I would have used the title anyway even if Big Up Productions didn't beat me to it. Progression is what I experienced last weekend and that in and of itself is success. I ended my climbing season last year at Red River Gorge by giving up on a 5.9+ (Plate Tectonics) and climbing lesser grades the rest of the day. Though I did have other successes in expanding my experience and practicing fundamentals of good climbing, I really wanted to end the year with the ability to conquer 5.9. I fell short.

The winter months I sluffed off physical training but did spend some considerable thought on the mental aspects. Did some pull-ups here and there, bouldered once, and hit the climbing gym 4-days before heading out to the Red again to kick-off my 2010 climbing season but all in all my physical training was not optimal.

It turned out though that it was my mental conditioning that made the difference. Right off the bat, I climbed a 5.10a (Dynabolt Gold). And then another (Lil T-Bone). Then I climbed a 5.9 slab that was a challenge (Dance of the Druids) that did not play to my natural strengths and made it to the chains. That was a boost to my confidence and reaping the dividends of my mental training reinforced my belief that I can continue to improve, to progress.

A weekend ago we had planned a day trip to go bouldering at our favorite site just over an hour from our home.  As we were walking out the door, our 3 year old daughter asked if she'd get to use her sleeping bag so on a whim we decided to toss some extra gear in the car and make a weekend out of it.

We have two girls - 3 year old and 1-1/2 year old and for the youngest this was her first outdoor adventure.  It was offseason for the campsite and the only other campers were a large group of climbers from Hoosier Heights and their friends from around the state - up all night playing music, slacklining, telling lies and having laughs - exactly what you'd expect from the climbing community and we were glad for it!

It occurred to me that I forgot to post this post! Well, I intended to edit it first and then it got lost in the shuffle. Better late than never (at least I hope when it comes to my writing).

November 2009 I was invited by my friend and climbing guide, Adam Beck, to hit the crags at Red River Gorge. I suppose one benefit of posting this late is that I can provide an update to Adam's guide status. His business was acquired by Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School and he is now guiding through them, which if you are in the market, I highly recommend getting in touch with him.

The Red is the closest good climbing to my home in Indianapolis and with over 1600 routes provides a lifetime of climbing so you might see quite a bit of posts in regards to this region. However, I will attempt to be more specific to the routes covered and highlights of the trip that are pertinent to travelers to the area. This was a quick trip with only one full day of climbing and included sleeping in my Jeep at Miguel's Pizza.

Late summer 2009 I decided to try my hand at mountain biking.  My wife and I had picked up a couple of Trek mountain bikes a couple years prior but the extent of our riding entailed toting the kids around the neighborhood.  With my typical zeal though I did pick up Brian Lopes book, "How to Mountain Bike" and as it accumulated dust sitting in my garage, my nudge came from a friend that said, "hey, we should ride the Town Run Trail."

Pancake and I took a weekend trip to do some paddling, pedaling, and bouldering around Indiana.  We started at Cataract Falls, according to RiverFacts.com, Indiana's only Class V stretch of water.  It's late October in Indiana and it has been rainy so we were hoping the water would be up.  Neither of us had been there so we didn't know what to expect but we had the GoPro's ready and I'm determined to inflate my glorified inner-tube of a kayak and take it down this one mile strip of rip roaring waterway.

My wife and I took a trip in 2007 to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  This was an R&R trip after the birth of our first daughter but we did take some time to explore the park and scout bears (we game up goose egg).  The landscape is beautiful and we had a great time but I'd still prefer the shorter drive to the Smokies for mountain excursions.

While in McGaheysville, VA, we did take a day for a 7 mile paddle down the Shenandoah River.  As far as any rapids go, it is only a category II and in some places the current is so weak you have to paddle your ass off to cover any distance.  The best part about this kayaking route is the scenery.  It is an absolutely beautiful and serene stretch of waterway; lined mostly by trees and rock and mountains in the distance.  Other than paddling around small Midwest lakes, this was our first kayaking trip.  Lisa loved it so much we have since invested in our own kayak and are planning some trips down the road.

Labor Day weekend I traveled with Chris to Daniel Boone National Forest in Northeastern Kentucky. Two weeks later I went with Kat and our friends David and Sharon to the same location. Here is the video results shot with our GoPro Hero Wide Helmet Cam, enjoy:

Crossing the Ohio River on the Madison, Indiana/Kentucky Bridge

Some things you do just to see what it is like to do them.  A large selection of my bucket list is made up of foods, trips and activities that at one time or another has peaked my curiosity.  Going around Lake Michigan on a motorcycle was one such trip suggested by my good friend David Livingston. 

1700-ft elevation increase in 2 miles at 84 percent humidity and 83 degrees made this trek feel like work. The scenery along this trail is amongst the most beautiful we have witnessed in the Smoky Mountains yet. Lush vegetation and flowing water all around create a mystical ambiance as you hike up this trail jutted with rock and root. You cannot hike on two legs to the summit of the Chimney Tops themselves (or I should say I wouldn't recommend trying). It is a climb to the top that is steep with a very long hard fall for those too reckless or don't respect the mountain. But stay focused and be conscientious of what you are doing and it is a manageable climb up (I suggest keeping your gear light for this final stretch).

No worries if heights is not your thing; the view from the base of the Chimney Tops is beautiful as well, providing near panoramic view of the interior of the park. The only view blocked is by the Chimney Tops themselves and to gain the full 360 you must go up – which I did not do. I climbed about three-quarters of the way up and the rains set in. I stopped to consider the risks and as I felt the rock getting wet and slick and watched the Search and Rescue helicopter make its second pass with a stretcher tethered to it I called a rain-delay and am postponing the summit to another day.

Some roads are practical, some roads are built to take you places, some roads are scenic, and then some roads defy explanation.  Welcome to the Dragons Tail, 11 miles of how the hell did they build this thing and why?  If you own a motorcycle then you have probably heard the rumors; route 129 is America's favorite motorcycle riding challenge.  318 turns in 11 short miles makes this road curvier than Marilyn Monroe and just about as sexy.   I am not talking about long, lazy curves that you might encounter on most of the highways in the U.S.  The curves on Route 129 are switch backs (180° turns) winding up the mountain then down the other side.

One look at the Google map zoomed in will convince you that this is no ordinary road. The road is located on the southern end of the Great Smoky Mountains National Forest.  The real fun begins at Calderwood, Tennessee and intensely goes until the border of Tennessee and North Carolina where you can stop at Deals Gap Resort.  The Post at Deals Gap has limited lodging, huge gift shop, and a restaurant.  You will see hundreds of bikes from all around the world pull into Deals Gap on any given day.