Big News, Big Plans, Good Times!

So first news is first... I just sent my first 8a (or 29 for you Ozzies)!!! Super psyched!
The route was 'Tsing Tao Beer', a route that was originally 7c+ but is considered good 8a these days. So happy! And it only took me about 10 shots so that's super encouraging.

And sending that put's me in a great frame of mind leading up to the Petzl oc Trip up in the Getu Valley in Guizhuo Province at the end of this month. We are heading there tonight for 3 weeks or so of tearing it up... Can't wait!

Finally, here are some pics my friend Hans took of me on the amazing 'Red Dragon' 8a+/30 at Moon Hill. I am doing well on it and I think it may go after we return from Getu.. So psyched! See you all in a few weeks!

Red Dragon... Mid crux...

Setting up for the last move to the chains...

The awesome double toe hook bat hang rest two thirds of the way up the route :)

Cool clip for today...

Morning folks :)

Here's a cool clip I just saw posted today. I spent a little bit of time here in Yangshuo with Sam last year when he and Emily came to Yangshuo for the climbing festival here. Great guy, lots of fun, super strong... check it out :)

Sam Elias on the seldom repeated Tomfoolery in Rifle Canyon. A route at 8c put up by Tommy Caldwell circa '96 or '97 is rarely climbed yet attempted by the best. An ultra bizarre style gets you up this route and Sam Elias made a repeat in the summer of 2010.

Shot and Edit: Joe Kinder
Camera: Canon T2i
Lenses: Canon 16-35 f2.8
Canon 85 1.8

Good friends doing great things!

This last week has been a great week for news from friends. Confirmation of an Oz contingent coming next spring to my new home here in China for a visit is top of the list and is followed by good friends doing amazing things all over the globe. The most amazing of these has to be the following two awesome sends...

Firstly Mayan Smith-Gobat, my good friend from New Zealand, absolutely crushing it in Yosemite Valley lately, climbing the amazing streak line of 'Peace' 5.13d in Tuolomne Meadows and capping things off with an absolutely amazing acheivment of freeing the 'Salathe Wall' 5.13b on El Capitan. She is an amazing person and athlete and I am so stoked for her.

Congrats Mayan, so well deserved!
Check it out on her website: http://www.mayanclimbs.com/

Mayan in front of El Cap (pic courtesy of http://www.mayanclimbs.com/)

The second amazing send of the week is that strong little monkey from the Blue Mountains in Oz, young Mr. Ben Cossey doing the ultimate Grampians bopuldering test piece 'The Wheel of Life'. I'm not going to mention a grade for this as it is sort of one of those 'great debates' in climbing but it is without a doubt one of the most amazing lines I have ever seen and is brick hard regardless of a number. Massive congrats to Ben for such a great acheivement. This is the 5th ascent of this testpeice now after Di Koyamada, Chris Webb-Parsons, Ethan Pringle and James Kassay. Mad props Ben, mad props :)

Ben Cossey on 'The Wheel Of Life', Hollow Mountain Cave, Grampians (Pic from 8a.nu)

That's about it right now. Just thought I would share some of the good news that's keeping me psyched right now! Now, out to the crag!

Peace, D.

The Season - An awesome video series

So I just got put onto a cool video series called 'The Season'. Well, 'The Season 2' to be precise. It is their second series of this cool story telling video format that is being shown on the Arc'teryx website (http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN) and at http://www.theseasontv.com/

Awesome footage, beautiful settings, excellent story telling; all in all an aweome watch.

Go check it out, there are 7 episodes of the Season 2 up online now with much more to come. The first season can be watched on ITunes by following the link in their 'about' section on the website.

Enjoy!