Unless you’re living the dirtbag dream or happen to work a job where you have Mondays and Tuesdays off, Monday probably isn’t your favorite day of the week. Whether you’ve just spent a three-day weekend camped out under your project, took a few “active rest days” to hit the slopes during the off season, or got…
Tag: climbing
The Dirtbag Privilege
The dirtbag lifestyle is a choice. There was nothing forcing Alex Honnold to drop out of college and live in a van. Instead, he chose to become a “dirtbag” because he was passionate about climbing and had the means—it was his mom’s van—to drop everything and leave. Not everyone has the financial ability and longtime familial support…
Auto Belays: Why They’re Simultaneously Great, Okay, and Terrible
By 2023 most gyms will likely have Siri-like auto belays for partnerless toprope fanatics. Climbers will simply press a fingertip to a small screen and don their wireless earbuds to have a soothing female voice ask them, by name, if they’re ready to climb. You’ll be able to tell Siri if you prefer a loose…
Seven Reasons to Encourage Your Friends to Toprope
Toproping tends to get a bad rep in the climbing world, and for many good reasons. It’s pretty hard to “cheat” and let your belayer take weight off through the crux if you’re on lead, and toproping (usually) isn’t as scary as tying into the sharp end. However, sometimes it can be beneficial to encourage…
If Climbing Genres Were Types of Coffee
Originally published January 11, 2016, on coffeetapeibuprofenclimb.blogspot.com.
New Year’s Climbing “Resolutions”
First, I should come clean: I’m not a New Year’s resolution type of person. I don’t join the hoards of two-week January Planet Fitness goers who lose interest in legs day long before Valentine’s Day chocolates—I can’t say I’ve ever done legs day unless jogging counts. Nor do I resolve that this is the year…
Tie Back Those Flowing Locks
I felt nothing, but the sound was sickening: A soft ripping. I looked up, mid-fall, suddenly not caring where my feet hit. My hair, ripped in half, now dangled from the quickdraw I’d just been next to. It was an atypical December day in Rumney, not because I accidentally created the worse side-swept bangs I’ve…
Happy Holidays: The Hierarchy of Climbing Gifts
Originally published December 21, 2015, on coffeetapeibuprofenclimb.blogspot.com.
20-Minute At-Home Workouts for When You’re Rushed or Just Feeling Lazy
Some days are busy, other days you’re lazy, and sometimes you need a short workout to round out your climbing day. So whether you’re desperate to get in a little training during your lunch break or want to wring the last bit of strength from your arms at the end of the day, here are…
The Art of Yardsaling
No, I’m not asking you to sell the seven old pairs of climbing shoes you’ve “been meaning to resole.” Nor am I going to tell you how to maximize your time picking through stuff in other people’s yards. I will, however, give a detailed description of how best to “yardsale” your belongings before, during, and…
Wrapping up Thanksgiving: How to Bring Your Leftovers to the Crag
If you’re like me, your mom decided, once again, to make enough stuffing “to have leftovers” and sent two pounds home with you, along with half the turkey, green bean casserole, and half a can of cranberry sauce. It’s hard enough to get motivated for your fifth night of Thanksgiving turkey, but how can you…
INTERVIEW: Alex Honnold on “Alone on the Wall” and Climbing While on a Book Tour
Alex Honnold released his first book, “Alone on the Wall,” on November 9 and has been traveling the country giving book talks since. Before his first presentation and signing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Alex let me ask him a few questions about his book, climbing while on the tour, and what he defines as “easy climbing.” How did…
Coffee. Tape. Climb. 