Chimney Rock & the Sourlands....

Friday Jay and I went out on another 6:30am romp. this time to some more local crags Chimney rock and the Sourlands. We head to Jay's buddy Harley's pad scoop him up and head towards Chimney rock. Only a couple miles away from a quarry the rock is covered in dust so we cleaned up a bit and I started to mess around with some holds. A few hours later we had a new problem and we named it "the Nest" V3 due to the birds nest in the cave. badass.

Photo by: Harley DiBlasio

Then a little down the way's we found a nice little overhang and threw up another problem dubbed, Smearn' Off V4. Around 12 we hiked our way back to the car and headed for the Sourlands.

After a half hour hike we came to a nice outcropping of decent sized boulders and scouted around. There wasn't much chalk which got us all excited. We scouted some rocks for possible problems and found a V0 looking problem to warm up on.

Photo by: Harley DiBlasio

On that same boulder is where we stayed for a another hour or so messing around with holds and came up with, Easy Pesy Lemon Squeezy V1. It starts in the middle of the boulder on 2 crimps and goes up the arete to a nice crack and a super friction sloper to the topout. It was a fun little problem and we were still pumped for more when it started to rain a bit so we packed up and planned for another day. Good day we got three more for the book.

-Matt

a romp through the woods

It all started at 6am... ate breakfast and packed the car and on the road by 6:30. Picked up Jay at GSR and hit the road. We made it to the Gunks around 9:30 even with our little altercation with the law, still pretty pumped about the day. This was the first time any of us explored Peterskill so I knew it would be an adventure.

Right off the bat we started hiking the wrong way we eventually found our way to the warm up area and worked some problems. the Sidewalk, Loner Boner, Exit, and Spew Harder to name a few. After we warmed up a bit we decided to move onto bigger and better things.

We started hiking towards the Rock Garden. After possibly 2-3 hours of hiking around in circles we found Atrium boulders. We worked Lightning Blade, the Diving Board, and Mentos. We got a little too worked over for our liking and started to head back towards the Lions Den area. After a bout with some mosquitoes and black flies we made it through the piles of jagged talus rocks that is the Rock Garden and made it to Lions Den.

Wandering around we stumbled onto the Quarantine area, literally stumbled because we passed it unknowingly at least two times before. We focused on the Outbreak Boulder and the problem V.D. for the most part and while chilling there we met some locals and got some good beta and got preached to on how gym climbing and climbing real rock are two different worlds and that ate up out remaining hours.

All in all it was a good day we didn't send much, but what would you expect from a first time out. Just makes us want to get back there as soon as possible for some more good times. Ohh and if you weren't aware," It's called rock climbing, not rock crying."

rock on

-Matt

the deep dark pit of dispair

Took a little hiatus from the blogging for a couple weeks, work picked up like woah. Kinda screwed up may arm again, tanged my heel, and haven't climbed at my best in weeks. Also I've been working on GSR's new logo which looks baller in every way. So after a weeks rest of almost no climbing I have some adventure news, Gunks trip tomorrow long time coming, followed by Sourland and Philly next week. Also I received a big box from Organic a few weeks ago containing a fresh new pad and chalk bucket for yours truly, and more recently a fresh new pair of kicks in the form of the 5.10 teams. Thus far they are the best fitting shoe I have tried to date and the heel is bombproof. I've only had them on plastic so far tomorrow is the real test. Peterskill in the am then to GSR at night to work a problem I put up, so far nobody had snagged the fa that means its got to be me.

more tomorrow peace

-Matt

Dave Graham talks WIZARDRY

Interview from a few years ago, some interesting shit about wizardry being thrown around the strong don't always prevail ENJOY

Dave Graham interview from Flow Media on Vimeo.