Distilled Spirits: Bouldering in Virgina: November 2004

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Passing of an Era

After many seasons of sessioning countless problems in the SE, this Sunday was the end of the affair for locals, Truc Allen and his wife Heidi. The local crew converaged at the Knob for a final session with Truc....

Joe L Lauren G

Phil M, Cliff H, Jay, and Eric P

...even Roanoke's only surfer made it out!

After the dust settled and the beer cans collected, the day was full of first ascents, repeats of classics, camraderie, shit talking. All that was washed down with some Cabo in Blacksburg, making the complete the day.

Oncecompleting our 3 mile train wreck-of-a-hike, we arrived at the boulder field. After warming up on some new classics like...

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DDT

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Indian Jones and the Temple of Plates

A few new problems were scrubbed and cleaned. First up was "The Helping Hand", V2. This problem is located on the far side of the boulder in front of the IJATOP boulder. Starting on a juggy ledge, ascend the white face via sloppy jugs to a typical McAfee's Knob mantel.

The next to be sent was "Jondis", V2 Starting on a low jug, climb the arete to the right of The Helping Hand. Carefull of the tree.

The jem of the day, though, was the probable FA of "IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome)", v5/6. While possibly done before, this problem needed some extensive gardening to show its true beauty. Truc pulled through the roof to a ratchet arete for the FA. IBS is to the left of IJATOP, and starts under the roof on a jug. It comes out the roof via jugs and climbs the arete via ratchet moves.