FFA, Dods, Dastardly - Pride and Comeupance - TR

[JosephH]

For some reason I've been obsessed with Dods for the last few weeks. Probably because I'm normally fat when Beacon opens each year and always get spanked on Dods my first time out each year. Even after getting in shape each year I typically never quite get 'comfortable' on the damn thing - it's never helped that I can't really jam worth a damn.

 

This year though, I miraculously kept it somewhat together over the winter and of late have decied to 'come to terms' with Dods once and for all. To my complete surprise - and I have no idea why - the jamming thing seemed to just suddenly start 'happening' out of the blue when I first got on the line a couple of weeks back. Not that I didn't still layback the thing, but those initial, unavoidable jams seemed to just flow smoothly and the whole crux section ended up thorouhly enjoyable.

 

It was relaxed enough that I decided a couple of days later to go up and try to rope-solo it for the first time. That ended up going really well, even if seconding it was a bit more edgy and arduous than actually leading it. After a rest up on Big Ledge, I then started up Dastardly only to run out of gas almost immediately, backing off, and rapping off of Big Ledge calling it a day. A week later I came back and roped soloed the line again making it up Dastardly to the trail railing with no problems at all.

 

I then had to slack off climbing for a couple of weeks because of work, a trip to LA, and another to Seattle. On getting back to climbing this weekend, Hanmi and I headed up FFA and Dods so that, between her husband Jim and I, she could start getting in some laps on them herself (she's doing great on them, too). That also went really well - in fact, I told myself it was 'casual' - so today I figured I'd make another rope solo journey up to the railing again just to kind of 'lock' the whole thing in so I can move on to other things.

 

Well, it actually all did go casually to the tree, but then on heading up the business it all unravelled amazingly fast. I got my sequence off the tree wrong managing to stick the second cam where my hand neeeded to go and it all over pretty damn quick. Two more falls followed trying to relocate the cam and then the obligatory aid up to where it eases off, and then bailing.

 

In the end, instead of 'locking it all in' I got my ass completely handed to me for getting too cocky and now I'm sitting here trying figure out how I get my Dods mojo back. I mean it was literally almost like I'd never been up the damn thing. Where I was hoping to move the damn thing off my plate once and for all, it's now back as irritating as ever. Oh well - it's the seminal Beacon lesson - don't get too ahead of yourself or cocky as you're never more than one move away from a spanking.

 

How did Marsellus put it? Oh yeah:

 

The thing is, Butch, right now, you've got ability. But painful as it may be, ability don't last. And your days are just about over. Now, that's a hard motherfucking fact of life. But it's a fact of life your ass is gonna have to get realistic about. See, this business is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers. Motherfuckers who thought their ass would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don't. Besides, Butch, how many fights you think you got left in you anyway? Two? Boxers don't have an "old timer's league". You came close, but you never made it, and if you were gonna make it, you would have made it before now.

 

[ivan]

"feel that, big boy? that's pride - fucking w/ ya!"

[billcoe]

...and the next line MUST be included there "You gotta fight through that shit!"

 

I hated that movie.

 

At least your getting on it JH! It's the effort that counts.

[ivan]

It's the effort that counts.

damn bill, why can't you be an asshole so i can glibly say "is that what your girlfriend whispers to you everynight before you fall asleep?"

[kevbone]

Nice JH

[billcoe]

It's the effort that counts.

damn bill, why can't you be an asshole so i can glibly say "is that what your girlfriend whispers to you everynight before you fall asleep?"

 

 

 

You just did!

[denalidave]

I'm still getting my ass kicked following the crux of Dod's, let alone leading it.

 

On another Beacon note, I had a few brand spank me new Master Cams out for the first time last week. I placed one toward the top of Sufficiently Breathless but it walked a bit back and only 2 lobes were touching the rock. The other 2 lobes were not touching anything since it walked to a big hole in the back of the crack. After trying to replace it for a minute or so, I realized I was way pumped and just had to go for it. The belay ledge was only a few moves away and I did manage to get both big jugs at the belay ledge but it was to late. I pumped off and thought for sure the cam would not hold but it did. The 2 outside lobes had gotten twisted/spun around backwards so it held passively like a nut. Took me a few minute to wrestle it out of there but once I bent it back into shape it was good as new, well almost, anyway. Flight tested and approved now. I keep wondering how it would have played out if it would have been one of my ancient Aliens... I'm pretty sure the fall would have been clean, although much longer, had the piece failed (like it should have), but I'm really glad I did not have to find out.

[JosephH]

"Butch: In the fifth, my ass goes down"

 

Hell, I didn't even make it through the second round...!

 

Dave - glad to hear that cam held. Always a bummer to fight through a crux section to the primo jugs and then not have the energy left to use them...