Primoris Climbing

Ive been thinking

2010-08-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Climbing is a funny thing to me. My whole persona becomes totally enveloped within it, yet at the same time I find myself missing so many other things. Recently i have been totally losing myself to climbing. I have come to realise that while i have been focusing on training, preparing, and executing climbing projects, so many of the most important things in my life have been lacking. My Uni work has been slacking, i haven't been working, and in a lot of cases i haven't been having fun, or been fun to be around. Even in climbing i haven't been focusing on what i enjoy-CLIMBING. It has all been about the project, and grade; the pushing my limits...

Although climbing will always be a part of my life, and something that defines who i am; I am beginning to realise that for me to be healthy, i have to focus on the other aspects of my life. I have neglected so many things that mean so much to me because of my obsession.

I am still going to strive to climb as much as i can, but i am now going to focus on what i feel like i have been losing in my life... the enjoyment.

Please don't worry i am sure i will try to send hard climbs here and there, but only if it is fun to do so. I have come to realise climbing is only a part of life, and not life itself.

peace homies
JFM

21:6

2010-07-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

So, recently i have been a little inactive on my blog. The main reason for this is my amazing ability to fall of shit all the time. However, as you may have guess, I finally sent something. After a whopping 21 tries I finally sent Built to Last (30 or 5.13c or 8a+). My plight to be the fastest kiwi ascent was crushed by a young sprog named Chase Gatland who sent the route in 6 tries.... well gosh don't i just suck :). All in all i am Happy to have finally finished the route as it was more of a mental battle that i physical one for me. Personally i think this route deserves 30 points, and in my opinion is much harder than some of the 31s in the cave.

In other news, I have to go back to Uni again which is good and bad. Less time to climb is bad, but keeping the mind active is always a good thing. Over the next month or so i plan to stay off the rock and train real hard for the remaining projects I have in the North Island. I going to have another shot at the quarry project, but i am pretty sure Mr v6 is going to nab that one first... well i hope so anyway. He has been toiling away all year on it and is super close. I feel bad for him though. I get to miss of 3 moves making the problem more in the range of soft v11; whereas he has to pull some fucking hard moves which will make it more like v12 we think?

anyway, until next time peace out friends; grip it and rip it!

Built to Last and the Auckland update

2010-06-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

As of late I have been doing little climbing, but I have been doing a lot of falling. To be a little more specific, I have been falling off Built To Last! In total, I have had 11 attempts at the route and have still not linked it. This weekend gone I sent it from the first draw through to the top three times. Sadly on every red-point my foot popped off just before the mantle. I hope that this weekend will see the end of my tour of duty on this route.

Much is riding on this send. If I manage to send BTL in less than 15 shots Richard Morgan must buy me booze; actually if I send it in less than 20 goes he still has too!!! To date the fastest kiwi ascent of BTL is around 40 TRYS!!!!. I would like to make my ascent the fastest to date. The reason is basically due to me wanting to hassle the Dark Lord Morgan!

As to the grade of BTL... In the past is has been classified as 29. Also some web sites are posting that it as 29. After talking with the previous senders, and considering my own abilities and routes i have sent, it is clear the route is not 29. At a bare butt minimum it is 30. I personally think it is not as hard as the 30's i have sent, but I think it falls into the middle ground of 30. When comparing this route to that of the 8b's in the shit hole cave like Nos, or Dracula, BTL is harder.

Aside from BTL what have I been doing... not much! I have continued to attempt to repeat the harder problems at Froggatt. Stu's V10 in the back of the beer garden has been very close for me, but my fear of success has stopped me from finishing the problem... ( i think what i mean is my sissy ass is to scared to make the final move!) I have had several sessions on the roof project at Froggatt also to no avail! This route is hard hard!!!

If you can jump through the first 3 moves (I bet Stu can) the problem is around 30. If you are unlucky and can not jump past the first three moves my best guess is the boulder problem start is about v10/11. Both Mr v6 and I believe this to be true.

In other related Auckland climbing news... Chase (The Good Boy) Gatland has been tearing the North Island a new one. This terror has been eating 28's for breakfast; with a second go of Louder (28), a day send of Ikarus (28), and a crushing send of DLJ (28) we are left asking when will The good boy unleash his fury on the N.I's hardest routes, because it is easy to see 28 is nothing for this monster. Along with these sends Chase has also flashed 26 and sent a bunch of easy shit!

Jamie the TOOL BOY has also been having some success recently picking off a nice send of the sandbagged 25 Direct Action. Tool Boy has also been getting really close of Vroom vroom mentality (26) this will be his first of the grade! go TOOL BOY go!

Aside from these masters of stone the rest of Auckland has been doing fuck nothing and needs to harden up, myself included!

"if you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen; if you can't stand the beat it's time to stop your bitchen"

OUT!

THE WORD

2010-04-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what some say, there are climbers in Auckland pulling hard. Whispers of a nameless terror ( actually he has a name "Mr V6") unleashing his fury upon a high crimpy face have been spreading.

So the story goes, Mr V6 is but days away from completing the high, hard, and proud problem " Leftism V10". However, the story goes deeper! Mr V6 is selling his soul at the cross-roads and pushing for the F.A of the final quarry project. This is of coarse the same project I have been attempting, and is the direct finish to Leftism.

There are some major difference between Mr V6 attempting this extremely hard problem, and myself attempting it. The most important difference being Mr V6 has the strength, where I do not. While I make this problem look as though Sharma Himself would struggle, Mr V6 easily crushes each crimp into dust. My source says that the only thing holding Mr V6 back is his midget status...

What will be the outcome? Will I managed to sneak another F.A away from one of the stronger more talented Auckland Locals? I guess that all depends on Mr V6's will. Whatever the outcome very soon a new test piece should arise, good luck Mr V6 I'll Meet you at the top!

NI getting me Fat

2010-04-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Since the mighty failed trip to the hill I, the lackey, have been up to a lot of no-good. To much beer and cake has left me fat and lazy. However, I have managed several trip away to the central north island as 'THE LACKEY". Somehow I managed a first shot send of the classic Froggatt 28 Burn. This route is an extension of the untra classic Dour (27). The master of these repeated trips has been Amy.N and she is in fine form. A.N has been sending 23's second go easy as and managed to link all the moves on Dour on her first go! GOOD SHIT!

While Amy has been resting, I have turned my attention to several hard boulders at froggatt. I have been trying to repeat the Steve Con classic Dr Green Thumb. Last week I was one hold from the send, but the devilish pocs were a little to much for my pussy skin and I had to let go. Dr Green Thumb is HARD! very HARD.

After failing DGT I was rewarded with a repeat of a beautiful problem called "seeing the light" (v8/9) also put up by Steve Con. got to say i am taking the extra point and suggesting a UG of this bad boy. Seeing the light is a must do for any froggatt regular!

finally I have continued my maniacal devotion to the final quarry project, and have finally made progress. For the first time I climb the problem clean on a top-rope. This problem has been over looked my several hard men. This is disappointing because it is one the NI's best; proud and hard!

Castle Hill Trip

2010-04-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

So, after spending the last eight days in castle hill I can say that I feel like I have been through ten rounds with Mike Tyson, minus the ear biting. Of the eight days I had a solid two days of rain which totally sucked ass, but I was left with six amazing days of climbing. My first focus was to complete many quality problems that i had previously over looked, such as: The air below (V6), Beautiful Edges (V4), Tupi Master (V6), Lime stone Orgasm (V7), Philtrum (V7) and many more boulders V6 and under.

My second focus of the trip was to send some problems that were not my limit but were hard for me; amazingly I actually managed to tick a few of these off: Fidel Castro ( V9), Dr Manhattan (V9), Afterburner (V9)?, Eclipse (V9) although I believe i started a hold in on this one?, Millennium (V9)?, Camp America (V9/10), and finally the super long Che Guerva (V8).

My final focus was to attempt to send something really hard for me, and I found two project that I attempted Interstellar overdrive ( v10/11), and Oren Oshi (v11). Oren was the first of the two I tried. Very quickly I had fired the crux bottom section and was high up on the mantle. Sadly three times I fell off the mantle and finally my spotter ( Amy Nathan) said enough was enough and we needed more than one pad. I never got the chance to return to the problem and thus could not claim the 3rd ascent, Lame.
Interstellar came next and i felt confident as I had tried the route about a year earlier. I quickly found a great sequence and was grabbing the jugish hold at the end of the problem. My only issue on interstellar, which was my ultimate down fall, was that I was super extended when I grabbed the last hold.
It turns out I was so extended on the final moves, my feet would not stop slipping of the heal hooks causing me to swing violently. Over a three hour period, until the sun went down, I managed to fall at this point several time cursing flock hill, god, and anything else I could think of at the time. I ended up packing up felling down and defeated and didn't get to try the problem again, LAME!

Beside the problems I have listed as my projects I also tried several other hard lines, they were as follows: Captain Crush ( V10/11), Monster Society of Evil ( V9/10), When animal attack (V10), and Brutus ( V10). I can tell you all that these problems kick the shit out of me... and I had to walk away with my tail between my legs on all of them! I also tried several V7 mantles at spittle hill and got cock slapped by all of them.

I can also report that Amy had an amazing week also. She climb several days less than I did but still managed to complete a personal best of V6 at Spittle Hill. However that was not the full story... as Amy also managed in one day two V4s, a V5 and her V6... She was super stoked, it was her best bouldering haul in a day ever!

All in all my trip was cool, short but cool. I have to thank Bevan Hadler and Kat for letting Amy and I crash on there couch for the week, and for lending us the car!!! wicked one guys!

I would say though, I think that the CHCH locals, and flock and Wuthering locals should stop grading their problems anything but V6. Basically this is because they seem to continue to down grade every problem that is ever put up for no good reason. I say just grade everything V6 straight away rather than slowly sand bag the shit out of everything.

anyways thanks Flock, Spittle, and Wuthering... you were great
peace!

ALPHA MALE PROJECT now "The Professional"

2010-03-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Although much sending last weekend was done by the one they call Darth Morgan, today's post is self indulgent. I, the lackey, Mr piss weak, or the mouth from the south, completed the Alpha Male project. It's hard to believe that a weakling like myself can do these feats, with titans such as Mr v6, Darth Morgan, and The fury floating around Auckland.

Being the complete pussy i am i top roped the upper section to learn the moves, and send it after. I have changed the name from "ALPHA MALE" to "The Professional". I can't really comment on the grade? it felt easy when i did it? but i know that a lot of people have found it hard, and i also took several days to do it.. I propose that it is either hard v9 or possibly soft v10. But in saying this i could be totally off and it could just be v8. I have only climbed 4-5 proper v10 boulders, but i have done many v9s and a few soft ass pussy v10s which were not really v10. It took longer than most of the v10s i have done but felt easier on the send.

Thus brings an end to the project formally known as ALPHA MALE, now dubbed The Professional v9/10 for now. someone proooooooove me wrong please.

peace out!

International Man of mystery...

2010-03-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

Another weekend of sending for the Auckland region.
The biggest news for the weekend was the return to climbing of international man of mystery, aka the greatest climber in the world, aka built to last is only 27, S!! Mooney!!! As most of us know, the Smoon has been back in town for a few weeks, however what you might not know is he has been secrete training for the last 2 weeks.
Information surfaced recently that the Smoon had not climb in several month's while in Europe, and because of this he has spent the last 2 weeks undertaking intense physical and mental training. The so called training consisted of eating sausages and drinking cheap kiwi beer at Piha, and folks it has all payed off.
The Smoon balled down to Froggatt in his rented car and quickly crushed the Test piece Mad dog (30). After putting the draws on as a warm up, Smoon quickly sent he route second go, NICE!! After this display of power, just for shits and giggles, the Smoon repeated Mad Dog and ran some laps on louder, double major drop out, and several other 26+ classics of Froggatt. All of the Froggatt sending was done in the 30 degree heat! Smoon also proclaimed that Auckland climbers are all bitches, and that Froggatt is not even Sharp... "harden the fuck up!"

Sunday brought a new wave of pain to the central North Island when the Fury turned up with his Lackey to Mangokewa ( if anyone hasn't got it yet, i am the lackey!). The goal of the day was the second ascent of Icarus (28), put up by Voss the Soss. With typical devotion the lackey put the draws up and figured out the moves. The Fury made the decision not to go for the flash, as he deemed the route not Worthy of such effort, and went bolt to bolt to warm his fingers up. Although the day started stress free for our champion ( the Fury), the Fury began to feel the pressure when he noticed the International man of mystery turn up to challenge him for the second ascent of Icarus. The Fury laid down a epic effort, breezing through the start crux section on his third try, and soon found himself grabbing the final hold with a mighty scream. Sadly the Fury's lackey had not clean the final hold well enough and the Fury fell before he could clip the chains. Sadly for the Fury, Mr Smoon walked the route to take the second ascent.
To add insult to injury the lackey snaked the 3rd ascent, on his 4Th go from the Fury, and was later punished for this outrage.

After lunch the Lackey began to work on yet another hard route, which the Fury and the Smoon deemed to piss to bother with, Sencha (29). After much effort a viable sequence was found and attempts we made to link the route. Sadly a large dyno shut down the Lackey on link but he vowed to return soon.

Due in part to the transgressions of his lackey earlier in the day, and the smoon snaking the second ascent of Icarus, the Fury was unhappy and not feeling in the groove. However, the Fury decided to attempt to send a sweet little climb called Bonsai (25/26). The lackey did the route putting the draws on, this time brushing all the holds to a acceptable standard. Sadly the altered mental state of the Fury meant his game was not TIGHT, and he failed several times to send the route. Again the lackey was punished for making his master look the fool in front of the international man of mystery, and the Fury was left feeling unsatisfied.

To finish off the weekend of sending, the international man of mystery decided to basically do everything at Mangokewa. sarting with a flash of a Ryan VH route weighting in at 28... The smoon quickly moved onto Flashing Master of my own world ( 28/29), Fly (28) and a bunch of other shit... smoon again proclaimed that Aucklander's need to "harden the fuck up!" I couldn't agree more!

lets go do it people...

As a side note, I heard through the grape vine that Little Tom went to Froggatt this weekend. We can only guess what holds that little destroyer crushed into submission... hopefully something hard.. good shit Tom for getting out there!

Peace people, go send a route!

The great Debate

2010-02-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

Can we only grade on how we find things or is it a consensus? Ive found myself asking this questions more and more often recently. As everyone knows, i am a complete piss weak loud mouth... and because of this fact i tend to steer away from down grading unless i feel really sure about it.
Really sure about it...? that is the question isn't it! I have, over the last few weeks, managed to climb a few routes that in my previous days I would have auto down graded; also I have tried one that i would auto up grade!
This previous weekend I went out to the rock with none other than Mr V6 and watched him destroy the route I would have auto up-graded ( Master of my own world, 28). I was amazed at the ease he crushed every hold, every move... while my attempts left me feeling, like i so often do, weak as piss.
Watching this demonstration of might by Mr V6 on master of my own world, I advised Mr V6 to attempt another route that i felt to be quite soft ( FLY 28) only to watch this Titan get destroyed by almost every move. WTF!
My point is maybe instead of constantly down grading, or even up grading ( not that this is problem in NZ) we should realise that routes fit us better or worse and the graded can still be the same; or GOD forbid harder that what we find them.
I think grading should not be mistaken with perception of effort... due to our own strengths we can actually find routes that are hard, easy! It's worth pondering... maybe there is a reason why every New-Zealand climber that goes over sea's boulders or climbs 2-3 grades harder than they do back home! Instead of Kiwi's saying the rest of the world is wrong about grading and are all pussy's, could it be us that are the fucking chump dumb fucks that sandbag ourselves to the point we we actually believe that V10 is hard... just my thoughts!

Also Mr Piss weak managed to second go a beautiful Voss the soss route called Sirens ( 26) great route for a 25 climber to break into 26 for sure... so weaklings in Auckland tear it up!

Piss Weak Strikes Again

2010-02-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

New found Quarry legend Cliff " it's V6 " Lee took an old dog out last night for an evening of pain.

As I attempted to warm up on the evil, slime infested crimps of the quarry, Mr V6 walked up several hard problems making me look like the weakling I am. After our warm up was complete we decided on a project for the evening. The Project turned out to be the right handed start to McNugget, due in part to EPIC FAILS by Mr V6 and myself on a evil Zane B v5/6.

Although Mr V6 seemed to have the edge in every aspect of climbing this evening ( strength, will power, and technique) I had one thing on my side... i am taller than shrimpy Mr V6. As it happened my height, along with tricky new beta, found me beginning to link the 3 move problem, considered to be in the range of V10. Sadly as the crux move came closer and closer, we lost light and had to pack it in; A fun evening non the less.

However dear readers all is not lost... due to the success of last night, I gathered up my gear and headed to the quarry early this morning for a secret session. I felt the need to have another dig at the McNugget right... (EPIC FAIL!!!) Sadly I realised that i was to tired to even pull on. In light of this fail I turned my attention to a Quarry classic ( METH 1, V9) and as it happens, i had success! After only 4 attempts at the crux (A largest move to a fat pinch off a very Sharp crimp) I found myself at the finish jug...

It is amazing that a Piss weak climber such as myself can manage to pull these things out of the bag... come on team Auckland come and do the same!

The Fury is Back...

2010-02-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

Holding up the Auckland end, the Fury had a strong weekend in the central North Island. After a early start of 12pm from A-town the Fury and his Lackey (aka JFM) arrived at Mangokewa at 4pm... Once roped in, the Fury took only 40min to destroy FLY (28) on his second go; I also managed to slime my way up the wall after the fury on my second shot.

Making short work of FLY, the Fury and Lackey moved on to the next route, Ahl-i-Najasa (28), put up by Ryan VH. The Fury was in need of rest thus the Lackey headed up for an on-site at the route; Epic fail!!!! Once the draws were on the Fury had a red point and fell near the top, and quickly decided to move to the pub.

After a boozy night, the Fury started the day early with coffee, and the news paper, while Lackey cleaned up the tent, and got all the gear together. 9am rolled around and the Lackey was back putting draws on a 20 as a warm up for the Fury. Disregarding the Fury's wishes the Lackey had a burn on Ahl-i-Najasa and pulled a 3rd shot send out of his arse; 40min later the Fury brought the fucking noise and dispatched 3rd go also.

After bringing the noise so hard, the Fury decided it was time to back off the gas and go and whip out some easier routes. The Lackey did as he was told and epic failed on an on-site of Revenge of the killer bikini vampire girls (26), put up by Steven King . Disgusted with the Lackey, the Fury fucked that shit up with a flash of the route; the Lackey wormed in a second shot for good measure. Next, the Fury took pity on the Lackey and threw some draws on a Kukicha (26), put up by soss master Ivan. V. As normal the Lackey struggled his was to a 3rd shot send of the route followed by 4th go send by the Fury.

By this point, 3pm, the Fury had decided that he needed no more training, and the rest of the routes in the area were to piss for him, the Lackey disagreed... The Lackey made a final pathetic second shot send of Bonsai (25), put up by Ivan V. The send was nothing short of a disgracing screaming, whimpering attempt the whole way up the route.

What should be taken from this post, 1. be aware... the Fury is back and making it fucking rain again! 2. Mangokewa has some great short bouldery routes on fun limestone routes. 3. Finally... I don't care if you are climbing 18 or 30, Aucklanders get up, get moving, and get climbing!!!

Is the Return the end...

2010-02-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

I had many expectations about returning to the city where i began as a climber; everyone of them fell very very short. I asumed due to my sucsses in 2009 in America and Canada, i would continue to keep motivated, send hard routes and boulders, and be surrounded by fun, active, outgoing climbers; as it turns out this is not the case.

I have managed to return to a scene of climbers who don't climb, and refuse to accept that 28 and v7 are not the hardest we can climb. So far all that i have found in the auckland climbing community is negitive attitudes, and empty opinions from climbers who have next to no real experience. However, some hope remains... 1. The bringer of the fury Regan M, 2. Lens master Ketzel S, and 3. the legand of the quarry himself Zane B. and even Darth Morgan... Although I respect the masterful decision of Beast kong to leave Auckland, I can't help but wish he could have stuck around to add to my very small list of life bringers.

I want anyone who reads this to understand that First and formost i love climbing, the bleeding tips, cold days, and brutal training sessions... all of it! Auckland is my climbing birth place, and when i began i remember leaders of the community pushing hard, and pushing me hard. But I find myself becoming depressed in only a matter of 5weeks due to a scene that seems to be getting slowly killed by a diesease eating away at the very soul of climbing.

What happened to the days when auckland was lead by Smooney, Luke, Phill, Andy.. where is the crazy dave getting people out of the gym and onto the rock; telling climbers 24 is only a number and anyone can achive it. Will Auckland ever get back its champions to lead it again?