Life, New Guidebook, Recent Route Development and Float The Boat 2012

So...I haven't really posted much lately, even though I've had the time off from work for the holidays...I've had my hands full with all sorts of other fun stuff. The main distraction (not like its a bad thing) from posting is my daughter, Lily. I've tried to dedicate more time to being with her and helping out with all of the usual baby duties (or doodies, either way). I haven't been bouldering much, maybe once a week, compared to before Lily arrived, usually 4-6 days a week...so I have a lot less to talk about on the blog lately. I've also been focusing a lot of my efforts on publishing a set of guidebooks to the Upstate Bouldering areas that I talk about on this website...basically a souped up version of the mini-guides I have made available on this site with updated info, new routes and more local info on other activities to enjoy. I'll definitely let everyone know when the first edition of the main guidebook has been released...I plan on selling it for as cheap as I can and a major portion (if not all) of the sells will be donated to the CCC to help with future boulder purchases!

The times I have been able to get out and grope some stone have been great though! I have been sessioning at many of the local boulderfields, Little Eastatoee, Beasley Gap, Bearfields and Jedi, and sending a few new FA's almost every time out. I have added around 20 new routes, from V0-V4/5 at Bearfields and Jedi in the last week or so and have thoroughly enjoyed it! Some of the highlights have been Crocodile Smile V4 that has 2 powerful high step and rock over moves to a blank bulging Font-esque slab, Terrapin Station V5 (aka Friday the 13th) which is a tricky steep slab that has been a long time open project (sent that last Friday, the 13th), Tiger In A Trance V3 that requires a stretched out, marginal toe stab in order to move through the cruxy deadpoint to the top, and Storm Shadow V2 and Snake Eyes V4 that both start on some super sharp and painful crimps and Snake Eyes traverses on more of the same crimps before an exciting top out, while Storm Shadow skips the crimp traverse and traverses into the same finish by using some tricky slab moves. Just before the Table Rock Trail Day, I also FA'ed a super long term project I called Cryptical Envelopment V5 which starts on Walter's Wild Ride and moves around the bulging arete to finish on the same top out as Grind Of Sound Mind and Ground Chicken V4/5, a different start to George Evans's route, Grind Of Sound Mind V5.

After being a little more sessile and feeling disconnected from bouldering a little, I have had a big fear that by climbing would take a big hit and I'd never be able to send much harder than a V3 again...but these sessions have helped me to see that I can still concentrate and project routes as hard as I ever have. V4 and V5 are not easy to me and to add a handful of these lately has definitely been fulfilling!

I'm also super stoked to be travelling down to the Dirty Dirty (Atlanta) for the Float The Boat bouldering comp this coming weekend! It's always a good time with friends you already know and friends you meet during the comp...I haven't been to Boat Rock much lately, but I'm so looking forward to getting back to one of my favorite Southeast boulderfields and hopefully sending some new routes!

Be on the lookout for an upcoming clean up/trail day for the bouldering areas in the Jocassee Gorges...we plan on helping out with the areas I mention here on this site and possibly bigger projects that could finally provide a better access to Jedi and the Bearfields without a nearly 3 mile hike in!