Any hardman/woman here from the Bay Area?

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Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 9, 2015 - 05:40pm PT

I can't believe I'm opening a thread here. I must be desperate. Indeed, it's only a week away -- the very first endurance climbing event in the Bay Area: 24 hours of Planet Granite: Battle for Bolts . Somehow, it only just came to my attention. Apparently, the event has not been heavily and widely promoted because everyone seems to have made other plans for the weekend. I really want to do it and give it my best effort, but that requires a compatible partner, a partner who is willing to suffer sleep deprivation and who does not give up. But to be honest, compared with endurance bicycling events, this one is embarrassingly plush as far as suffering is concerned -- sleeping bag, water, food, and restroom are all at the finger tips at all time, and there is no chance of getting injured (not allowed by gym rules) or lost.

If you are all of following, you are the one I'm looking for.
* you are or can be belay certified at PG before the event
* you can TR up to 11+'s fairly consistently. (That's the category I'll be in -- Advanced)
* you can climb and belay continuously for 24 hours and even during the couple of worst hours, you can still climb at least one route every hour
* you climb efficiently and smartly
* you have good endurance, and are mentally tough
* you are psyched about this opportunity to push yourself
* ideally, we should meet early next week at Belmont gym during the week (or Valley during the weekend) to test water and compatibility. But if difficult, a "resume" is fine (and I can send mine too).

Please contact me if that's you.

Now, should I click "post" or should I delete the whole thing and forget about it? Hmmm... Post!

overwatch

climber

Oct 9, 2015 - 06:03pm PT

You would have to be hard to climb for 24 hours straight in a gym...good luck though

Norwegian

Trad climber

dancin on the tip of god's middle finger

Oct 9, 2015 - 06:16pm PT

i'm hard drugs.
and, do people get addicted.

tons ouf young rockstars
like jerry and janice,
court and kurtney,
hendrix had it bad.

i come in a can
and i'm like a .22 going
off in your mouth,
only i do not kill
or go bang or nothing.

i'm not poison. us.
but sorry.
i can climb and
i live within transport
distance of your bay.

tahoe or strawberry
or kyburz or phantom spires
are all ok with me.

i'm the autumn,
and i represent
the very edge
of mankind's margin.

Norwegian

Trad climber

dancin on the tip of god's middle finger

Oct 9, 2015 - 06:20pm PT

oh i'm so sorry
i didn't actually
read your post
i just assumed
from your title
that this was
an add looking
for a rope-mate.

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Oct 9, 2015 - 10:12pm PT

On one level this is interesting for me, but practically speaking if I had the time to do that, why wouldn't I go do a couple of valley to rim obscurity climbs in Yosemite? Or something with a long approach?

Mei, you should bump some of your trip reports and lure new partners with plans for your next dream climbs :)

She's tough:

I climbed with her a decade ago for the first time, and before we met I was all big talk about not wanting to climb with someone who whines about long approaches or feels like bailing out when the weather looks a little iffy... turns out I was the one running out of gas at the end of the day after a solo up Royal Arches, all the Doggy routes at Camp4 Wall, Moby Dick, with an Ahab finish. I philosophized to myself that I had already had an awesome day and didn't feel the need to suffer. So I didn't even try Ahab myself! Somehow still never have. But Mei did it like a champ, and went on to do all kinds of cool stuff of which I'm jealous.

About a year after that we did East Buttress of El Cap, very spur of the moment after not talking in ages. I had done it before in pathetic style, 2 nights of bivies! (First night on purpose). Then Mei and I did it in something like 6 hours? So she definitely brought out better climbing in me.

So she's the real deal and a good partner. This 24 hour gym thing sounds a little shaky but maybe it's like psychological training? SEAL training where you can quit as easily as ringing the bell? If you can survive that, an unplanned bivy where quitting is not an option is no biggie?

mtnyoung

Trad climber

Twain Harte, California

Oct 9, 2015 - 10:27pm PT

She's way tough.

If she thinks she can do it it's as good as done.

Hope you find a partner Mei.

looks easy from here

climber

Ben Lomond, CA

Oct 9, 2015 - 10:39pm PT

you can TR up to [Planet Granite] 11+'s fairly consistently

So 5.9?

:p

Sounds entertaining. Unfortunately I'm on IR.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 9, 2015 - 11:08pm PT

Awww. Scott and Brad, thanks so much for your kind words. It means a lot to me. Definitely turned a pout (for having not found a partner) to a smile. :)

Scott, you have ascents of your own that I'm jealous of. Take SS, definitely one of my dream climbs! Oh, yes, I will get on it!

[Planet Granite] 11+'s = [real] 5.9's?

Why does it sound so familiar? But I still laugh every time I hear it. Let's just say... maybe 5.9+? ;)

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Oct 10, 2015 - 07:09am PT

What the hell is belay certified? It all sounds so structured.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 13, 2015 - 04:26pm PT

I only just got to watch REEL Rock 10 last night and was surprised to see a whole segment on 24 hours of Horseshoe Hell. What a funny clip! I heard about it lately, but had not had the chance to look into it, so the movie provided a very close up glimpse into the event. A big part of me wants to attend this now famous climbing endurance event, although the wild party scene scares me. I guess I can do what Alex did by hiding in my tent. Now, where the heck is Arkansas? (And you might ask, who the heck is Alex? Watch the movie.)

The 24 hours of gym may sound lame, but it can serve as a pre-screen for real deals like 24HHH or the longest multipitch climb(s) you can think of.

Scott: Since you mentioned it -- I made a repeat of Royal Arches this past Saturday. Wow, what a difference climbing with a rope! I was leading the whole way with very little simul-climbing, and the rope drag was horrendous even with minimal gear placed. It completely changed the experience. With that comparison, I really appreciate the opportunity I had with you to experience the route in the most liberating form. Thanks!

Jon Clark

climber

philadelphia

Oct 14, 2015 - 08:53am PT

What the hell is belay certified? It all sounds so structured.

You'd love it, Donini.

Would love to see some 17 year old high school girl running the desk, fail Donini on his belay test.

Two weeks ago I was lectured by a gym employee twit for "improper" belay technique as I was not "belay certified". He received a lecture in return.

Sheets

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Oct 14, 2015 - 12:55pm PT

I actually think a comp like this would be fun but having it in the middle of October is really poor timing. Nothing worse to me than spending the weekend indoors when I could get outside.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2015 - 02:50pm PT

Oh, I hear ya. I wish the comp took place right after New Year. For one, it'll be interesting to climb with and watch people climb with a holiday belly, but it's also a good way to spend a wet weekend.

Well, the reality is I've passed the stage when I had to be going somewhere out of town every single weekend. All the driving gets old and the traffic is worse than ever (a good thing?). I'm happy to have some in-town weekend time. Just need to find interesting (and hopefully challenging) things to do. :)

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Oct 14, 2015 - 03:00pm PT

I actually think a comp like this would be fun but having it in the middle of October is really poor timing. Nothing worse to me than spending the weekend indoors when I could get outside.

+1

I wanted to go too, but even with a slight chance of rain, not gonna miss a weekend of climbing someplace outdoors. :( :)

Good luck!

mynameismud

climber

backseat

Oct 14, 2015 - 05:25pm PT

Let's just say... maybe 5.9+? ;)

There is no such thing as 5.9+ in the gym.

She solid for anything up to 12- (except for the whole gym thing). She can definitely go all day.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2015 - 07:16pm PT

She solid for anything up to 12-.

Thank you, but sorry, it's so not true, even with the whole gym thing. A mile away from the reality. But I hope to work my way up towards it.

Oh well, I gave it my best effort to recruit a compatible partner (posted everywhere, really).

looks easy from here

climber

Ben Lomond, CA

Oct 14, 2015 - 07:40pm PT

Hope someone comes through for you. If it's popular enough to warrant a "2" next year I'll probably be there then. (Of course I keep saying the same thing about Facelift, then real life roars back in. :/ Some day...)

Old5Ten

Trad climber

Berkeley and Sunny Slopes, CA

Oct 16, 2015 - 07:02pm PT

But to be honest, compared with endurance bicycling events, this one is embarrassingly plush as far as suffering is concerned -- sleeping bag, water, food, and restroom are all at the finger tips at all time, and there is no chance of getting injured (not allowed by gym rules) or lost.

+1

elmar

Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member

Oct 17, 2015 - 11:44am PT

I put this thread in SuperTopo Climbing News here: >> http://goo.gl/P0Vmxw

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2015 - 03:20pm PT

Hmmm... to make this thread remotely news worthy, I suppose we need a closure. The official Planet Granite 24 HOUR BELMONT BATTLE FOR BOLTS page is here: http://planetgranite.com/pg_givesback/BattleforBolts.php . Results are posted there. They say "Photos and more will be posted soon!" Some photos are already floating on Facebook, for example, this album.

A trip (trip?) report was asked of me. Busy with work and sleeping, I have not had a chance to write a report yet, although I wanted to. In summary, life is like a box of chocolates. My sequence of events goes like this:

Renee, the PG owner, shutdown my secrete aid climbing practice at the gym.

I thus became friend with Renee (on Facebook at least).

She saw my futile partner call for B4B on FB (among 20 other places I posted such as Supertopo)

She remembered a friend Gary also in search and put us in touch, so we were committed

Gary then realized it was my partner call on Supertopo he read earlier (lurker!) that he was not going to answer because it sounded too "intimidating" (or some words to that effect), but he was already committed.

We had a good time for 24 hours straight and became friends.

And we won our category.

I climbed 5.9+'s all day all night long. Here is my score card for the last four hour segment (6am-10am on Sunday):

And this picture had a summary of how the event went for our team (with Gary's permission to post). I redacted friends' comments to protect their privacy.

We were steady alright, but we were actually not that slow, although we never rushed either. Looking at the results, I actually had the second highest route count. The highest belongs to a member of a relay team, a category that's ranked by route count. All others are ranked by total score, so route count was not a goal.

That's it for now. Maybe more later, or maybe not.

splitclimber

climber

Sonoma County

Oct 21, 2015 - 03:46pm PT

CRUSHERS

le_bruce

climber

Oakland, CA

Oct 21, 2015 - 03:58pm PT

Here is my score card for the last four hour segment (6am-10am on Sunday):

Mei, did you send 40 .11c's in 4 hours, after 20 straight hours of climbing? Or am I reading that card wrong?

That is absolutely fiendish. Well done and here's one vote for the full TR!

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2015 - 04:12pm PT

I suppose I owe you an explanation. Here is the story that accompanied that score card:

Studly

Trad climber

Oct 21, 2015 - 04:29pm PT

40 11c's in 4 hours? That is climbing a 11c every 6 minutes. Holy moly thats fitness.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2015 - 04:52pm PT

Actually, quite lame. 28, not 40. Sorry for not making that clear the first time around.

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Oct 21, 2015 - 05:33pm PT

Jesus Christ you guys are hardcore. WELL DONE! 28 5.11c laps in the last 4 hours...while exhausted (well most humans would be seems like not you guys!). SUper cool!

phylp

Trad climber

Upland, CA

Oct 21, 2015 - 06:30pm PT

Mei, that is totally amazing! Congratulations to you both. I seriously don't think I could stay awake for 24 hours, let along climb.

Oh I miss PG Belmont, PGSF and PG Sunnyvale. But more than that I miss seeing the great Bay Area folks there, esp Renee.

Mei

Trad climber

I'm back!

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2015 - 10:03pm PT

Hey, that's almost insulting! ;)

Of course, it needs to be a clean ascent to count. And you are not supposed to be pulled up by the belayer either. Isn't that common sense?