LET'S TALK ABOUT: TheSendSpot.com

OK Homies,

In case you're into crushing some sick routes at your nearest rock gym, then I think I should let you know about nifty little guy called: thesendspot.com.

Has your gym started taping their starts with QR codes? Don't worry, the robots aren't taking over. It's the send spot! The send spot allows you to upload your climbs from a registered gym by either scanning the QR code with a compatible device (your phone!) or by finding the route on the site itself.

"So what now I can use this sorta facebook like blah blah to keep track of my climbs? So what? Who cares?" Well, guy who I'm sure would say this with a Brooklyn accent, the site keeps track of the average number of moves you make per month allowing you to monitor your training a little more closely. It keeps track of the number of climbs you've completed over time, which reveals training gaps. AND FOR FUN, it has a rating system (explained on the site), which allows you to compare yourself to other climbers on the website.

"So how many of dem gyms are even on this site anyway?" Man, you are a curious New Yorker aren't you? There are several gyms, and the number keeps growing! If your local gyms isn't on it, then ask the manager to look into it! I even got the small rock gym at my undergraduate: St. Mary's College of Maryland registered with practically no trouble at all! So, to all the gyms out there, this is an opportunity to connect with a network of climbers. Furthermore, thesendspot provides climbers with the ability to rate the climbs at your gym and express their opinion regarding the difficulty of the climb.

So what are you waiting for!! GET SENDING! [thesendspot.com]

and find me: username: jamesbondthemesong42

Til next time!

Kevin 

Being home!

I moved out of my summer house (I was living with Kev) to go back home for a week before I'm off to my senior year of college. I honestly can't wait to start my senior year so I can end it!

I have a few super exciting things coming up!! This weekend I'm going to Myrtle Beach with my amazing best girl Mae, but before that I'm getting some much needed family time! I'm going to a MLB baseball game this Wednesday to support my Orioles and on Thursday I'll be at Mother/Daughter yoga with my mom. I'm going to have to super alter the moves considering I'm struggling to walk on my knee still, but I think it'll be a good thing!

I'm back to school in one week, but luckily only a few days after that I'll be going to a concert with my amazing boyfriend (who I haven't seen since the 20th). We're going into DC to see Bleachers and Misterwives. I couldn't be more excited!

I'll try to keep y'all updated!

xx

M

V4, V3, and a twisted knee!

To finish off the week Kevin and I took a much needed trip to the climbing gym. It was supposed to just be a burn it out sesh for me. Basically just hammer on the weak spots and go for climbs that I normally wouldn't do at all. I continued working on a V3 that'd been snagging me up and started on a V4 that has a couple places where footwork is tricky. 

The V3 has two tricky sections: a barn-door move and a double sloper move. I can go smoothly through the barn-door section and up to the first sloper, but the next move gets me. I'm heel hooking with my right and my left foot is under me, and I have to do a big reach up to the second sloper with my right hand, and every time I slip right off. I'm going to keep working at it, but progress is slow.

The V4 starts simply enough, it's a low sit leaned to the right with the first move being a reach behind with your right hand. I can get through the first 4-5 moves, but there is a pinch that right after you have to switch feet in order to finish the climb. The only time I securely got the pinch and could switch my feet I slipped off. 

Long story short: in both cases my footwork was lacking horribly.

I really love both climbs and I wish I could have worked on them more, BUT when I was goofing off on a little V0 with a reachy overhang I slipped off the wall and ended up twisting my knee. I tried one more climb after that, but it was pretty clear I was out of commission.

So right now I'm typing this from my bed as I ice my super swollen knee...

Cheers!

M

The past week: Calleva and Cubs

This week started completely normal as I started work. As most of you know I work at a summer camp in MD called Calleva (which means where the paths cross) and I work with a wide range of ages, from 3 to 15! This past week I was working with 3-5 years olds and it was possibly my favorite week so far at camp!

On Monday I noticed we were a little under staffed so I recruited Kevin to join in on the week. It was awesome! Early in the week there was a huge thunderstorm so when the lightning and thunder stopped we dressed up the kids in black trash-bags (to hopefully keep them dry) and played a round of "Darth Vader Tag"!

Despite the rough weather early in the week the kids all had a great time exploring the rivers and woods of Calleva, creating art projects, meeting farm animals, and even having several dance competitions. The little Cubs (their official Calleva title) even put on a skit! And it was great to see their hard work pay off as they performed it for their peers (I wish I had pictures!)

It was a great week and made me a lot more confident in my ability to work with young kids! Seeing all of them so excited and happy for camp made every rough moment 100% worth it.

Til next time!

xx

M

This past weekend... (aka killing the game)

Hi hi everyone!

So yesterday I went back to the rock gym, but I was definitely wayy too tired from my awesome climbing Saturday. Saturday I felt great and managed to hit a sweet spot when I was climbing and finish my first V3 ever. It was fairly short with a few careful and intricate movements, and luckily (!) with my balance and flexibility I was able to do a climb that I had watched climbers better than myself struggle on.

It was amazing to finish it and I felt on top of the world, but I think my favorite part of getting the climb was figuring out the type of climber that I am. While my boyfriend is a very technical climber with lots of height, and his cousin is a powerhouse climber, I think my type of climbing is going to be more focused on balancing my body over small movement to sneak through climbs. I'm definitely much more secure on that than any other form of climb!!

Til next time!

xx

M

Did you miss me?

CAUSE I MISSED YOU!

Okay pinky promise that I will not disappear again.

Kevin and I spent a super amazing vacation up in Acadia, Maine! Tons of amazing rock climbing and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Kevin as always was a total champ and you can see all his amazing pictures by visiting his blog! (Oh yes, I've turned him onto blogging).

He's so sassy he was made for this! I mean, come on, look at that face.

I had some great climbs up there! It was absolutely beautiful and we got to climb some cliffs on the coast! The views were insane. I worked on some of my first ever traverse problems! They were much different than anything else I had climbed before, and seeing as I haven't been climbing very much in the past year I wasn't expecting much to come from it. But there was a huge crack that made my hands pretty easy so I got to focus on my feet. 

Then I started working on a V2 that definitely had a reaching section. I ended up having to half reach half dyno to a jug that ended up tearing my pinky one sweet flapper. But I was super dedicated once I got that jug and topped out a few moves later! Don't worry, I left my blood on top of the boulder!

From then on it was cake! And I got a few more good climbs before we went home!

We also did some regular mountain climbing!! And from us to all of you: GO TO ACADIA! Or honestly any national park. Climbing, hiking, swimming, bird watching, WHATEVER YOU WANT!! Just get out there and enjoy nature's beauty and your nation's gift.

xx

M

(and K)!

Personal Update!

Let's Get Personal! Acadia Trip

I am pleased to write that I have officially bouldered outside, and will be writing a review of my crash pad soon!

For those interested in the adventure:

My wonderful girlfriend Molly (who is responsible for the photos, link to her blog here) and I went to Acadia National Park in Maine staying in Bar Harbor. Hiking, eating, touring were all as fantastic as the East coast can offer. Before the trip, we planned it out with the help of rockclimbing.com and the mountainproject.com. It took some effort, and not all searching was fruitful, but we found some magnificent boulder spots: (Monument Cove, and Gorham). Truthfully, it was a fantastic trip for climbing in a place where bouldering is present, but not the most popular form of climbing. Not to worry though! As I walked with Molly, crash pad strapped to my back, climbers of all varieties would ask "You're bouldering? Where?". Plenty of friendly faces and rock lovers to go around.

Acadia is full of some pretty neato-burrito boulder problems along hiking trails with fantastic views. It also happens to be the only coast climbing on the East coast. The difficulties of the respective problems vary from good warm-ups (V0) to the extreme (V13). You could live a good life full of climbing in the town of Bar Harbor: full of beer from the craft ales of the Atlantic Brewing Company and good food of the Mainely Meat BBQ (located next to the brewery, which by the way offers amazing free tours!).

But seriously... That was some awesome beer and BBQ.

It was a fantastic trip! All of which I owe to my gal and her family. Thanks Molly!

Til next time!

Kevin 

SHOE REVIEW: Muira (lace-ups) by La Sportiva

The Muira (lace-ups, size 41.5):

A sleek design. A minimalistic feel. The Muira provides comfort and performance in force with this tremendous success by La Sportiva. There is a reason why these shoes were awarded "shoe of the decade" (that's right folks, "decade").

I've climbed in the Muiras for about a year and a half now. I've bouldered, top-roped, and lead in these workhorses and found myself pushing my limits in comfort. They are worn down and in need of a good resole. Even with absent toe and smoothed-away rubber, I can still go big and rock the rocks with little loss of my performance. Well done La Sportiva, well done.

Highlights:

Comfort - How La Sportiva managed to squeeze my toes into an asymmetric point without reshaping my metatarsal bones is beyond my comprehension.

The heel - La Sportiva's new release: the Futura has the body of the Solution with the heel of the Muira for a reason. It's a simple piece, but it runs narrow while tapering to the heel for a snug, sensitive heel.

Narrow - I have narrow feet. I have struggled with getting rid of the dead-space that narrow feet fail to occupy. Wider-footed ladies and gentlemen (particularly gentlemen) may find that the Muira is too tight. However, for those with narrower feel will likely find (as I have) a good form fitting shoe.

Rating (scale of 1 to 5):

Bouldering - 4.5

Sport Climbing - 5

Crack - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5

Til next time
Kevin