E5?

It seems I've been fairly busy since the last post. The 3 year funding period on my studies has now ceased and I saw last Fri as my absolute stopping point for simulation work. I managed to hit that deadline early, by about a day.

Not so long ago, both Nat and I took out Foundry memberships (3 months). The weather hadn't been so great and we were both rushing all over the place and it seemed to make sense. Now it doesn't. I simply can't believe how much time I've managed to accumulate on Grit over the past few weeks, so much so I can barely remember the last time I pulled on plastic (I'm no doubt kitten weak).

I've also managed to accumulate a satisfying amount of stars from routes that really deserved some attention in the logical order of things rather than now. However, as I was reminded on Saturday night "better late than never..."

Its here that I'd like to post my current long term aim; I'd love to be solid at E5. Not able to get up one or two but solid. Like Reeve but without the fluffy hair. Irrespective of style, rock type or angle. This popped up into discussion twice on Saturday night, once with a boulderer and once with someone I'd class as a pretty outstanding all-rounder. The conflicting opinions on the difficulty of this aim made me smile. Trad is easy, right?

Currently this aim fits in nicely with life and play. It allows Nat and I to climb together a lot of the time and really, it doesn't require much in the way of training. Simply a will to get out and try. Consolidation seems to be the name of the game and I'm just about getting into territory where life becomes quite interesting, esepcially on Grit (is it just me or is the floor always a little too close for comfort?).

This brings me to my next point:

At the back end of last week I found myself at Black Rocks, camera in hand for this:

The forecast said it was to be "the hottest day of 2011 so far" which somehow didn't seem to affect the Solution wearing Italian cruising up Gaia. It did however effect me. Driving back through the Peak district I was suddenly very concious of how much I like Sheffield and the surrounding area. Ok, so Matlock Bath shouldn't set anyone's world alight but looking up at the evening sunshine on High Tor followed by a quick nip through Chatsworth and many Fawn crossing the road, to the last of the evening light hitting the grit edges neighbouring the city; all left me with the strong desire to remain living in Sheffield. Something that both Nat and I have discussed recently with a view of moving to Leeds.

Thankfully she feels the same.