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Monday
Rest.
Felt particularly difficult to do anything, including thinking. So other than a few errands, I kept things on the d/l.
Tuesday
Woke up feeling much better and most of my balance seemed to be back. But, I still felting utterly forgetful and lacked the ability to critically think. Like: the kind of thinking you need to gather up stuff to go to the gym (coffee, keys, the correct shoes, money – that sort of stuff) and then make it there without getting lost.
But, miracles of miracles, I got it together:
Bouldering @ Movement 2 1/2 hours
Warmed up on the 45 degree wall, doing most of the problems up to V5 (couldn’t do the black V5, but did 3+ other ones), then moved back into the cave to work on the orange V6. Couldn’t do it – still too out of it to get some of the trickier feet to stick and not feeling particularly strong b/c of the head cold. But, I was able to at least do all the moves. Now, to link them up.
Core Work
Spin Bike, 1 hour
Wednesday
Ride to Nederland
Late into the ride
Head Cold be-damned, I was going to make it to Nederland! Slept a little too late, but made it out of the house, just to turn around twice to first collect a credit card for coffee at Ned., then because I forgot my helmet.
Hmm: do my symptoms sounds like a head cold, or early onset dementia?!
Felt reasonably horrible most of the time, and really wanted to bail at every single opportunity, but persevered for the full meal deal to Ned and back, just as I had planned. Funny, how your mind can try to hold you back.
Thursday
Spin Bike, 2 hours
Friday
Classics Recon: Amphitheater + First Flatiron
Nolan came with me, and we met up with Peter Bakwin to check out some of Roach’s Flatiron Classics. We cruised through the ones found in the Amphitheater:
as well as on/around the First Flatiron:
Peter leading me on the First, photo by Nolan
A future project may be to do all the Flatiron Classics in a short amount of time. Along with knowing where the climbs are and how to climb them quickly, linking them all up is also a strategy to slowly optimize.
Bouldering @ Movement, 1.5 hours
Once home, rode to Movement to boulder for a bit before dinner plans. Worked mostly on the black V5 on the 45 degree wall. Completed all the moves, but failed to link them up.
Then, worked on a tricky/slabby V6/7/8(?) with Joe on a more vertical wall with little success. Good feelings it’ll go with a little more work.
Saturday
Spin Bike, 1 hour
Actually planned two hours, but I sometimes can’t tell time when my brain is loopy, and I left for the gym an hour late. A bit of a relapse on how I was mentally feeling, sadly.
Ugh: so frustrating!
Sunday
Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours
Got to the gym somewhat early in an attempt to have the cave area all to myself, with the sole purpose of finishing up the orange V6 I have been working on. I couldn’t be more close. I’m almost sure the cave will be reset on Tuesday. After a fairly quick warmup and feeling very strong, I moved to the cave. My first burn was probably my strongest:
But, after an hour of attempts, I still couldn’t better that burn. Did a few more easier problems, and left, without the send. My beta couldn’t be much better, I just can’t put the whole thing together.
Scrambling with Troy and Zach
It was FAR too sunny and warm outside to avoid visiting the OSMP to do some flatiron scrambling! Bumped into Zach at the gym, who said Troy was back in town and they were going to meet up for scrambling soon. So after failing on the V6, I rode to Chautauqua, locked up the bike, and made my way up the trail.
They were already at the base of the Second, about to do Free For All. I managed to meet up with them before they got to the business, so we were able to all do Free For All together.
Afterwards, we checked out the South Face route, which I’ve never been able to complete. Troy said he may have done it before as the way he did the downclimb, but as we all scrambled to the crux from below, it wasn’t the route used to take.
The crux of the route is clearing a gap made by a sizeable, slanting ledge with a roof over it, and not much in the way of holds, except for a large crack you can use for, perhaps a sidepull. With a well-placed high foot, you can overcome the gap. Listed at 5.2 in Roach’s Flatiron guide, I added it to Mountain Project as 5.6, because: no way. After I got over the business, Zach and Troy followed. Hi-fives all around!
We then made our way cross country to the south side of the Third, and decided to go for Winky Woo together – none of us had done it before, but we all just went for it. Turned out to be a really fun route, not to be missed:
At the top of Winky Woo, we then checked out Dog’s Head Cutoff, a reasonably obvious extension, and all of us found a separate way to do the route. We decided to summit the Third, and I took the alternative last pitch called, Greenman’s Crack to mix things up.
A good amount of new-to-me routes, which makes me happy.
The sun setting low, we called it a day, but not before trying a few burns on A7. Zach flashed it, but Troy and I still couldn’t make it happen. I’m sure something about the last few hours of effort had something to do with that, or Zach is just a much stronger climber than the rest of us!
All in all, a good week, although having a loopy head severely impacted my ability to honestly do a lot. Given how I felt, I think I accomplished quite a bit. It was hard to push through some of the days, especially the ride to Nederland, and enduring the boring spin bike rides. Those spin bike rides are totally clutch in keeping and growing fitness, however lame they are. Wish I could have topped that V6, but bouldering is definitely frustrating and I just need to get stronger.
