Africa Files-Part 16-Pics

Just another bry fire as per usual around deez parts
My dirty nature upon hospital admittance, notice the banana
My new threads for some english patient time, Thanks Matt
Pete on 'Creaking Heights V4'
Danny a great and myself chillin', prone to mischief

Africa Files- Part 15-The Return

So at the beginning of the week I returned back to this home I have carved out in the Cederberg mountains. It was great to see the friendly faces of climbers and such that I have really bonded with already.
It has been an interesting mix of gratefulness and disheartening, because I am able to rock-climb again but my body took quite the knock with this whole ordeal and the reality is my physical state shows this. Like I said not a bummer but just an interesting dichotomy. That being said I have made it to the top of some things. I did 'Dirty Lies V8' in a few minutes after falling on the top out during the flash. I worked 'Nutsa V12', it sounds really hard but with the quikness that I did 'Sunset Arete V9' it is surprisingly close feeling. At the end of the day I feel ripped up and soar though which is quite the new feeling. Hopefully this is all for the best and I have some more great rock-scaling ahead of me.
I have done some internet sleuthing in my down time and must say that it is good hear about all the psyche and good climbing happening in CO and hope that it continues. I will also put in some great shots that my friend Matt took of my first day back so stay tuned and most importantly stay psyched. AR

Africa Files- Part 14-The Rest/Rehab

Atop the beautufl Table Mountain
Looking down a Table Mountain gully into CPT
A Lizard I chilled with atop the mountain, these guys aren't affraid of no ghosts
The bluffs of the twelve appostles into the Atlantic side

Since the last post I have been resting at my dear friends Carol and Stu's house in Cape Town. It has been really excellent to drop off of the radar(my own included) and just recover from 'that epic'. I have been sleeping alot and consuming great amounts of food in an effortto regain myself. It seems to have worked as well and I am feeling mostly myself again. With almost a week of rest under my belt I have made two quike little adventures, one up to the top of Table Mountain in CPT and the second to Fish Hoek Beach. I am including some pictures of Table Mountain so one can see how beautiful this Cape Town landmark is. On Sunday I head back to Rocklands with renewed psyche, so lets see what happens-AR

Africa Files-Part13.5-The Epic(cont'd)

Now that the sponge bath was finished it was time to return to my nice old rusty bed. I spent the rest of the day watching my arm to see if the streaks that were heading up my bicep were indeed to stop with the anti-bodies now in my system or to continue to a much more serious state. Eventually the nurse came in a turned on a TV and low and behold possibly the greatest movie of time was playing, Beverley Hills Ninja. So there I lay as an African English Patient and watch Chris Farley, what a life.
Next thing I know I am being woken with great speed as though something is the matter but I soon found that they just don't believe in bed rest and they felt compelled to wake me up pumping a higher dose of anti-bodies into my arm which are very cold compared to the bodies temperature of 98.6DegreesF. The new fluid to my body burns through your vein structure. The sun rose and the day began to pass but the nurses had not come back in to washthe wound as they said and I just took matters into my own hands, literally. I cleaned the wound and then resumed my horizontal life on the bed.
In the late afternoon my friends Greg and Magda came in to the room to check on me and upon my explaination of the stay thus far we all concluded that I should bounce to Cape Town with them. Magda throwing down the local Africaans tongue like a champ and Greg setting up a crash pad bed in the back of his truck I made my exit. Three hours in the back of there truck(bucky) and we were in Sumerset West a town outside of CPT. In the morning Greg drove me a house in the south of CPT were I now reside with my friends and great people Carol and Stuart. After all of this I am quite ready for a break from the mountains and am in need of gettingthis infection squashed. So for now it is avocado sandwhiches in the beautiful botanical back yard Carol and Stu, a welcomed break. AR

Africa Files-Part 13-A series of Unfortunate Events

Hello to al my friend in blog land. I have some less than good news to report, it involves borrwed cars, lots of speeding, needles, hospitals, scalpals, overweight nurses and the subsequent spunge bath, hours in the back of trucks and eventually and delicous avocado on toast.
So it began with a morning and beautiful morning at that. Upon waking I noticed a small red dot on my arm. Thinking nothing of it I relished in my newfound comfort of a shower at the campground. Went boulding as per-usual and felt very strong despite all day I never really accomplished much as I could not generate full power from my left hand. A little bit bummed by the seemingly unbalanced day of feeling realy strong but accomplishing little I retired to camp and jolined everybody to the bar that night as it was a friday and people were looking to get out of the mountains. I got to unleash my dance-bone and lets just say that Africa may not have been ready for a mix of me and euro-trash techno but they certainly jumped aboard quikly. BUt I had to crash pretty early because everything was just feelinga bit off. In the morning I woke and the light through my tent cast everything a red color so indeed my arm showed red but when I vacated the tent my arm was red for reasons independent of the light. There had been an incredible amount of swelling and I knew that something was going down in a bad way. I asked when people were heading into town and with no definate answers being given I convinced Danny a British climber to let me take his car in and grab him food/get me to the doc on the asap. I took his Daihaitsu to unpresedented speeds of the pass and later dirt roads. In other words I made a 30 trip in 14 minutes. Picked up my friend Matt in town and left him the car and booked it to the doctor. While explaining the urgency to the receptionist the doctor walked in and upon a first glance said that I would be heading to the hospital but as he is the only doctor for the hospital as well it was going to be a while until he could get around to helping me(ie-The Tri-Nations Rugby match was about to come on). Being a persistent young fellow that I am I convinced him to at least start the treatment in his office. The treatment turned out to be the doctor cutting my arm open on his desk with no anesthetic(Speachless Pain) and venomous ooze began to pour from my arm.
Okay, so now I though it is time to get to the hospital but when I stepped outside I couold not find Matt or the car so I bouced the Police Station and requested an immediate ride. So there I am now again in a cop truck in AFrica except this time flying through traffic with a hole in my arm. I got admitted and when they saw that underneath all of my dirtyness I was white they asked whether I would be paying or had a health card? I said health acrd and I was taken to a seperate wing of the hospital. I git an IV plugged in with antibodies and there I was upon another adventure. NOw it was just a waiting game to find out if we could reverse the blood poisoning and I just lay there watching my arm to see whether the streaks were indeed continuing up my arm or where now receading. The nurse seemed to be quite sure that all of this trauma was happening because I wore sandals and climbed rocks and have a mono dread and as a result she was insistent that I change cloths but only after being scrubbed by her. She made my homie Matt get me some new threads at the store(thanks Matt) and it was off to a spong bath.Sparing the detalis it was a humorous occasion.

Africa Files-Part 13-A Series of unfortunate events

Hello to al my friend in blog land. I have some less than good news to report, it involves borrwed cars, lots of speeding, needles, hospitals, scalpals, overweight nurses and the subsequent spunge bath, hours in the back of trucks and eventually and delicous avocado on toast.
So it began with a morning and beautiful morning at that. Upon waking I noticed a small red dot on my arm. Thinking nothing of it I relished in my newfound comfort of a shower at the campground. Went boulding as per-usual and felt very strong despite all day I never really accomplished much as I could not generate full power from my left hand. A little bit bummed by the seemingly unbalanced day of feeling realy strong but accomplishing little I retired to camp and jolined everybody to the bar that night as it was a friday and people were looking to get out of the mountains. I got to unleash my dance-bone and lets just say that Africa may not have been ready for a mix of me and euro-trash techno but they certainly jumped aboard quikly. BUt I had to crash pretty early because everything was just feelinga bit off. In the morning I woke and the light through my tent cast everything a red color so indeed my arm showed red but when I vacated the tent my arm was red for reasons independent of the light. There had been an incredible amount of swelling and I knew that something was going down in a bad way. I asked when people were heading into town and with no definate answers being given I convinced Danny a British climber to let me take his car in and grab him food/get me to the doc on the asap. I took his Daihaitsu to unpresedented speeds of the pass and later dirt roads. In other words I made a 30 trip in 14 minutes. Picked up my friend Matt in town and left him the car and booked it to the doctor. While explaining the urgency to the receptionist the doctor walked in and upon a first glance said that I would be heading to the hospital but as he is the only doctor for the hospital as well it was going to be a while until he could get around to helping me(ie-The Tri-Nations Rugby match was about to come on). Being a persistent young fellow that I am I convinced him to at least start the treatment in his office. The treatment turned out to be the doctor cutting my arm open on his desk with no anesthetic(Speachless Pain) and venomous ooze began to pour from my arm.
Okay, so now I though it is time to get to the hospital but when I stepped outside I couold not find Matt or the car so I bouced the Police Station and requested an immediate ride. So there I am now again in a cop truck in AFrica except this time flying through traffic with a hole in my arm. I got admitted and when they saw that underneath all of my dirtyness I was white they asked whether I would be paying or had a health card? I said health acrd and I was taken to a seperate wing of the hospital. I git an IV plugged in with antibodies and there I was upon another adventure. NOw it was just a waiting game to find out if we could reverse the blood poisoning and I just lay there watching my arm to see whether the streaks were indeed continuing up my arm or where now receading. The nurse seemed to be quite sure that all of this trauma was happening because I wore sandals and climbed rocks and have a mono dread and as a result she was insistent that I change cloths but only after being scrubbed by her. She made my homie Matt get me some new threads at the store(thanks Matt) and it was off to a spong bath.Sparing the detalis it was a humorous occasion.

Africa Files- Part 11-The Fresh and the New New

Africa, how great and new she can feel when you just move out of an abandoned old crack house and back into your tent in the company of great new homies. I have been changing it all up, I have been doing manual labor(ie-building shit yo) and showering(go-figure). But even more so I feel way psyched to go rock climbing in a new spot on new problems and just feel anew. It was very hot the other day(80F) but I was still able to put good effort in and make quick work of 'Born into Struggle V9' and 'Poison Dwarf V8'. Then I went sport climbing to really mix things up and really almost flashed 5.12? and ended up doing it second go and it felt real nice to do things completely different. Spice, spice the spice of life. Love to all and enjoy the pictures.
AR

Is that a bouldering brush in my pants or am I just happy to have sent?

Demi Lune V4. Super classic. Unfortunately my gangle bone covers up most of the problem in the picture.

Now see here, dames. we call this one Ulam. He's not to be trusted. Small crimps, big moves, he's shifty, see? Sometimes I talk like this, copper, and there is nothing you can do about it. (in 1920s gangster voice)

Sicky problem at Riverside. The name is Au pie delans leau or something equally French.

Cedar Spine, baby!

The top out looked too easy so I dyno'd the motha'. What the picture doesn't show is my spotter running for cover.

Africa Files-Part 10-My Ho is gone and the Move

Hello everybody out there in blog-land. A few major things have changed since we last spoke. First of all Zaych left, but not without making his project go down in quike form, 'NBA Jamz V8'. It was such a rad adventure and absolutley crucial to have a master of travel to accompany me for this voyage of Africa proportions. Lets all wish Zaych the luck on his ways to becoming a doctor of astro physics, see you soon doc.
Last night I relocated to De Pakhuys, which is essentially a wonderland of climbing camps. It already has been a blast with big communal dinners and a bunch of great people from all over the world expollsions and all. Much more to come and many pictures as I am able to use the internet here. Alsi I did 'Minkki V8' in super quike form and is just another unbelievable rad line.
AR

Africa Files-Part 10-Some Epics

Today Zaych and decided that is was indeed in our favor to have a second rest day and heal up the body and the skin. This proved to be exceptionally important as Zaych had been crimping like a machine these last couple of weeks. This resulted in a some internal tears of the tissue and an infection to spring up. As one can imagine this is a mega bummer for a climbing trip to have your ring finger pad out of commission and in immense pain. But like the team we have become we decided it was time to stop at a South African doctor and get that mother taken care of. An hour from that decision we had already hitched a ride into the town visited a doctor and Zaych received a giant needle to the finger and manually drained it! The specifics are confidential but lets just say that Zaych earned some mega gnar points(reference previous posts). The plan is to get one more boulder problem finished, 'White Mazda Clan V10', before leaving our little crack-house and joining the masses at Depaukey's. Media to come I assure you-AR

Africa Files-Part 9-The Life(an update)

Just an update on the goings ons of my trip. All is well and Zaych and myself are feeling healthy and psyched. I did an amazing line yesterday called 'Black Spider V9' which felt very hard for because of its length and word has it that it harder 5.13, who knows? But it was a great line and a great time. The weather has been really ADD from hour to hour and day to day so our psyched nature is really working well. To all you who wants some media, I have been harvesting it. But idle threats will do you no good. You must use a carrot with this horsie. Like I said just a little update but to end I will add some facts of life as I have found them.

Facts;-Rock-Scaling seams to just not lose its fun for me and I am perpetually psyched, even a surprise for me sometime.
-I feel better about the world knowing Jaeger is out there finding new boulders and using his gnar beam on all geology/friends/and authorities alike
-The Rocklands are truly staggering and yes my knees have buckled
-PB&Jays are a 10 out of 10

Psyched and with love-Ander

Africa Files-Part 8-The Best Boulder Problem Ever?

Alright, here is the deal, I think some are prompt to exaggerate when it comes to preaching about how classic a boulder really is. And perhaps I am now joining those ranks. But I found the 'Cedar Spine SDS V9' to be what I would consider truly 5 Stars. I had only a few minutes with this beast two weeks ago and was only able to try the stand start. This problem takes many pads and since I seam to be lacking in the quantity but not the quality(Thank you Josh-ORGANIC_WHAT WHAT) I was at the whim of the crowd. So I did this great problem in stand start form in about three goes but knew the full beauty was yet to come. Yesterday I found people at this problem and got a few minutes to suss beta for the SDS. I gave her a link and fell at the last move(big air-fun/scary), then everybody decided they were ready to move on. Bummer!! It seemed as though yet again I had caught a tail end of a session and chalked it up to a typical saying, "Sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles". Zaych and I tried a few more problem and at the end of the day I gave some nice Italians some beta and informed them that they perhaps had left a chalk bag over by that great problem. As luck/fate would have it one of the Italians wanted to see the spine and as the sun was setting I was able to assemble the minimum pad quota. So I gate it a go to warm up and fell at the last and very high move again. Then the Italians were talking about leaving as it was actually getting quite dark. The Italian told me we both had more go. He had a nice go from the stand and this really left me with some business. At the mercy of the pad situation yet again I just decided to enjoy this great and try really really hard as it was actually dark at this point(no head-lamp). I floated through the bottom and just took a second to breath and enjoy the climbing at about the half way point. Finally the last move came and I just decided to lock-off and put a little hop to my step for the final latch and the super man air that was to come. An ascent that really meant something for me and great realization. A truly beautiful climb and a beautiful moment!! So Pysched.

Some thoughts from a great man

Ben Rubin has sent us(Zaych & myself) some great vibes thius whole trip and helped us with some stateside communication which we appreciated a bunch. His latest installment has been profound, check it out.

"I'm glad to hear that all is going well. Keep on sending plenty of
gnar. I was once told by and elderly gentleman that gnar does not
necessarily come in the form climbing. Rather, he said, that gnar
points come from doing simple acts in an extreme manner. So, going to
the store...on roller skates would equate to about +3 gnar. Rock
climbing 5.10+ would be about +9 gnar points. I mean it just depends.
Like today, I'm going to work but I as well will be "sending the
gnar" by throwing trays to the customers (+1 gnar).

Gnar is the SI unit of extremeness and awesomeness. 1 Gnar (gR) is
measured as the Mass of the doer divided by the mass of the recipient
object plus 3 kilajoules. This is then taken to the power of 7
divided by the gravitational field of the mass of the object. The
equation looks someting like:

((M1/M2) + 3kJ)^(7/Grav Field M2)

I think if you use this equation, you'll find that most everyday
activites have some sort of gnar level. However, most gnar
calculators these days round too much such that most everyday
activities do not read on the gnarometer.

I guess Time magazine or some publication had a small article about
the gnar-liest man out there. Apparently, Elvis has taken the cake
for the past 20 years. It seems that all the publicity he still gets
and all the impersonators contribute greatly to his gnar factor
(f(gR)).

Who woulda thunk?

-Ben"
Zaych and myself have been activating our much needed rest bones. -Ander

Africa Files-Part 7- The Media

Africa Files- Part 6-The Actual Climbing

Zack and I have really started to get into good groove and the great weather has allowed for the climbing on all the days we feel it. I have been feelin' great and climbing at least a V8 or harder everyday. Zaych has been climbing his best and now sent a 'A Question of Balance V8', which I sent as well and we both decided that this may be the greatest problem yet. After a rest day we went to the famous Roadside boulders and had on of the best and most tiring days ever. I started by onsighting a classic highball 'Creaking Hights V5' and then quickly dispatched with 'A Question of Balance V8' and 'Sunset Arete V9' with were both absolutely excellent and a real dream come true. We took our mandatory PB&J break and ran around to see all of the beautiful boulders. I decided to try one more problem and warmed back up. Within a few minutes I did another great V8 which just capped off a beautiful day.
The next day(yesturday) Zaych and myself got picked up by the great and welcoming Amy & Jon and went back to the Roadside for the morning. Feelin' really tired and low on skin the V6's took a couple of goes. I eventually got warm and started to work on a great dynamic problem 'A Pinch of Herbs V10ish'. I got really really close for the quick ascent but will just have to enjoy this line another day. Psyched. We then walked up to the Roadcrew boulders where Amy and Jon had some people to meet. Feelin' super low on skin and energy I had to chill for a few minutes but then could not help but get psyched on this line of a problem called 'Rooi Klavier V9'. It took some real deep efforts and a few breaks but I was able to send it and in real good form. I talked to Andy Mann over at 'Amandala V15' and it sounds like him and his crew have been having a blast. Got to experience Paul Robinson sending this amazing line in good one day style, amazing. Daniel Woods seemed really close and I am sure will get it as well.
I have a better internet connection and will try to post some media. But having the time of my life and I send my best to all you greats out there. SO SO PSYCHED...

Africa Files Part 5-The Rain/Climbing

There could not be a better match of people than Zaych and myself as the time spent in that small room amongst the humidity was a blast in its own not climbing way. Finally I snapped and with some beta from a local I found a traverse that does not top out that stays dry. The rock was dry but I was not and I brough and extra set of clothes. After changing I warmed-up by trying to flash the trav and after three goes I dispatched the first bould problem of the trip, 'The Egg Files V8'. Game on!!
Over the last couple of days Zaych and I have beem climbing and sending with great speed. More and more to come. For a full list of sends before the next entry check out my 8a.nu link. Lots of Love to these great universe & SOPSYCHED!!

Africa Files Part 4-The Rain

As fate would reveal we showed up in the Rocklands at the wettest rainy spell in which the flooding was unbelievable. A long story turned short we arranged with the farmer whom owns this property to inhabit/clean up his crack house that was in total diseray. Zaych and myself quikly made it quite the home. Pictures are included. We sat out some 5plus days of unbelievable torture rain.

Africa Files Part 3-Getting to the Rocklands

One step closer and now in Capetown Zaych and myself investigated bus routes to Clanwilliam because we were detered from hitch-hicking(weather and safety). We got on a bus and within six hours were dropped off in the middle of the night along route 7, miles from Clanwilliam still. WE put on some thinking caps found a payphone and called the police, yes the police and they agreed to pick us up and bring us to Clanwilliam. Yet one step closer to rock. Once in CW we convinced the police to drive us into the mountains and drop us off at the abandoned campground but not before making several rounds through the town in an effort to control the drunken saturday night herds. We eventualy got dropped off at the campground in the pouring rain.

Africa Files Part 2 Cape Town

Once I arrived in Capetown I got the exciting oppertunity to wait 12hrs for Zack. All the while hoping that any of the ride prospects could work out. It turns out none of them did and I finally got some much needed sleep on my old friend the crash pad. Then the man himself (Zaych Money) came and it was full swing for the good vibes and the laughs that hurt your face. We stormed up some ideas as to how we were going to get to the rocklands. We played a bunch of shirtless hachy sack, the janitors thought it was funny to say the least. Long story short we arranged for a friend of a friends ex-boyfriend's mother to save us from the lights and persistent music of the airport.