Teva Mountain Games Weekend

Ok where to start, we had an awesome time this weekend at the Teva Games. Pludos and I arrived about 12:30 on Friday afternoon. Once we checked in to our room and made sure we didn’t actually get some rat infested hole (which we didn’t). We headed off to the games.

First we went to registered for the citizen climbing event. Even though I pre-Registed online there was still tons of paper work to fill out. Ok so after all the paperwork and we went to turn it in I got my Competitor jersey and a shwag bag. Being that this is my first event ever to participate in or event attends, once I got the shwag bag I was hooked. It was worth the 20 bucks for registration just for the shwag. (Now that we have established that im a cheap bastard we can move on.).

So next we walked up the stairs to check out the bouldering qualifiers. I was very very impressed by the pros. These guys where hanging on with nothing but a pinch and looking around for their next hold. You can defiantly tell they where at the top of there game. So after we watched for while it was off to find more shwag. We stopped at the So ILL both and met some really cool people. Then the PRANA tent (stickers and posters).

Once we made our way down to gear ally we got lots more stickers and t-shirts. Everyone was really cool. We stopped and took some great video of the freestyle Kayaking. All I can say about that is WOW. Those guys and gals where amazing.

Ok so now we have some down time and head back to the room to rest up for the evening festivities. Around 7pm we headed back to Vail Village. We were going to watch the awards ceremony and got sidetracked by some bar music. Well that was it once we walked in to the Red Lion bar we didn’t walk out until 11pm. Yes I was smart and kept in mind that I was climbing the next morning. BUT I wasn’t climing until 12 so I had time ?

We left the Red Lion and went to SAMARA’s for the Teva Mountain Ball. We didn’t actually stay there long, it was so crowded you could barely walk. It took 30min to get to the bar and get a drink. So that was it for the partying, back to the room to sleep it off.

Now the Day of the Climb. Ok so I had spent most of the day prior watching the climbers and a good part of my climb day watching the early morning climbing events. As we all know everything looks easy from the ground. It doesn’t help that most of these people that boulder for a living make it look effortless. So once my competition started I did just the opposite of what I tell people. (just climb for fun). I did get nervous but Pludos set me strait.

It was a heck of a lot harder than I thought. Since I have never bouldered before I didn’t realize the difference. Especially not on rock but a climbing boulder. I completed 3 routes before the rain and hail came in. We had a small break in the weather but it didn’t last long and the called the comp early to get ready for the Pro Bouldering. I didn’t mind I was pretty happy about my performance. I wasn’t a great climber and I wasn’t the worst climber. I was just happy I got up the nerve to go and try it. If you have never been to a competion take it from me, your missing one hell of an experience.