The end of summer is officially here.  My gardens are beginning to wither, and it's time to plant the winter greens.  The air is crisp and cool in the mornings, and I instinctively start reaching for the hoody when I roll out of bed.  My girlfriend spontaneously yells, "Pumpkins!" while pointing out the window whenever we drive anywhere.  Tomorrow, Autumn officially begins.

Autumn.  This year I'm taking issue with the word "Fall".  I'm removing it from my lexicon.  "Fall" is in the air... duh, of course it is... but that isn't where I want to be.  This season is for sending, so no more "Fall".

Not THIS kind of fall.  Photo by Elodie Saracco.

THIS kind of fall!

The goals:

• "Swingline" (13d).  Holy hell, haven't I done that yet?  It taunts me, yes, but we have a love/hate relationship.  It's just so damn good to climb on.  I'll get there as soon as it's below 70 degrees for a few days.

• My 50th 5.13.  I hit #47 on my Lander trip this summer, so it won't be hard to hit #50... just a good goal to have.  Working on #48 this weekend.

• "Eternal Fire" (13d).  Checked this one out on a whim one day earlier this summer.  Hard crimp start to amazing tiny pockets, followed by cool pinches and big moves.  This could turn out to be one of my favorite RRG routes.

• "Black Gold" (13c).  As long as it stays dry, that is.  One of the most aesthetic looking routes in the Red.  I'm not in love with the movement, but the positioning is so cool!

• "Supercharger" (13d).  Definitely the coolest compression route I've ever climbed on.  I can hardly wait for it to get cold so I can climb on this again!

• 14a?  Maybe.  I'm not very psyched on the RRG 14a's.  Much more so on the 13d's.  There are a few I want to give another chance, so we'll see if I get psyched or not.  Maybe "God's Own Stone".  Maybe "Transworld Depravity".  Though this one looks to maybe be the coolest low 14 in the Red?

• Get back in some sort of trad shape.  I finished off the spring season by climbing a bunch of the old 11 trad lines around the Red, and spent a couple of goes on "Welcome To Ole Kentucky", the area's classic 13a hand and finger crack.  It felt easier than when I was a traddie, so I'd be psyched to get back to it, thought it may have to wait 'til spring.

There are other sub-goals of course.  Little mini-projects and things I'd like to get to if the opportunity is there.  Two weeks into my Anaerobic Endurance phase, and it's all starting to click at what feels like a higher level than ever before.  We'll see where I end up.

What are your Autumn goals??

Post-crux outro to "Swingline".  Right where I want to be.  Photo by Elodie Saracco.

Photos of "Swingline" by the talented Elodie Saracco.  You can see more of here work HERE.