Pilot with Mark Daughtridge

Any Major Dude

These were the routes we did on Sunday the 9th of Decemeber.

• Unnamed/Right Chicken Bone/Pilot Error 5.7 (flashed on TR)
• Devil in the White House 5.10+ (flashed on TR)
• Mild Mannered Secretary 5.7 (flashed Sport) 
• Any Major Dude 5.11+ TR (didn't complete)

Devil in the White House was definitely one of the pumpiest, hardest routes I've done to date.  I took it on with little resting, hoping (guessing) the holds would be there when I reached for them.  It was quite a gratifying feeling to reach the anchor without any resting on the rope or falls.

Any Major Dude kicked my ass.  I was well on my way to completing it, however, as I reached the crux move (which looks like a big left hand reach/dyno) I developed a strain in my back from the awkward stance I was in.  Unable to reposition myself to rest that muscle, I flailed until I had to peel off the wall into the adjacent tree to rest.  A few more attempts proved futile as I burned through my remaining energy and tried to ignore the persistent pain in my back.  After cutting my left middle finger on the sharp rock and contemplating how much I wanted this send (at the expense of further injuring my back and cutting my finger), I asked to be lowered.  Mind you, this is a 5.11+ (5.11c?), so I'm not disappointed.  I'm glad I was able to get as far as I was, because it's the hardest route I've ever attempted, and I can see how to do it.  I know I can do this.  Not bad for someone who's only been climbing since April of this year.

Next time I go back to Pilot, I definitely want to do Black Rain which is a 5.9 sport.  Someone was on it constantly on Sunday, so I didn't get to try it.

09DEC12