Quite a ride

...on the Joy Ride!

10 months and 6 trips to Coney Island later, I convinced Arun to meet me at work for a quick trip up the canyon. The weather was stellar and the route would be in the shade, but I couldn't convince a partner to get on it with me; others had Easter Island, Oceanic Wall, and Sherwood Forest on the mind. I made it clear it was Coney Island or bust for me. I felt good after working The Ticket on Saturday and climbing the full Naked Edge on Sunday with Mr. Briggs. We swapped leads - I led the first pitch clean (wahoo!) and followed Roger on the spicy chimney pitch - a classic climb with a classic guy!

First a little more history on why I became obsessed with the Joy Ride. On my first try with Jason last August, I didn't get to the last bolt on my first attempt - two sections were super reachy. I didn't even get it clean on TR, but the moves were awesome, the foot skills super technical, and the rock just fine. We went back with Shane a week later and both Shane and Jason style the RP and show me how its done.

Shane cranking the first crux move over the roof

Jason agreed to feed my need the next week and we headed back. Despite a poor state of mind, I jump on it a second time. The roof move is now on cruise control and I finally figured out a short dude's sequence for the reachy move at the 4th bolt. After sticking the 3rd and final crux, I blow the clip attempting to lock off and reach high. My forearm juice crystalizes and I take the fall after 5 minutes of deliberation. Ideally, I would have made a few more moves and clipped it higher, but my fear of falling was too great. I was climbing it for the wrong reasons.

Long story short, I developed a shoulder injury, initiated PT, and associated the climb with my shoulder pain, so I shelved it for the year. 7 months later, I returned to it before my trip to the Ruth Gorge and knew I had to change my approach: not to get to the top clean or tick it off the list, but for the personal growth it would bring. On an early May return with Brendan, I climbed it with one hang between cruxes when my fingers went numb. With the lack of a good warmup in sub-70 temps, my fingers had no chance.

With my lovely fiance at the belay this evening, I head up with the idea of warming up, taking a practice fall, and hanging the draws. As I step off the ground, I let out my usual flatulence, but this time I let it fly a little too far. With some TP and hand sanitizer on hand (thanks hun), the damage was manageable. A few minutes later, I was depressurized and back on the climb with my mojo unfettered. I kept thinking I would take a fall or a hang as part of a warmup run, but the moves came together and the fingers did not fall asleep. Soon enough I was on the ledge. At this point, I let the pump in my right arm subside and worked out the upper crux moves in my head. But the anticipation returned and a rising heart rate sneaked up on me. Boulder Creek raged below and I realized that if the water could flow so easily (along with my flatulence), why couldn't I. Arun smiled up, I embarked, struggled a bit with the sequence but committed and hit the jug. Instead of reaching high and blowing the clip, I made a couple more 5.10 moves and clipped the bolt at my thigh. I reached the anchors, called it a day with a huge grin, and we drove back to town to shop for our future kitten. Thanks for all the good vibes everyone!

PSYCHED!