Monday, January 4, 2010

Couple things I've learned...

I've figured a couple things out in my time off the past month and thought I'd share it with you guys.

1 - When I'm not climbing I drink a hell of a lot more.

2 - Not climbing sucks.

3 - I've recently taken a liking to Whiskey. Recommendations are welcome as I'm new to that particular booze.

4 - Taking time off from climbing blows.

5 - Our puppy is a pooping, biting, barking antichrist. No joke.

6 - I hate taking time off from climbing.

On a lighter note, I climbed the other day and my finger felt moderately good. A little tenderness but nothing horrible. I think we're going in again tonight or tomorrow and I'll try it out again. Nothing but warmups but it feels good to be climbing again. Hopefully that continues.

66 comments:

  1. Ah, one of my favorite vices...

    Depends upon the whiskey/whisky - do you have a regional preference yet?

    Scotch (these two are totally different)
    -Laphroaig - 10 year
    -Glenlivet Nadurra - 16 year

    Bourbon
    -Knob Creek

    Irish
    -Bushmills 10 year single

    I can't claim to know anything about any other regions.

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  2. Whiskey: Scotch or Bourbon?

    I agree with the not climbing=drinking a lot more. Although, in my case it is usually moonshine!

    Puppy problems: be stern with the puppy now, it'll save you a lot of trouble in the future. Potty training is pretty easy to get right. Other stuff, if you don't know what to do, enroll in an obedience school plus take the puppy to puppy daycare/playcare so that he can socialize with other dogs etc. I'd be more than happy to help with the puppy when I get back, I grew up with multiple dogs (some of whom were monsters) and seriously miss not having one in the U.S.

    My finger(s) were tender for a while after I recovered. The key was to slowly/carefully (but also steadily) increasing the stress placed on them so that they could get stronger. I wasn't crimping for a long time after and even now I think the injury had the positive effect that I only crimp when I absolutely have to now versus crimping everything as I used to before injuring the A2. I feel it has made me a stronger climber. So look on the bright side, you will come back with much better grip strength!

    Also, the following thought should be taken with a massive dose of salt as I have only personal experience to back it up with and zero research: once I started climbing again after the injury I found that taping the fingers up was a bad idea. If I taped up then although the finger wouldn't hurt/swell up as much (as without tape) the next day, I found that the weeks I taped up it was a lot harder for me progress with steadily increasing the intensity on the fingers. Bottom line: when I taped up the finger felt less tweaky on easy stuff but hindered strengthening it. Again, this is just my personal opinion no solid research or anything here.

    I also gently massaged the joint before and after climbing whenever I remembered/got the chance. This genuinely seemed to help.

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  3. Woodford Reserve and the expensive Wild Turkeys are very find Bourbons that you are sure to enjoy. For scotch I've found that anything with the name Glen in it tends to be good (and expensive).

    A great way to combine climbing and drinking is to visit KY or TN and do distillery tours on rest days. From climbing with Todd I learned that drinking at the crag is also an option.

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  4. Second on Knob Creek. I'm not much of a hard liquor guy but my wife bought me a bottle of this stuff for Christmas. Mmmmmmm... Smooth going down with a nice oakey vanilla aftertaste. As for beer, try anything from Stone Brewery, they just started bringing this stuff to Wisconsin about a year ago from San Diego. Specifically the Arrogant Bastard Ale and the Ruination Ale. They also have a "Vertical Epic" ale, the brewmasters must be climbers. I actually didn't like the Vertical Epic but the name is great of course. ce

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  5. I've always liked Makers Mark or Crown Royal just fine... never been one for scotch but tried some neat at a Christmas party and it was pretty good. Glen Fiddich or something like that. pretty nice.

    Also I agree with the finger taping after injury. u dont want to tape because it wont strengthen you finger. if you have to climb on everthing you can without the tape and if there are a couple problems that you are getting down to buisness and are worried about it tape it just for that/those problems and then take the tape back off for the rest of the session.

    sweaty

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  6. Ok,

    I do not drink scotch, just kentucky bourbon.
    Woodford Reserve is a great "sipper" but I still love the "bite" of a Knob Creek or Makers. This website will totally help you on your way.

    http://kybourbontrail.com/index.php

    Jack Daniel's super limited edition is good but not worth the cash. I strongly suggest buying Woodford Reserve's single barrel? or something like that. Twas amazing.



    Here is how I drink it.

    (1) small glass
    (3) ice cubes
    (1) chair

    I just restarted my 30 days off. I do not know what normal people do. I have not taken more than 5 days (give or take) from climbing in 2.5 years. FML.

    VODKA. I am now really into Vodka.

    -nic

    P.S.
    what the hell am I going to do without climbing.

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  7. Bourbon and the interwebs Nic, that is the only way...

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  8. So the obvious observation needs to be made... This is no longer a website that is "teaching the world how to be totally radical." The new official motto of this website is "teaching people how to cope with not climbing, how to stay injured and how to mask your bordem with alcoholism."

    sweaty

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  9. Your all a bunch of alcoholics!! Myself included, I love whiskey too much.

    Steve, call me dude and we go shred some gnar! Your site could turn into a snowboarding gnar gnar site, I would read it more than I do now.

    But seriously, fingure injuries suck, but they heal and I believe you always come back stronger-if healed correctly.

    Cheers man, and maybe I will see you tonight at the gym(trying to not injure ourselves).
    Remo

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  10. Snow boarding? SO last year.

    Winter, over ice, roof, amazing rock climbing is so in for 2010.

    ask me how I know?

    -nic

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  11. whiskey and grapefruit juice. watch trouble start to happen really fast.

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  12. Thank you EVERYONE! Maybe the most in depth comments I've ever had. Very funny bunch of Alcoholics we've got here.

    I've been enjoying Woodford Reserve lately. Very tasty. Definitely more of the Bourbon guy myself. Any and all reccomendations are welcome though!

    Sweaty, the headline is changed until further notice.

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  13. LOL!!! Best thread ever. Going to stop at Woodman's on the way home to see if they have any Woodford Reserve. ce

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  14. Check my blog.

    NICROSCLIMBING.BLOGSPOT.COM

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  15. Taylor's Falls? Same fences anyway and the lame telescope thing you put a quarter in? ce

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  16. http://www.forpeatsake.com/
    -nic

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  17. The headline is amazing. I couldnt be more proud.
    sweaty

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  18. Definitely Whiskey, Scotch OR Bourbon goes very well with a (good quality) ginger ale or ginger beer.

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  19. Nic- how could you withhold your bloggy goodness from us/me. super lame. glad I can web stalk your (newly) fat ass. :-)

    How did you like instinct SDS? Is it that much harder than the stand? Looks pretty cool.
    sweaty

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  20. It is lame and glued.

    It has some really good movment? But Bedwetters is much better. And WAY harder.

    The Dayton area is amazing, Youtube "River Dance Bouldering" Search all the Videos. Check out Jamie's You tube site he has a bunch of old stuff from the souf.

    -nic

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  21. O believe me, I have looked at any and all possible videos. It's all I do anymore. that and search for a bike for the triathlon I'm gonna do in May. they occupy all of my time.

    couple buddies went to dayton and riverdance was apparently mostly water filled landing. they did honeycomb though... how is that thing? psyched on bedwetters. where is the crux? ive watched a couple videos of it and cant figure it out. to bad about the glue on instinct

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  22. um, in the video of angie do it the last 2 moves are hard. Really it all comes down to is the last move up and left.

    Honeycomb is really good (AND A GIMMIE), Great climbing and cool holds. River Dance is the best thing out der.

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  23. P.S.

    I flashed instinct sit. It is easy. You could maybe do it. Maybe.

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  24. You dont have to be mean and hurtful just because I have established a B3 problem in Wisconsin that is un-kneebarable and impossible to climb upside down. It is v7/12. In fact you should add that to your cute little list and make it a "Big 6"

    sweaty

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  25. HA.

    I cannot wait for the video.

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  26. You guys are insane. Sweaty...Bedwetters is a better line, for sure. do that. don't do instinct. I was dissapointed when i saw it for the first time. painful, glued, sharp holds. Cool looking line overall, but not up close.

    Climbed again last night and felt good. Gonna do some routes on friday or saturday. so sick. so rad.

    Starting to feel less fat again.

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  27. steve - I am happy that you have been drinking enough to mask your injury pain.

    Nic- I dont need video i have witnesses, 3 of them. The climb is called Chaos and it is way to hard for you, especially because by the time you try it you will probably have gotten up to my weight and will certainly fail. Then I will come out and dominate the 30 degree project while you hold a camera and weep in the background.

    love,
    sweaty

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  28. hahahahaha....

    That is it. It is on.

    New goals.

    1) Flash Choss, I mean Chaos.

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  29. Dear Chubby,

    Good luck!

    Love,
    Sweaty

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  30. It actually seems very flashable with good betas. As for the choss aspect, I did break a small chunk of the far left crimp while I was working it. Didn't affect the problem at all, but we just gotta remember that it's wisco sandstone...

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  31. Just wanted to put another post on here. Going for some sort of record. ce

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  32. I think we need to get it up to 35 or so. That's been the best so far. Keep up the shit talkin' boys...

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  33. How did we get off topic? This is a booze website, right? not a climbing website.

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  34. I used to make Black Russians a lot. Or what I thought were Black Russians. 1:1 Vodka and Kahlua. Mmmmmmm. Wish I had one right now. Also White Trash Hot Cocoa. Essentially 3:1 Hot Cocoa to Vodka or whatever else you have laying around. With marshmellows and/or whipped creme from the can on top. Good for Minnesota winters. ce

    PS. 35

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  35. I bowled a 175 tonight. not bad considering I am out of practice. I love bowling. Can you make a bowling website. in fact that is what you and fatty should do while not bowling. become professional bowlers and totally rule life as we know it. That would be awesome.
    sweaty

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  36. Whiskey ginger tonight! Leaving for Montana tomorrow- Stoked.
    Drink up boys,
    Peace,
    Remo

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  37. Vodka and Hansen's soda. HOLLY SHaT!

    along with drinking and climnbing I also enjoy Boobs.
    -nic

    Make a new booby site!

    nic

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  38. I am pretty sure that I once heard that there are a couple pictures of boobs on the intarweb. Google image "boobs" and see if any pics come up. I would, but I'm at work. Let me know if you see any. ce

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  39. Boobies on the intarwebs? What? Must check... Oh god, you are right!
    .
    .
    .
    10 days later Australian news reports that foreign kid dies in apartment of dehydration. The coroner reports that said ferner had an abnormally large right forearm although this may have something to do with the individual climbing during his pastime.

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  40. WOW.

    Dark, Funny, I like!

    Steve Posted a bunch of stupid silly face pictures of all of us but what about nipple slips? Steve, I will await your nipple slip post. Make sure it is girls and not some dudes.

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  41. No, no, no, to keep things gender neutral we must have dude as well as dudette nipple slippage. This is the year of being politically correct.

    I am pretty sure we could charge people for a view of the gentleman's nipples. And then there has got to be some sick fetishist that would pay to see the horror that Steve has instead of a nipple.

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  42. Looking forward to tomorrow's weekly non-climbing topic-opener. Right Steve? 44, ce

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  43. Steve will punt like he always does and put something up about his wedding and not Titty's...

    OMG! THAT IS IT!

    WEDDING TITTY'S? DID THEY HAPPEN?

    45

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  44. I feel obligated to write something just so that the count can get to 50. I am bored, I have already drank too much today, too weak to climb... someone entertain me!

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  45. You guys kick ass. Not sure if I'll get something up today. super busy work day with deadlines/previews and such. Maybe, but doubtful. Anyone wanna do a guest post??

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  46. I forgot what I was talking about.... o yeah bowling. sweet.
    sweaty

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  47. How was your birthday bowl sweaty? See any titties? 50, ce

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  48. The bowl was fun. Fairly certain that it was a titty free excursion, which is always sad. There were big balls though which certainly takes a close second.

    Then I thought I saw Nic a couple of times but realized it must have just been bowling alley regulars with their bellies sticking out from the bottom of their bowling league shirts. Striking resemblence though!

    Sweaty

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  49. I am getting fit, Sweaty.. I am going to make a strong comeback.

    -nic

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  50. Wife bought Woodford Reserve today. Mmmmmmm... Yeah on par with Knob Creek. ce

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  51. I totally agree with what coleman said. Right on point. Like sarcastic but really true and well thought out.

    Alright, out it comes, I'm in love with Coleman.

    sweaty

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  52. I agree. I'd rather hear what Coleman has to say than Steve. It's definitely a more interesting read.

    I vote that Steve give the blog over to Coleman. Maybe then there will be some tits.

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  53. It's true! If I know Coleman.... and I do, the guy loves some tits. I am in favor of a revolution.

    LONG LIVE COLEMAN AND HIS FUNKY SYMBOLS
    LONG LIVE COLEMAN AND HIS FUNKY SYMBOLS
    LONG LIVE COLEMAN AND HIS FUNKY SYMBOLS

    HOORRRAAAAYYYYY

    Sweaty

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  54. Naughty! I just clicked on the .......... that is after the funky symbols. Probably shouldn't have done that. Hello spyware! ce

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  55. Coleman is silly.

    sweaty

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  56. Haha, deleted his comment. I'd let him do a guest post though....

    I think I need to put something up just to shut you guys up. Glad you like Woodford Eggnuts....Tasty...

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  57. Yes, you need to put something up. Lest we continue this inane banter indefinintely. Man, I miss fall. ce

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  58. I'd offer to do a guest post (now that the blog is about not climbing and drinking) but then this great string would die.

    One of coleman's buddies posted a comment at my blog today too - so I set him on fire...

    And then I found $5

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  59. could I have $2.50 of that?

    sweaty

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  60. I wouldn't say I've been missing it Bob. ce

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  61. Follow the white rabbit. ce

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