EXPLORATHON 2010

To reiterate my previous feelings in a more effective and better worded manner, March is an incredibly bothersome and stressful time of the year.

It sucks.

Here is a short quiz in order to determine if you too are suffering from "March Madness" (I am not referring to college basketball either, its a serious disease resulting from the horrible conditions of March)

1. Look outside. Are the only visible colors depressing shades of brown and grey?

2. Go outside. Is it raining?

3. Look down. Are you standing in mud, slush, or brown snow?

4. Are you generally less happy than you normally would be?

5. Is it hard to determine, under the thick layer of caked on mud, between your car and your shoes?

6. Look at the calender, does the month start with M?

7. Does it end in ARCH?

If you answered 3 or more of these questions with YES. God help you.

On a lighter note, EXPLORATHON 2010 took place yesterday. The forecast was typical March, but we were anxious to get out. Tyler, Aaron, Ryan, Kirby and I headed out to Snowy Mountain to explore the hueco filled wonderhill. The snow was deep, and we were quickly assaulted with the steady falling of ice pellets, but we trudged on and were rewarded with a few quality looking boulders.

More exploration will be required this summer. After becoming thoroughly soaked at snowy, Tyler, Ryan and I decided to check out a spot by queensbury, but to no avail. Finally we headed to Moreau State Park to check out a boulder Tyler had found. It was wet, but the lines on it look good, and very difficult.

We headed to another boulder at Moreau and were not disappointed. The boulder contained a really cool looking line out a low roof, finishing on a technical slab. After spending a good time cleaning, it became clear the line had been tried, but I doubt it has been done. We gave goes and figured out a super technical, body tension filled, burly as HELL sequence. We didn't send, but it is such a cool line, and I can't wait to get back.

I would have to say this day was a success. I love to explore, and especially now, in our darkest of Months, it seems like the best option. I like established stuff, but something about finding that line, cleaning it and sending is so much more rewarding. Climbing continues to inspire, amaze, anger, disappoint and tease me, but oh, how I love it so.

What do you guys like? Exploring or climbing established lines? Comment and share your thoughts. Also March sucks.

Before we left, we got the spraydown on some ELBAM's, we were told that if we just got some more purchase we could piss all over it.

-WB