Rock Climbing --- 4/11/2009 - 4/17/2009 --- Gunks

Mountain Climbing is toatly RAD!!! i'm going to get some pitons! I especialy like repelling. my goal is to repel EVERST! I need more snaplinks first. if your not climbing than you dont know anything about what i'm saying hear. My friend is teaching me to repel aussie style which is more scary then anything but thats how they do it their. CLIMBING ROCKS!!!!

Mini Road Trip... April, 2009

I suppose one week on the road doesn't count as a mini road trip. Maybe a micro road trip. Micro is smaller than mini, right? Right. Saturday evening -- as soon as I finished teaching my photography class -- I drove down to Emily's place in Binghampton for an Easter party. Having been raised Jewish, Easter traditions always had me baffled. So we watched The Easter Bunny Is Coming To Town staring Fred Astaire (seriously), and suddenly everything made perfect sense. In any case, it was a fun party, especially the Bohnanza game.

Sunday morning I drove to Connecticut to celebrate Passover with my whole family. No claymation movies needed to explain this holiday. Though, honestly, it might be helpful. I suppose we could always watch that horrible Charlton Heston film (yes, I'm talking about Soylent Green).

Moving right along... hung out with the parents all day Monday. Then drove to the Gunks Tuesday morning. Amy had spring break, and every week is spring break for me. So we met in the Trapps for three days of climbing. Tuesday we climbed RMC, Frog's Head and Horseman. On Wednesday we climbed High Exposure and luxuriated in the sun and solitude which rarely combine on this route. Then we climbed Bunny to put a TR on Retribution. Since Retribution was near my limit before the shoulder injury, it was overly optimistic of me to expect to be able to climb it so soon after surgery. And I couldn't. Amy gave a good try at both Retribution and Nosedive. Thursday we climbed Strictly From Nowhere to Shockley's Ceiling, again in solitude. Mid-week climbing has its advantages. Then we did Sixish with the direct start. At this point Amy had to leave for Boston. Luckily Guy arrived at the exact same time. After saying goodbye to Amy, I followed Guy up both pitches of Son Of Easy O. This is currently about the limit of what I can follow. Disappointing considering how easily I could lead it back in October, but encouraging considering how recently I had surgery. The climb was also an impressive milestone: According to Guy, the first pitch of Son of Easy O was the 100th pitch he has led in his climbing career. Nice! On Friday, Guy and I woke early and swung leads up City Lights with Guy leading the first pitch and its stupid pod move. Then we swung leads on Maria. After that we found Katie who had arrived early to set tents for IORC. The three of us climbed Belly Roll which I had actually never climbed. Katie led the first pitch and Guy took the second. After that Guy departed for Ithaca to teach. Katie and I had time for one last climb. I led Frog's Head to the GT ledge (so that first pitch which is shared with Maria... I climbed it three times in four days), and Katie led a short third pitch to the top.

Happy with my micro road trip, I returned to Ithaca. I think I'm ready for Everest now.

Shayna inspiring me to climb by doing a hero hang off one toe. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Shayna inspiring me to climb by doing a hero hang off one toe.    Connecticut -- 4/13/2009

Amy climbing RMC. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy climbing RMC.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy climbing RMC. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy climbing RMC.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Nice hand jam! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Nice hand jam!    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy climbing RMC. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy climbing RMC.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy climbing RMC. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy climbing RMC.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Nearly at the first belay. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Nearly at the first belay.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

I tried to get a picture of both of us on RMC.  The camera wasn't very stable. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

I tried to get a picture of both of us on RMC. The camera wasn't very stable.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

At the top of RMC. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

At the top of RMC.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy following the first pitch of Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

At the first belay on Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

At the first belay on Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy reaching the top of Horseman. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy reaching the top of Horseman.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

How will you ever get a husband with feet like that? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

How will you ever get a husband with feet like that?    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

The livin' is easy in the West Trapps parking lot. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

The livin' is easy in the West Trapps parking lot.    Gunks -- 4/14/2009

Amy following the first pitch of High Exposure. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy following the first pitch of High Exposure.    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Amy following the first pitch of High Exposure. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy following the first pitch of High Exposure.    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

We sat on the High E ledge for an hour enjoying the sun and taking pictures. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

We sat on the High E ledge for an hour enjoying the sun and taking pictures.    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Amy (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Amy (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Braces? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Braces?    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

What braces? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

What braces?    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Amy on the High Exposure Ledge. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy on the High Exposure Ledge.    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

Another attempt at a self timer shot. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Another attempt at a self timer shot.    Gunks -- 4/15/2009

View from the awesome perch at the first belay of Strictly From Nowhere. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

View from the awesome perch at the first belay of Strictly From Nowhere.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Amy reaching the top of Shockley's Ceiling. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy reaching the top of Shockley's Ceiling.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Amy (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Me and my shadow... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Me and my shadow...    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Amy reaching the top of Sixish. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy reaching the top of Sixish.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Amy's Outtakes :-) (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Amy's Outtakes :-)    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Guy leading Son of Easy O. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading Son of Easy O.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Guy leading Son of Easy O. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading Son of Easy O.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Guy leading Son of Easy O. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading Son of Easy O.    Gunks -- 4/16/2009

Guy leading City Lights. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading City Lights.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy following pitch 2 of City Lights.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy leading the awkward third pitch of Maria. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading the awkward third pitch of Maria.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy leading the awkward third pitch of Maria. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy leading the awkward third pitch of Maria.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie leading Belly Roll. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie leading Belly Roll.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie in the squeeze chimney on Belly Roll. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie in the squeeze chimney on Belly Roll.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie in the squeeze chimney on Belly Roll. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie in the squeeze chimney on Belly Roll.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Black Vulture (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Black Vulture    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Guy at the top of Belly Roll. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy at the top of Belly Roll.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie following Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie following Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie following Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie following Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie following Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie following Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009

Katie following Frog's Head. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie following Frog's Head.    Gunks -- 4/17/2009