How Homer Started To Get His Groove Back

It's almost been seven months since my shoulder surgery and honestly its getting better on a daily basis. Leading up to surgery it was a bit of a question mark as to how good my shoulder would be after Dr King worked his magic on it. Then working with Bob my physical therapist and doing all my prescribed exercise on my own my shoulder has come a long way. I slowly started climbing again once released to in November with the goal of having an ice season. With the training wheels on I have slowly progressed physically and mentally since. I now feel like by the end of my ice season I'll be back to or very close to my previous level. Once I started I climbing again I've had a permanent grin on my face when ever I'm out climbing. I'm so thankful that I'm climbing again let alone progressing like I'm am. I am very thankful to Dr King, Bob Swider and for my wife Jen most of all it was a very long summer for her too. As long as I train and climb with some smarts I believe I'm on a good path! You gain a new appreciation for things like climbing after having it taken a way for awhile.

Climbing The Thrill Is Gone Hyalite Canyon Montana 1-30-16
So fucking psyched to be out on the ice again!

Here to day gone tomorrow, and how a hero turns to zero then slowly back again

It's been almost five months since my shoulder surgery I got the green light to start climbing again at four months post op. So I have slowly started to climb again it had been May 28th (bouldering) since I last climbed right before I wrecked my shoulder completely so between the mobility and strength loss it is coming along all things considered. I'm just super psyched to be climbing ice again. I got my first couple days in at Hyalite taking it easy and just following and top roping. I'm amazed at how well my shoulder is doing. I was also pleasantly suprised to see Chilco Falls had frozen during our short lived cold snap. Giving me a chance to test drive my shoulder more. It's a small falls that is literally minutes from my house. So I made a few trips over there the last week knowing that with the warm rainy forecast coming it's days were numbered. I top roped the first two trips in there then did my first lead of the season on it the last time in there. Not my best lead but I did it and still have a smile on my face. I have my work cut out for me but I'm climbing ice again and that's all that matters to me!
I'm right handed really right handed so once I started to notice my right arm was getting weaker than my left a few years back I thought that's odd. It obviously was directly linked to my shoulder issues. So in the last year my right arm the hero went to zero becoming the weaker one. Then ultimately useless for some time now my right arm is posed for a comeback so from hero to zero to hero again with alot of work on my end of course. Now I realize that my left arm is no slouch either and has been able to pick up the slack. Super excited for the ice season even if I'll probably be in training  wheel mode most if not all of it!

Chilco Falls 11-30-15
Melting fast now that the rain has arrived

Shoulder Surgery

Day after surgery 

So after years of having right shoulder issues which gradually got worse making climbing really hard. I finally went to an orthopedic doc last summer I was told biceps tendinitis, bursitis, labrum issues thus inflammation and impingement. So cortisone shot I got and PT for the rest of summer early fall. My shoulder did get a lot better still had issues but I was back full swing all ice season!  I started rock climbing and bouldering again this past spring which were coming along nicely. Then on May 31 I wound up slipping and falling on snow while in the mountains. As soon as I stopped sliding I knew I had really hurt my shoulder.  So June was basically a few doctor visits and an MRI which then pointed to surgery on July 6. I had a bad rotator cuff tear the supraspinatus was totally torn and a SLAP tear from what the MRI report. What the doctor did repair rotator cuff,  biceps tenodesis ( for SLAP tear and biceps tendinitis issues) and remove some bone spurs. I'm a little over a week post op things are going good I have to wear the sling for 6 to 8 weeks. I can do light cardio stationery bike and walk/easy hikes so at least I'm active. I'll start PT on the 27th this will be a fairly long path back to full strength I've read up 6 to 12 months before full strength is gained back. So next ice season for me is a question mark at this point time will tell. Slowly but surely! 

Boulders & Barbells Will Tell You No Lies

Last Fridays Workout AM Boulder Sesh PM Gym Sesh

Not being that strong of a person I've always had to climb regularly to maintain what is for me a basic level of climbing fitness. My climbing years ago was mostly made up of bouldering and ice climbing. As life progressed I let life and a few injuries derail a good chunk of my climbing for a few years. As I turned 40 I decided that I should start to at least start to go to the gym even do some weight lifting something I had never done before. In the past I would just climb and that was it no other forms of training. One thing though I was a lot stronger rock climber then why well I needed to get back to my roots bouldering I was my strongest on rock while bouldering. Ice on the other hand I've actually had some of my best season's now that I'm in my mid 40 in major part to implementing strength training. I have gotten more into sport and gear climbing over the past couple of years. I then decided I needed to start bouldering again trying to get some of my old problems again scrubbing new ones and it has been fun I am excited. Bouldering in the past made me the strongest that I was on rock so it's high time to get back to my roots. I'm gonna keep rope slinging to as I'm excited about that. But bouldering and barbells pull no punches and always let me know how it is. See you at the boulders!

Han Solo? What's Your Solo Set Up?

Most Reliable Partners Ever!
Been reading a bit on forums about people's solo top rope setups lately. I do quite a bit of solo climbing it's convenient I do it more now than bouldering. I'm only using my solo set up for top rope climbing I still prefer to lead stuff with a partner. Having the ability to just get out and do laps any time works out great for me. I have to squeeze in my climbing when I can with family and work. I've even used this set up on ice on a few occasions I wouldn't suggest using it on a wet climb as I think a person would run into possible jamming due to freeze up. I've been running this set up for a couple of years now and am very happy with it. After doing a bit of Research this seemed to be the best for my needs. I'm running two Petzl Micro Traxion on Blackdiamond Megatron Gridlock carabiners  along with a weight on the end of the rope makes for a smooth system. I rarely ever have to pull slack which seems to be common with some setups. I am be no means an expert so do your own research but this system has been treating me right.

Taking the dogs out for a walk

Libby Road Cut Ice

Climber Joe Lind

Road Cut  30M WI3/4 with mixed options also
US Rte 2 between Troy & Libby just east of Bull Lake Rd (route info also found in Big Sky Ice Guide)
Forms almost every year

Climber Jason Baker

Yaak River Road Ice

Joe Lind 12-4-14

12-4-14

Yaak Pillar 20M WI4 with mixed options also
Hwy 95 N to US Rte 2 turn on to Yaak River Rd
Ice is on side of road just past Yaak Falls
Fun little bumper belay area.
Forms almost every season

1-15-14