Muddy Buddy Race Is Coming To Minnesota

Lisa did this race and had a super fab time. It’s a little biking, a little running, and a little crawling thru the mud with one of your buddies. Or, as they put it, with a “partner in grime.”  Lots of info here.

Better Get Yourself One Of These

With the biggest snow storm in the world, EVER, forecast for the next few days, better get yourself one of these rescue dogs in case you get buried in snow trying to buy a burrito at Taco Bell. (My dog would dig thru snow to find me as long as I had a pork chop around my neck. Otherwise, he’s too busy.)

Sandstone Ice Festival

The ice festival is this weekend, Friday – Sunday. There are a few of us going up there on Saturday. It’s about 1.5 hours north of the Twin Cities. If you need to rent gear, talk to Lisa ‘cuz she knows more about it than I do.

Looks like all of the clinics are full. We’ll have informal clinics during the winter in town as soon as the ice forms up. (With this new cold snap coming in, it won’t take but a few more days.)

Take A Second Look

I did this once too:

“I started up my warm-up, and for the first time I believe I’ve ever done this in almost 18 years of climbing, I forgot to put draws on my harness, reaching the second clip only to discover—surprise!—I had no draws to hang. Fabulous. I downclimbed to the first bolt, took, and lowered to the ground to start again, this time with draws on my harness.”

It’s a little unnerving but memorable. She has lots of stories on her blog about her climbing trip to Red River Gorge, where she spent – I think – more than a month. If you start reading her blog at the bottom of the page here, you’ll get lots of info about her training program and the length of her hair. (Length of my hair has never been a big concern of mine. It grows and then I cut it. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later.)

Be Careful On The Ice

Don’t move too fast or this might happen to you.

Seňor Anthony Entertains The Kids

Buenos Dias. Como está? This is Antonio entertainingo the kiddos. Muy bien. Notice the sombrero on Anthony. What a jamon he is!

 

Recovery From Injury

Jen climbed today and is recovered – mostly – from her injury.

Not Ready For Prime Time

Here’s what Homer’s Odyssey looks like at about 2:30 today. Not quite ready for prime ice climbing yet.

180 Foot Climbing Wall

That’s the plan for these unused silos in Omaha. Wonder if it’ll work.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s an existing climbing gym in Bloomington, IL which has a 65  foot silo as well as a 110 foot outdoor wall lighted for night climbing.

Another one in Oklahoma City.

And another one in Dallas. This one doesn’t have much info about it.

Tour The Alps

And listen to some good music while you take the 3 minute tour. The story of where and how is here.

Timelapse movie: The Alps -- part I from Michael Rissi on Vimeo.

And here’s the night-time version which is even  better.

One Last Video

This is the last video I will post – I promise – of our canyoneering trip in October. (I recently found this video hidden in some folders on my computer. Lucky you!)

Good Reason To Break Up?

Sounds like a person climbs better after a break-up. And, according to one story, if you free solo, be sure there’s a tree beneath you.

 

What A Way To Celebrate

This woman celebrated her 50th birthday by leading a 3 pitch ice climb in the San Juans of Colorado. Here’s her entry – with her backstory - in the GoreTex photo contest to win a bunch of stuff.

 

Tallest Tower

This video was shot from the top of the Dubai Tower, the tallest tower in the world. (The audio stops after about 40 seconds.)

Climbing While Young

I thought that a 10 year old leading a 5.10 was quite young (I didn’t embed it  because the video is just too long), then I found a 5 year old in competition and then a 3 year climbing in the gym.