Open Up Your Mind

What a great way to cap off the first 3 weeks of being back in school. As I rose from my bed this morning, rather slowly, feeling old(even though I'm not), and the after effects of yesterdays climbing comp. wearing heavily on my muscles and joints. I'm instantly transported back to last night and the crazy dance floor at Jake's where I proceeded to sweat on everyone in a ten foot radius. One word, awesome. Yeah I had to 'bust tha' move', and may have looked like I was having multiple seizures at the same time, but the important part was that I was oblivious to this fact and having an immensely good time as well. My dancing skills are almost paralleled by my karaoke skills, maybe in the future we will have to have a battle royale between karaoke and dancing in the same night?!
Anyway, this post is more about the climbing competition than what shinannigans followed it. The Warehouse Rock Gyms third(?) annual climbing comp. and it went over quite well. I always love these gatherings, especially since I don't really climb at the Warehouse and during these events I get to see how strong the Olympia climbing community really is. Strong physically, but also strong in the sense of community, and a deep willingness to root every competitor on. I think in total there were 70(+) climbers who showed up, paid the fee, and competed. My first impression after walking into the gym was a good one. I was really impressed with all the clean looking lines that gave the wall a really aesthetic competition look. I immediately started walking around trying to get my beta down for each boulder problem. More people showed up, the first round of climbing ended, rules were gone over, butterflies were released(in my stomach), and the second round(my round), began. All the problems I did were first class. Excellent movement, just hard enough, great holds, interesting, powerful, technical, the whole gambit. It really was a good time. Super duper props go out to all the people who set, especially Jimmy! Nice job brother! And Sierra, for being a straight up hustla'!! Everyone got a prize in the end, fucking sweet! (I heart my American flag chalk bag)
The competition was stiff in almost every category. I was pretty psyched in my category until I actually saw who was IN my category. A few kids from Seattle and Portland showed up to show us how its done. Unlike last time, there was no Jhonny G and Crew, but the kids have taken over, time to get a job(Boone Speed). Also a couple guys from Seattle showed up, Jake and Adam, who I have known(sort of) through reading Adam's(and Jake's, and Sam's and ??) blog, koanbouldering.blogspot.com. Top notch guys, really strong, they also showed us how ITS done, and I was glad to have finally met them in person. Women's open boasted a sparse one competitor, and women's advanced followed suit(Laura still climbed harder than I have ever seen her climb, and totally deserved/won those pair of shoes, VENGA L-town!! Ladies of Olympia, start climbing!) Mens advanced was pretty stacked, nice to see the local boys getting into it. Mens intermediate I believe, had the most competitors, followed by women's intermediate, begginner, so on and so forth.
The three hours blew by, and in the end, I came in 7th, out of 8 climbers, but I still feel like I climbed hard and I'm now totally focused on training/not getting injured before heading off to Bishop for 9 days during Thanksgiving. Time to start peruzing the guide book. Oh yeah, I also purchased Progression and have already watched it 2.5 times. Maybe the best climbing video, EVER!!!!? Okay, West Coast Gimps, THEN Progression.
Here are a few photos of random things I have done over the past three weeks.