Psychopaths in Hyperspace

From a trip two weeks ago to Leavenworth, WA to climb the fable "Snow Creek Wall"

PC vs. Shorties....

Chum, from Sissyfish had a report from last Thursday afternoon, giving us a chance to compare the swell at two spots that like a N-NW wind.

PC was a bit confused, with less swell near the cove

giving up a nice entry into the full brunt of the swell down at gas chambers.

Scott, Scott, Bill and I met up down there and combined quivers,

leaving us well-stocked for the swell. Three sessions in butt-cold water left us driving back within 24 hours salty, tired and happy to get some waves.

I, too, struggled with the water temp, going from an optimistic afternoon session with a 3mm and no hood (brrrrrrrrr.....) to a morning session in the full 5/3, hood, booties and gloves, which always leaves me feeling like I'm trying to surf from the outside of the little box with a crane that you try and pick up stuffed animals with for a quarter. The gloves, especially mess up my ability to push off an into a good wave without feeling somewhat sketchy.

My attempts with surfing with the Hero Cam continue - Coming soon is a short video clip from Thursday's sessions, called too scared to look, because of all the rough footage that ends up peering down into the green deep while I paddle...

clas·si·fied (klăs'ə-fīd') - when the surf is inundated by hordes of "surf lesson" Noobs

After surfing a very busy couple of days on the Oregon coast, I came up with the above "new school definition" of the impact of all the surf schools on the lineup. At my last trip to Short Sands, on a Tuesday, there was more than 100 cars in the lot, and hundreds out enjoying some pretty good surf. The majority were on either softtop beginner boards, or rentals, especially wetsuits with S or M written in sharpie on the front and back. I also caught this story: Surfers cruise into Guinness World Record, which is the ultimate expression of what we used to call B.Y.O.C., or Bring Your Own Crowd, a much frowned upon practice of showing up at a little-known or local break with 10 or 15 of your 'best friends', and taking over the place. It's not all bad to help out folks learning, though. Here's a classic shot of a friend's daughter, on her 'first ever' wave at Short Sands. Sharing the stoke is what the surfing life is all about, to me.

Hard Labor on Labor Day!

From a nice, casual 'garden party' yesterday,

John and I ended up in the Lower Gorge at Smith Rock, where I lead up Cornercopia, a 5.10b*** Smith Basalt Trad climb.

I was worked,

but we headed along the west side of the river, over tons of talus, and onto the Northern Point. Check out all the potential for sunny, warm winter climbing on the East side of the Lower Gorge...

John then put up some other 5.8+ climb, Burn Baby, Burn with just two draws (from the top!)