Effing Bad ass...

One month to go until Pat and I climb Mt. Rainier. I'm confident when I say I'm ready. But it's weird I haven't spent a day in the gym (outside of the climbing gym). It's great!! So far Training has been jogging with Runergy, and Joanne. Average... 10-12 miles a week (on a good week). Climbing indoors at Boulderdash (I'm sending 11.b's now. Technically but not consistently, Honestly... I've only done one, but whatever). And full pack hiking... which I'll probably be getting to more this last month.

Other fun things...

MAMMOTH over memorial day weekend!! Holy smokes was that place bad ass. We snowboarded every morning, and climbed every afternoon, and ate and drank every night.

DAY 1: GEOPHYSICS WALL, Mammoth, CA

35 V-easy's V-0's and V1's. It was spectacular. Joanne, Alicia, Jeramey and I got through 17 of them... kinda. There were a few sketchy top outs, but we all got through every crux. Except for #6. Damn 6. I'm not 100% positive weather my ass even got off the ground. But it's OK, Bouldering isn't my forte, though it will be a goal to get better at it over the few months after Rainier. We'll see. Right now I'm probably a strong V0 climber... Ha.

Day 2: LOOKOUT WALL, Bumble-#$%*, CA

So this little excursion didn't start on the right foot, but certainly ended with some strong climbing. Getting to the wall was a monster pain in the ass. For those of you who use Mountain Project, and find yourself in mammoth wanting to climb. Buy a guidebook... otherwise you'll end up like us... lost in the desert.

Once we got our barrings straight we caught up with a Mercedes Benz full of chumpy climbers who happened to be going to the same area. Cool and Totally uncool at the same time... Since when has the climbing community become a bunch of snobby old dudes? Moving on... 4 STOUT routes... (5.9 sended by Jo, 10.a sended by me, 10.b Tiff conquered, and 10.d attempted by me, thnak god for rescue beiners) . Picture is me on the 10.a.

Day 3: Movie Wall in the Corridor, Alabama Hills, CA

By day 3 we were all very very tired. But we weren't going to miss out on Alabama hills. It's on the way back, and we're die-hard climbers, right? Right!! So we hit up some seriously scary sport routes. 10a lead by me, 10b lead by me, 5.9 lead by Tiff, 5.7 lead by Jo. And we all failed to send a 10.c you can see Jo trying in the picture. What bunch of BS... Another hour there with some more energy and I think we would have got it. But we were pressed for time. and only had 30 minutes to pack up gear and get to the restaurant for some Buffalo burgers. (PS for those who went to climb Whitney with me... Same place we ate across the street from the Hostel. Best burgers in town!! (in a town of 4 eateries).

Hahaha... Anyway, the drive back was fun. I drank two beers while we ate, and put the rest of my"party" vodka in a cup of coffee I hadn't finished earlier that day. The rest was car napping!!

Side notes:
1. I've decided that Alicia's guidebook is half mine.
2. I'm eventually going to swim across convict lake.
3. I really really really really love hot tubs.
4. I'm balding... I'm OK with that... and gosh darn it, it looks good.
5. Tiff is a good climber.
6. Joanne and I have a Love/Hate relationship. She's an organic nut-job!

My New Jacket

Ha... my jacket's puffier than your jacket.
That's right... One 850 fill goose down, Eddie Bower "First Ascent" mountaineering jacket coming right up sir.












Would you like fries with that?

It's not all about me...

As much as I'd like to think. HA... I know I'm a little selfish, but hey I'm 31 and not married living alone in LA. Right now it's OK. Anyway, this post is to pay homage to the climbing gods for letting my boy Dino ascend his first lead route flawlessly (5.9 Powder Puff Girls) Almost like he's been doing it his entire life. Don't let the name of the route fool you... it's a burly 5.9 with a long blind reach over the arete while holding an under-cling just before clipping the third bolt. Pretty squirrely for a first lead.

He didn't even shutter, or mention how scared he was the entire time! I was totally freaked when I lead my first route, so I know he was stressing even though he didn't say it. Then before you knew it he lead his second route Power Range. A bit more of a manlier name, but not so much a harder route as a different variation. They both follow the same last three bolts to the anchors, and they're practically side by side. None the less... It was a great weekend climbing!!

2010 Adventures

Well, again it's been a while since I've posted. But that's not to say I haven't been stagnent... My next big adventure will be Mt. Rainier -Kautz Route in July, so I've dedicated everyday until then preparing for that day. I'll tell you one thing, if I don't make the summit this year, it won't be because I'm not physically strong enough, or mentally prepared. I started training in January. Since then I've become 15lbs lighter, and improved my climbing and hiking dramatically... I'm climbing at a 5-10d level, and making some serious lead climbing progress. So I'll leave you with this...

I'm weaker today than I will be tomorrow, and much stronger than I was yesterday. In July I hope to be in the best shape of my life, standing on top of one of the countries biggest mountains, having gone up one of it's most difficult routes.

Cheers Pat... Kautz 2010 is our time.




- Jimi-James

I realize it's been a while... I haven't really been doing all that much outside of the climbing gym, but... Winter is coming up soon, and that mean SoCal Mountaineering will be in it's height. Things you have to look forward to reading are... San Gorgonio, a second attempt of Whitney, Baldy from base, and Baden Powell. We will see how many of them I can summit. I'm betting all this year.

Hang in there, I'm also starting a band. Woo hoo..

Cheesus... Seriously?

You know... I'm a pretty out there guy. I believe in ghost, and monsters, Aliens even Jesus and God Almighty! But I'm sorry, for those of you who think the second coming of Christ is going to be in Cheeto Form... or on a grilled cheese sandwich... Sorry, there's something wrong with you. And whoever buys this on ebay for the $500,000... you should just walk off a cliff.

Who's with me? We give the guys from "Smash This" to buy the Cheeto and eat it on their internet show. How funny would that be? Hahaha... For those of you who don't know Smash This is a internet TV show that gets donaions on the internet to go stand in line for days with the rest of the gamers and buy a PS2 or whatever... then they smash it in front of all the people standing in line. It's hillarious...

Anyway, here's your Tribute picture to Cheesus himself.

Stoney Point is Dangerous

Monday I went to Stoney Point Park for some bouldering. It was a good time... I quickly learned that outdoor climbing is nothing like indoor wall climbing. Woo... it's fun though. I met some dudes there who showed me a thing or two... or everything I know to this point about climbing. Regardless, even though I never made it higher up that my own head (I can't even stand on top of a 20 ft boulder... dangit), there's something special about a dude who can cling to a rock like a gecko, and then leap. Putting all fear aside while trying to grab a ledge barely bigger than two fingers. I didn't try that... apparently I have the wrong shoes. Ha! Another excuse to go to REI and make a purchase. After that and a climbing mat, I'll officially own everything in the store.