Every rock will have a name

These are intresting times to be a climber. The sport has gotten a big upswing in recent years and Im pretty excited to be a part of it. New routes are being set up everywhere and I cant help myself but eyeballing every possible crag and boulder I see around me. If we keep this up in 10 years from now every rock will have a name.

A friend of mine made the point that he isn't as psyched as me about climbing and has no ambition but to climb as a hobby. I do understand this position but I also know he has never climbed outside which to me is what really ignited my ambition for climbing.
My first time climbing outside was on Vancouver island at Comox Lake. From the parking lot you walk 10 minutes through a mosscovered temperate rainforest and pass some beautiful crags. Walk further and get you can climb right over Comox Lake with an awesome view. Not neveryone get's this kind of experience the first time and I consider myself lucky.
A big part why I love climbing is the simple fact of being outside but also being in wonderful environments preferably in the forest or with an awesome view and most importantly your climbing on real rock. This is why to me climbing inside is just a means to the end and if you've never tried outside climbing your missing out.
We repelled down from about a 15m cliff and I'll admit to being a bit nervous. If you asked me if im afraid of heights I would typically say no. But in this case I guess the answer would have to be yes. I believe there is an inert sense of being afraid of heights but something you can also train away. Leaning out over the edge is the scary part but once I lean out and feel the line taught I feel secure and soon as I'm over the edge it doesn't bother me as much. It also helps that once your climbing you don't really pay attention to where you are, all that matters is the next move and looking down is only for finding foot positions or contact with your belayer.

I bouldered Tuesday and had an ok session. I finally did my 7a bouder problem so one would think I had a great session. I did it on the second try without any problems. The first time I slipped off and just had to brush up the foot holds for the second attempt. I just didn't feel as strong as I sometimes do and it could partly be because my finger is still bothering me a little bit. Im not sure how it feels but as my brother wisely told me "If your not sure then it's not good" and he is right. It doesnt hurt when I apply preassure to it but Im beginning to think it's my A3 and not A2 pulley that is bothering me. Im still taping it along with my support middle finger and will keep that up until it doesn't bother me at all. I read a good blog article about new climbers euphoria and injuries and felt like it really spoke to me. I decided to try climb less intense overhangs that can put a lot of stress on the fingers and work on enhancing technique, balance and grip strength instead (not crimps).

I stopped counting black taped problems (6a-6c+) at the gym and started just recognising which ones I havent finished instead. I tried doing some red problems and working to enhance my technique. I still find that I use my reach (I'm 194cm/6'4" btw) a lot and allthough I've learned to embrace my benefits I try not to if it means bad technique. Im going to start working more on white problems and see how it goes. I almost flashed a black taped problem yesterday if it had not been for a person starting a climb right where I needed to go and I had to abort allthough I was super solid. I did it the second time no problem and allthough it was easy because of my length I do think it's nescerssary to set up another short term goal.
So Im going to do harder problems but less intense, confusing I know but I'm going to try to work on a balance of doing less overhang and less crimps. This is really an oximoron since the less overhangs the smaller grips usually. Here lies the challange I guess and hopefully this means lot's of slopers which I have been doing really good on lately. I guess all that practise have finally paid off!

Tomorrow Im going to a different gym to do some top-roping with some coworkers and I'm really excited to do some top-roping again. My endurance last time was terrible and it will be nice to give my fingers a rest from bouldering.