Date: May 26th, 2008
Who knew that home renos and climbing go together so well? I’ve been bouldering a ton lately, as the weather is junk and my project route is likely underwater to the second or third draw. That would make it a bit easier if I could get to it in a kayak or something. Bouldering doesn’t take long, which has left me some time to session on a wood stove project reno. Here are a few of the fun things I’ve managed to discover about home renos and bouldering.
-A chop saw will chop its own cord if you set it up just right. Fortunately I’ve done this before and had electrical tape and connector bits, only took ten minutes to fix, getting faster on the sequence.
-No matter how strong you think you are getting, there are always people who are way stronger. If some of them would come help me move my wood stove that would be cool.
-Drywalling sucks. How can I manage to create four feet of just beautiful inside corner joint and four feet that looks like it was done by a crack addict in withdrawal? In the same corner, alternating every foot like I meant to do it that way?
-Gear Tip: Everybody should buy a Makita hammer driver drill thing. It can sink a six-inch deck screw through four inches of seasoned fir and into my vapour barrier, wind up at least ten meters of insulation fiber on the screw, and continue to sink the screw head another two inches into the wood, right to the chuck (which means that screw will NEVER come out, even though it’s not exactly where I wanted it) and still have power to burn. Sick, truly the finest power tool I’ve ever bought. I’m really wondering if it would work in rock.
-Climbing and renos often start alike. “I’ll just have a look.” Months later, with a badly dinged bank account and some weird memories, it’s hard to believe it all started with just one move. I swung a hammer into drywall, I gripped warm spring stone, it’s just gone sideways since then. Perfect.
-You just never know about renos or bouldering. For instance, I sent a problem that was hard for me yesterday in the gym even though my skin was blown, it was too warm, and some other excuses. And today I turned on the power to some pot lights I’d just put in, and despite fully guessing at times about which wire went where the lights came on without any of those cool blue flashes I’m kinda familiar with. You just gotta try.
The weather is biblical here in Canmore at the moment, four days of pretty much solid rain. I was getting depressed about this until I remembered that I could be in Vancouver or Seattle, which Canmore is starting to resemble. I even saw people running and riding in the rain today, a sure sign of depression and angst. May it break soon!
Not very seriously,
WG
Posted in: Blog
Date: May 20th, 2008
A friend of mine, John Harlin, sent me a link today that is just great–stellar aerial photos of Mt. Robson taken just a few days ago by John Scurlock. Spend 10 minutes checking them out, well worth it, sounds like Scurlock is an interesting guy.
WG
Edit–as Anon noted, the name is “Scurlock,” not Spurlock. Fixed, sorry about that.
Posted in: Blog
Date: May 9th, 2008
I’ve been outside climbing a bunch–perfect spring days, nice temps, loving it. And then it started to rain on Tuesday or so, still OK just not great conditions. Yesterday I woke up to a couple of inches of snow, no big deal, but climbing plans went indoors. Around 2:00 I shoveled things out, about a foot of snow on the ground, and I figured the storm was done. It started snowing again in the late afternoon. By the time I’d done the gym session and hit the grocery store the snow was so deep that I had a hard time opening the car door in my already-shoveled driveway. I took the photo last night late just because the snow was so cool to see, this spring storms are just wild.
Last Tuesday I managed to get in and see an orthopod about the MRI of my knee. It’s been really bothering me for about six months, but I kept thinking I could fix it… Finally gave up on that idea, it’s FUBAR, torn meniscus, so off to surgery sometime later this summer. I intend to rock climb, kayak, mountain bike and fly my brains out until then, I just can’t walk really far or run. Not a big deal really, just switch the games up and get after it in a new way. But nice to know what’s wrong and how to hopefully FIX it. The rest of my body feels great, getting stronger and loving it!
happy spring!
WG
Posted in: Blog
Date: May 5th, 2008
How many times have I worried about whether to go climbing or not because of some seemingly important event that somehow meant I maybe shouldn’t go climbing?
And how many times has that event felt even half as important on the drive home after climbing? I can’t remember one, that’s how many.
How many times have I tied into a rope?
As many time as I’ve untied. Except five or six times when I was too pumped to untie and somebody did it for me while both of us laughed.
How many times have I tried to climb something I didn’t think I had it in me to climb that day–and then somehow made it to the top? More times than I’ve fallen off when I was sure I wasn’t going to.
How many times have I had a hard time turning the key in the ignition after a day’s climbing? Enough to recognize that peculiar feeling and smile with recognition, like tasting something from childhood that I’d totally forgotten about.
How many times have I gone climbing with someone and had a really good time? So many that I’ve forgotten half their names but none of the feelings.
How many times have I gotten so excited to see someone else send something hard for them that I completely forgot everything else? More times than I’ve watched someone stroll up something hard for me and felt bitter about it.
How many times has it been hard to put my hands into hot water? More times than the scars I wear with pride.
How many times have I seen some pathetic punk curse as he falls off a hard route or boulder problem? Enough to recognize that punk as myself on a bad day.
How many people have I seen give their absolute best while climbing and their absolute worst on the ground? Enough to know that climbing brings out the best in us.
How many times have I swung an ice tool and waited to hear its sound? Enough to know that it’s still important, each and every time.
How many times have I stopped climbing for months at a time? Enough to know that it always feels good when I start up again.
How many times have I chosen to stuff my feet into how many pairs of rock shoes and go through how many barrels of chalk just to get to the top of a rock I could have walked around to the back side of? Enough to know I’ll keep doing it for as long as I live.
How many times? Who cares, better go climbing.
Posted in: Blog
