Climb Follow Up

There are some things I left unsaid about Saturday's great afternoon on the Monadnock in Gastoonia. After Ms. Arcen thoroughly enjoyed herself on her 5 climbs both Jeff and I had the chance to belay each other for one climb each on the Practice Wall's route of the Burn Crack. Climbing is fun for me and becomes during those fleeting on climb minutes the only real thing actually happening, all else is insignificant while my focus attempts to keep me from peeling off. Sometimes on up the rock I face problems that cause me to stop and think about the solution. Time passes, wind comes across the rock onto my physical form and in the embrace of my own fear I find solace just being in those minutes. Usually when I think about the impediment in front of me and move forward with strength and a solid hand hold those rock problems dissolve into the air around me. Once I am above the problem's source I feel like true progress is quantifiable by looking back at the line I came from. On this particular Climb among a long list of things, I was aware of the rock's temperature and a few hollow hand holds that identified themselves with an echo when I tapped on them just before grabbing and pulling. Ms. Arcen snatched the Nikon while both Jeff and I were on climb. All of the following images *except the 1st, 4th and last were taken by my kid with the earth colored eyes.

*Here at Ms. Arcen's Debut Wall Jeff is explaining to Ms. Arcen about how it is perfectly fine to grab anything on the rock that she can get her hands on.
Jeff looking like a champ with a high leg lift.

Ms. Arcen missed him up high on the rock here but must have been seeing something else like a crown or a tooth. Great shot indeed of the rope, sky and rock.

* Here I got off a fast snap of Jeff tossing the line down after he topped out on the Burn Crack.

Shortly before the kid made this pic, I spread wide for a foot sprawl move on the face. Just as I did the move I felt a burning bolt at the top of my leg where it meets the inside rest of my body and I thought I had just ripped my groin muscle. I had never before ever had that pain awareness of the line that is my groin. I may be getting old...

but I still have good hair. The Tonsorial Art Displayed on my brain housing group was performed by a local 1982 Graduate of 'The' Barber College in trade for 12 In God We Trust Units.

Sometimes she gets side tracked.

This shot displays the raw power of my move upwards in full Gaston Style.

The way she framed this shot of me makes me realize that she does have an eye for presentation. At this point I am faced with a problem that sends me away from the relative secure feeling of the crack to the center of the wall with faith.

The route is right a bit before the final step straight up to the tie in.

Here Ms. Arcen captures Jeff my belay, my life line and the source of my furrow riddled brow over the photo evidence of him standing on my line. Back in the Corps during some winter rappelling training in the lower French Mountains they told us to NEVER step on the rope! Jeff, what were you thinking?!?!

Again she gets side tracked but the end result is beautiful snake like art.

*On the run I took this snap of our descent back to the car.