I’m a fan of Alex Honnold. Here’s why:

Also, there’s a continuous shot of Adam Ondra onsighting a wet .14b. I’m a fan of the guy who got that footage, Bernardo Giménez.

EDIT (6/20/2011): Technical difficulties, sorry for the delay.

-NS

Get that nice Bassnectar sound HERE.

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Melissa going to work with some extra weight.

The Deeper Meaning, Part 3: Respect

When it comes to climbing, the role of genetics in helping to pull through a crux is always debatable.  I believe genetics plays a part in the way one climbs, but, as I said before, I consider myself to be average; nothing out of the ordinary is pushing me past others.  Actually, I am at a disadvantage because I have a disease called Hypothyroidism.  When not treated, this disease causes fatigue, depression, cases of being overweight, difficulty concentrating, and feeling cold all of the time.  There is no cure, but there is a pill that has to be taken every morning in order to sustain normal thyroid levels, and keep the symptoms at bay.  If I miss a pill, my body is out-of-whack for an entire week.  Throughout my diagnosis, I tried to push through my pain, and climb.  It was impossible to send anything due to my disease.  Two weeks after receiving my medication, I began to feel like my normal self.  Now, I have the discipline to push beyond my limits, because I have the energy and willpower to succeed.

Just recently, I have taken six weeks off from climbing due to an unusual injury.  While warming up at nationals, I slipped off the wall and my elbow smashed into a huge plastic hold.  This caused a contusion, or severe damage to my “funny bone” nerve in my right arm.  My entire forearm went numb, and so did my pinky and ring fingers.  Even though I couldn’t feel much, I still went out and climbed.  Before nationals, I was training four hours each day, four days a week, in high hopes of placing well.  All this was crushed when I fell warming up, something that seems so dumb, and would make for an even dumber story.  Although I couldn’t climb well at Nationals, I gained a lot from those six weeks I didn’t climb.

Sometimes, things happen in our lives that we cannot control.  It is how we deal with these situations that determines how people see us.  A person can have respect for themself, and the respect of others, but it may come quickly or slowly.  Through this disease, I gained respect for my body’s needs, carefully tending to them to keep healthy through the grueling training I do for climbing.

Melissa, and teammate Kevin. I guess conditioning is fun...

~Melissa G.

On May 15th, Melissa competed in the SCS Regionals, where she placed 2nd in Juniors.  Also, she may be the first competitor in history to Z-clip in the middle of the competition, causing her to lose first place by one hold.  WTH…

Despite her competition shakes, she trains ridiculously hard and keeps a good attitude.

Melissa shows off her paws…

The Deeper Meaning, Part 2: Stress Relief

My 13th year seems so long ago, but in only those few short years, I’vegrown into an average-height, average-looking person (except, maybe, for my bicep veins), who is in the middle of High School.  Climbing became my security blanket as I got older.  I came to consider it a separate, better life; I had school, and then climbing.  They were both carefully separated, so school never ruined climbing for me.

My two worlds combined when I got my drivers’ license, which brought with it a greater level of independence, and important choices.  With this new privilege, I was able to part with my school and go climb every day after classes were over.  Every decision I make, whether it is simple or complicated, depends on climbing.  If the decision is going to hurt my progress in the sport, I don’t go through with it.  Climbing hard relieves the stresses I face at school, and I want nothing to tamper with that.

Keeping my stress levels low allows me to be happy and content, even when facing math class in a room full of vicious cheerleaders.  I could never imagine my world revolving around high school,  Instead, I feel like a commuter student every weekday morning with my day revolving around climbing.  The stress relief that climbing offers me is important because it keeps me away from my high school and puts me into the “real” world.

~Melissa Godowski

Getting dusted...

Continued in Part 3…

Because I fell deathly ill with some virus, and was running a high fever for most of the time, I relegated myself to taking pretty pictures.

Enjoy.

-NS

Butt shot of Rich on Peer Pressure at Bonsai

Rich finishing up Peer Pressure

KK Gregory pulls on some fun route at Bonsai. Notice the blue sky. Thanks, Weather Man, for trying to talk me out of climbing.

Seth and KK climbing at Bonsai

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Josh Larson Pulling through the cobwebs on King Cobra at Orange Crush

Josh literally shaking off huge spider webs. Apparently there was a spider the size of a fist on this climb.

Josh, more King Cobra

Always Cheerful.

Melissa, currently finishing up her junior year in high school, is a climber whose heart is in all the right places.  Melissa loves climbing, hates drama, and trains every chance she gets until her fingers are bleeding.

… usually longer, come to think of it.

Melissa, checking the top-out.

About a month ago, I asked Melissa if she’d be interested in contributing something to EasternClimber; something from her point of view, about climbing in general.  I told her to write about whatever she wanted, but only if she had something to say.  Her eyes widened, her face lit up, and I think she started it that night.

Meet Melissa Godowski:

The Deeper Meaning, Part 1: Pride

I began climbing when I was 13.  Who can forget those great days when they were 13?  The way our bodies were misshaped, growing hair in places you didn’t before… or maybe not.  My point is that puberty was awful for me and everyone else.  I wore old jeans that barely fit and over-sized Gap sweatshirts.  I hated the 7th grade, and felt like I stood out because of how awkward I looked.  I liked myself the way I was, but feared everyone else looked at me as a freak.  I was trapped in a gossipy middle school, desperate for an outlet.  That is when I found Rhode Island Rock Gym and began climbing on their youth team.

I was the youngest on the team, but I felt like a winner as I became stronger.  The older kids accepted me, and helped me grow to who I am now.  I looked up to them, and I became a more mature person.  My parents deserve some credit, as they helped me find climbing, and dedicated many hours to sitting in a chalky gym while I had fun.  Climbing, and the climbing community, helped me develop a sense of pride in myself when I needed it most, and it continues to do so, even through the toughest times.

Melissa, sending Last Call (V7), Lincoln Woods, RI

Continued in Part 2…

Tomorrow, we’re going to road trip it down to Maryland to bring you what you can’t get from a live web broadcast of the entire competition: Not sitting in front of your computer all day when it’s supposed to be really nice on Saturday in the Northeast.

So, if you can’t make it to the competition, EasternClimber is going to bring the experience to you: we’re armed to the teeth with video equipment, and we won’t stop until we make fools of ourselves.

Look for our shenanigans sometime next week.

In related news, NE2C Productions brings you a nice little piece featuring Vasya Vorotnikov, one of my favorite New England climbers.

Also featured is Aimee from NE2C, their token hottie:

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Josh, showing off his new piece. It's the simple things in life...

Despite the crappy New England weather, I decided to make a day trip to Rumney last Sunday.  It’s funny how many climbers living in the northeast refuse to go out on rainy days, despite the plethora of amazing, overhung (read: eternally-dry) climbs that exist in the area.  In fact, I’d be more apt to stay home if it were too humid in the middle of August.

Sidney McNair on Big Kahuna

Melissa Godowski rode up with me to meet Josh Larson and Sidney McNair.  We then proceeded to hike directly over to Waimea, home to such classics as Waimea, Livin’ Astro, and China Beach.  If you’ve neverbeen there, or to Rumney in general, it’s a sight to behold – an absolutely beautiful, blue-and-white streaked wall of hard, bouldery sport routes.  Also, on the far left side of Waimea is an open project, dubbed “Bill Clinton”… good luck.

As I said, there were lots of great climbs that remained dry.  I took a couple falls on Technosurfing, while Josh and Sidney jumped on Big Kahuna, literally.

...making her way to the crux dyno.

Sidney McNair. Big Kahuna. Dyno. So hot.

After the Waimea fun we packed up and moved over to Monsters from the Id, the most bouldery, overhung, and usually unpopulated spot at Rumney.  I flailed a few times on the first move of Doctor No, after which Josh sent second go.

That first crimp is painful.

The feet cut...

Josh, making the move over the lip on Dr. No

Then we moved over to Josh’s project, Parallel Universe.  Two hangs.

Also seen twice during the day was the Sun.