I plan on getting an A in biochemistry

Whanganui Bay pictures

It's Exam period for the next few weeks for me, but here are some of Inga's pictures from our Whanganui Bay trip a few weeks ago. Ciao.

Inga's Pics

The Rugby Way of Life

Monday, October 8. 2007.
It is a day of mourning in New Zealand reflected by the somber gray skies and seen resonating in the eyes of citizens everywhere. The unthinkable has happened. The All Blacks have been eliminated from the Rugby World Cup. It was a quarterfinals game I believe, and New Zealand lost 20-18 to France, who, somewhat surprisingly didn't surrender *rim shot*. A friend of mine told me that her father openly wept for the first time since his mother died, and men everywhere spoke of inexplicable loss about yesterday's game.

Rugby is far and away the national sport of New Zealand, with Cricket being a distant second. The players have achieved God-like status here. Their Quads are the size of 60 Gallon drums and their skulls have been known to deflect shells from the battleship Yamato. There are posters up everywhere, cars everywhere are adorned with black flags and I've met guys that could recite just about every play from a game they saw 20 years ago. The Super 14 league game I went to earlier this year is a pretty standard event, but the Rugby World Cup, just as in Football (That's soccer for you Yanks) only happens every 4 years. It's been 20 years since the All Blacks, New Zealand's team, has come home with the Championship. Kiwi's feel they are long overdue, as they are almost always a powerhouse and an early favorite in the competition. I was away during the weekend, but apparently during the game the streets were eerily quite and the supermarkets were empty. Expectations were definitely high before the momentum was shattered by France's rally. They'll be even higher in 2011 when New Zealand hosts the next world cup. Cheers!

The Lung Dyno

A few short videos of assorted climbers on "The Lung Dyno" (V4), on the Lung boulder at Castle hill of all places.

I lucked out and managed to stick the top-out move (there is a "jug" up there...somewhere) for this movie. Thanks to Inga for filming these and funny commentary.

I don't know why the picture isn't coming up but the video works for me. Let me know otherwise. Stefan almost nailing the sloper.

Owen doing the same

Some of the other S. Island pics: my favorites

Write stuff... later... you know the drill...

Craccum

College newspapers in the U.S. tend to be scaled down

versions of the commercial ones. They consist of a couple of news tidbits, a few complaints about tuition costs in the letters section, some talk about how great/crappy the football team was last week, and a political editorial by a person with the intellect of a frozen gorilla turd (my bias, it shows through sometimes). They are always incredibly politically correct to the point that any semi-inflammatory comment sends uproars around campus. All in all, student newspapers make a decent time filler for the few minutes between classes.

...And then there is Craccum

The University of Auckland student magazine is pretty much the polar opposite of Oregon State's The Barometer. Craccum is published every week and its pages are rife with vulgar pictures, copious swear words and raunchy humor. It's great. The writer's journalistic integrity is questionable and Craccum's ostentatious writing style beats you over the head at times. However, I'll admit it is kind of refreshing to have a student paper where people can practice their free speech without getting drawn and quartered like they would in the states. And think about it, they definitely cater to their audience, the college (Uni) student. I imagine years and years ago (they celebrated their 80th anniversary this year) the University decided it wasn't worth their time and effort to police what students wrote and the beast has been unleashed ever since.

I'd estimate that at least one of two covers (like the one above) contains somewhere the word Fuck. Quite often they write something as a practical joke and then retract the statement the next week for fooling a few gullible people . Every week readers send in their pictures, at least one of which involves a naked person. The editorials are designed to piss people off, but if you take the incendiary comments with a grain of salt there is interesting reading to be had. People either or read it, or ignore it.

I try to be as respectful as the next guy, but it's nice here in New Zealand that people don't often go off their rockers because they saw/heard/read something they don't like. Mammaries can be shown on TV in NZ and few people here would think that their kids will be scarred for life as a result. Free speech is a precious thing indeed, and this is easy for people to overlook when they are ready to shoot the messenger for saying something they disapprove of.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

~Attributed to Voltaire

Some (not all) of the bouldering pics

Here are a few bouldering pics, taken over the course of several days (mostly action shots). I'll try and not gush too much, but Castle Hill (and especially Quantum Field) has some of the best climbing I've ever had. Great slopers in gorgeous surroundings. A place of presence.

A surprised Stephan spots as Owen simultaneously goes for the pocket and attempts the round house kick, Chuck Norris style.

A classic v2 at spittle hill

Ingrid with a cool vista looking towards Quantum

Sloper Training 101

Stephan on the sub boulder

Yet another great v2 (Pepsin)

Owen on the hardest 60 degree slab you will ever see. A few American dudes from Montana were climbing with us that day.

The Arch, in Quantum Field. It is one of the more peculiar structures. Sadly no problem climbs right on the underside of it (yet. "Paging Chris Sharma....Chris Sharma could you please report to the field?")

Inga and I during our exploration of Quantum field

Jay (sp?), Jai? whatever his name was, we called him the guy with "Agnes," his cool chalk bag. A damn good climber too.

My first v5. Bust from the low, bad pincher to the chalked area right in the middle. Then for the crux bump up and right to the obvious pocket. Having a little height does help for this one.

A view of Spittle Hill from up on Quantum. See the Cyclops boulder just right of center? The large central eye may seem low, but once you're up there that is starting to get highball *shudder*. Someday maybe... There's even a dino to a slopey arete on the right if you are a cyborg.

Not the greatest problem, but a cool shot.

Inga on what was probably the coolest v2 of the lot

Quantum Mechanics (v7, I noted that the holds where also at the Quantum level)

My favorite shot. It's a surprisingly stout v1 crack (just classic)

Tom on "The Lung Dino" (v4). It's likely I've never had more fun climbing than flying around on this thing. A massive all points off dino to a good pocket is followed by a slopey topout that is just high enough off the deck to make you think twice. We spent an hour or so near the end of our final day fooling around on this thing.

"Agnes" sticking the sloping pocket

Stephan on his way back down. Stop. Hammertime.

We spent our last remaining minutes messing around on these problems, (vM, v1, v3, respectively) each of which had a heinous mantle to cap it off. You'd think you'd have it bagged and then everyone would laugh while you ran your hand across every inch of the top looking for a damn hold. It's a great lesson in balance, trust and humility.