Powerband

Ω While Stoo Kurth and others have been toiling away on the pebbles of Aotearoa, the Powerband editorial team (and a few radshots [Ed: that's a compound abbreviation for rad hotshots]) have been State-side checking out North American pebbles (hereinafter referred to as “NAPs”).

Pete “Radshot” Allison was dispatched to Hueco Tanks as a one-man advance assault team in December (actually he was sent in late October but was quarantined at LAX for over a month due a mixup between him and giant Colombian mole).  Notwithstanding his totally broken leg, his Walmart tent and the distracting attention of an amorous Javelina, Pete still crushed some NAPs, including a mucho-respecto ascent of Power of Landjager V11.

Team Hobbit (Derek Thatcher and James Morris) was dispatched next, this time to Chattanoogawoogawooga in the South East.  They arrived to the coldest January since the last coldest January; Morris later said “There were some really cold days.  And some other cold days too”.  In spite of the weather, and despite being achingly short, both climbers acquitted themselves well on the sandstone NAPs.  Derek climbed The Shield V12, reportedly also flashing V10 and climbing V11 that day.  James climbed Golden Harvest V10 and Western Gold V11 - clearly he has a thing for the bling!

The H Team moved on to Hueco Tanks at the beginning of February.  More NAPs were had, including team ascents of Dark Age V10/11, Schwerer Gustov V10, Loaded With Power V10 and Loaded Direct V11.  Thatcher also climbed Power Of Silence V10, The Scream V10 (”That’s about V2″) and Full Service V10.

The Powerband editorial team finally dispatched themselves, along with Castle Wall legends James Perry and James Knapp, to Hueco Tanks in mid-February for two weeks of “rampage”.  Traveling under the pseudonym “Big Tony” so as to avoid attracting attention, Tom Hoyle crushed spans and annihilated NAPs wherever he roamed.  Standout NAPage from the Gomezatron included Hector V9, Fern Roof V9 (”No knee bar fag beta for me”) and Dean’s Journey V9.  I have no aversion to “fag beta”, but I prefer “tricky ho’ beta” where I can get.  With whithered arms and a bung finger, THB was my savour on the trip, with THB NAP ascents of Loaded With Tricky Ho Beta V10, The Tricky Ho Scream V10, Les Fleurs de Tricky Ho V9 and other such malarkey.  All of which I climbed in my “slab climbing shoes” (to quote Dave Kopp), which just proves that big arms and down-curved toeboxes are no match for an old man with tricky ho beta. Over and out Ω