Climbs and Crafts

It's been a while since our last post.  Shortly after the 2012 post was published, bad weather hit...for about two weeks.

Grant had a real tough time during those two weeks.  He had to deal with the constant crafting and messes that are involved with crafting:  yarn and knitting needles, ropes, sewing machine, thread, fabric, duct tape, etc.  The constant giggles from women knitting was getting to him.  He knew that shortly, he too would  be forced into some project or another.  As Bill Ortman, Grant's dad, says, "I never invite her (Grant's mom) to the job to help me with my projects, but somehow I'm involved in every one of hers."

Amy, Julie, and I knitting and Toby is not excited about it.

The rope rug:

The first rope rug I made took a 60m rope, a huge piece of wood, a lot of nails, 4 days, lots of beer, shots, and lots of pulling.  That rope rug now hangs out in front of our house for Grant to trip on everyday before he gets out of work.

This rope rug was going to be different.  And it was.  6 climbing ropes from the gym, a cocking gun, and a day with nothing to do later...

Here, Grant is cutting a rope to start getting the core out.  Which is suprisingly hard to do.

The start of the rugs

Taylor and core shot ropes go hand in hand.

Grant and Taylor trying to take the core out of the rope.  It really is a two person job.

Grant adding the glue

The finished product.  This one only took three hours to make!

Thank you Metolius for making most of these ropes!

Alright, now about climbing.

     I have never felt so spoiled when it came to climbing until I moved to Bend.  Being from Washington last, it was kind of unthinkable to climb outside in winter.  So this year, I was expecting a long cold snowed out winter with occasional climbing here and there in 4 puffy jackets.

December went, January hit, and now it's Februrary and still climbing in tanktops.  This is nuts.

Attempting Full Cool Ranch 12a

We find ourselves picking out "winter" routes and "summer" routes because its possible to climb at all seasons here.  Freezing fog doesn't deter us because we know that as soon as the sun hits, it's "suns out, guns out."

Grant on the bottom of Vicious Fish

Grant is making great progression on his route even though he is typically able to climb outside one day a week, due to work and normal life activities.  Going from working out the bottom half of Vicious Fish 5.13d to one hangs at the top in such little time.  He will send it at any go now as long as he fights off the numbed out fingers.

Grant falling.