this is a nonclimbingrelated post

Mini-roomwarming in Doris' OKR room. Boy did they warm the floors alright.

Below is the Good Tidings They Bring thingamajig. (actually it was a bee flying about in my room and junxian and kenneth helped to ensnare it with a plastic box on my table which used to contain a hole puncher). Spot the fly squashed at the bottom right of the box/picture.

Can't wait for NOHOoOooOoOoOOo.

Last year @ this time.....

Remember those photos you people took last year before the trials!?!?!

Lets go according to categories shall we?

INTERMEDIATE MAN

Mr number 4.

NOVICE BOYS

Manager 2008 ..............................................Mr DKNY

Mr "why so serious" .................................................Mr Blur

Mr Yakuza

NOVICE GIRLS-----

Manager 2008 ...............................................Ms nice smile

Ms Medicine 1A.................................................... Ms Medicine 1B

Ms "i'm not looking at the camera" ..........................Ms "just play"

INTERMEDIATE WOMEN

BOY BOY......................................................................... GIRL GIRL

OPEN WOMAN

Vice Captain 2008 who told planet that she wants to join alot of others sports when she came for trials.

Alritey. Thats all i have. Those that i missed out, i am sorry. Somehow i do not have your picture in my database. Don't worry, we can always capture your picture during this year's trial 12th - 14th AUGUST.

*if you are uncomfortable having your picture displayed, do let me know... i will kindly remove them. =).

Morsels

Work is darn boring. And what's more, it's my last day. So I shall be the epitome of malingering.
I dug out some photos I took from past competitions this year, so I shall share with you our finest (and ugliest) moments.

A pretty sunset at Rocka 08

Our Rockamania champion Ultraman glows so brightly.

Ultraman looking shy.

Youjie! What the!?

All the girls look normal.

Sandra looking damn sian during Pumpfest finals.

Sideways Dyno.

Welcome to the Crazy People enclosure

Diana looks like Sharma with that one arm dyno on Es Pontas.

Our favourite gay couple


Our favourite non-gay couple

Regiment Sergeant-Major Szabo

Planet Sian

Setting endurance routes

Ok so since the gym tiles are going to be reshuffled, there are going to be new endurance routes sprouting up all around in the few weeks after that. Here's some little things that I have learnt over the years about setting up endurance routes - how some routes fail (and get lots of complaints) but some routes get lots of traffic:

Logistics wise:
1a. It may seem simple but differentiate the tapes used for marking. Yellow tape with numbers written in black vs yellow tape with numbers written in blue (even red) are difficult to tell apart

1b. Try to set a range of difficulties on each wall, not all easy (or hard)

1c. Route setters (and courteous gym users) shld try their best to maintain the tape markings. e.g. if tape falls off, please replace it.

Route Setting proper:
2a. Holds need not be spread out very far from each other but they should make the climber move his feet (at least). Sometimes, because of very complex small patterns (e.g. constantly changing direction), the climber can make up to 4-6 moves without shifting the legs at all! That's cool for natural climbing, but usually we use these routes for endurance training so that makes it less useful.

2b. Endurance climbing is all about setting certain rules and following them (since we are climbing round and round quite pointlessly). But try not to make the climber feel too stupid, e.g. feel like it is easier to skip certain tiles in the sequence cos they are contrived small movements. So, each tile should help you get to the next tile..

2b. Try to make it sustained and of constant difficulty. e.g. long easy portions then sudden crux is not so nice.

2c. Playing Add3 and then using it to make a route usually results in constantly changing styles and difficulties, also not so nice.

2d. Jump on the route to test it out to see if the moves are suitable, not too awkward.

These are just some thoughts, feel free to disagree and add more/comment!

Tacky

NUS climbing brings you an equipment plug! I am sure you all are tired of Noh-HOOO and our forays into Krabi and other people's houses but blah! This shoe has a tacky design argh! Sure it does attract attention, but it could had been executed in a more dashing manner, like what they did with the Cobra years ago.

As quoted from La Sportiva's site:

MIURA VS

A high performance Velcro shoe for amazing edging control and pocket climbing performance

• Easy to use Velcro system for easy on and off convenience
• Slingshot rand and power hinge system gives you the ultimate edging power
• Sticky Vibram® XS Grip rubber

COLOR: Yellow/Black UPPER: Leather CONSTRUCTION: Slip Lasted LAST: PD75 LINING: Sentex, unlined underfoot SOLE: 4mm Vibram® XS Grip MIDSOLE: 1.1mm Laspoflex WEIGHT: 9.52 oz/270 gm

Available Spring 08

This is the velcro version of the previously laced up Miura. It is just slightly cheaper than teh Solution.

Wreck Someone's House II - Tampines!

Sorry for the procastination!! My house was wrecked (actually it was already in a wreck) a really long time ago but only uploading the pics now!! :D It was a sudden and impromptu thing, like a hurricane..!! My dog tried to defend her turf.



and a few discoveries were made!! :D

We have house husbands in the team!!



A SIDE PROFILE!


HAND PROFILE


CRACKING EGGS


TALENTED IN GUITAR


TALENTED IN BUSINESS AND HOME MANAGEMENT


DORIS EXAMINING HOUSE HUSBAND CANDIDATES


Their cooking were DORIS-INSPECTED


The final outcome!


House Husband Crew


For more information, call 1-8-0-0-HOUSEHUSBANDS

In other news, we have rocker girl in team too! ahhh multi talented!


Front Profile


:)
It was just a nice short day of cooking, walking and fun! :)

Whose house to wreck or make more wrecked next?

Crimp harder, Step harder!

Yell from above: I don't know how to do!!!! Answer (from Jiasheng): Crimp harder, step harder!!!

Woohoo, back from Thailand!!!


Never realized how much I missed this place until I saw it again.


One good thing about staying in Railay beach is that instead of going to Railay walls to climb, we decided to trek over to Tonsai to climb. Smart. First day: Fire Wall: 6a, 6a+, 6b, 6b+. Guys struggled on some 6c+ that another girl with huge shoulders from Canada nearly on-sighted. Girl power!!



Next day: the Keep. My own choice, mind you. I was given the choice since I was only there for one week. So I chose the Keep after they told me that you have to trek to get there. First go through the water.


Then through Duncan's Boot. 6a, 6c (much easier than graded), 6b+ (hanged on it and when I tried to do it again, I couldn't start. Shame).


And climb down a chimney.



But the views from The Keep are amazing. 6c, 6c+. Sandra finished a 6c!!!(Woohooo!!!) Doris and I struggled on another slabby technical 6c. Guys (John, Jiasheng, Yixiang) 6c+ (nutcracker - i love the name) and 7a, woohoo!


Went to Railay where Jiasheng finished Nights in white satin 7b. Plus. Woohoo!!!

Next day: REST Day!!! Futile attempt to see the sunrise at 0630 - it was cloudy and the sun was already up. We wanted to eat dim sum in Krabi town, BUTT because the guys were late getting up (as usual) we got there too late and just ate some leftover dim sum.


Krabi town is interesting. But nothing much. Went to the internet, 4 times to the wet market hoping that maybe the stalls would open. Funny traffic lights,


Unknown fruit,

Unknown idols,


Driving cat



We spent a lot of time searching for Padi, Chili. Padi, Chili is the key-chain elephant that I have attached to my chalk bag. Chili is THE thing Caleb cannot do without.



On the way back on the long tail boat we nearly got stranded on a sand bank because of the low tide. Jiasheng, Yixiang and I got off the boat to push it on a deeper channel. Jiasheng lost his slipper (notice the sad face).


The sun got to us so by that night, Gerry, Doris and I were sick. 3/4 of our room was sick and Sandra was still insomniac.

Next few days it was Dum's Kitchen and Tyrolean walls. By this time we had already lost John and Pengyang who went searching for more exciting (grade-wise, and climb-wise I hope) routes. The route most dear to my heart is Missing Snow. Get it, missing, snow?! It has some tufa on it that looks like icicles (this is not my picture because I did not bring Bobby along).


Last climbing day was at Dum's Kitchen. 6b and a pathetic failed attempt on a very strong 6c through which Doris just breezed. Had I had any ego left I would have felt very bad. The only good thing about climbing harder routes is that Your. Ego. Just. Goes.


I love and hate climbing on the beach (notice Gerry, NOT posing).


I love it for sights like these, but I hate it because ropes get wet and sand just gets everywhere.



Notice me, my big ass and Padi, Chili climbing the 6b. Right hand to a crimp then to a big jug. Big move. I have just realized that for me, putting up the draws on a route is very hard. No shit.


I saw Lion King (notice the bigger flake and how it just looks like a lion's mouth) and decided that this is next year for me. Yixiang finished it, yay!!


Jiasheng moved into the 26-year old league. Welcome, friend!


Saturday I left for Phuket. The boat - bus thing repeated itself, only this time I was alone. I had asked the driver to drop me in Phuket town but when I got there and saw that there were no hotel signs and everything was written in Thai (!!!) I decided to go to Patong Beach instead. Got there, got off the bus and went in the first guesthouse I could find. Realized that my tv has only one channel (in thai) and went to find a bookstore. After walking 3km to the Robinson mall (the dear driver had dropped me at the beginning of Nanai street - the street with all the guesthouses) I found a bookstore. Bought a book. Then went to carrefour for some cheese. Yes, I know. Trekked back, realized what was wrong with the tv but by that time I was too tired to read or watch tv. Got met by friends at the airport on Sunday and that was that.

We missed Cherlyn. Never summoed on the beach. The girls (Gerry and Doris) should not be allowed to climb in the sun. The rest of the photos are here.