matt segal

I picked Robert up from DIA last night at 9:30 and we got straight on the road. 11 hours later we’re sitting in line waiting to cross the border and the real adventure begins.

The longer I wait to write a post the harder it is to get the ball rolling again… Sorry… It happens… but my new years resolution is to make this blog a little more consistent… I’m going to shoot for a blog every 2-3 days. I even got a new phone that I can do updates from! Technology these days is so crazy! So stay tuned for more posts…

After being a way from Boulder for almost 6 months I made it back and it seemed as if nothing really changed… same shit, different day! Was a nice feeling at first but I was over it after the Baltic weather rolled in. I believe there were record lows in town, it was -9 F one night… Brrrrrr!

I was lucky enough to log in a few days in Eldo before the Baltic weather rolled in. The first day was really nice, Renan and I ran into the canyon and climbed Rosy Crucifixion, a classic 2 pitch 5.10. It’s so fun! Some of the best rock in the canyon… I always forget how much fun climbing easy routes is, stress free, really reminds me how much I love climbing…
The second day in Eldo was fun but definitely not as pleasant as day one. We decided to go to the Rincon Wall,  a wall that I’ve logged in over 20 days at. It holds some of Eldo’s harder traditional climbs including Musta Been High 5.13R/X.

I tried to warm up on the Classic 5.11 called Climb of the Century. Its such a good route, I think I’ve done it at least 25 times, even climbed it barefoot. The crux of the route is the beginning and is protected by a green C3. As I grabbed the crux holds everything popped… hands and feet. I fell with the rope slightly around my ankle and flipped over… Was pretty spooky since neither Renan or I was expecting me to fall… In the end it was all good…its always good to get the smack down!!!

Tobey on Climb of the Century

Renan on Rosy Crucifiction

Renan and I at a belay

Just as I was settling into the Boulder life it was time to leave, I spent a week in Miami visiting the family which was a good time. Was really nice to escape the cold for some Florida sunshine.

Now I’m unpacking from Florida and repacking for a last minute adventure south of the border. My good friend Robert got word of this undeveloped climbing area somewhere in Chihuahua Mexico. So I decided to jump onboard and check it out. Hopefully it wont be a total choss pile, but if it is, Hueco here I come!

Also Renan posted a video he edited that John Dickey shot of me earlier this spring climbing China Doll 5.14R. Check it out at Renan’s site: rockmonkeyart.com

My niece Scout, the cutest thing ever!

Scout and I

Wouldn't be a proper holiday season without a drinking dradel game!

Sorry its been a while… non-stop action since my last post, I sadly left Sheffield on Saturday and began the journey back to the states. I had an 11 hour flight straight to San Fransisco for the 2008 North Face Athlete Summit and have been in here for the last four days. Finally I’m heading back to Boulder. At the moment I’m stuck in the San Fransisco  Airport since its dumping snow in Colorado. Whoopie! Exactly what I wanted to come home to…

This photo is from mid trip, mAtt on End of the Affair E8 6b

England was long and hard but ultimately a good experience. Was definitely a physical, mental and emotional roller coaster of a climbing trip. I feel I encountered a lot of what England’s gritstone has to offer, from the rare perfect crisp days to the miserable socked in days.

So Alex and Kevin decided to bail early, both wanted to make it home for Thanksgiving. But the team grew a little with the arrival of Cooper Roberts and Robert Thoren, we decided to cook a proper thanksgiving meal for the brits, the main course being a 41 pound turkey we got from the local butcher. Biggest bird I’ve ever seen, it took all three of us to get it in the oven. Pretty classic actually, the turkey was so big the oven tray couldn’t bare its weight, we had to put three rocks at the bottom of the oven to brace it. Pretty cool, gritstone was actually cooking our turkey…

Robert and the 41 pound turkey

Robert, Cooper and the Bird.

Yummy! George Taylor Photo

George Taylor Photo

With only a few days left I decided to bail on Baltic Burbage South to try Parthian Shot. Was a tough decision but I was pretty much over trying to send the route after the last miserably cold day up there… I got really close, fingers slipping of the crux pocket but it just wasn’t fun for me or anyone I dragged out there to belay. So I said screw it… I would rather not send and go have a fun day climbing somewhere else.

So the decision was made  to go back and try Kalusa Kline a Johny Dawes E7 I fell on earlier in the trip. The route is a classic grit route, extremely touchy slab climbing and harder the shorter you are… Was so crazy! First go, I tied in super nervously and got all the way up to the last move, a long reach around a corner. I didn’t fully grab the hold and started to barn door (swing out of balance) for a split second I thought I was sending but then realized I couldn’t move and my fingers were slipping off the sloppy side pull. Before I knew it I was flying through the air then smacking the ground on rope stretch. Ouch! I fully missed the one crash pad we had placed at the base, bummer. I chilled for a few minutes then tried to jump back on the horse, I wasn’t relaxed enough and took the same fall again except I hit the pad… way more mellow. Not wanting to get cold I didn’t rest at all and jumped right back on, I should of known better, my heart was still beating fast from the previous fall and I just couldn’t relax, so once again I took the crazy ground fall…

Logging in the air miles

Luckily I had a good motivating crew with me and with bruised feet I got back on, fully relaxed and motivated I sent! So psyched, best day on the grit… It wasn’t the hardest or most dangerous route but I fully got into it and was having a blast climbing, even though I was hitting the ground and obviously wrecking my body a little… I couldn’t stop laughing. So fun!

The last couple nights in Sheffield were definitely the most memorable, simply carefree fun! Running around town with good company and staying up through the morning dancing. Here’s some photos of the adventures in town!

Cheers!

Leah

Kevin

mAtt

Mina

Robert

George

Coop, Robert and Leah owning the dance floor

Who's Bigger?

When it was time to leave, I found myself pretty bummed… The hardest thing about traveling is always leaving and moving on. But its all good, I’ll be back much sooner then later… why not?

Finally, I have to give mad props to the other two members of Team America, Alex and Kevin. Both climbers are extremely talented and over all pretty fun to spend time with, true heroes in my book not only for their climbing but for putting up with me over the last 6 weeks… but really, these guys are two of the most inspiring climbers I have ever seen in action, they just crush what ever is put in front of them. So sick!

Alex on Knocking on Heavens Door E8

Alex onsighting Gaia E8