Hanging up the tools...

My son Bolton poses for the camera after sending my project in the woods (WI 3+/4-)

Well, after looking at the weather forecast for the next couple of weeks, it seems like a reasonable call to officially call it quits on the ice season and start to prepare myself both physically and mentally for the rock season.

One would think that this transition between the two seasons would be an easy one, but it is not neccessarily so. Despite the similarities of the two sports, both sports offer their own sets of challenges, physical conditioning, systems and frame of mind.

Physically, I need to shed the winter "insulation" (roughly 5-7 lbs) to get back into my peak rock climbing form. I tend to allow myself a few extra pounds over the winter so that I may stay warmer and more comfortable in the severe cold that New England winters bring. So what was once considered a positive (namely my spare tire), is now a hindrance as I start to prepare for the upcoming rock season.

I will give myself 90 days and that should do it; it gets me to June so I should have 4-5 months of good climbing left to attempt the harder climbs that I have on my tic list. More to follow...