Triple Crown!!!!!

Climbers rejoice! Our annual three stop super-social event has begun... and what a hell of a start it was… The weekend began with usual travel crew assembly followed by a long drive full of shit talking. Being an Alabama kid, the Houndears Triple Crown stop represents something bigger to me than the comp itself – it’s the official beginning of Fall. In the past TCB was something I sweeted over. I remember showing up at the campground and trying to size up the competition. I remember being nervous as I ate breakfast at an ungodly hour in that dumb campground. But now…now Triple Crown is a time to kick it with the boys! Time to talk shit to people who are 10 million times stronger than me and watch all the yahoos get all worked up over…well I’m not sure what people get so worked up about…but they do. And that shit is silly.



I guess I can credit my attitude change to the people I’ve been kickin’ it with. For example a few years ago I discovered that if I looked around I could find a ride up the hill so I wouldn’t have to catch the bus at 8am. Huge difference! Then I learned that the only consequence of choosing to eat breakfast and missing the climbers’ meeting because I arrived at 10:30 was nothing. Awesome! Then I learned the best thing yet- if I didn’t fill out a score card I had more fun than if I had! So putting my knowledge to work I woke up late, took a shower, drank some scotch, ate a gas station pastry, and climbed into Mr. Lee’s truck an hour after the busses left. Perfect.






This year’s competitors were a regular who’s who of motivated dirt bags & dirt bag wannabes alike; as well as a few ass holes (namely: Nathan Smith, Dustin Vann, Ben Henson, Joe Ortega, Lee Means & Ronnie Jenkins – I mean Ronnie was nice but I know by the people he surrounds himself with he must be a dick). Anyway, the comp went like this:

Morning – I couldn’t tell you because I wasn’t there.

10:30AM – Get to Houndears after the comp started. Hung out in the Parking lot for a while.

10:45AM – I hear that Willcutt just hiked “Jaws II” a v8 in the very front. At that I decided it
was time to get off my ass.

Noon – I’m drunk and have yet to put on my climbing shoes although I’ve taken hundreds of pictures by now.

Noon & a half – Some kids talk me into trying “The Blade” I flashed it. Then the shoes came back off and more whisky went in my belly.

1PM – I run into chaz and end up following him way down the hill because I could no longer chose a direction for myself. While down there I did the only other problem of the weekend “John Cougar Concentration Camp”

3PM – I arrive back at the top just in time to hear everyone freaking out over someone breaking the crux hold on “Fuk You” I don’t know who did it but I’m sure he’s an ass...Joe.

5PM – I run into all the boys who I hadn’t seen all day. Within 2 minutes my bottle of scotch went from half full to almost empty.

7PM – Soggy sandwich at campsite sucks… Nathan not happy.

9PM – Ben Henson takes the stage. I don’t know what happened after that. It was so awesome I temporally went def & blind. “It was all a dream…”

12AM – The crew (which had grown by 4) checks into a motel so gross that I chose to put on more clothes before lying on top of the covers to avoid diseases.

In the end I rode in a car for 11 hours to climb 2 problems & I couldn’t imagine a better weekend. Thank you to all the people who made it so awesome…and that means you too New Guy.

Quote of the week: “If it wasn’t for Future I’d still just be Nathan.”

Oh its coming back sucka...

It’s little after one in the morning and I can think of no less than 6,847 places I’d rather be at this exact moment. It’s been months since I’ve made an entry and although I’ve been busy with school, trying to get a guiding company running, and trying to maintain a few relationships, the only reason I haven’t stopped for the dear ol’blogspot is that I lost all my motivation. Well… Maybe it would help if I elaborated… As any reader of my blog knows I tend to post about traveling and climbing. It’s really all I think about… I take pictures of all sorts of stuff but never seem to find myself reflecting on photos that don’t pertain, in some way, to climbing. So when it started getting hot and sticky in late march everything in my world started to crumble. With my only options being grin and take it or to pack up and hit the road I toiled with all the possible outcomes. Hell, I lied awake at night contemplating the exact time I could hit the Canadian border if I left in the next hour but I never did. It’s funny. I know that in terms of problems that doesn’t make the list, however it continued to weigh heavily on me. In the end I became determined to force it out of my brain. To hell with not training, I’m not even going to conceder making it to HP this summer..and while I’m at it fuck LRC too.. with all its goddamn secrets. But now the weather is beginning to show glimpses of fall and, although I feel silly admitting it, the recent addition of a REAL gym in Birmingham has got me stoked again! I cannot wait! I’m so excited I even want to train! “What is this training?” you say. Well I’m really not too sure, but when I find out I’ll be sure and let everyone in on it. But for now it simply feels great to be excited.

Oh and if you’re not pumped about the cold crisp air coming our way keep an eye out for me I’m pretty confident this thing I’ve got is infectious.

Lazy Magnolia to the Rescue

So, I said I wasn’t going to blog for another few days or so but something miraculous happened today and I thought it best that I make commentary about it. Today, after doing poorly on a test this morning, having another test tomorrow morning, and all the while freaking-out over a paper that is due by 11am, I decided to take a break. So I went and got lunch with a friend. Because I had already given up on my studies I decided might as well have a beer – I feel it necessary to stop at this point and shed light on the fact that I am not & never have been a drinker of any caliber – but for some reason my delicious lunch seemed to reinvigorate me. As I headed back to the library I could actually feel the genius oozing out of me onto the soiled floor mats that I refuse to clean. At mock-7 I pulled into the library parking lot weaving between seniors and little Asian kids; gathered up as much of the invisible awesomeness as I could and stuffed it into my pockets. Then ran inside so that I could get it on my computer as fast as possible. Thank you Lazy Magnolia…today you fixed everything.erything.

A little Swamped

OK ok ok.

I know I said I was going to try and post everyday for a while but I’m swamped with school and other stuff. Give me three more days and its on!!! But until then I suggest you checkout www.AEROTTER.blogspot.com

So, most people who read my blog know the S.C.C., but to the few of you who don’t let me catch you up.

The Southeastern Climbers Coalition (SCC) is a non-profit organization that formed in the early 90’s when a bunch of climbers teamed-up to address Lookout Mountain’s access issues. They work closely with the Access Fund (another non-profit) to address access issues, host trail days, and even purchase cliff lines and bouldering areas all over the southeast.

In the last six months the SCC has purchased two cliffs: Yellow Bluff – a 1000+ linear feet of cliffline about 20 miles outside Huntsville – and Steele 25 acres of cliff in, yes, Steele, AL! I really can’t begin to describe how proud I am of all the work that everyone is doing...
But any who, I am so stoked about having good trad climbing within 45min of home! So its time I pull out my shiny trad-rack and hit the cliff.

So again, thank you to everyone who has dedicated so much time and effort!

the rack is out.

Brooks the V Hero

So lately I have been really slacking off with the whole blog posting thing and don’t you think for a minute that I haven’t heard about it. In the past I’ve always gone the easy route – said “oh yeah...I got some stuff I’m about to post” – then done nothing. But I’ve decided to get my shit together and start posting and regularly! I figure if people are actually spending some of their free time checking out my blog I should give them something! Thanks for the movimiento Gary, Easy, & V Hero!