Beta to Alpha.

2009-04-12T09:23:00.001-07:00

Rooooute Setting...

2009-02-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

So I have been thinking a lot about route-setting lately. I have been one of the primary route-setters for Adventure Rock for a little over a year now. In that time I have put up some pretty fun, interesting, challenging routes (mostly at the 5.11- range).

I would like to try setting different level routes, but always am stuck at a caveat as far as what makes a route "easy" or "hard"

There are these things to balance.

1. height of the moves
2. body tension of the moves
3. effective grip and size of the holds
4. body positioning

I believe that certain surfaces and holds lend themselves to flowing a certain way, which ends up causing similar routes if used. It is my goal to make interesting routes which are unique. To this end sometimes my routes are well-received, other times they are not executed perhaps as well as i would like.

It is difficult for me because I enjoy all climbs, whether they are flowing or not. I enjoy the challenge of "solving" them. I am definitely interested in progressing as a setter though! = )

-Z

The slow season...

2009-01-13T19:09:00.000-08:00

The 65 foot silos of Bloomington, IL's Upper Limits gym which we will be scaling this weekend!

This is a sad time of the year for climbing. Trips are virtually impossible to make with midwest weather conditions, and the release of climbing movies to get one psyched is nil.

Thankfully there is a shining light. Competitions.

Some friends (both new and old) of mine and myself will be heading down to Upper Limits 14th Annual Hangdog competition this weekend. We will be entering the Advanced category (up to 5.11 - ). I am very excited to compete and for the opportunity to climb new styles and routes! I am also excited to meet some of the southern illinois climbers who will be also competing.

I've been training hard at other gyms this past week, at Boulders and of course Vertical Endeavors Warrenville. I'm getting to know more and more people at each gym which is awesome, because it makes the climbing community seem smaller and smaller! Everyone knows each other!

Next weekend I am even more excited for our home gym, Adventure Rock's 10th annual Quick on the Draw competition, it will be great to climb with friends and again see how we stack up against each other! It's kind of sad right now because they are starting to strip all the walls and boulder problems, but also exciting because it means new excellent opportunities to try new routes, learn new moves, ect.

I am hoping our gym will do 2 things:

1. Purchase new hold sets for the competitions, always fun as a route-setter = )
2. Build some of the structural geometric elements (can't remember the name!) which you can attach holds to, making things vastly more overhanging.

Looking forward!

-Zachary

Animals Who Need Big Kisses

2009-01-09T17:25:00.001-08:00

http://animalsneedkisses.wordpress.com/

This site is about oft-overlooked cute animals who as the author says "are in need of a loving kiss."

File this under pretty ridiculous but very amusing sites.

I felt it necessary to impart some of my animal knowledge upon the masses.

It doesn't hurt the author took the time to e-mail me either:

Hey Zach, Thanks for checking out my blog! I'm glad you like it and hope you will continue checking in, I've got some good ones in the can... Please tell anyone and everyone whom you think might enjoy it about it, and I hope you'll continue to comment as somebody who actually knows what they're talking about, obviously, makes for a very amusing counterpoint. :) - Will

Thanks Will! Awesome site!

Things that need to die in the year 2009

2009-01-09T16:48:00.001-08:00

#1 Funny Online Videos with 3 instant replays in slow motion and slow sound.

Seriously.

I may have laughed the first time. But definitely not the second, third or fourth.
And people with slowed down Satan voices are not scary.

That said. Balls in the face are always good for a laugh.