hows the akl/chch mojo crew ???
29 August 2006 - 2:50pm
Just thought I'd check with yas...
Hows life with everyone Mikal, Middlemasty, Buzz, DrAndrew, MrBuist, Morgan, Tigger, Craig, Fiona, Annalise, Dave, Wiggly, DanP, Luke, Regs, That loudmouthed sketchy dude (Chris) etc etc ??? What have you all been upto ?
Well update from the land of two seasons (Winter and July), it goes from fucking hot to fucking cold quicker than falling off a wet bo-pep slab ( in one week it went from a good solid below 10degrees, 2 hrs north of here snow fell, then went to 30+ )
If you thought I was out of shape before my ass is in a sorry state now. But I'm a born again boulderer and on the ComeBackTrail(TM) you see I work right next door to one of the better gyms in Toronto (the best for bouldering that's for sure). The routes suck ass (major ass). It costs soo much to heat these buildings in winter (down to -25c) that having a big Edge like facility is a non-starter. But they make up for it in sickness on plastic.
I figure I'd better get my shit sorted for when I get to come back to NZ so I've got some hope of laying waste to 1080 !!!!!!!!!!!!
So yeah I've applied for Permanent Residence here, which means I can't leave the country till it gets processed, at this stage February/March. When I do get to come back there'll be no fixed abode so I may pick up one of those five hundy vans and hit the SI. Buzz - you'd better be ready bro !
Oh yeah and we just came back from a big trip out to BC (passing through the Rockies). HELLL YEAH BABY. That place rocks. Biiiiiiig fuck off mountains. It's like driving being surrounded by the southern alps on both sides of the car !!!.
Let me know how you all are, throw some scandal in the mix, I want to hear it !
10-4
Mojo
PS: t's all about these...
30 August 2006 - 10:02am
#2
Dan brother.. I really don't know how you survive up there. Seeing weather reports of ridiculous sub zero 'highs' !!! Remind me again how much longer you're going to hang out up there ?!
The job market is hot in TO.. could do with a good climbing partner down here !
Good video there hey, at work at mo so haven't had a good chance to watch thoroughly will get to it later. Pulled out Southern Faces last night for a trip down memory lane... ahhhh Paynes !
Have a wicked time on the trip, send us photos ! mail at rowanhick dot com. Presume I'll hear the screamage from here !!
31 August 2006 - 4:32pm
#3
Hey there Rowan :!:
Good to hear from you man, so you do remember you have a climbing site after all :P. Sounds like everything is going well for you, except the extreme climate. I don't think I could deal with that amount of snow and cold at all. Best of luck with becoming a full time Canadian man :P.
Life has been alright for the most part as of late. Working and carrying on like usual. I have not been anywhere near anything to do with climbing in a good number of months, or anyone for that matter too - sorry I just vanished :(. Have not really had the motivation (understatement) for these sorts of activities. Not even sure where I left my gear :?. Just a ghost.. .
1 September 2006 - 1:38am
#4
Hey Row Dog,
AMEnto not being in sub-zero land! Its only 10-12 at night here...that'd be like Summer over there! ;)
Not much happening here - esp climbing wise.
Nutshell:
I'm Still Employed
Plastic Pulling Poofter..."Ring a bell?" - mainly bouldering
MTBing = GOOD!
Living in your old stomping ground Parnell.
I feel that this Summer NZ will be inundated with climbing foreigners.
1 September 2006 - 3:03pm
#5
@craig - get rid of casper the white ghost uniform and get your ass to the gym pal, if I'm getting ready for a NZ mission 11'000kms away you can too !!
@morgan - mate I'm telling anyone i come across 'nah you don't want to go climbing in nz, it's all shit eh, they bolt plastic on the holds, grid bolt every couple of feet' lol. good to hear you're still pulling plastic. I was watching southern faces the other night and have set myself a target for when I come back .. Responsible Lunges :) I'm now into first skin lossage and attempting V5's .. in my first fortnight back so who knows, with a bit of conviction it might be possible :) Good to hear you're on the mtb'ing binge, going out to woodhill lots then (with little Andy ???)
summer is actually really fucking hot (except for where dan is). we hit something ridiculous like 47degC (adjusted for humidity, 38 actual) mid July.
1 September 2006 - 3:43pm
#6
Dude! Good to hear from you,
Was just checking out your 'empire' the other day at work. See a few familiar faces crop up on there. Your new home and travels look sweet.
I've been doing zero climbing. Don't think i've climbed since easter (I know i know). Law and commerce are keeping me out of trouble and the library is my second home now, well its actually a lot more pleasent than the shit hole flat we occupy at the moment. For example, cardboard jammed in the windows equals insulation. That and the much practised student pass time of drinking to much and playing guitar to all hours of the night seem to take up the free time i have.
I do however have the best intentions to climb again and am getting motivated again watching dvds and reading old mags. ALthough me thinks it will be a long road back which is kinda a depressing thought, oh well only one way to fix that i guess.
When you hit the SI man i'll be keen as mustard, give me something to train for aswell.
Anyways good to hear from you bro =)
4 September 2006 - 1:15pm
#7
Hey Rowers
Hasn't been much happening down here in Chch on the climbing front. A little indoors action as we've been having a real winter down here for a change, and most crags have been too wet to make use of.
Most of the crew have been hitting the great white slopes of the Southern Alps with bits if wood tied to their feet. The snow has been absolutely awesome this season - but I'm guessing still not a patch on what you've got ever there :D
A couple of injuries here and there have been slowing people down a little, but they aren't holding anyone back much at the moment.
Spring has hit with a force and everything is drying out, so headed out yesterday - for the first time since I don't remember when- and started to blow the cobwebs out.
Give us a yell when you're down this neck of the woods and I'm sure BuzzZZz & myself will find a bit of rock to throw you at!
13 September 2006 - 6:24pm
#8
Sup Rowan
Guns up now the weather is getting warmer. Climbed at Brittan crag last Sunday for the first time since May, bloody great to be back on the rock. A few walking wounded, Perry with back trouble, Tony post-shoulder recon and me post-splenectomy. Snowboarding up on Mt. Hutt yesterday - working with a TV crew, on the final run I hit some ice, board skids out and CRACK :shock: arm bent backwards and... dislocated elbow! Had to put the f^^ker back in and make my way down the skifield with my arm flapping about like a limp penis.
Injuries are sooo '06 at the moment, which is why I've gone with a mixture: PCL knee injury[35 days off] ruptured spleen, broken rib[70 days off] and dislocated elbow[10 days off].
Nothing else to report other than bee mites, stingrays and meteorites making the headlines :wink:
Bring on summer and missions to Paynes Ford 8)
Peace.
Buzz.
15 September 2006 - 5:59am
#9
@buzz.. wtf, you're like a walking disaster zone.. think you need to be wrapped in cotton wool bro ! bring on paynes brother.. although I'm speaking a new language here 5.11, 5.12.. starting to lose skin and get sore finger joints... ahhhh back to climbing.
it's really bad though and you're amped - it's officially 21metres from the door of my office to the door of the climbing gym (according to google), trying not to over do it.
anyway sliding into winter faster than a ...... into a ...... (upto your imagination) here, the mercury's dropping which means less humidity more friction. bout time !
@winkle good stuff, you'd be surprised we get a shitload of snow .. but the slopes here are more mounds than mountains !!! around toronto is fllllat. you have to go to Montreal, or out west really to get some good stuff.
@mopester.. so you're into law now eh ? be one of the few dread'ed lawyers eh ?? definitely hook up in the SI for a climb when i come back. ha love the student flatting... defo get back on the wagon brother. happens quicker than you think - and will keep you out of the flat for a bit longer !!
10-4
15 September 2006 - 9:13pm
#10
I hear ya bro, i don't know about wrapping myself in cotton wool but I reckon one of those styley sumo wrestler costumes :x I just keep axing myself at the moment, some random sh^t right there. Anyways, mad props to the Mt. Hutt med team - Dr. Deirdre, Anders and Morag for the arm back-slab and pushing me out the door.
21 metres! dude, sweet :D ahh yes my fingers and lats were feeling the burn after the climbing on Sunday. Perry - how was the bourbon afterwards?
Rowan, when can the audience expect your return to Aotearoa? Evil-E and I were thinking about sea-kayaking along the Abel Tasman coast this summer. I've also made the suggestion to Alexis but she's busy punching people in the head at the moment.
Peace.
Buzz.
16 September 2006 - 8:56am
#11
coming back, I have no idea brutha. I doubt xmas time (much as I would love a mission), as my immigration paperwork is in the system. My better half is like as soon as you get to go home, just do it . So no worries on being under the thumb or anything like that :) Given the stats on how long shit takes it might be a winter boarding mission in the SI !!! If my visa extension doesn't happen (highly unlikely) I'll be back in NZ December.
Alexis ?!?! ..
21 September 2006 - 3:29am
#12
POSTSCRIPT...
This Friday, just after I booked my train tickets to go away for weekend with my girl... JASON KIEHL slideshow (presented by Jason) at the climbing gym next door to my office.
HMMMMMM.... tough choice, risk hell fire and brimstone and see one of the worlds freakiest dudes, or get on the train...
OHHH the pain.
Hey Rowan, cheers for the update, good to hear from you!
Sounds like good but cold times in Canada. After totally more than a year and a half based in Fairbank now, I hear ya! Good luck with the perm/res. Hopefully that comes through soon, so you can venture south for some bouldering action.
Looking at a rare sport climbing trip this weekend. Its a bummer when the only such venue is about 7 hours each way. At least I know that even if I've forgotten how to clip, I'll certainly not have forgotten how to scream when I fall.
Check this out, my mate Tom Ellis put together this vid on our 4th July bouldering trip: http://www.urbanclimbermag.tv/videos/videoInfo.php?video=691
OK man, enjoy the descent into winter! Make use of that gym, and don't get drinking too much of that Molson, eh?