RRC Archives

well i guess i don't need to take any practice falls as I took my first serious lead fall on gear today.

It was about 12 feet on a blue TCU. It was the first piece too. I was traverseing up and right of the piece and just slipped off a foot hold. Apparently I spun in the air as I pendulummed under the piece and smacked into a diherdral. I got a #3 cam in my back and smacked my head. Luckily I was wearing my brain bucket so I was hardly hurt at all. I was maybe 4 feet from grounding out.

I just laughed and got back on the route and sent. It was pretty intense but not scary.

My blue TCU is not in the greatest shape. it was in a horizontal and bent over the edge. None of the wires in the shafts broke but you can see the indent from the edge. I am not sure whether I should retire it or not.

Way too go Merrick! Keep crankin. 4 feet? -- hell you had miles to spare

Just bend the TCU back straight enough so it works again. It'll be fine.

if no wires are broken then the piece is fine. you should see some of my gear. aiding on gear bends the wires at some funky angles. but, it still works fine.

Yeah, I fell off of a 5.3 last weekend. Don't really know what happened. My foot popped and I was flyin.

excellent, Merrick! It's amazing how that first whipper on gear changes your perspective, eh? I'm glad you were wearing a helmet. Those Gunks climbs should great!

I was going to reply in your other thread that the only reservation I would have about taking intentional 'big' falls would be having to retire your rope sooner rather than later.

I have some funky lookin gear too, just bend it back the best you can and keep plugin it in.

cool then I won't worry about the TCU.

and Lynne I am looking for ways to retire my rope sooner.

i would only start worrying if the cable starts to fray or if the head is discombobulated

merrick, your cam sounds iffy to me. I wouldn't trust it at all. If you'll send it to me, I'll make sure you don't kill yourself from trusting such a damaged piece of gear.