The only thing better than my advice is yours! Don and Rhonda of East Coast Rocks read the instructions and eventually developed their own technique from trial and error. Now they have sent back a ton of info for readers such as yourself to benefit. Take full advantage of this!
Here's what they wrote:

Steve, wonderful wedsite, great info!

You got me started on the hold building road! I have now sold a few to friends and on ebay!

Here is some stuff I have compiled, some of it may be duplicate of what you have, but maybe you'll see something new?

Here are some tips I picked up the hard way!

Liquid latex. It’s a liquid you can brush on, you can make several layers, or after the first one dries, use silicone. This, for sure, would eliminate ridges.

Here's another thing I learned, texture. To give it the real rock feel, once your green plug is finished and ready for silicone, use a stiff bristle brush or toothbrush and prick the grabbing area of the hold. This will show up on the hold as a rough area.

And another-if you have access to an air compressor, use an air blowing to bow off the green plug before you silicone. this helps more than I can say! The debris left from shaping clogs lots of the holes, this will give you a great real rock texture!

Finger pockets. I have successfully made 2,3 and 4 finger pockets in my holds. I will attach pictures. Shape your plug, and add in the pocket to your liking. When you silicone it, put something in the pocket, bigger than a straw, but small enough that you still have some thickness to your pocket area. Reason, (also by experience) It will be very difficult, if not impossible to remove your hold without damage to your mold. You just cannot push the silicone out of the pocket, its too tight. However, if the pocket area of your silicone mold is hollow in the center (has a pocket of its own) you can squash the pocket area in and it will pop right out!

About the bolt hole. I have found it easier to drill it afterwards and not include it in the mold. I do this when I am designing the green plug. Once its done, I use a 5/8 wood boring drill bit in a drill press (so its 100% perpendicular) But, I don’t drill all the way thru. When the silicone is ready, it gives you a small pedestal in the mold to set the 3/8 washer on (if this is not clear in the pics, let me know I will send another) One the hold is poured and then dried, the 3/8 hole can be easily drilled with a masonry drill bit, right thru the center of the washer (which is fixed inside the hold!)

Drying tips, carefully use a halogen work lamp, about 3 feet away, they will be sold in 1 hour.

Foot chips- I made what I call a chip tray. I used a foam lid from a egg carton. (see pics) designed and laid 7 foot jibs in the upside lid. siliconed them. You know how you always have a little resin left after pouring a hold? Simple, have your Chip tray ready in case, whatever is left in the cup, pour a few foot jibs!

I have also made glow in the dark foot jibs. Glow in the dark powder mixed with non-colored resin, and they glow! Not cheap to do though.

Getting bubbles out. If you are willing to spend a few dollars for perfection. Go to walmart and get a cheap electric foot/back massager, one that vibrates. Hold the poured hold in your hand after pouring, and use the massager on the bottom side of your hand, that does great for getting bubbles out!

I have made about 30 silicone molds and too many hold to count. Think I have a new hobby!

East Coast Rocks
Don & Rhona

After asking Don what he did to get good hold color, a bit more detail about how he forms the pedestal for holding the washer on the mold, and what kind of clear resin he uses, here's his response:

As for the coloring, yes, for the most part it is the actual pigments use for coloring resins. I obtained a small amount from a local marine/fiberglass repair place, didn't actually buy it because it only takes one drop to do about 4 holds. If you want to buy some, here is an absolutely awesome site, it has all types of goodies for this type of project!
www.delviesplastics.com

More on the coloring:
After some practice, I figured out how to swirl it fairly well. After you have your mix ready and colored (lets say blue), add about 2 drops of Red to the top of the mix-don't just drop them in, kind of stretch them across, in 2 different areas. The next part just takes practice. Using a stir wand, just kind of give it one stir, or maybe 2, or maybe a kind of up and down lift. You really just want to twist the second color in, not stir it. BUT, heres the first problem I had, if you leave too much, or a glob somewhere in the mix, it does not dry, the pigment stays wet and seeps to the surface. If you notice in the picture of the drill bit, just to the left is a box of concrete dye, I have also used this to color the holds. I have only found it in Yellow, Brick red, and Charcoal-the charcoal makes an awesome silvery black hold, very realistic looking! Available at Lowes and Home Depot.

As for the washer, I attached a picture of the wood bit I use (5/8). If you notice the shape, it kind of leaves a spike in the middle that comes out in the rubber mold as a spike to set the washer on. Sometimes I will use a dab of Silicone grease (available at automotive parts stores) to hold the washer. Don't use wheel or car chassis grease, petroleum hurts the mold. ( I outlined the cut hole in the picture with a black pen so you could see the actual shape of the hole)

You asked about clear Resin, I think you can find it as the site I added in the first paragraph. But, I have heard that the color of the sand has much to do with the yellowish of the mixed compound. I have heard of some people who actually dye the sand before mixing-way to much trouble for me.

I am also attaching a picture of some new designs/holds I poured last weekend, turned out nice.

Thanks again, If you come up with any new ideas, I would love to hear them or try them out-we get lots of 'experimental time" on our home wall, 14 feet with a 2 ft overhang.
Don

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