The Cool

TENNESSEE! I am so happy to be HOME. Of course it's hotter here than the sun itself, but I don't care. I enjoy working up a good sweat in the gym anyway. My time in Colorado this year was amazing. It was filled with good friends, good food, and good climbing all around. I even surprised myself with ascents of boulders that I thought were beyond my ability. Now it's time to step up the game in preparation for a month long trip Fontainebleu, FR in February of 2012. I'm also considering Switzerland in March and South Africa in July. Any suggestions?

Unfortunately, I'm in very poor shape at the moment. Loss of fitness is the "dark side" of climbing outdoors for months on end. I'm not the most talented climber. My success hinges less on natural ability and more on the hundreds of days a year I spend preparing in the gym. Two-a-day workouts aren't uncommon for me. It's very disheartening therefore to witness the loss of my hard-earned gains. What's amazing though is how quickly it occurs. Over the course of my trip (5/18-6/25) I didn't visit the gym a single time. In that time my fitness and power levels dropped to about 60% of my "in-shape" max. Now I feel locked in a physical and mental battle to regain my former position.

I also start work on Tuesday and I can't wait. Work and school act to balance my life and, while I have less time for climbing, it's much more productive. Here are a couple photos that I had left over:

Nintendo!!

John's cat Diego

I don't really know when I'll have something to post next. Have a great summer everyone!

-Brion