SkiSickness

Naomi is on a plane right now. She should be able to get some good sleep when she gets home where the sun doesn't shine so brightly.

This is a random picture of George on the Blowhole.


Naomi started climbing again within the last month. One afternoon we did some climbing and she led a 5.9 and a 5.8 just to get a feel for it again. Then she led a couple of 9+/10- pitches on our next day at the crag.


This chimney-roof thing is always fun.


She's doing a great job of starting slow and easing into it again; I'm proud of her restraint and patience.

Here she eats a delicious coconut-flavored Bobo Bar with the Rio Grande in the background. They're vegan, gluten-free and very tasty.

I heard about them on the internet but last night I noticed them at REI. They will be added to my adventure snack rotation.

After a couple of days leading on gear, we both agreed some sport climbing would be fun. Kevin leads the easiest bolted climb at Below the Old New Place, a funky 10a, with the Truchas Peaks in the distance.


Ian took his first spin on Monsterpiece Theater, arguably the most classic .12a at the crag. Here he attempts the crux.

YIKES tiny, sharp crimpers in the cold shade, no thanks. I will certainly wait for warmer days to send it again.

Naomi got a shot of me getting my camera angle while Ian worked the route.


Then it was time for me to get funky.


Flesh-Eating Gnats is one of the signature 5.11 arêtes of the area.

Naomi led this one for her first 5.11 lead in a long time. I'd like to get a video of her making that dynamic move one of these days.

C'MON THE SITE IS CALLED SKISICKNESS AND IT'S JANUARY DON'T YOU SKI ANY MORE!?

Sure I do, here's a shot of the situation from the ridge at Taos Ski Valley. We could use more snow.

We still had a few good days skiing and Naomi made her first turns since knee surgery. We have some horrible photos of us from Taos. Here is a decent one from the couch.


I skied my first day on my new downhill setup. Praxis RX stiffies, 189 cm, 116 mm under foot: first few runs on groomers, hard pack and moguls at Taos felt like I was learning how to ski again. Plus the mount is farther forward on the skis than my other setups, so several adjustments had to be made.

Mostly I really need to get aggressive to initiate turns in moguls and on hard pack.


I found patches of powder in the steep trees lower off the ridge. Thinking about how this rig will ski on a real powder day gives me funny feelings in a very good way.


We climbed some excellent 40-m sport pitches in Diablo Canyon yesterday.

Naomi in the thick of it during her on-sight ascent of Grape Ape. Fun!

WTF are those tights you're wearing? Can you even buy stuff like that anymore?
ha
looks like good fun in NM! Lovin the sunny SW winter!

American Apparel, thanks to LIZ for the tip.

I sure do love the sun. Just ask Naomi.

Wow. Not sure how I feel about the tights. I'll have to get back to you on that.

WE COULD SURE USE SOME MORE SNOW TOO

How is the breathability of those tights? Do they have good range of motion? Would they protect me from the damp snow of SWBC? What's that bright thing in the sky?
so many questions...

These Bobo bars sound tasty. I hope she brought some back for Maddy. It is her birthday soon.

Your new apparel is sick. The RXs take a bit of getting used to in bad snow. When mounting so far forward, I find it takes like 10 days on them to adjust your style accordingly.

Good to see Naomi is back on the rock. Let's go for a swim together this spring.

Yeah yeah, I'm back and super excited! Saying 'no' to Sky's ideas of more climbing and skiing was definitely challenging. I would like to send some rocks this summer, so please climb with me. Oh yeah, and maybe in a couple months I can ride big mountains again too.

It definitely nice to be able to sleep in in a dark room, but I sure miss the NM sun and Sky talking about how the sun is nice 10 times a day every day :p

be honest Naomi, you must also miss him in those tights!

sky, will you ski with those things in the spring?

Retro 1995 man. Do what makes you feel happy bro. Hahaha

Those tights were worth registering for just so i could comment on how awesome they are.

New Mexico looks awesome, I'll have to make it down there some time. Good to see you doing well and getting after it, Sky and Naomi.

-josh

I just bought some Freerides on sale (+"PRAXIS" code) and noticed the somewhat forward mount too. It feels like going from driving the ball of my foot, back to the mid-foot or further to really engage the tail sidecut. On the plus side they seem stable, balanced on anything I try to jump (small), and I don't wash out the back in soft snow (leaning back a bit seems to be a gas pedal actually.) And that's on the smallest size even (174cm, they were sold out of 184's; I'm 175cm 70kg) Hardpack may be a different story, TBD. I tried some Justices all over Stevens with a similarly forward factory mount point and they didn't carve in-bounds at all like my older orange Verdicts do (self-mounted -1 cm from CM with Fritschis on the Verdicts.) The pivot point was such that a forward driving stance caused a tail skid ('smear?') rather than a confidence-inspiring carve. But that's also a light ski widely reported to do that. I pondered the CM's a lot but decided to have faith in the manufacture. The forward mount rec's seem to be a [freestyle] trend? I don't know, you all have been skiing a lot longer and better than I have.

At this point I like the mount and I feel like my 189 cm RXs are optimal for shredding any time, any place.

Excellent, then I find this encouraging. I picture your finesse for inspiration

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