. The cover charge was $10 to get up there, but we avoided paying that with a pout and and some story about me being an Aussie fresh off the boat, or some such! Its great to be out with a girl who knows how to get things done!
Monday 21 February 2011
Climbed 'Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun' (5.7); a single pitch trad line that we split into 2 in order to practice multi-pitching. I cooked my 'safe dish' Beef and Blackbean stirfry (thanks Jamie Oliver!) before Teissia and I went to the Strip to watch Circ de Soleil - Mystique. Such a phenomenal show! Some of the things those acrobats are capable of...wow.
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Climbed 'Physical Graffiti' (5.6), a wonderful 2 pitch trad line with bolted belays and a second pitch that ate perfect gear and just went on and on.
Tuesday night we went out for pizza and watched "Unknown", which wasn't too bad but after "Taken" I expected a little more from Liam Neeson.
Wednesday 23 February 2011
Teissia went back to LA on Wednesday so I'm back sleeping in the van and looking for people to climb with :( There are quite a few people out and about climbing but it's hard to continually have to approach strangers to climb. I miss climbing with my close friends!
Sorry there aren't more photos but blogger.com is very slow posting large photos. I'll post more to facebook as its easier.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Road to Red Rock, Nevada
Thursday 17 February 2011
Today I went to the nearest Chevy dealership to see if I can fix the air-conditioning in the van. I need a knob for the fan, but also the switch inside the dash that the knob fits onto. Marlon - Rein's local mechanic - told me it would be easy to buy and fit for quite cheap, but because it appears the internal mechanism is missing i think it will be a mission and a costly exercise to fix. Sure enough they at the dealership said $300 for the whole unit. They sold the knobs for sure, but I needed the internal shaft etc. Looks like no fan for me!
Bought some screws to fix the front grill, and another battery. Now I have 2 brand new batteries for the van, so I can run my inverter and charge all my appliances without fear or running the battery down.
Also went to collect some mail that has accumulated at Rein's PO box. West Hollywood is the gay centre of LA it seems! The postmaster was gay, as was everyone I saw on the street. It is a very hip area, with cute little dogs and everyone good-looking and friendly (hey are you from Australia? Wow love the accent darling!) I had a friendly chat with a hairdresser who was frantically trying to keep his little Shitsu from doing his morning business on the tree by my table where I was eating crepes.
In the afternoon I went down to Venice Beach to check it out. No muscle-bound body builders pumping iron this time of year! It was quite cold today. I've enjoyed splendid weather for the past couple of weeks or more since I arrived, but now it is turning wintery. I had a walk down to the marina and surrounds before meeting Teissia in the Venice Whaler (these puns are right up my ally!) for drinks to discuss my climbing options and any suggestions she may have for my trip.
I had quite forgotten how strikingly beautiful she was, and I had to uncertainly call her name with the fear of a blank reaction making itself known somewhere in the base of my jaw. Luckily it was indeed her, and we climbed out of the falling farenheit up the stairs and into the warmth of the bar. I have to say she is the most incredible woman I have ever met - incredibly interesting, friendly, helpful, excited, vivacious, funny; beautiful beyond a magazine cover or a tv spot for Maybelline - beautiful like a wood fire or a dewy sunrise; she was all brown hair, brown eyes, cute little brown army hat; and how she pouted! Ah I have been truly roundhouse kicked in the face thank you Chuck-smitten-Norris! We made plans to meet out at Red Rock next week for a few days of climbing. Please please please don't let me screw this up like I always do! But to whom do I pray? Aphrodite, Venus, Freya? Is there rather a goddess of not fucking things up? Maybe its time for me to head to Texas and start a cult!
Hmm quite the ramble. Anyway best not to dwell on it and take it as it comes.
Friday 18 February 2011
So the Road! I left LA at around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, hoping to avoid the perils of weekend traffic that beset my last trip out East when I went to Riverside. But this weekend is the President's Day weekend, so no such luck! Traffic crawled for much of the 300-odd miles to Vegas, with intermittent surges of 70 miles per hour along the 2 to 3 lane run. Many trucks slowed the journey, but good old American pragmatism ensured that up the face of every long ascent there was an extra slow lane for trucks and RVs.
So I'm rolling along the 15 getting closer and closer to Las Vegas, when I see lights on the horizon ahead. The GPS is resting because there's only one road, and when I see the bright lights of the neon signs I think this is it! but it is so small? I can see from one side to the other of this light show, with dark desert all around, and when I zoom through at 75 per with all the traffic staying true to the highway I'm clear thought the oasis in literally less than a minute! So the GPS is booted from its slumber and drags its feet to inform me that that little hamlet of gambling and skin shows was in fact Barstow, and the lights of Vegas illuminating the far horizon is only a further 30 miles. And so the heart settles into the steady rhythm of the engine and the road noise, and I coast down the slopes and gear down for the rises with the radio off and cruise control keeping me in step with Johnny's 21st birthday celebration SUV, painted in garish white "Vegas Baby and Dad's buying!" on the windows.
Suddenly I'm screaming down the hill to the lights of Las Vegas; they've transformed from a hazy bright horizon glow to a blanket of clear and delineated neons stretching far wider across the desert than little teasing Barstow; and I'm screaming but I can't fathom where the high-pitched noise is coming from. And before some smart friend accuses me of being the source of that girlish squeal, I'll tell you that I've narrowed it down to my car and not those around me, but it's not the engine (thank God, or thank Venus or Freya) so it must be the tires. Have they bred a special strain of blacktop that tells you when you're nearly there, to keep you awake of the last few miles? Some fore-warning perhaps? Whatever it is, its loud and very annoying!
I turn for the road to the Red Rock canyon campground before I reach the strip - there'll be time for that later I'm sure. Right now I just need sleep. Tomorrow I'll get my bearings, try to find the bouldering crew from LA who promised to meet me here, and try to get the guidebook so I can drink in one of the country's premier climbing destinations.
Today I went to the nearest Chevy dealership to see if I can fix the air-conditioning in the van. I need a knob for the fan, but also the switch inside the dash that the knob fits onto. Marlon - Rein's local mechanic - told me it would be easy to buy and fit for quite cheap, but because it appears the internal mechanism is missing i think it will be a mission and a costly exercise to fix. Sure enough they at the dealership said $300 for the whole unit. They sold the knobs for sure, but I needed the internal shaft etc. Looks like no fan for me!
Bought some screws to fix the front grill, and another battery. Now I have 2 brand new batteries for the van, so I can run my inverter and charge all my appliances without fear or running the battery down.
Also went to collect some mail that has accumulated at Rein's PO box. West Hollywood is the gay centre of LA it seems! The postmaster was gay, as was everyone I saw on the street. It is a very hip area, with cute little dogs and everyone good-looking and friendly (hey are you from Australia? Wow love the accent darling!) I had a friendly chat with a hairdresser who was frantically trying to keep his little Shitsu from doing his morning business on the tree by my table where I was eating crepes.
In the afternoon I went down to Venice Beach to check it out. No muscle-bound body builders pumping iron this time of year! It was quite cold today. I've enjoyed splendid weather for the past couple of weeks or more since I arrived, but now it is turning wintery. I had a walk down to the marina and surrounds before meeting Teissia in the Venice Whaler (these puns are right up my ally!) for drinks to discuss my climbing options and any suggestions she may have for my trip.
I had quite forgotten how strikingly beautiful she was, and I had to uncertainly call her name with the fear of a blank reaction making itself known somewhere in the base of my jaw. Luckily it was indeed her, and we climbed out of the falling farenheit up the stairs and into the warmth of the bar. I have to say she is the most incredible woman I have ever met - incredibly interesting, friendly, helpful, excited, vivacious, funny; beautiful beyond a magazine cover or a tv spot for Maybelline - beautiful like a wood fire or a dewy sunrise; she was all brown hair, brown eyes, cute little brown army hat; and how she pouted! Ah I have been truly roundhouse kicked in the face thank you Chuck-smitten-Norris! We made plans to meet out at Red Rock next week for a few days of climbing. Please please please don't let me screw this up like I always do! But to whom do I pray? Aphrodite, Venus, Freya? Is there rather a goddess of not fucking things up? Maybe its time for me to head to Texas and start a cult!
Hmm quite the ramble. Anyway best not to dwell on it and take it as it comes.
Friday 18 February 2011
So the Road! I left LA at around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, hoping to avoid the perils of weekend traffic that beset my last trip out East when I went to Riverside. But this weekend is the President's Day weekend, so no such luck! Traffic crawled for much of the 300-odd miles to Vegas, with intermittent surges of 70 miles per hour along the 2 to 3 lane run. Many trucks slowed the journey, but good old American pragmatism ensured that up the face of every long ascent there was an extra slow lane for trucks and RVs.
So I'm rolling along the 15 getting closer and closer to Las Vegas, when I see lights on the horizon ahead. The GPS is resting because there's only one road, and when I see the bright lights of the neon signs I think this is it! but it is so small? I can see from one side to the other of this light show, with dark desert all around, and when I zoom through at 75 per with all the traffic staying true to the highway I'm clear thought the oasis in literally less than a minute! So the GPS is booted from its slumber and drags its feet to inform me that that little hamlet of gambling and skin shows was in fact Barstow, and the lights of Vegas illuminating the far horizon is only a further 30 miles. And so the heart settles into the steady rhythm of the engine and the road noise, and I coast down the slopes and gear down for the rises with the radio off and cruise control keeping me in step with Johnny's 21st birthday celebration SUV, painted in garish white "Vegas Baby and Dad's buying!" on the windows.
Suddenly I'm screaming down the hill to the lights of Las Vegas; they've transformed from a hazy bright horizon glow to a blanket of clear and delineated neons stretching far wider across the desert than little teasing Barstow; and I'm screaming but I can't fathom where the high-pitched noise is coming from. And before some smart friend accuses me of being the source of that girlish squeal, I'll tell you that I've narrowed it down to my car and not those around me, but it's not the engine (thank God, or thank Venus or Freya) so it must be the tires. Have they bred a special strain of blacktop that tells you when you're nearly there, to keep you awake of the last few miles? Some fore-warning perhaps? Whatever it is, its loud and very annoying!
I turn for the road to the Red Rock canyon campground before I reach the strip - there'll be time for that later I'm sure. Right now I just need sleep. Tomorrow I'll get my bearings, try to find the bouldering crew from LA who promised to meet me here, and try to get the guidebook so I can drink in one of the country's premier climbing destinations.
Gabrielle the brilliand couchsurfing.org host!
Monday 14th Feb 2011
Spent Valentines day in Starbucks and didn't get to climb because Leonard changed his mind about going out. He wants to go on Tuesday instead. I texted Teissia (climber I met on first day out at Echo) to see if she wants to go out climbing with us on Tuesday too.
Went to Gabrielle's house (my couchsurfing.org host for the next week hopefully) and met her, then went out to dinner at a nice Chinese place, then back to hers. She spent the night studying and I on the internet. Having free wifi is such a trap!
Tuesday 15th Feb 2011
So Today to Echo cliffs, with Leonard the Equadorian. Finally the rope! But it is raining too much to climb anywhere but the Kamikaze Cave, a steep area of the cliffs mentioned in an earlier post. There are some really sweet looking routes there, but sadly they are all chipped to a greater or lesser degree. The cave is very very steep, and I can see that the features are small and generally pretty blank, so to some extent (coming from the BIG CHIP quarry town) I can see why the FA guys did it. But it still makes the place a manky gym really and not inspiring.
I couldn't get up the 5.12b warm up - steep grade 25 pocket and crimp climbing with the first hard move a pull from a first joint 1 finger pocket up to a small undercling, then a cross over to a slot. Tensiony, fingery, injury! I came down and gave Lenny a go, but he didn't want to risk his finger in the mono so came down at the same point as me. Lucky the whole cave is equipped with perma-draws, so all we had to do was lower off and pull the rope!
I did all the moves on a 5.13a first go, with rests at every draw, so I'm not too sure of the accuracy of the grade. I couldn't sent it, and won't be able to unless I get strong again, but I think at my peak I could do it. Therefore to me can't be 5.13a. That is in the region of Ewbanks 28/29 I think, which at my best is not beyond me, but to do so well only just back from 3 months off and on the first work session is suspect. Lenny thought it was hard though, and he climbs 13b/c. He ended up doing it in 3 hangs, linking through the hard start and falling where I think the redpoint crux is. He also fell high on the headwall, where I had no trouble, but I think with some refined beta he'll do fine there.
Back to Gabrielle's; I cooked Beef and Blackbean stirfry for dinner. It turned out ok and she seemed to enjoy it, so that was a plus. We've had some great chats and she is very easy to get along with. I'm still amazed at this couchsurfing thing - some people are so giving and trusting! It makes me feel sad and angry to think of all the selfishness I see, especially in myself. I definitely have to become a host myself when I settle down somewhere.
Wednesday 16th Feb 2011
Catch up on some washing - wow so blog-worthy! I need to start this epic rock climbing adventure so i can blog about something worthwhile! Actually that's not fair at all, to the people I've met so far and to myself. Rock climbing is the vehicle taking me from place to place, but so far the best experiences have been skin and bone. Ok that's sounds dodgy! Meeting new people who are really living, really digging life. (I just finished reading The Road by Jack Kerouac and he's coming through in my writing!)
i took Gabrielle down to Rockreation indoor climbing gym - her first time. They wouldn't let me belay with a grigri there, something to do with their insurance; and they wouldn't let her belay me at all because they didn't have a qualified instructor there on the day to show her how. So I belayed her on top-rope and she watched me boulder. She really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed introducing her to it and coaching her a little, although I did talk her ear off and tell her way too many things for a newbie to take in all at once! But she learned well and got a good burn out of it. I think she is a little hooked on it now, but we'll see if she continues with it beyond today.
Out to dinner with Gabrielle to a lovely woodfire pizza place, then home to watch Salt.
Spent Valentines day in Starbucks and didn't get to climb because Leonard changed his mind about going out. He wants to go on Tuesday instead. I texted Teissia (climber I met on first day out at Echo) to see if she wants to go out climbing with us on Tuesday too.
Went to Gabrielle's house (my couchsurfing.org host for the next week hopefully) and met her, then went out to dinner at a nice Chinese place, then back to hers. She spent the night studying and I on the internet. Having free wifi is such a trap!
Tuesday 15th Feb 2011
So Today to Echo cliffs, with Leonard the Equadorian. Finally the rope! But it is raining too much to climb anywhere but the Kamikaze Cave, a steep area of the cliffs mentioned in an earlier post. There are some really sweet looking routes there, but sadly they are all chipped to a greater or lesser degree. The cave is very very steep, and I can see that the features are small and generally pretty blank, so to some extent (coming from the BIG CHIP quarry town) I can see why the FA guys did it. But it still makes the place a manky gym really and not inspiring.
I couldn't get up the 5.12b warm up - steep grade 25 pocket and crimp climbing with the first hard move a pull from a first joint 1 finger pocket up to a small undercling, then a cross over to a slot. Tensiony, fingery, injury! I came down and gave Lenny a go, but he didn't want to risk his finger in the mono so came down at the same point as me. Lucky the whole cave is equipped with perma-draws, so all we had to do was lower off and pull the rope!
I did all the moves on a 5.13a first go, with rests at every draw, so I'm not too sure of the accuracy of the grade. I couldn't sent it, and won't be able to unless I get strong again, but I think at my peak I could do it. Therefore to me can't be 5.13a. That is in the region of Ewbanks 28/29 I think, which at my best is not beyond me, but to do so well only just back from 3 months off and on the first work session is suspect. Lenny thought it was hard though, and he climbs 13b/c. He ended up doing it in 3 hangs, linking through the hard start and falling where I think the redpoint crux is. He also fell high on the headwall, where I had no trouble, but I think with some refined beta he'll do fine there.
Back to Gabrielle's; I cooked Beef and Blackbean stirfry for dinner. It turned out ok and she seemed to enjoy it, so that was a plus. We've had some great chats and she is very easy to get along with. I'm still amazed at this couchsurfing thing - some people are so giving and trusting! It makes me feel sad and angry to think of all the selfishness I see, especially in myself. I definitely have to become a host myself when I settle down somewhere.
Wednesday 16th Feb 2011
Catch up on some washing - wow so blog-worthy! I need to start this epic rock climbing adventure so i can blog about something worthwhile! Actually that's not fair at all, to the people I've met so far and to myself. Rock climbing is the vehicle taking me from place to place, but so far the best experiences have been skin and bone. Ok that's sounds dodgy! Meeting new people who are really living, really digging life. (I just finished reading The Road by Jack Kerouac and he's coming through in my writing!)
i took Gabrielle down to Rockreation indoor climbing gym - her first time. They wouldn't let me belay with a grigri there, something to do with their insurance; and they wouldn't let her belay me at all because they didn't have a qualified instructor there on the day to show her how. So I belayed her on top-rope and she watched me boulder. She really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed introducing her to it and coaching her a little, although I did talk her ear off and tell her way too many things for a newbie to take in all at once! But she learned well and got a good burn out of it. I think she is a little hooked on it now, but we'll see if she continues with it beyond today.
Out to dinner with Gabrielle to a lovely woodfire pizza place, then home to watch Salt.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunset Boulevard
Sunday 13 February
Had Thai last night (Saturday night) on Sunset Blvd (nothing special - poor neighborhood, dirty) before finding the nearest Wal-Mart to camp. I had heard that it was ok for RVs to camp in Wal-Mart carparks; in fact I heard that the founder of Wal-Mart specified in his will that it must be allowed; but when I got there it was so busy and lit-up that I gave the idea away and drove off in search of somewhere more innocuous. I wanted to stay in the area because I had planned to spend Sunday bouldering with Andrew at a local spot called Stoney Point, so I didn't want to drive way out of town to camp. I found a carpark out the back of some charity organisation where they had loads of company vans, so I parked amongst them and blended in pretty nicely.
Sunday morning I drove to a quieter area and had my cereal in the van, then around 12 I went to Andrew's house for a much-needed shower and to head to the climbing spot.
The area turned out to be equally popular for boulderers and top-ropers alike, and we had a great afternoon jumping on random problems. I think the hardest problem I did was V3, so I'm definitely not climbing strong at the moment. Hopefully Tuesday I'll be able to get out on a rope and start the long road back to climbing fitness
Perhaps the most memorable problem was a V2 line that is usually sent using a dyno move off 2 good sidepulls and high feet, jumping to a bad sloper with the left hand and flying campus through with the right to a good jug. I tried this sequence but static a few times, and couldn't hold the sloper and get high enough feet to reach the rail. After a few goes I tried the flying campus move, and stuck it after a couple of false tries. Sick moves! It was a very satisfying feeling piecing the correct complexities of subtle body movement together to achieve the send. I'm sure 90% of my friends reading this blog don't care at all and can't imagine the feeling, and I doubt they've even read this far (so hi to those non-climbing friends who've read this far!), but to those who know what I'm talking about; let me just say it was a good moment!
Back out to the good old reliable mountain pass pullout for dinner and sleep! I cooked my first dinner camping out (so sick of eating crap in restaurants) - polish sausage, pasta, carrot, capsicum, and pasta sauce.
Had Thai last night (Saturday night) on Sunset Blvd (nothing special - poor neighborhood, dirty) before finding the nearest Wal-Mart to camp. I had heard that it was ok for RVs to camp in Wal-Mart carparks; in fact I heard that the founder of Wal-Mart specified in his will that it must be allowed; but when I got there it was so busy and lit-up that I gave the idea away and drove off in search of somewhere more innocuous. I wanted to stay in the area because I had planned to spend Sunday bouldering with Andrew at a local spot called Stoney Point, so I didn't want to drive way out of town to camp. I found a carpark out the back of some charity organisation where they had loads of company vans, so I parked amongst them and blended in pretty nicely.
Sunday morning I drove to a quieter area and had my cereal in the van, then around 12 I went to Andrew's house for a much-needed shower and to head to the climbing spot.
The area turned out to be equally popular for boulderers and top-ropers alike, and we had a great afternoon jumping on random problems. I think the hardest problem I did was V3, so I'm definitely not climbing strong at the moment. Hopefully Tuesday I'll be able to get out on a rope and start the long road back to climbing fitness
Perhaps the most memorable problem was a V2 line that is usually sent using a dyno move off 2 good sidepulls and high feet, jumping to a bad sloper with the left hand and flying campus through with the right to a good jug. I tried this sequence but static a few times, and couldn't hold the sloper and get high enough feet to reach the rail. After a few goes I tried the flying campus move, and stuck it after a couple of false tries. Sick moves! It was a very satisfying feeling piecing the correct complexities of subtle body movement together to achieve the send. I'm sure 90% of my friends reading this blog don't care at all and can't imagine the feeling, and I doubt they've even read this far (so hi to those non-climbing friends who've read this far!), but to those who know what I'm talking about; let me just say it was a good moment!
Back out to the good old reliable mountain pass pullout for dinner and sleep! I cooked my first dinner camping out (so sick of eating crap in restaurants) - polish sausage, pasta, carrot, capsicum, and pasta sauce.
Time Spending - buying shit and gold both
Thursday 10 February
Late sleep-in, then most of the day in Starbucks on the laptop. I seriously need to leave LA and find some full-time climbers. Another $16 night in the rock gym cranking on plastic and trying to find climbers who go out during the week. I did meet one guy who has Monday and Tuesday off work, and he promised to call me Mon to meet up outdoors. I'm sitting here in Starbucks waiting for that call now (now=Valentines Day). I was chatting to someone about Bishop until the gym closed, so I didn't get a chance to take advantage of the showers there. Spent the night in the gym carpark after eating a terribly unhealthy late-night diner meal.
Friday 11 February
Took a drive through Chinatown on the way to Griffith Park. Rein told me that it is a great place to check out while I'm in LA, and he wasn't wrong! I hiked up to the top of the hill and the views were amazing! Even better on a clear day I bet. It felt good to get some exercise, seeing as I haven't done much climbing at all and the food I've been eating - yuk! The observatory itself is really well set up for tourists. Besides the great views from the many levels of balcony, the astrological paraphernalia on display was really interesting. Can't say the cafeteria or the gift shop were equally as impressive!
I left the park at around 7pm, thinking the traffic surely would have died down by then , but no suck luck! I had planned to drive East to Riverside, a county about 60 miles away from Downtown LA, to catch up with some people I had met a week ago and to see a 50s band play in a themed bar. It took me 3 hours stuck in traffic not getting over 20 miles an hour - the most painful driving experience of my life. Never again! But the band was rockin', everyone on the bar was dressed to the nines in vintage gear, the girls had their hair done properly, the guys were all greased up, and we had a great time there. The drummer had his eye on one of my friends (Chupi - cute name for a cute girl), so we all got an invite back to the after party at this vintage everything house - complete with 2 restored caddys and a bike, hair-setting chair, furniture... - where we partied until 4am. I spent the night in the van parked out front.
Saturday 12 February
Spent the day with Maria and Chupi, who graciously showed me the sights on Riverside. "Riverside is better than LA because..." Ok it is beautiful and quiet and suburban and different and relaxed and every other thing. I loved it! The views from the hill, the Black Pride parade (what are YOU doing here white boy?), the Mission Inn...
Late sleep-in, then most of the day in Starbucks on the laptop. I seriously need to leave LA and find some full-time climbers. Another $16 night in the rock gym cranking on plastic and trying to find climbers who go out during the week. I did meet one guy who has Monday and Tuesday off work, and he promised to call me Mon to meet up outdoors. I'm sitting here in Starbucks waiting for that call now (now=Valentines Day). I was chatting to someone about Bishop until the gym closed, so I didn't get a chance to take advantage of the showers there. Spent the night in the gym carpark after eating a terribly unhealthy late-night diner meal.
Friday 11 February
Took a drive through Chinatown on the way to Griffith Park. Rein told me that it is a great place to check out while I'm in LA, and he wasn't wrong! I hiked up to the top of the hill and the views were amazing! Even better on a clear day I bet. It felt good to get some exercise, seeing as I haven't done much climbing at all and the food I've been eating - yuk! The observatory itself is really well set up for tourists. Besides the great views from the many levels of balcony, the astrological paraphernalia on display was really interesting. Can't say the cafeteria or the gift shop were equally as impressive!
I left the park at around 7pm, thinking the traffic surely would have died down by then , but no suck luck! I had planned to drive East to Riverside, a county about 60 miles away from Downtown LA, to catch up with some people I had met a week ago and to see a 50s band play in a themed bar. It took me 3 hours stuck in traffic not getting over 20 miles an hour - the most painful driving experience of my life. Never again! But the band was rockin', everyone on the bar was dressed to the nines in vintage gear, the girls had their hair done properly, the guys were all greased up, and we had a great time there. The drummer had his eye on one of my friends (Chupi - cute name for a cute girl), so we all got an invite back to the after party at this vintage everything house - complete with 2 restored caddys and a bike, hair-setting chair, furniture... - where we partied until 4am. I spent the night in the van parked out front.
Saturday 12 February
Spent the day with Maria and Chupi, who graciously showed me the sights on Riverside. "Riverside is better than LA because..." Ok it is beautiful and quiet and suburban and different and relaxed and every other thing. I loved it! The views from the hill, the Black Pride parade (what are YOU doing here white boy?), the Mission Inn...
Chupi (left) and Maria
The Mission Inn
Apparently some woman commited suicide jumping off here when she found out her husband was cheating on her
Thursday, February 10, 2011
M.A.S.H.
Wednesday 9 February
After checking out the 'Planet of the Apes' wall, I decided to hike to the nearby M.A.S.H. filming site. I'm sure Mum will appreciate the photos! On the way I had to walk around a closed film site where they were shooting some commercial. they had a big crew and setup in there! I didn't get close enough to see anyone famous or anything, but I did take a couple of covert shots from the bushes on the top of a nearby hill (paparazzi!)
The M.A.S.H. site is smaller than I thought it would be, much smaller. There isn't much there; some photos pointing out background scenery you can see in the show, an old bombed-out shell of a jeep, and a truck in similar disrepair. A bit of a let-down really! Still, I was there, so now I can make up heaps of bullshit stories for the folks back home!
5.8 miles hiked there and back, which is about 9 km, with a heavy climbing pack, so at least its good training!
After checking out the 'Planet of the Apes' wall, I decided to hike to the nearby M.A.S.H. filming site. I'm sure Mum will appreciate the photos! On the way I had to walk around a closed film site where they were shooting some commercial. they had a big crew and setup in there! I didn't get close enough to see anyone famous or anything, but I did take a couple of covert shots from the bushes on the top of a nearby hill (paparazzi!)
The M.A.S.H. site is smaller than I thought it would be, much smaller. There isn't much there; some photos pointing out background scenery you can see in the show, an old bombed-out shell of a jeep, and a truck in similar disrepair. A bit of a let-down really! Still, I was there, so now I can make up heaps of bullshit stories for the folks back home!
More hiking, less climbing :(
Wednesday 9 February
Had another good night's sleep in the van! Still no couch to sleep on; maybe I had better update my couchsurfing.org profile to be more attractive to prospective hosts! Do I look dodgy or something!? Having a shower every second night at the gym, but it would be good to have a place to stay and cook a decent meal! Trying to eat healthy at takeouts and other cheap restaurants is difficult here.
Doing loads of hiking though, which is good for my general fitness. I'm feeling a lot out of shape! Luckily I have places like this to walk through :)
Checked out 'Planet of the Apes' wall - the guide says this is one of the most popular areas where people climb. NO-ONE THERE! Oh well I guess this is winter, in the middle of the week, and not Bishop/Smith Rock/Yosemite/Red Rocks/etc. The wasll is pretty cool though; kind of reminds me of the Pocketed Wall at Thomsons Point in Nowra, although bigger (much bigger). No bolts though; its a top-rope only area. Grades from 5.9 to 5.13a, with a V7 traverse along the whole base. I tried that, but it was very difficult! Plus you must climb quite high to reach the good holds, and the hight of falls (while onto sand) was further than I desired.
There was also an awesome-looking, very steep but short, pocket problem on a nearby boulder. I didn't try it because I was pretty gassed from the the gym bouldering the night before, but it looked at least V5 (what do I know about bouldering grades?). It wasn't in the book, but was well-chalked.
If I can't find anyone to climb with during the week, there looks to be some other great bouldering spots around I can visit. Just need to buy a pad.
Had another good night's sleep in the van! Still no couch to sleep on; maybe I had better update my couchsurfing.org profile to be more attractive to prospective hosts! Do I look dodgy or something!? Having a shower every second night at the gym, but it would be good to have a place to stay and cook a decent meal! Trying to eat healthy at takeouts and other cheap restaurants is difficult here.
Doing loads of hiking though, which is good for my general fitness. I'm feeling a lot out of shape! Luckily I have places like this to walk through :)
Checked out 'Planet of the Apes' wall - the guide says this is one of the most popular areas where people climb. NO-ONE THERE! Oh well I guess this is winter, in the middle of the week, and not Bishop/Smith Rock/Yosemite/Red Rocks/etc. The wasll is pretty cool though; kind of reminds me of the Pocketed Wall at Thomsons Point in Nowra, although bigger (much bigger). No bolts though; its a top-rope only area. Grades from 5.9 to 5.13a, with a V7 traverse along the whole base. I tried that, but it was very difficult! Plus you must climb quite high to reach the good holds, and the hight of falls (while onto sand) was further than I desired.
If I can't find anyone to climb with during the week, there looks to be some other great bouldering spots around I can visit. Just need to buy a pad.
The past few days
Sunday 6th February
Went to a Super Bowl party with Rein to a friend of his' house. Wow they go all out for the big game! Team colours everywhere, a sweep, so much food and drink, a Mexican tortilla stand, 3 floors of party with a big tv on each level... wow. Packers won, and the host was barracking for the Steelers, but everyone was so pissed that the result wasn't that important. That would have been different if LA had their own NFL team I'm sure.
Monday 7th February
I moved out of Rein's place today. Time to cut the apron strings and head out into the great unknown that is sprawling LA, and FIND SOME ROCK!!! Hiked into Echo Cliffs, but there was no-one climbing there. Actually there were 2 girls who had just finished climbing and were hiking out, so I got the number of one (Teissia) who was willing to climb next week at some stage. The rock quality is, as the guidebook actually admits, choss, but I did see some quality routes there.
This cave (Kamikaze Cave) has routes from 5.12b (25) up to 5.14a/b (32/33), plus a couple of open projects. It is seriously steep, and looks awesome! Rock is good quality too.
Camped on a pullout on Mulholland Hwy, a quiet mountain pass in the Santa Monicas. The first night in the van was quite cold!
Tuesday 8 February
Went to Adventure 16 to get a new sleeping bag. Last night wasn't much fun! Bought a few extra things to make life in the van easier.
Also signed up to couchsurfing.org in order to get a place to stay near these climbing spots. I like sleeping in the van, but there really isn't anywhere free to park overnight that is private and safe and legal. I have a camp shower but I wouldn't use it there, right on the side of the road! There are plenty of cyclists quietly rolling down and loudly puffing up the hills, as well as intermittent car traffic.
I went back to the gym in the evening to meet up with the crew, and hopefully meet some locals who climb outdoors (hopefully during the week!), and I was advised to sign up to a SoCal meetup website where they organise climbing trips. Sadly the trips are weekend ones and, at least the guy I spoke to, they don't climb during the week. I'm having fun bouldering and getting my power back up.
back to the pullout camp tonight!
Went to a Super Bowl party with Rein to a friend of his' house. Wow they go all out for the big game! Team colours everywhere, a sweep, so much food and drink, a Mexican tortilla stand, 3 floors of party with a big tv on each level... wow. Packers won, and the host was barracking for the Steelers, but everyone was so pissed that the result wasn't that important. That would have been different if LA had their own NFL team I'm sure.
Monday 7th February
I moved out of Rein's place today. Time to cut the apron strings and head out into the great unknown that is sprawling LA, and FIND SOME ROCK!!! Hiked into Echo Cliffs, but there was no-one climbing there. Actually there were 2 girls who had just finished climbing and were hiking out, so I got the number of one (Teissia) who was willing to climb next week at some stage. The rock quality is, as the guidebook actually admits, choss, but I did see some quality routes there.
Camped on a pullout on Mulholland Hwy, a quiet mountain pass in the Santa Monicas. The first night in the van was quite cold!
Tuesday 8 February
Went to Adventure 16 to get a new sleeping bag. Last night wasn't much fun! Bought a few extra things to make life in the van easier.
Also signed up to couchsurfing.org in order to get a place to stay near these climbing spots. I like sleeping in the van, but there really isn't anywhere free to park overnight that is private and safe and legal. I have a camp shower but I wouldn't use it there, right on the side of the road! There are plenty of cyclists quietly rolling down and loudly puffing up the hills, as well as intermittent car traffic.
I went back to the gym in the evening to meet up with the crew, and hopefully meet some locals who climb outdoors (hopefully during the week!), and I was advised to sign up to a SoCal meetup website where they organise climbing trips. Sadly the trips are weekend ones and, at least the guy I spoke to, they don't climb during the week. I'm having fun bouldering and getting my power back up.
back to the pullout camp tonight!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Climbing leads to...shots?
Went up to Hangar 18 climbing gym and started warming up on the boulder walls - really feeling out of shape after 3 months off injured! Good to get back into it though. Started doing some easy problems with a couple of locals (Lenny and Jordan) who have also just come back from a long time off. Grading here is the V grade and the difficulty of the gym problems is comparable to back home. A few V1s and 2s to loosen up, and a V3 to test where I'm at, but right now that's about the limit.
I saw some young guys trying a cool looking face-slab sloper V4(?), so I had a go and managed to send 2nd shot. They are cool guys who have only been climbing for a short time, but are super-psyched on bouldering. Andrew invited be out to Red Rocks in 2 weeks for a weekend of bouldering, before hitting the Las Vegas strip. He was climbing with a couple of guys called Anthony and Eddie, and a cousin of Anthony's who's name escapes me.
I ended up bouldering with this crew for a couple of hours before we called it a day and they invited me to try "In & Out" - apparently it is the delux version of MacDonald's. It was just greasy burger food to me, but tasty. After that they invited me over to a friend's house to watch UFC and head out into Downtown LA to a bar called "The Association". A really chic little dark bar loaded with people on a Saturday night. The occasion was a couple of girls' birthdays; Anna and Amy. So many names and faces! I've never been good with remembering too many new people at once. There was also a very friendly latino lass by the name of Maria who I spent ages talking with. The night ended for me at 3.30am on someone's couch after way too many tequilas and too much beer, as well as too much shouting over loud music. Feeling pretty hazy this morning!
A guy called Erickson (sp?) in the gym told me that he has some friends who come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, who frequent the Santa Monica climbing areas, so I need to get back to hangar 18 to meet up with them and arrange to go climbing there. There is also a group on Wednesday nights that often go out, so hopefully I can hook up with loads of people to go climbing with out there for a couple of weeks.
Monday I'll head up to Santa Monica / Malibu area to check out the camping situation. I can't wait to settle into the van and organise it for comfort on the road.
I saw some young guys trying a cool looking face-slab sloper V4(?), so I had a go and managed to send 2nd shot. They are cool guys who have only been climbing for a short time, but are super-psyched on bouldering. Andrew invited be out to Red Rocks in 2 weeks for a weekend of bouldering, before hitting the Las Vegas strip. He was climbing with a couple of guys called Anthony and Eddie, and a cousin of Anthony's who's name escapes me.
I ended up bouldering with this crew for a couple of hours before we called it a day and they invited me to try "In & Out" - apparently it is the delux version of MacDonald's. It was just greasy burger food to me, but tasty. After that they invited me over to a friend's house to watch UFC and head out into Downtown LA to a bar called "The Association". A really chic little dark bar loaded with people on a Saturday night. The occasion was a couple of girls' birthdays; Anna and Amy. So many names and faces! I've never been good with remembering too many new people at once. There was also a very friendly latino lass by the name of Maria who I spent ages talking with. The night ended for me at 3.30am on someone's couch after way too many tequilas and too much beer, as well as too much shouting over loud music. Feeling pretty hazy this morning!
A guy called Erickson (sp?) in the gym told me that he has some friends who come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, who frequent the Santa Monica climbing areas, so I need to get back to hangar 18 to meet up with them and arrange to go climbing there. There is also a group on Wednesday nights that often go out, so hopefully I can hook up with loads of people to go climbing with out there for a couple of weeks.
Monday I'll head up to Santa Monica / Malibu area to check out the camping situation. I can't wait to settle into the van and organise it for comfort on the road.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
SPEND SPEND SPEND
The past few days have been a drain...on the wallet! Paid $1100 to service the van. It needed new shocks, engine service, fix oil leak in sump, service transmission, drivetrain service, new sparkplugs and leads, new fuel filter, and misc other stuff. Looks like, apart from a new oil filter and some cosmetics, the van has never had a proper service! On a good note though, the mechanic said the van looks really good for its age and mileage. Hopefully it gives me little to no trouble for the next 12 months or so.
I've bought various bits and bobs that I'll need to be self-sufficient on the road, including a gas cooker, chair, table, cooking gear, inverter, FM tuner, anti-theft Club, storage tubs, spare battery, oil, coolant, jumper cables, coffee mug; ah so many other bits and pieces I've lost count!
Rein has taken me to most of the best eateries around here over the past week. Mexican, Italian, Thai, Japanese, All-American; this place has it all. There are a number of bars very near to where I'm staying, and lots of characters around. Lots of attention-seekers! I guess this is LA.
Ok so now I have to get down to the local indoor climbing gym (Hanger 18, South Bay) and meet some local climbers! I've bought the guidebook for the Santa Monicas and plan to camp near there (near Malibu!) so I can hit up the local spots. The area looks good from the guidebook, although worryingly they actually call the rock choss in the guide! Hmm.
Sunday is the Super Bowl party with a mate of Rein's, and after that I'll head off to see how my setup works. Luckily I'll still be close to the city in Santa Monica, so its not too far to get supplies if needed. This will be a trial run for when I leave California when the weather warms up, and go into Nevada, Colorado, Utah; where-ever!
I've bought various bits and bobs that I'll need to be self-sufficient on the road, including a gas cooker, chair, table, cooking gear, inverter, FM tuner, anti-theft Club, storage tubs, spare battery, oil, coolant, jumper cables, coffee mug; ah so many other bits and pieces I've lost count!
Rein has taken me to most of the best eateries around here over the past week. Mexican, Italian, Thai, Japanese, All-American; this place has it all. There are a number of bars very near to where I'm staying, and lots of characters around. Lots of attention-seekers! I guess this is LA.
Ok so now I have to get down to the local indoor climbing gym (Hanger 18, South Bay) and meet some local climbers! I've bought the guidebook for the Santa Monicas and plan to camp near there (near Malibu!) so I can hit up the local spots. The area looks good from the guidebook, although worryingly they actually call the rock choss in the guide! Hmm.
Sunday is the Super Bowl party with a mate of Rein's, and after that I'll head off to see how my setup works. Luckily I'll still be close to the city in Santa Monica, so its not too far to get supplies if needed. This will be a trial run for when I leave California when the weather warms up, and go into Nevada, Colorado, Utah; where-ever!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
LEGALLY DRIVING
Got insurance today, so I can drive around legally. I've done a few trips today to sort out some stuff - insurance, AAA membership, the phone - so getting used to the driving over here. Right hand side of the road and the traffic, as well as some different road rules are keeping me on my toes! No-one has beeped me yet, which is amazing because Rein told me it happens all the time for quite minor incidences.
The TomTom works great for getting around, but the suction cap won't stick to the windscreen! Will have to take it back to Best Buy for a refund. I could exchange it there, but I can get a full refund and Rein's found the same GPS somewhere else for cheaper, so I may as well do that.
Looking into places to climb now. I still have a few things to get (camping supplies, kit out the car, get it serviced, buy some more climbing gear, etc), but after this weekend I'll be ready to go! Santa Monica Mountains looks good and close, so I'll post some messages on climbing forums to see if I can get partners to climb with.
Super Bowl this Sunday! Rein has invited me to come along to a mate's party, so that should be awesome fun.
Ripped the rear 2 seats out of the van and stored them in Rein's warehouse, so now it is basically a cargo van with carpet in the back. Loads of room for sleeping etc behind the front seats. Can't wait to kit it out and get on the road!
The TomTom works great for getting around, but the suction cap won't stick to the windscreen! Will have to take it back to Best Buy for a refund. I could exchange it there, but I can get a full refund and Rein's found the same GPS somewhere else for cheaper, so I may as well do that.
Looking into places to climb now. I still have a few things to get (camping supplies, kit out the car, get it serviced, buy some more climbing gear, etc), but after this weekend I'll be ready to go! Santa Monica Mountains looks good and close, so I'll post some messages on climbing forums to see if I can get partners to climb with.
Super Bowl this Sunday! Rein has invited me to come along to a mate's party, so that should be awesome fun.
Ripped the rear 2 seats out of the van and stored them in Rein's warehouse, so now it is basically a cargo van with carpet in the back. Loads of room for sleeping etc behind the front seats. Can't wait to kit it out and get on the road!
THE VAN
Monday 31 January 2011
Dropped off the phone to get it unlocked. Looked at a few vans and other suitable cars for living in for 12 months. Bought a 1996 Chevrolet Astro Van with 176,800 miles on the odometer for USD 2,746.50 - down from around 3 grand, but I made the mistake of telling the guy I had 2740 in cash on me and was willing to pay that if i could take the car then and there. He said ok, so I had no cash left and no ability to withdraw more cash that day because I had withdrawn the max amount from all my cards in one 24 hour period. The dealer wouldn't even drop the total price enough for me to buy dinner!
Got a Tom Tom as well to help me get around.
Dropped off the phone to get it unlocked. Looked at a few vans and other suitable cars for living in for 12 months. Bought a 1996 Chevrolet Astro Van with 176,800 miles on the odometer for USD 2,746.50 - down from around 3 grand, but I made the mistake of telling the guy I had 2740 in cash on me and was willing to pay that if i could take the car then and there. He said ok, so I had no cash left and no ability to withdraw more cash that day because I had withdrawn the max amount from all my cards in one 24 hour period. The dealer wouldn't even drop the total price enough for me to buy dinner!
LA LA LAND
Arrived in LAX Sunday 30th January and was picked up by a mate to stay at his house in Hermosa Beach. Drizzly day but weather has been good so maybe tomorrow will improve. Spent the arvo researching cars, phones and mobile internet. Bought a local AT&T pre-paid SIM for the i-phone, but have to get it unlocked so the US SIM works. Internet is more expensive than I thought, as is the cell phone pre-paid deals. Get charged to send and receive texts!
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