Posting for the Sake of the Post

Since no one is reading this YET, I'm going to write a very-self indulgent post. And, I want to stay in the habit of posting, and this, alas, is the only thing I can think of to write about at the moment. So here it is: a 2009-10 season tick-list.

This has been an incredible year of climbing for me. Several projects went down, I started consistently climbing a couple grades stronger, I did a few of the most classic climbs around, and (most incredibly, given the amount of time I logged at McKinney) I didn't get hurt.

Ascents (in chronological order):

Power Slut (v8), repeated once

El Camino left (hard v7?). repeated 3 times; despite hosting one of the tweakiest holds I've ever used, this is my favorite problem at McKinney. It has a great, pretty easy dyno, some delicate footwork, and an epic move to the lip.

Kentucky Cream (v6), repeated twice

Primordial Soup (v6), repeated several times; after the first, hard move, this thing climbs excellently through big, smooth moves. the first move is actually pretty fun too, but it would be way better if the left hand were a little bigger.

Saturn III (v6), tried, but couldn't repeat

Naval Power (v7), repeated twice; dumpy, short, and looks like shit until you get on it. but, the movement and footwork is actually pretty interesting.

Queer Junkies (v8) so many tries, so few moves.

Babyface (v7), wish I would have done it again. I know a lot of people think this one gets too much hype, but it's easily the best climb I've ever done. It defines my stylistic preferences: long moves, steep wall, crimpy. I looked at it on my last trip to Hueco (Spring Break 2009), felt out the first move (with a smashed finger)--it felt impossible. I spent the intervening year planning on projecting it next time I was Hueco. This year, it went second go. I fell of the first move once, then sent. This was a pretty surreal feeling--by far my most memorable climb to date. But I wish I had done it again.

Moonshine Roof (v4, flash), also an incredible experience. this is a really beautiful rock, and more unique to Hueco than Babyface. Best movement on a roof I've done.

Uncut Yogi (v6), amazing climb! pretty much ideal hueco features, with unique and interesting movement.

See Sharp (V6), one of the least inspiring of my hueco ascents, but i was (of course) psyched on it nonetheless. shit on it if you like, but say what will, this motherfucker requires balance and good footwork (and a high tolerance for crimpy pain).

Choss Training (v3), another ideal hueco climb. by "ideal hueco climb," i mean a problem, well, with huecos, nice movement through non-painful holds, and a good, easy topout. It's got a shitty name, but "Choss Training" did it for me. Big moves, big and beautiful holds, perfect movement.

Nurse Rachet (v7), another one often hated-on, but I loved it. long, hard first move, then a few easy moves to a cool move to the lip.

Girls of Texas (v5, flash), objectively not a good problem at all (unless you're at e-rock or something--not at hueco tanks); but subjectively, this problem fit me well. let there be no confusion, i did not "enjoy" this climb. words that come to mind are "finger-numbing," not "fun." but i did feel strong on it, which is always flattering, and gives problem a special place in my heart.

Animal Acts (v5), excellent climb. i actually didn't like it much at first, but I did it a few times (after dabbing the first time), and like it more each go. I just need to face it: i like anything with crimps, especially one's that are incut. for whatever reason, getting my heel to stay on the wall was a real problem for me on this at first.

Fear of the Butterfly (v8), repeated once. Forgetting for the moment that it doesn't top out because of the ugliest, chossiesy looking shitpile of a lip i've ever seen, this is probably my favorite climb in central texas--certainly my favorite hard climb. The diversity of holds alone makes it worth climbing: underclings, pinches, sidepulls, crimps, and slopers. The holds are incredibly shaped--the most hueco-esqe holds i've seen around here. About a month ago, I went out the peRd, worked out all the moves, even linked the cruz moves, but couldn't do the whole problem. so i went the next day: same thing--couldn't get the last move. I went back out there a week and a half ago, and had to work out all the moves again--frustrating. but finally, after about 15 goes, i sent. i went back a few days later planning to redo it for the camera, and couldn't send. UNTIL the batteries on my camera died, then i sent it again. perfect.

Hanks B8 (v7), another awesome central texas climb. opposite style of anything at McKinney: long, moderate moves on big holds. okay, i technically didn't do the traverse into the top out. the jugs were wet. tim said i still get send points. i'll top it out when it's dry.

So that's it. I gotta say, I'm pretty psyched on this stuff. Here are a few problems I almost did (by almost, I mean did all the moves on, but couldn't link, or couldn't do an easy top out, or some other stupid shit):

Crash Test Dummies (v7), reputed to be the best 7 in the park, and i would have to agree (based on my limited experience). It took me about an hour to get all the moves worked out individually. I could link the bottom half and the top half, but couldn't put them together. I feel off of the dynamic cross to the jug a couple times and called it quits.

Star Power (v5), what an amazing line! I feel off of the bottom moves the first try. the second try, i made it all the way to the top jugs, past the crimps, and it was one of the coolest feeling climbs i've ever done. so once i got up to the top, i thought it was over, only to discover that i had no know idea how to top it out. felt around for holds as long as i could, then did the most depressing step off of my life. i felt too drained to try it again.

Dean's Trip (v5), i love this problem, but still don't have ideal beta. although i technically did all the moves, i still feel like this one is a long way off for me. the knee-bar didn't work for me at all, so i have to do a long reach from the slopey undercling out to the lip, which is the move i kept falling off on when i would start from the bottom.

Why bother with a blog?

Hopefully, because it will be a medium for me to express me transcendental ramblings about rocks, bouldering, etc., and thus save my friends and fiance from future rants.

I also want a place to store bouldering pictures, videos and my thoughts about them-a sort of photo/video journal.

Why the name, geo-logic? (doen't it sound like some mega-corporation that makes fake landscaping rocks out of styrofoam or some shit?)

geo: a Greek-based prefix, indicating some relation to the earth. in the case of this blog, rocks.

logic: another Greek derivative; from the word, "logos:" "A term used by Greek (esp. Hellenistic and Neo-Platonist) philosophers in certain metaphysical and theological applications developed from one or both of its ordinary senses ‘reason’ and ‘word’" (OED)

So: rocks, words, thoughts- a relevant set of ideas for the bouldering journal of a literature grad. student with a taste for transcendental philosophy.

Though I hope my friends from climbing and language-studies (and elsewhere) will find something entertaining or least somewhat interesting here, I realize that this will probably just give both more reasons to make fun of me (not as though they need them).