"Huck For It"

So really, I should be doing work as it's cutting down to the last two weeks of school. But really, I am so excited about yesterday's trip to Little Rock City with most of the GT Climbing Club that I can hardly think about anything else.

We went in a large group of 11 people. 9 Techies, 1 Emory, and 1 Emory/Tech hybrid. We split up into several groups upon arriving at LRC. In my starting group, we had Dallas, David, Radhika, Jonathan, and me. We warmed up on the Firecrack and Bowling Ball Boulders (as usual) and then headed over to Art of the Vogi. David flashed it and Dallas got it 2nd go. I think it's awesome for Dallas as this was his first trip outdoors since his wrist broke 4 months ago.

Dallas on Art of the Vogi, V4

Dallas sending The Sternum, V5

David decided to work on A Face in the Crowd while I went to work on my forever long project Grimace, feeling need to redeem myself from falling off the topout from 2 weeks ago. While the holds were a tad moist from the incredible storm two days ago, the rock was fortunately cold. I still haven't figured out how that works since cold weather is supposed to be better friction. But watery holds somehow negates that. 

Somehow seeing David working Face, Jonathan got motivated to give it some burns too (even though he had no interest when I told him to try it, haha ). We took long breaks and video taped on and off between burns. And after working Face on and off for about 45 minutes, Jonathan surprised us with a very smooth send. His first V7! I am SO proud. :)

Jonathan on A Face in the Crowd, V7

At this point, I was starting to get a bit frustrated with Grimace. Because of the moisture left on the rock, my foot kept slipping and popping unexpectedly. Once, I even fell off the second layer, something that hadn't happened for weeks now. Mostly though, I kept falling at the 3rd layer where I was trying to lock off on the pinch and reach for the left sloper jug statically. 

"Stop going for it static," Jonathan said after I fell off Grimace probably about the 18th time. "It obviously isn't working."

"But it worked last trip." I would say back, exasperated.

"Just huck for it."

"I don't wanna huck for it. I'd rather go static."

"Just try it."

Me on Grimace, V8

Nyah, nyah, nyah. I thought to myself. I'll show him it can't be done by hucking.  I jumped on Grimace to prove to my persistent boyfriend that he was just wrong, and I was just right. When I got to the pinch, I wildly threw for the jug. And amazingly hit it. I hit it wrong... I was a little too much to the right side. But in my desperation not to fall (now that I'd gotten that far), I quickly threw my right hand out and reset my left. Then, proceeded with a clean topout. In my efforts to prove (after the send, even moreso the best boyfriend on Earth) Jonathan wrong, I had instead finally completed my 2 month project. 

The rest of the day didn't disappoint either. Sinsar sent his first V7, Redhouse; and Jonathan sent Redhouse first go of the day. I sent Jerry's Kids on my first go of the day. And "trad boy" David also sent his first V7, Midway. We even got him to admit that "bouldering's kinda fun." Haha.

Here's a picture that Radhika took of 8/10 of us crowding in the Grimace cave. Can't wait for our next trip out!