New York Knee

This past weekend I traveled to northern Idaho for the Palouse Climbing Festival. On the way up to the University of Idaho (located in Moscow, Idaho), we stopped in Riggins to do a little bouldering. This was my first time at the Ruby Boulders and I was so taken aback by the landscape that I honestly had no desire to climb. So I pulled out my camera and shot a few photos.

Plaid... It's so hot right now.

After 3 hours of climbing during qualifying, a few of us went out to this sushi restaurant, that was apparently 'pretty good'. I walked out of that restaurant with some new knowledge of the food industry, you truly get what you pay for... A $4 spicy tuna roll, tastes just like a $4 spicy tuna roll should...

Still with a few hours to kill before finals, we wondered the streets of Moscow. I bought this suber (super + uber) rad wallet made from recycled tent material, stoked. Went to a coffee shop to attempt to get some homework done, but after completing a few physics problems I pasted out on a couch.

Finals (as usual) consisted of me being on the verge of puking (not the biggest fan of climbing in front of 50 people), and not climbing as well as I should have. I flashed (completed on the first attempt) the first finals route. I knew ahead of time that I was going to have difficulties with the second and last finals route because it was on the steep, overhanging wall. Both previous years I attended this competition, I did poorly on the finals route on this wall, so I wasn't sure how it was going to work out. On my flash go, I fell going for the second to last hold (this is when the fun starts). While I was falling my spotter didn't realized I was going to slightly turn in the air. So when I landed my face collided with his knee. After attempting to gather myself, I stumbled back to the start of the route and tried it again, only to fall half way through the route.

I quickly acquired some ice for my face and waited for the awards ceremony. I ended up tying for first, but because my score from qualifying was higher, I got to chose my prize first! I had been eyeing this case of Red Bull on the prize table, but settled on an MSR 2-Man backpacking tent.

On Monday I headed out to the Catalysis boulder. Yes, it was raining. And yes, the top of the boulder was completed saturated with water. But if Tommy Caldwell can send in the rain, why can't I?! I managed to stick the soaking wet slopey crimp at the top twice, before calling it a day. Hoping to get back out there later this week when its sunny!

Tired Little Lady

Having 4-day weekends is pretty awesome, but the downside is, come Monday night I can barely function. This weekend I went to Sun Valley to spend time with some family, hang out with friends, and help out with Marley in the Mountains. Friday night I went on a little photo excursion which included stops at Dollar Mountain and Trail Creek. Here are some of my favorite shots from Friday:

Andrew with Baldy in the background.

Saturday I organized the recycling for the Marley in the Mountains concert, so basically I stood around outside for 7 hours or so. The concert itself was EPIC! Great artists, great turn out, and it snowed! I got to celebrate my recent birthday with some friends and my brother, which involved drinking a beer I thought was gross and drinking a cocktail that made me realize that I'd rather have Red Bull without being paired with vodka.

Sunday I went on yet another little photo excursion (not to many things to do in a small resort town, when you chose NOT to go skiing/snowboarding). After a brief stop at Dollar, Andrew and I ended up back out Trail Creek, this time opting to trudge through the snow to find things to shoot. Again, here are some of my favorite shots:

Drew Deffe with the new Dollar Lodge in the reflection (thought I should point out that this NEW lodge is not nearly as epic as the previous one).

Photo: Andrew McKean

Sunday evening I went out to dinner with my mom, brother and some extended family to celebrate Heidi's (my half-step-cousin) birthday. Since my new favorite thing to do is take pictures, I decided this was a perfect opportunity to learn about shooting in low light with no flash.

Little Caz, getting to the candles before his mom even had a chance.

Thomas and friends.

(Monday, finally. See 4-day weekends are exhausting.) After a session with my favorite masseur, Bob Coplin, and lunch with my brother at Wise Guy, I drove the 3.5 hours to Reynolds Creek to work on my project, Catalysis. Since it was late in the day, I decided not to warm up (most likely not the best idea). I was able to put in a few good goes and make some progress (hah, and I thought I was close last week). Here is a little vid I threw together of one of my best goes:

Catalysis: Day 4 from steffcarter on Vimeo.