Addicted to Injury

2012

2012-01-04T16:08:00.002Z

Since returning from the Verdon I'd had little psych to make the effort to get out on the Grit; the one day I bothered I just wasn't interested (and neither was she).

Spain came around quickly and afterwards there was little time between the Christmas duties to even think about getting out climbing.

Christmas was spent far too close to London; again, no climbing.

So it was nice this weekend to scrape a day out on the Grit, and what a day. Last time we went out the destination was picked by Nat and wasn't the best choice to try and re-inspire some love for the luck-based-scrittle. We settled on Stanage plantation, the best of the best.

Twitter showed a large number of the UKB crowd to be heading that way, and a few phone calls persuaded a good friend that he too wanted to tag along. It was great to see people and served well as a reminder about how good grit days can be. The climbing isn't my favourite in style but the general company and ability to jump between a large number of high quality problems is fantastic.

Thanks to Rob, Nat managed to push her top end grade (as well as flash). Thanks to me the day ended with some shouting after being a little too keen to point her at Crescent arete, although later she did admit that it was mainly a head issue.

I was very happy to notice that my footwork had improved, leading to ticking a couple of slabs. The kind of problems that I'd happily saunter past declaring them 'shit' not so long ago.

Posting on the "Best of 2011" thread really got me thinking. This year has been by far my most enjoyable year climbing. Early on in the year the stolen evenings on Grit trad were memorable, leading towards High Tor, Chee Tor and then a summer spent ticking away at both of the Cornices. I've never managed to climb so consistently and I put it down to spending THAT much more time on rock this year as well as a new understanding of how to approach sport routes (the fact its not the end of the world if you can't do every move on the first dog, and a tiny sprinkling of tenacity). Monsterosity kick started this and by fluke, the route choices I made hereon built upon this. By the end of the summer I shifted to ploughing repeatedly up the easier Cornice offerings to prepare for the Verdon; a holiday I'd never have imagined not that long ago.
3 weeks was spent with great banter and fantastic routes only bettered by the weather in which we were gifted to climb them. The trip culminated in the best multi-pitch route I've ever done (Gwendal) and left me planning my next trip for a handful of equally amazing looking routes (Alex Punk des Vergon and La Fete du Nerfs).

Shortly after returning to the UK we were planning our final week away at Vilanova de Meia and Riglos. Although it didn't go entirely to plan the climbing was memorable and our speed from the Verdon followed us. Its all part of a bigger plan to have the skills to one day backup a trip to America and the huge granite walls it offers (an experience I'm yet to convince my second of).

So to next year? I must admit to being a little apprehensive. My goals are wide and varied and don't sit well with each other. On the one hand, I raised my base level of sport climbing to a wholly acceptable level this year and it makes sense to build upon that and see what I can claw my way up. However, I'm not interested in Mecca or any of its variants. Sorry, Its just not my thing (although I should probably give it at least a second go, preferably not in the full on sun!). Most of the other amenable offerings are in North Yorkshire and one thing that I think helped me this year was the lack of time away from each project. I'd get on them day on day off, (or evening on evening off) reliably until they were done. Malham/Kilnsey is a weekend raid.

The other part of me wants to continue building on the trad foundation that I started a few years ago and have been slowly building on ever since. It'd be undeniable to claim that this has had anything other than a positive effect on my climbing. I worry that locally I've now done quite a few of the low/mid highly starred trad routes and the reality of after work sessions won't be as rewarding as previous years.

Further afield I wish to spend more time at Gogarth, Flytrap, the Strand T-rex and Positron (or some variant) are all on an older list than this as well as another handful of North Wales routes (not to mention the routes elsewhere, such as Pembroke). Each weekend spent ticking here, is one spent off something hard.

Even further afield, Riglos and Aiglun are polar opposite trips to Buoux and the Fraknejura and holiday is limited not only by finances but sadly work.

I guess it all boils down to decisions and priorities, the main problem being I can't seem to make any.

Vilanova de Meia & Riglos

2011-12-13T13:27:00.003Z

On our return from the Verdon an attempt at bouldering (secret garden) reinforced my lack of psyche for the luck based scrittle. The upside of this was efficient thesis writing, the downside - a distinct lack of climbing psyche.
After working out that Nat had planned for us to be at her folks' place for a double digit number of days over Christmas we both decided that a trip to Spain would be preferable. Other options were on the cards (mainly Aiglun) but with Monarch offering deals from Manchester it just seemed like too good a deal to miss.

The climbing at Vilanova de Meia (VdM) is highly varied as the rock is banded and each is distinctly different; from sandstone Esq climbing on the bright orange rock with classic style finger cracks, to conglomerate bands and finally limestone jugs and traditional Verdon style compact slabs (usually lacking in bolts but graciously devouring 0.5 cams). Although this is great, the face is hugely stepped meaning that more often than not one pitch is distinctly the crux (i.e. 6a ish for 7 pitches with a crux of 7b+).

Gear is that strange style of engineered trad. Some pitches are equipped fully as sport routes, others have a mix of pegs, large copperheads and other assorted aid relics. This does make things interesting. I've never clipped a giant lead splat with a wire coming from it, nor do I know what they're called?

Each day we were treated to an amazing cloud inversion that stopped at the bottom of the main cliff, it was if you could step out onto it (apart from the fact that'd involve falling off the lower tier and death). The descent was as we'd remembered - lethal, especially when damp/icy "follow obvious path" doesn't really convey many of the 'issues' (and is one of the flaws of this section of the POD guide) it has as one trundled block clearly illustrated (it smashed down to the valley floor). The other descent however "descend rocky gully" is like a walk in the park in comparison and if I ever return (which I won't now) I'll use exclusively.
One thing which we'd managed to get wrong this time was how much scope there was for us as a team. There was enough to hold our interest for the week, just. With Natalie struggling more than I'd expected on the steeper ground the lions share of the leading was once again on me but after a few days we were back to our efficient pace (which after spending about 5 weeks this year doing, we should be!).
I'd always planned on a day out to Riglos, remembering the climbing to be a bit "one pebble after the other" I only really had the desire to do Fiesta de los Biceps. Ironically I found the climbing much more memorable and a reversed holiday (with more time at Riglos) would likely have offered better routes.

Arriving at the towers, the Pison (cigar) and Visera (our target) drifted in and out of view from the low cloud. The above photo was taken in the best clearing all night. The small spire on the left is actually joined to the main face with a fixed line, as yet I can't find which route this is.

We awoke early and set off to the base of the Visera (the RHS curving tower, the line of Fiesta can be seen as a white curving streak, yes, that's the chalk). Pitch one went fine, two etc. until things started to steepen. I looked down at Nat giving it her all latching a crimp and then up at the wildly steepening (yet juggy) head wall. A quick discussion on the stance led to us returning to the floor, me, disappointed, her a little bit angry. We did the nearby Moskitos, an easier line with a crux of around F6b. Despite looking like a dreadful chossy corner it actually climbed like a dream and had the most novel pieces of gear I'd clipped (a seat belt, knotted and jammed in the crack). It only took a few hundred meters for Nat to start smiling again and seeing the French team (who were behind us) huffing and puffing on the final steepness of Fiesta she conceded I may have been correct. 'May'. At the top Nat began complaining she felt rough, I put this down to having not carried any water/food but as the evening progressed it was clear that it was a bit more than that. The next day was lost to 'Spanish Sickness' (I was blaming the Refugio food), but the following was saved by cramming in 500m worth of rock. The final day, (the travelling day) was my turn to endure the sickness and our last hopes of squeezing in one more route soon gave way to vomiting followed by a flight, then a trip over the woodhead pass in snowy conditions.

Fri night was spent celebrating the 5th birthday of my favourite climbing wall; a good scene as ever although the highlight must be Bonjoy identifying a 'French Partridge' despite being slumped in a corner.

Sunday evening all of the people present for the Verdon tripped gathered for food, drinks and photos which was a fantastic evening. I managed to get hold of a shot taken from the Wide is Love stance showing myself (red shirt) on the finish of the middle pitch of Pichenibule.

Verdon 2011

2011-10-26T12:08:00.003+01:00

Our 3 week holiday in the Verdon contained far too much to condense into a single meaningful blog post. Suffice to say, we were fast and ticked everything on the list excluding a few aspirational routes. I'll be back for them in a few years time...

I think everything else is hopefully conveyed below. The Verdon isn't in vogue and thats fine by me!

Epic Slate

2011-09-02T00:33:00.003+01:00

Well, I managed to finish off my last project at the Cornice. Truth be told there was probably time for one or two more but I just can't justify the time. Evening sessions are too short and the Verdon is looming on the horizon and I'm yet to be convinced of how transferable any Cornice based climbing is to L'Escales!

That said, I can't really complain. Between this Cornice and the currently unloved steeper version I've had a fantastic haul of high quality routes this year. I'm happy. Maybe I'm slightly gutted that I didn't have the forethought to clean up Monumental or invest time into Butterflies but it'll dry again (it will dry again?).

The last evening session on lime came and went last thursday and I opted for mileage, packing as many routes as I could into the two hour window before darkness. Its a good crag for that with everything from Martial to Bored on offer. I left suitably pumped.

Beyond pure fitness (50m to at least 150m anybody?) there are a few other factors playing on my mind. Firstly, exposure, its not something you get a lot of on Peak Lime and there are few places that I've been with quite the breathtaking expanse of nothingness below a belay than L'Escales. Secondly, ropework. Between the pair of us (bitching a lot) we've ended up with knots in ropes, ropes stuck around tree's and generally a sphagetti junction type affair whenever we've tried to 'move fast'. In order for us to get things done on this trip it needs to stop.

What better place to cure it than a day on the slate romping up some 4 pitch (at a mere 75m) fully bolted MP routes?

It was epic. Walking in we noticed some bright folks (from London town) had pitched tents adjacent to the main path, fools. Following the directions we were given we soon found ourselves balancing our way to the Golgotha area and the mouth of the skull. I love the tunnels in the quarries, this one emerges giving you a grand view of Twll Mawr and the intimidation beings. Descending a large scree slope is entertaining when dry, deadly when wet yet we made it to the base of the route without incident, just in time to see the showers blow in.

Moments later the strange silence was broken by the instantly recognizable terror inducing noise of rockfall as people rained down rock from the upper track, the both of us huddled at the base, screaming rude words until it stopped.

The route was fully wet by now and I began exploring the quarries, sheep in bags and old mine equipment litter the floor as well as alarmingly large blocks sporting a Petzl hanger! The slippy floor. I went arse over tit grabbing the nearest thing for support however it turns out this convenient handle was actually crafted from a slate razor which gashed my palm like a papercut on steroids. Ouch. As the route clearly needed to dry off I balanced my way back up to the bags at the top of the scree (very slippery when wet) to find the 'streamlining' of my bag (by my other half) consisted of removing the finger tape. I slithered back down.

By now it had dried off enough to have a go (even if my palm was still pissing blood), but not for long. Mid crux and the slate was once again dripping. I lowered off and we walked back up the scree sulking.

The other mouth of the tunnel leads to roughly the first stance and after returning to this level we could see it had dried off once again. We rejoined at the first belay and lowered down to get the first pitch done. Nat made it look far easier than I felt she should. Pitch 2 and predictably it began raining again. Nat suggested we give up and I ended up downclimbing the majority of the pitch as it progressively became wetter so we could walk off through the tunnels (which we did).

By now we were both a little grumpy and went to wait it out at the top level. After discussions with a few very local locals (think Royston Vasey), the other route of interest dried out. Back down we went and this went without a hiccup (and oddly felt a fair bit easier?).

Supermassive still looked fairly wet from above but then I couldn't work out how black the dolerite slab looked that morning. I convinced myself it was always that black and off we trotted once more, the slate was dry, the dolerite wasn't. Thankfully the wet pitch, was the easy pitch.

As I said, EPIC. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come... Next time I go back its Dark Half or Spong, lets keep things simple!

ps - apologies for getting blood on the route.

2011-08-22T14:44:00.003+01:00

I should be content. In all reality this has probably been my best year so far. From shifting focus from the steep Cornice (WCJ) to the less steep Cornice (Cheedale) I've been able to get on routes that I thought, technically would have had me over a barrel. Kneebars, heel toe's, thigh scums, extended draws, skipped bolts, the list of 'cheating' (laughable really) tactics I've employed this summer is huge.

Consequently I've managed to drag my not so steely, not so well trained self up some of the Peaks finest routes due to minor bouts of persistence. On completing each route I went home smiling, with my "enough now, its time work" head on. Then on returning to the crag to allow Nat to tidy up a loose end or two (she's continued ticking ) the quick play on routes have developed into that redpointing yearning feeling that sidetracks me from everythig I ought to be doing and leaves me refining beta in my sleep. Currently that'd be Devonshire Arms. Two sessions ago I refined the upper crux with what can only be described as footwork removing the need to use the overly high glued edge or opt for the Beastmaker attitude of doing a Fnt 8b instead.

I've refined the crux and now all that remains is to string it all together (this time without getting the rope over my shoulder). I'm on the edge of my seat on this one as the forecast looks as if it'll rob me of victory before I have the chance to fail.

...and then of course there's Four Door.

Seven

2011-07-28T01:02:00.004+01:00

On our little euro-tour, Nat hit her goal of climbing F7a in Rodellar. TBH I think it was the first she actually tried and it went without any redpointing to speak of. First go was on a toprope at which she failed about 5cm from the belay. Second go, well it was done.

Later on in the tour with light fading above L'ermitage in Margalerf I lowered off the last route of the day (F7a+) only for Nat to demand that she wanted a go. I sighed deeply thinking that I'd be doing the route in question 30 mins later but this time with the added fun of being the dark. I was wrong; she promptly flashed it.

But then again, holiday ticks feel just like that (with the exception of 'Old Skool' venues such as Buoux or the 'jura where ticks really ARE ticks) and she was vocal about ticking some F7a routes in the UK.

I've been trying to make the point that really it was well within reach on our return and certainly last season however I was largely ignored up until around a fortnight ago (lingering memories from Kilnsey were getting in the way I feel). Nat conceded the point and finally pulled onto Clarion Call. With her tendency to crimp anything small it seemed like the perfect route and at the end of the first session all of the moves were in the bag (and much skin was lost). Second session a few false starts made way for the inevitable tick and much happiness (despite much use of tape), possibly due to the curry and beer that followed.

Since then I was sucked into WCJ Cornice and obviously knowing I was about to spend a fair amount of time there she jumped onto 'Incapacity benefit' (F7a+), this took a bit longer down to poor (or inexperienced) redpoint tactics but its done and didn't take long (certainly less time than me).

Tonights route 'Quality Control' was another victim of poor tactics, we were there on Sunday and it was hotter than the sun (really I should complain more when the plan is suggested rather than sulking whislt there!. Unsurprisingly tonight (which was... overcast), a quick bolt to bolt was followed by yet another successful tick (I'm glad too as Two Tier is far from ideal for an after work destination).

A discussion sat at the bottom of WCJ (after she'd had a quick bolt-to-bolt of Brachiation Dance [a little too powerful in places but still a taste of whats to come]) we mused how she'd joined me at the various Cornices years before and hadn't ever thought that ticking a route on either, let alone both would be a reality. From my point of view this is brilliant news, UK sport climbing (of quality) starts at F7a and weekend trips to Yorkshire (mainly Malham as I've done very little there) are now completely feasible. On the trip it wasn't 'too' much of an issue as Euro crags generally offer a good spread of quality throughout the grades, even places like the 'jura allow you to visit a number of outcrops in a day and fill your veritable boots. Britain does not and sub-seven climbers are relegated to the wings, often near the 'toilet' area.

Trad, bouldering and easier multi-pitch climbing allow us to climb together quite a lot already, throw in Sport, the best of the lot and I'm psyched. I have to say that I'm almost regretting our choice of holiday this year; 3 weeks in the Verdon late Sept/Early Oct as it requires a completely different skillset to that of which we are both currently implementing. Onsighting consistently at a grade for 350m with an airy feel is very different to yarding on undercuts in roofs, even if you are skipping a couple of clips. Gulp.

Most Muscular

2011-06-28T01:35:00.007+01:00

The last few weekends were sadly lost to 'family commitments', those things that really shouldn't be too much hassle but giving up a good weekend (or worse two!) of climbing doesn't quite seem on. Typically I sulked through both, hopefully not being too dire company for our respective parents. To console myself I decided to make life hard and spend a few of the days in between out and about, camera in hand. Whilst this seemed like a good idea at the time, the backlog of work is now evident and all I'm doing is dragging out this darn thesis and the onslaught of a regular, time consuming job (where I might add, they'll likely want me to be both respectable and timely of which I'm neither).

Over the river (also known as 'Chee Tor') I have a few things left on simmer; Queer St., Ceramic and mainly Mortlock's Arete, all of which I wish to address before the lure of bolts becomes too much to resist (if it hasn't already). A few trips over to Wales won't hurt (or might) either.

However, I'm finding it hard to resist the appeal of sport these last few weeks. An evening session at the Cornice proved just how much more I can get done in a short period of time compared to trad, climbing 5 routes in an evening (leave Sheffield circa 6pm) just isn't feasible when you have to talk to yourself every move or curse yourself for still not getting the gear right 20 minutes on, calves on fire and kahunas shrinking rapidly. Having said that (or spilled it onto a virtual page) this Trad malarkey hasn't left me in a too shabby state (surprisingly). I'm fit, probably something to do with doing what some might classify as Aerocap unknowingly as I cower beneath what is likely a trivial move above but nonetheless a change of trousers is almost a guaranteed requisite.

After climbing again with Dy(log)an, Lu(log) and the one and only log of Dob, bolts are appealing no end. Last Tues, two of the logs picked me up en-route (actually on a nightmare Sheffield-center morning-traffic detour) to the Tor, somewhere I must admit I haven't done 'that' much at. There are certainly some notable exceptions in my Peak sport climbing education, for which really there's no excuse. At the crag, we met up with Shark; overlord numero uno. Shark was the first person in Sheffield to take me to the Peak (maybe we can blame him for my downward spiral into plywood obsession, likely not).

He offered a (rather swift) lift to the Cornice (Cheedale) and unknowingly I set off to open my Peak-lime education with a bang. I can't remember what time of year it was but it was far from the Predator-esque humid sweat fest of the weekend past, it was freezing. As per the norm 'Clarion Call' was the wake up/warm up and I remember struggling like mad. Fresh from two summers worth of Kilnsey fun this all felt like hard work and warm I was not. Later on that session I attempted Powerplant, that went less well. As the guidebook points out you can sit on the first bolt until a local your size turns up to hand out the necessary beta. He didn't come. I lowered off. It had begun...

Above and below you can see Shark cruising to victory on Crucifixion an ascent that has firmly placed it high upon my to-do pile.

As the weekend approached my monitoring of rain radar, Norwegian interpretations of smoke signs and anything other than Metcheck left me with the clear feeling that (typically) the weekend would be a write off. Poetically at that moment (Fri) my phone rang. Maybe it was more poetic that at the same time an irate supervisor appeared at my desk and promptly left (...I was on the phone). WCJ cornice wasn't my first choice of destination, after all Trad isn't known for making you strong or tackling rock of that persuasion. Its also the case that WCJ has my biggest nemesis to date. Monsterosity. I've fallen off this more times than I care to mention and hadn't been on it for at least 2 years, having given up, despite being overly strong, my power endurance was woeful and this route wasn't going to succumb to wheel spin. Friday night then came as a bit of a shock (no this isn't a Dobbin wet dream, no there's no success here either). Everyone else warmed up on the 7a, which lost yet more holds (I'm stunned to see it has any left). I was handed the job of sticking the QD's in Brachiation (a route which is starting to show its popularity with a shiny brass like finish). There's no denying it, it felt hard. The lower slab had lost the final hold in my sequence leaving me eyeing up the second bolt, wishing I could crimp with my teeth. I cannot. As the roof steepened my arms felt like jelly (why is this the warm up, you'd be better going for a swim). Back on the floor, I waited for my lead-like forearms to dispense at least enough lactic acid to allow me to untie and slink off. Climbing in a three can sometimes be tricky, pumped out of your mind the extra rest is all together welcome.
Some time later I was once again offered a belay and looking up at the in-situ draws I couldn't see any way of avoiding it. Unlike usual, there were no expectations other than it feeling harder than I remembered and almost certain failure. However, despite that I tied in and set off. I didn't fluff the start, nor was I pumped at the flake. I crimped, I slapped and I screamed clawing every extra inch I could. It didn't end in glory but I rarely climb like that, truly 'A muerte'. I put a lot into that go (it clearly showed next RP) and with it came the realisation that I CAN do it. Some of my sequence is in-efficient from my overly strong days but I can rectify this (I already have some pear of wisdom) and a few sacrificial bolt-to-bolts will pay dividends I'm sure. It'd certainly be good to have a reason for busting out a most muscular at the crag a la Rotpunkt Shark:

I just hope the weather plays ball... bollocks.

2011-06-06T23:51:00.004+01:00

A few visits to High Tor since the last post (a couple with, one without boots/chalk/harness and even a dynamic rope!) have finished off my aspirations. Thats not to say I've exhausted the crag, nor finished off everything I'd 'like' to do. However the remaining ticks of interest require a few things I don't have (as well as the obvious). During the warm spell we were literally baked alive seeking the easiest way up the crag and back into the shade. The visit wasn't a complete waste mind you as someone lost a few brand new wires and didn't bother to try and retrieve them.

So, for the first time this season I was left with a bit of a dilemna; where to go? With the rise in temperatures Staden seemed the obvious choice (until I was informed of the current access restriction). So where next? Beeston looked intriguing but Pear-wielding-goose-meister-joy reminded me I might as well apply oil, wrap myself in tin foil and pop up to Malham instead. In the end we settled for a late start at Chee Tor (after an exploratory walk the night of forgetting the rope).

The whole evening was interesting, from seeing a Mojo piloted Type R trying to overtake (not noticing the three letters after Fabia) and the ensuing 'drive' that followed. To the walk-in through the newly opened tunnels (much quicker but far more deadly what with all of the idiots on bikes, take your clipstick a.k.a. Spokestick with you on this one!). Far too much chat at the cornice and a quick wade across the river and we were at the base of what looks like a fairly vegetated, distinctly average piece of limestone. Boy oh boy it'd be wrong to judge this book by its cover. What followed were some of the highest quality low-mid grade routes I've ever done on some frankly stunning rock. It was pointed out to me that bolted this crag would offer some mediocre 6's, but the abundance of perfect wire slots, threads and other pro elevate it to a fantastic crag. As per the general game plan, I've started from the bottom and I'm aiming for the middle ground. Most of the lower graded routes are suprisingly clean and the loweroffs thus far have been fairly good however some of the harder lines look (not unsurprisngly) like they attract less traffic.

It finally began to rain on Sunday evening and I retired to the cornice to fully finish off the arms upon the routes I spent a while getting fit last year. Thankfully this went fairly well, hours and hours moving slowly (no, much slower) on trad has lifted my fitness levels greatly but I've got a nagging suspicion that my strength and maybe even power endurance will be at an all time low. I wonder how much longevity there is in the current trad plan? Its hard to look beyond the current state of affairs and see that this isn't in fact a regression but progression, making up for the mis-alignment of strength and technique over the years. Summer crags within the range of a standard evening session aren't that numerous (recommendations are VERY welcome here) and on Sunday I found myself looking longingly at Cornice routes which I well know are currently way out of range.

It was interesting to see that on both Wed and Sat there were roughly double the number of climbers at Chee Tor than the Cornice (which is drier and heading towards being cleaner than last year). Is it the opening of the tunnels? It seems to me that climbing in general is ever increasing in popularity but since the fantastic rebolting efforts of Kristian, Jon Clark and others the Peak crags are looking darn good.

2011-05-31T17:11:00.002+01:00

The love affair with High Tor continues although the honeymoon period will soon pass as the majority of challenges that remain are outside my comfort zone and if truth be told, my skill set. There's a handful of routes I'd like to finish off, and a couple of the fully bolted offerings should offer some respite to my perma-pumped calf muscles. However, I have to say I've been disappointed by a few of the last routes ticked. Many have big reputations and are firmly set in history yet I've found the climbing of average interest with seemingly less quality available than at the humble level of E2/3 and surprisingly, in parts, a greater degree of polish!

Yet, I shouldn't complain too much. I'm happy to be progressing at a steady pace (one much more rapid than I could reasonably expect from any other discipline), even if in reality my target might have been viewed by some as a reasonable starting point.

In between the showers we salvaged another day by climbing on the newly (ish) bolted right wing. Some of it is in typical style; bolted when realistically it should have been left to fall down, yet between these routes are a few hidden gems. A fingery 7a, an E5 with the worst lower off I've seen (tiny tree, loose block in front, sling around both), and another 7a prow. These are worth bearing in mind for an easy day or for somewhere likely to be shielded from showers elsewhere in the Peak. It should be noted that there appear to be nesting birds on a number of routes, anything with a large crack to be precise. Rock quality is generally poor surrounding the 1st bolts, beyond this things firm up.

It seems the summer is fast approaching and I'm looking forward to venturing further afield on my ticklist (Matlock Bath only retains interest for a short period). First up will undoubtedly be Gogarth where T-Rex and Flytrap eagerly await my flounderings (cam sizes for the first much appreciated?). Beyond that the Axe must feature highly; searching Google for photos last night I came across a few stunning pictures (one graces the cover of Ground Ups North Wales Select) which left be both nervous and inspired.

I made a rash decision with camera's this week but I'll make sure to get some worthy shots before revealing too much.

Klanks

2011-05-09T14:10:00.003+01:00

...or 'Calanques' [if you choose to pronounce (and spell) it correctly] is located twixt Marseille and Cassis on the fantastically warm Cote D'Azur. This holiday was picked tactically; firstly we hadn't left the country in all too long, secondly, 'Calanques' is one of the few areas whilst we were living in a van that people kept referring to, which we hadn't really heard anything else before (Ablon being another) and finally, we have (had) big aims for later on in the year (Yosemite).

Before venturing off, we finally purchased a decent compact for our newly found multi-pitch fetish. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is quite frankly the nuts, buy an S95 if you don't fancy a hot shoe, if you do look no further (quite pleased with how that came out, given it involved scotch-tape and a piece of A4 paper):

Now, there are two main facets to Calanques. Medium sized multi-pitch pseudo sport climbs (mixed bolts and gear) and steep burly jug hauling roofs (the third facet is car crime). Sadly the middle of the three all face south and we only made that mistake one day!

I presume Calanques means inlet or something similar, there are a number of them (7?) around Marseille and most offer climbing of sorts. The main area, Calanques d'En Vau (pictured above) is reached after a 40min or so downhill (N.B. this means uphill on the return!) stroll. There are climbs on both side with mainly easy pinnacles on the LHS and more involved (but not too taxing) routes on the RHS, or the 'Grand Face du Rappel'. This stays in shade from mid-morning. Arriving on a bank-holiday weekend wasn't ideal, the car park was rammed and our initial peace at being on holiday was smashed about 5 minutes after parking up. Having forgotten something in the car (did I lock it syndrome?), I returned to find two fishy looking Frenchmen, in leather gloves fiddling with the car next to ours. They look surprised, walked off briskly and then loitered until it became evident I wasn't leaving my oil-burner until they'd f*cked off. They did.

One of the main aims of the trip was to become more efficient. Last year (or was it the one before) when Nat and I embarked down into the Verdon it was very much like I was leading, taking the responsibility that came with it, and she'd follow diligently. It worked, but fast it was not. With her confidence growing (and performance climbing steadily too, although stern British grades sometimes seem to leave her doubting this), this was the place to get going properly, equal share of the load.

Over the coming week (due to lack of scope caused by 25' heat) we pretty much ticked the place. It seems to me that the French haven't yet removed their blinkers when it comes to Calanques. Most 'big' routes follow obvious lines of weakness and there's barely anything that warrants a 7. Given the immense amount of rock I just can't understand this. Its like two High Tor's stacked on top and about 15 times as long and that's just one one side! The other side of the Calanques has only just started being devloped. If you are so inclined, pack a Hilti and jump to it.

Furthermore, whilst I'm at it (and I might as well get this off my chest), I found the Rockfax guide to be a particular low point. They've made the assumption that taking a rack is a personal choice and what might be acceptable for one, mightn't for another, this said they then throw the 'small rack' symbol at anything. I found this to cover A0 style bolt-ladders to pretty much totally trad pitches. The same can be said for the loose rock symbol which seems to have been omitted from some particularly loose pitches. The guide descriptions are particularly lacking too; "the more direct and harder finish", fantastic, now which line of holds/bolts does it follow? I urge you to buy the local topo instead.

The fixed gear is another funny situation. Not quite as odd as the likes of Peak-limestone-trad, yet funny nonetheless. Some routes are fully equipped, others are barely equipped and it almost feels as if they're trying to cultivate a trad-feel rather than letting the rock (and natural placements) dictate the feel of the climb. This seems slightly insane given most routes follow obvious cracks and could easily be protected in an alternate manner.

Descent from the Grand face is made via either abbing down the line (N.B. the state of many of the fixed ab points shown in the guide is poor), or making a short walk, a single ab (where the French chose to ab off a single bolt (no maillon, no ring etc.) instead of a giant 1.5m diameter tree.

The weather was kind over the 11 days or so we were away. 20-25' heat during the day and little in the way of rain. We did however receive tow soakings, both minutes after topping out which led to a lot of wet gear and a pretty memorable walk home in the dark, lightening all around. Leaving the sanctity of the valley to get to the car was 'interesting'.

Before leaving for France, Nat and I both began reminiscing about the Gorges du Verdon. For me, it was the best place I visited on my entire trip; its everything I'm not. Big, bold and technical. Just getting over the exposure seemed like a decent tick, even if I didn't do anything all that hard (for anyone thinking of something hard, Graphique will be the airiest 8a I've ever tried, its not easy either). Due to this thinking, throughout the trip we kept a close eye on the forecast for 'la Palud' (thanks to UKB for the info re: drying). It didn't look good, everyday it rained a LOT and I was sure the cumulative effect would leave the gorge, especially the target (La Demande, the first route to breach L'Escales [i.e. bottom to top up the big bit], following a crack and then legendary exit chimneys). i.e. read drainage.

Saturday looked good, and despite needing to drive for ~10 hours the next day in time for a ferry at 6pm seemed like a great plan. Friday evening we drove to the verdon (2 hours extra), enjoyed the best pizza in the world, a beer or so and then slept a rather uncomfortable night in the car (bad bad plan).

Neither of us slept. My excuse is basically over excitement. Nat just found it bloody uncomfortable. When dawn broke we romped through the wet tunnels to find ourselves at the foot of L'escales just after 7 (giving us roughly 12 hours should we be 'that' slow). Sadly the shortcomings of our plan showed through immediately. Nat looked terrible on the first pitch and quickly became unhappy and returned to Terra-firma. Frustrated I romped up, linking what we think were the first two pitches to save some time. Nat followed looking timid and tired and when she finally reached the belay it was obvious that continuing on, although possible would lead to some fairly frustrating climbing. I suggested we call it quits and return fully fit. She wasn't happy as expected.

At about midday it became apparent just how stupid our plan was, driving in the general direction of North, neither of us could concentrate and we were forced to stop and sleep. Idiotic.

Hopefully this isn't all sounding too negative (the holiday was fantastic)?

Financially it looks like the original Yosemite plan is a little self-indulgent at this time, and given the disparity between climbing as a team, we both think it could heavily benefit from some consolidation. On the plus side, the Verdon is much closer, much cheaper and I have the sneaking suspicion that, should we venture away from cracks onto the more fingery, technical walls (Pichenbule), Nat will excel as she did yesterday upon High Tor. Rat fingers.

E5?

2011-04-11T15:49:00.003+01:00

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.

Photies

2011-03-02T10:09:00.002Z

Consistency

2011-02-04T16:19:00.002Z

Consistency doesn't seem to be my game at the minute (apart from consistently posting the below photos that is).
The weekend was good and we spent it pootling about trying to capture some vague psych for the brown rock. It worked, although nothing (remotely)hard was targeted; instead it was like doing a good days circuiting.

Saturday was Stanage far right where once Nat and I had stopped bickering like pro's we both enjoyed what was mainly sideways shuffling.

Sunday was a much shorter day and mostly involved playing with flashes with a bit of climbing thrown in. Its nice to tick a few more bits and bobs off the list of glaring omissions although I've now done purple haze and its variants a worrying number of times.

I think the few things that remain (or were added) to the list, reside on Staffordshire brown stuff and require a fair bit more effort both in driving (being awake) and pulling (Tetris being the main target I think).

Back inside I've fallen into the Tues/Thurs routine quite happily although its been mostly spent at the Works (the Foundry got a little dull). I've been trying my best to use the deviant comp style problems to try and improve my total failure when it comes to toe-hooking. Thankfully its working well and on Tues I managed to tick off a few bits that seem like a walk in the park to most people; they were a hell of a struggle!

I also had a brief flirtation with the board and I liked it. The cruel tease that she is however was evident last night as I waved at small holds that I hadn't a hope of holding. (5+3)c Mawson demo'd the problems and is looking in good shape for the upcoming Malham season.

This week I managed to add yet another flash to my arsenal of photographic equipment and for a pittance (£5, it would have been £2.50 if the other unit didn't contain decaying batteries). Whats even more remarkable than a photographic bargain is the fact that I survived playing around with electronics (the unit needed modifying) with no electrocution, only temporary blindness from firing a full pop about an inch from my face!

Futility

2011-01-24T15:48:00.004Z

Most people (if there's anyone still out there?) are probably using Feed readers of some sort and therefore didn't notice that the blog had been turned to 'Private' and that my mindless spilling of ill conceived thoughts hadn't infected their brain for a few months.

I hadn't gone all shy nor was I mid way through signing an exclusive deal with 'Eat Natural' or in my case 'My Protein or Wine', simply put; I wanted to get more work done and like many other things a blog is a way to waste time. Albeit a small piece of time but enough that when you add all of your little vices together they create a black hole of productivity. Its not that you don't achieve anything, its just not directly useful.

Forums are the worst for this, idle chatter or otherwise searching for knowledge on something that ten years ago you'd have just paid for. BUT now I know where the washer fluid hose connections are, isn't that right skoda?

Another example; I was recently dragged kicking and screaming into 2011 with an Android phone. I hadn't been missing twitter (on which I finally concede Dobbin was correct), weather updates, or even to the minute updates on my inbox but now I have it, I use it. I've also spent a great deal of time fiddling with various setups, reading about custom ROM's and even java based app development. Not only that but I've set up my array of recently acquired tech so I can stream my media throughout the house... and so that it'll sync a few playlists when it comes in range of my home wifi. Not content with this, I then wasted a good portion of a day trying to get my media streaming to my TV via an xbox, and naturally using a different media server (as XBOX 360's only seem to digest .wmv) that can transcode.

Iteration 1 of this procedure led to breaking my OS on two computers, the firmware of my router and a whole lot of wasted time. Iteration 2 worked well, although the 15m ethernet cable is trying its best to break my legs.

Still not content I set around setting up Tversity to forward my media to outside my network and even 3g. For no particular reason, other than I wanted to see if it worked and telling myself I'd use it at 'work', at which I have spotify anyway.

In a moment of stupidity I threw the custom (non supported) firmware from Magic Lantern onto my DSLR, ok it adds a lot of features that are really funky but that body wasn't cheap and I'm hardly a member of slackjaw. In fact, apart from 'tests' I've done very little with the video capability of the camera. I've read an awful lot.

As you can see, I'm not doing so well in the whole writing up phase of this project.

Climbing has been on the back foot; since going well at the Foundry I quickly became bored with the problems and trundled off for a love/hate session at the works (a different world). I had tried going out but I seem to have become a little soft as it was quite frankly unpleasant. Three problems in to the works session it remembered who I was and quickly tore something in my side as punishment, an intercostal probably but it hurt regardless. Ironically this then bound me to the works for the last 3 weeks or so as I've nursed it back to a modicum of health. Trying to alternatively lift your feet off the floor using an undercut and failing is slightly depressing.

Despite all of this, it is improving and up until the drunken exploits of this weekend (Jagermeister FFS) my works technique was going through some kind of boot camp. Having your feet swing off and instinctively stopping the motion leads to a mighty dose of pain which in turn soon becomes an incentive to find out exactly why that third toe hook isn't staying put!

In the spirit of time wasting I'll stop there, hopefully you stopped much much earlier.

VRS

2010-12-07T01:36:00.003Z

Last weekend began with a whistlestop tour of the North half of England.

Sheffield > Liverpool > Darlington > Leeds > Sheffield > Stockport > Home then on Monday a quick 1-2 back to Stockport to pick up our newest car:

Before this we had a little too much money tied up in vehicles with the Van and the Punto (which didn't seem to be attracting many lookers, none in fact). Thankfully they both sold, and fairly painlessly too leaving us room to economise slightly and be happy.
I have to say, I'm made up with this one. Like usual I spent an age trawling relative forums looking for the regular faults so that on inspection I knew what I was on about.

It was quite funny in some cases to see what some people considered to be 'Great' condition; I'd have said: parked repeatedly by a blind person in one case .'FSH' (Full service history), being a business card for a Skoda salesman who would "tell me what its had done" was another. Shame as the optional leather was rather tasty although not very grippy in the corners.

The one we ended up with I'd passed over on autotrader due to it only having three pictures, all of which were bad and showed nothing. After viewing the rest and a lengthy phone call with the backstreet dealer proved he knew a thing or two, we took a chance and slipped over the snake once more expecting disapointment. This one was perfect, gleaming bodywork, clean interior, smooth power, no pulling no torque steer (different engines in the '06 models producing a much smoother torque curve and 138bhp standard). The ability to remap these up to 170bhp without any hassle whatsoever has been on my mind and with my free-thinking insurance company it isn't a problem anyway but I honestly have to say this car doesn't need it and likely won't get it.

Already we're seeing 56mpg and I havent stopped using my heavy right foot despite the white stuff that seems to have stopped everything else. I feel a bit stupid that I discounted these when we bought the last Punto, they may have a few less toys but what they do have is so much better (side note: why on earth has skoda released the new VRS with a piddly petrol?) and thank f*ck its not a golf. Perfect as they are, unless its sporting a GTI/V5 badge (or upwards) Golfs are automotive beige.

Hopefully I'm on the money here and we can keep this one a while, I'm getting tired of buying and selling cars. 7 in as many years is a bit silly.

Nat was off the rest of the week and as I am snowed under with work (it isn't going well) we decided to stay around and sort out the many chores that are mounting up and finally sort the rest of the flat out. 20 ish litres of paint later and we've only got one more room to go.

My elbow started playing up before this week so I've taken some time off; this has done nothing. Tonight, after seeking the advice of someone qualified I think the prognosis isn't that bad. Pronator curls here we come!

...Furthermore, I have to say I'm blown away by Dave-wh0-isn't-a-racist 's latest ticklist. That man is on fire. I wonder if I buy some skull candy, start wearing camo and walk around with a questionable hand position whether I'll get stronger?

D.D.I.Y.

2010-12-02T12:35:00.000Z

Dare I type? (well at least its now on this blog and not on the Boltfund website; fool)

I have to say that I don't think I've been this tired at midnight on a Sunday for quite some time. Last weekend, before heading out on the grit we decided to quickly strip down the bathroom to its barebones and re-grout the shower. Needless to say; heading out on the grit didn't happen.
There was obviously something up with the first pot of readymixed grout (I say this in hindsight) but to me, a newly inspired tiling DIY novice I didn't have a clue and merrily carried on spreading it between all of the tiles before returing for a pre-bouldering snack. On finishing (eagerly) I checked out my handywork and realised what an utter mess it was. Then began the process of removing it all, which took until about Sunday evening. At this point you begin asking yourself "What was wrong with the old bathroom?" and "How much is my time REALLY worth?".

Every night this week was spent in the (very small) bathroom, doing and re-doing everything from grout, electrical fittings, floor, paint and wall fixings. I managed a quick session on Tuesday night where even removing my weightbelt made no difference and I quickly scampered back home to do yet more DIY. This weekend the remainder of our flat/workshop (at this point) needed restoring to a habitable state BUT goddamit I was getting out on the grit! Well.. Not so much, as someone bought our van on Saturday morning, the new PC arrived, as too did the NAS. All bringing with them a new list of things to do. (Although to be honest shifting the van is a load of my mind, and a car will allow Nat to stop commuting by the godawful rail network that links Leeds and Sheffield thus buying us back around an hour a day!).

Its all setup now and I can't wait to get back to some kind of normal behaviour. I've got plenty of work to do but at least I've now got the tools to do it and its all laid out in front of me; do this, do that then write; a fuckload. Tomorrow I'm going to strive to learn LaTEX and see if it lightens or increases the load, then, and only then I might be able to climb although I'm not expecting much. I'm sure at some point my commitment will return fully (he says [types] sipping on Leffe).

Weight

2010-11-05T01:03:00.003Z

Today was one of those days whereby a helpful collection company give you the time slot of 8am to 8pm and I was stuck in. My university license issue hasn't yet gone away and thus I had an unproductive day of the highest order.

Nat returned home (late again after another shocking day on the trains; morning cancellation of service, then return journey 30 mins late and half the carriages == travelling like sardines) exhausted and less than enthused by the Foundry. However, for me, cabin fever had truly set in and we were soon Foundry bound and recieving a soaking of the highest order on the ~5 minute walk.

Having now done a large proprtion of the problems (look at me etc. [actually I think its a fairly easy set]) and then doing most of them again on features I couldn't really work out what to do. I'm still in the stage of upping the intensity at a slow pace and the board and campus board all seemed a bit too much for my notoriously fragile fingers. Instead I had the genius thought of resurecting my weightbelt. Made from Decathlog ankle weights and some cheap webbing it is actually very good but I've never actually used it with intent.

During school time (you see what I did there?), I'd occasionaly add plates to myself, gain assistance (as my feeble legs weren't enough) to the bar and attempt to emulate a level of zippyness that I never truly managed. Other times I'd stick a few plates on and ladder on the moon board (on the system holds of course). A few times I'd attempt a problem Joe le Sauasage style (Basic Knitwear if you want the true tick). Never repeatedly and never with much focus.

Tonight I saw clearly. Problems, problems on features, problems with added weight, problems with added weight on features. Double the amount of problems; Result! Weightbelts seem fairly in vogue right now and what a difference a few Kg's make! Even sitting seemed like a lot of effort. Technique took a serious hit as I fought to keep myself in contact with the bendecrete wall of choice and with every completed problem came a joyous crunch to my knees as I hit the deck with added oomph. Reversing wasn't an option, I'd barely made it up there in the first place. I was having fun, recieving a spanking of my own design.

My better half was not; continually face planting on a problem wasn't (for some reason?) making her night. Towards the end of the session I felt compelled to see if my Gym Boss was still working (the answer is; barely) and took it next door to beneath the beastmaker. Belt in tow, I somehow felt Encores were a great idea. 3 sets of torture to be exact.

Sitting here now (on my tiny netbook, I miss my desktop already), my shoulder blades feel more worked than I can remember.

What a relief to unclip the buckle and drop a few kg's instantly. I bet all the fat bastards out there wish they had a buckle.

But they don't.

Steaming

2010-11-02T00:11:00.004Z

I've had a fairly frustrating few days...

On Friday my home PC started to bork. It looked as if it could all be down to my own stupidity of keeping it next to my Xbox 360 (which up until recently has been unloved). That thing (being an early elite) kicks out some heat; in the direction of the PC cooling fan. I rescued the poor Acer from its Microsoft cell mate and lo' and behold, the problems vanished and I managed to do a successful backup. Rosy.

Last night, I took the decision to have a late one busting out some work to start on the grid computing facilities. Roughly 30 simulations each requiring about 8 hours of run time + another hour to do some post processing. I finished at 4am and tried to upload them to my ftp account. But stupid me, I'd forgotten just how long it takes to transfer files of that size and number from home. I fell into bed, exhausted. This morning, I awoke to find a PC recovery console as my desktop with a big fat 'Failed' error message. It quickly dawned on me (over my morning green tea with lemon) that yesterdays hard work was all for nothing. I wasn't happy. Then again, I hadn't lost all 'that' much and set the PC recovering from a handy system image. Its completed but no longer seems to believe it has a network adapter. It wouldn't play nicely with Ubuntu either, or MemTest for that matter. Basically, its f*cked.

A little miffed I headed into uni/work and begun re-making my files. It always feels tedious doing large batches but even more so the second time. I finished at about 7 this evening and put them onto the grid computing system to find out... that there are currently no licenses for the given software.

So since taking over Fluent, Ansys have removed my standalone license, invoked a university wide license (which isn't currently active) and transferred the grid licenses to Fluent 12, which has failed. I'm effectively a hydraulics experiemnt which is short of a fluid. Having access to three grid accounts I'm now effectively 18 times slower without it. Thats a lot and makes any effort at the minute seem absolutely futile (but necessary?).

There is an upside to this all however (in fact a few):
1. I'll finally sort out my woefully inadequate 500Gb filled to the brim passport backup.
2. I went to the Foundry tonight and tore the place apart

I know its the done thing to claim general weakness when asked but without blowing my proverbial trumpet, I feel quite strong. Not my strongest ever mind you but certainly something approaching decent. It may seem from my recent postings that I've lost sight of my previous epiphany, that is not the case. Time is conspiring against me at the moment and there's nothing I can seemingly do. Indoors will have to suffice for the most part and the nature of training goes a long way to destroying the memories of a frustrating day.

Got wood?

2010-10-18T22:38:00.003+01:00

Tonight (at the Works) I decided that next session, I'll be joining the Foundry. Not simply because its closer as an in-situ wonder mule made the though of boarding it at the works actually appealing, but simply because I can't have productive sessions there often enough.

Tonight (again) as I attempted to train amidst the throngs of teenagers who thought dyno'ing and forward rolls were endlessly entertaining someone muttered "show off" as I was doing one armers on the giant scaffolding rather publically situated by the entrace. I looked stunned for a minute (I'd assume) and inwardly fought my tourretic self from screaming something involving CVNT very loudly. The very thought that I'd rather be in a dirty old building at the top of heeley as far away from this climbing reality as possible obviously wouldn't have occurred to him and I decided to just carry on.

Simply put: I long for the board back. To be able to train in relative solidarity without being angered by those around me. To be able to shout loudly when I fail knowing only that I might upset a very thin pot smoking violin maker (and even that was hard). I want problems back that highlight a lack of power, an inability to squeeze hard enough or to pull. I DON'T want to train to Kelis. I'll still endeavour to get out as much as possible but looking at my list of 'loose ends' from my research I can't see this Winter being that productive or facilitating a lot of 'extra' time. At least training hard will do something to quell the quesitons that circle in my head after a day spent staring at the same model I've been using for nigh on 3 years (the situtation of which seems to get worse daily).

As per the advice of a certain round farm animal I've been taking it easy, from a Summer of tradding and a fair break from training as I know it, my body simply isn't ready to jump back into training hard. Its gone from once a week, to two. Now it features a bit of touches and a few one armers. Shortly its time to look at whats lacking and get to it. My core seems floppy on the BM board and my fingers feel weak. Rings would be great, but I'm not going back there.

I usually find Gymjones' tweets to be a bit much but a recent quote from Ueli Steck was brilliant:

"I am not better than anyone else, I'm just fanatical about training"

Well I certainly share the sentiment about training.

(^ Proof that we actually do go outdoors still)

2010-10-13T23:19:00.005+01:00

I finally managed to sell my Italian Stallion over the weekend. It's been advertised for four months with barely a whisper of interest apart from one text, quickly followed by another to tell me he'd found something better.

Being a Fiat it didn't go quietly. Having been sat in a garage for four months without being started or charged very often I felt certain that we'd be playing warning light roulette on the morning of the sale. Strangely after being on trickle charge it lept into aciton with the first turn of the ignition. Shortly after it was left ticking away on the drive to re-charge before sitting there anxiously waiting for the next idiot who fancies some budget hot (well warm) hatch diesel fun.

The viewing went fine with the guy crawling all over the car and not raising a single problem. That was until he asked me how to open the bonnet. Previously (on return from 6 months of fun) I'd found my Dad had managed to spring the cable from the release handle. It took a lot of cursing in the foot well but eventually in a cramped dark garage I had it back on and we were in business. Knowing all too well that it was a Fiat, I finger tightened the bolts as they were obviously going to need taking off sometime again.

I cursed some more, but no sweat this was a quick task out in the open and in less than 5 minutes the cable was re-attached. I pulled it. Nothing, pulled harder. Nothing, removed cable, used big pair of pliers. Nothing. Sent the viewers in for Coffee while I tried desperately to spring the bonnet to no avail. In the end it was a test drive (thank goodness it started) to the local garage who heaved on the cable whilst wrenching the bonnet upwards, managing to spring it. Phew. By this time I was heavily p*ssed off as my hopes of achieving a good price had evaporated. Suprisingly however they were in love with the little Italian despite its obvious quirks and only negotiated the negligibe cost of the cable from the price. Result.

So now we're left with this:

It has nearly a 100k on it and Nat has in her wisdom decided that the train is not for her and she's going to drive again. That amongst other things makes the van an impractical single vehicle. Its a shame really as it does look very nice. I'm trying very hard to pick a practical vehicle that we won't need to change for a while (it seems like I've bought and sold a lot of vehicles over the last 2-3 years). Despite this there's an Alfa on the list.

Roundabout

2010-10-04T01:31:00.003+01:00

Its incredible how it is possible to go so quickly from climbing outdoors all the time, to being aware that everything that can is getting in the way of getting out and it has been almost a month since you did anything really enjoyable on rock. This isn't a good thing but as I approach thesis write up time, deadlines get closer, problems NEED to be solved and Nats new job is leaving us both less and less time, it is reality. Whilst I'm here moaning its also worth remembering that there are a great deal of people far busier than I, who have levels of psych that are just beyond me. Work, Cycling, Climbing, Family etc. I applaud you as I slump on my sofa.

Since Pembroke I've managed very little, a quick dabble up Sheperds crag with Nat and Dad which was far too easy to be anything more than a bit of fun. Climbing as a three and leading every pitch was a bit of a pain if I'm honest and protecting two seconds seemingly defeated the point of using two ropes for what realistically could have been done in one, 60m pitch without too much hassle or forethought.

Alas the day was not wasted as I bumped into one of the first people to take me climbing and teach me a thing or two. Mr 5c Senior, it's been roughly 8 years since I saw him last. Our conversation was cut short as a small child tried their best to cut short their life by taking a tumble and clipping rocks, brances and everything else in sight. The kid was ok.

The slightest hint of climbing has been indoors. Its a funny one this; as Adam pointed out (no doubt whilst smirking), I've done a bit of a U-turn with regards to training, climbing and trad. Its been fun and I hope it'll stay with me for a long time. It may be easy, you mightn't have to be 'that' strong or fit but in reality it tests a whole different skillset, requires different knowledge and ultimately leads to some amazing experiences. There are a number of places in the UK that I still haven't visited, I hope to rectify this. If you're reading this and you once enjoyed a bit of the easy stuff and have never been to the likes of Pembroke I strongly urge you to give it a go. The routes I've done this year have been some of the highest quality that I've done in the whole of the UK. From watching a number of Seals bobbing up and down as I wobble high above a wire, to catching a little bit of sea spray on Rusty Walls, all of it has been fantastic. Despite this, its time I drifted back the other way a little. Comparitively (and I say that to avoid being one of those annyoing people who claims weakness before busting out a few one armers in an L-sit), I'm weak, my fingers are weak, my core is weak and I can't pull for toffee. If i'm going to enjoy my slightly imrpoved footwork after this winter then I'm going to have to re-align the starts and put in some hard work. It seems to be hard work. This summer has left me with a disdain for indoor wallas that previously I never felt, thankfully I still enjoy the masochistic undertones that training gives. Once I get going it'll be fine. So far this has consisted of a couple of trips to the Foundry and a bit of rings. Bring on the psych, albeit slowly as we all know how my body likes to cope with intensity. Snap.

On another note; Finally, someone has contacted me about the Punto which is a good thing as I was getting edgy and the van has been at the very front of my mind as an unnecessary luxury. As Dobbin points out, when you attach a certain value to motoring (even in a van) it gets costly. Do we really need it?

I also tried my best to cost myself yet more money by smashing a few flashes off some hard concrete. They've kind of survived, but it'll definately teach me to be a little less blase with minor gusts. I have to admit, I do quite enjoy dicking around with camera's at the minute. It'd be nice if everything stayed intact.

Have a picture:

2010-09-06T23:12:00.004+01:00

Nat managed to scrape an extra week off between changing jobs (she now gets the train to Leeds) which teamed with her remaining holiday allowance gave us 12 days to enjoy. It was all a bit last minute and after failing to book onto Lundy we weren't quite sure what to do. Europe seemed like a safe bet, after all we'd been fairly lucky in our last trip. However, the Jura looked wet and would be undeniably hard, the Verdon looked great but its so far away and Calanques?... well we were faily sure our van would be stolen, or smashed in. Or maybe both and then burnt out.

Various discussions had us leaning one way or another until a few days before where Pembroke seemed like the future. I've been working on my head, not my finger nor my core and the other trad venues all seemed to have poorer odds with regards to the weather.

Arriving in Bosherston the place felt familiar, I know where to eat, sleep and buy food and by now I'm actually getting a feel for different areas. Much in the same way as the previous trip the climbing all went well, Nat led some more and we continued pretty much where we left off. One thing we failed to do was check the firing times for Sept and as luck wouldn't have it the MOD had big plans for playing soldiers as soon as the 1st arrived (which it did), Mother Careys was an option but having now done most things at our team limit (or Natalie imposed ceiling).

We sacked it to North Wales via the Osprey project. We've driven past this a number of times before on the way to Tremadog and carried straight on, this time we chose to take a look, approximately two days after the birds had migrated. Great.
North Wales was Scorchio and a few days were spent between the Cromlech and the stream in the pass where we sat with our stinky feet in the nicely chilled water.
The last few days were spent back in Sheffield carrying out 'necessary' tasks so that Nat was happy when she started her new job today.

Tonight, complete with Man Flu (Tm), I was coerced into a session at the Works. I can honestly say I haven't had the desire to go indoors for a while and tonight was no different. The works had an unusual scene, the amount if ripped up, hungry looking storng people was frankly shocking. The women were tearing the place apart and I fell off the first problem I pulled onto (a jug romp). That pretty much set the tone for the evening. People kept interjecting with comments such as "Don't worry it'll soon come back" to which I stared back blankly. Basically everything I've been doing of late is at odds to climbing hard and bouldering. I climb statically on trad, I'm careful, considered and faff around looking for jugs that in bouldering don't necessarily exist. I've got no snap, no pop and my tendons seriously did feel like they might crackle as I pulled on anything smaller than a finger bucket. It didn't bother me all that much. Ok, I'll fully admit that I don't really like a public ass-kicking or feeling weak but it wasn't at all suprising and isn't what I'm after at the minute.

What bothered me slightly was the fact that I didn't or don't have that 'will' anymore. The will to say no to chips, beer and gin and to hang off a wooden edge repeatedly instead. To try hard, eat clean and put everything I am into climbing. I'm more psyched for enjoying other aspects of life, trying to improve at photography and reading anything I can get my hands on.

But it'll change, it'll come back one day... I think.

(Random photos stuffed in from the Hols and the weekend. Some Rubicon shots (Nige) using flash which I 'think' ended up being quite subtle)

Preopsterous Tales

2010-08-18T16:48:00.002+01:00

If I took you blow by blow through the last few weeks this would be a very long post indeed and to be honest I can't be bothered and I'm fairly sure anyone reading this can't be bothered either so I'll be brief and stick to the highlights.

Firstly, I can't believe its taken me this long to remember another aspect of climbing that is so enjoyable. Furthermore I can't believe that I've been climbing for this long without being dragged in some way shape or form towards the bottom end of wales.

Before leaving the forecast looked, lets just say; British. A quick check of other euro-destinations showed the South of France to look incredible. Somehow I held my nerve and decided we'd go to Pembroke.

Basically, we worked our way through our tick list (courtesy of UKB regulars) and rarely strayed from the Rockfax top 50. The tone was set early buy ensuring Riders on't storm was the first route we got on and the second was Bloody Sunday. The leap is fantastic and I can't see myself from running out of challenges down there anytime soon!

I was absolutely shocked when I abbed in down the Monster Face (it looked wet, it wasn't) to find Keith and Mule underneath Minotaur. We both respectively set off on different minor epics. When I got a little lost I asked Nat where the belay was. She promptly picked up the guide, read a different route description and sent me off on what turned out to be an interesting linkup of most routes within the central section.

We made it to Mowing Word and all the way up to St. Davids, which whilst a nice setting, seemed a litte boring compared to the more imposing routes at Pembroke south.

I've been trying fairly hard to work through the grades and try and build myself a somewhat solid trad head/foundation with which to build on and its going fine. Nat seems able to follow happily up to about E3 as long as the route isn't too steep but on our next visit the going WILL get tougher. I've got a few routes in North Wales I'd really like to get on this season and hopefully a few more in Pembroke and one on High Tor. If these all get ticked then I'll be happy and my short term goal will be ticked/realised/sent.

All-in-all my head seemed pretty solid up until the last day. A few too many in the St. Govans left me with the hangover from hell and the smell of fear (or maybe beer?) escaping from me at every possible point. Abbing into a calm, almost serene Mother Careys I inexplicably became intimidated by my chosen routes and tried to find every excuse under the sun to avoid them. That was until a little voice clicked and after bitching at Natalie for what was clearly my head issues we got sorted and had a whale of a time on the almight Zeppelin. The territory is outrageous (a bit like Rock Idol on steroids) and the climbing fantastic. It would have been a little better if there hadn't been a communication error that left me off belay for a moment on a less than solid finish.

The weather was generally kind to us but as the tides starting playing up a shower had us packing up and heading North for what turned out to be a lot of driving for a day trip to Tremadog. Twas a successful trip however. Nat did her first lead, the first pitch of Christmas Curry shortly followed by her second, the final pitch of vector (namely one step in the clouds).

Sorry if this is all a bit vague, there's a lot to cover.

Other highlights include over filling my coleman stove, pressurising it and priming it which then led to it heating up and forcing petrol out of the filler cap. This then took light and a self perpetuating petrol fire ensued.

I had a mission trying to get on Mother night. The stake seems to have disappeared thus making the rockfax high tide access descriptions no longer valid. I still tried. Raining blocks down on myself, lowering in and then top roping out of 'Just Klingon' to pull into the final groove, a bit pissed off and quite pumped to be chucked up at/on by a Fulmar. Two washes later and my trousers still have the tell tale oily stain.

My old cams ceased due to the sea air, an obvious sign that they needed some TLC.

...and naturally we went for 'Preposterous Tales' only to find someone had taken a shit down the exiting chimney. Nice. This would make for a good DWS for the first two pitches should anyone fancy it. After that you could easily reverse it and finish up high life.

As Nat has taken a new job she finishes in Wakefield on Tues leaving her another 12 days off before she starts in Leeds. Currently its destination unknown but its not as if Pembroke isn't a strong contender after this trip.

Nightmare of Brown Donkeys

2010-07-27T01:20:00.005+01:00

The irony continues this week as once again my good lady is further North than usual and I am armed with four wheels and yet unable to use them with an impending deadline this Thurs.

The weekend wasn't looking too great further afield and over the phone I crumbled and agreed to her family popping in for dinner (a long way from Watford, non?) one evening either Fri or Sat. They plumped for Sat and on waking in the morning after sampling some local ales at the Riverside, it was plain to see that the flat wasn't going to be in an acceptable state to have guests if we went climbing. Reluctantly we both sorted the mess out and vowed to be more organised next time, with me silently cursing my moment of weakness.
The evening itself went off fairly well, her mother deposited some matching cushions (I shit you not) for the van made out of scraps from the upholstering. Leaving it too late again we scrounged a table at Zeugma 2 for what turned out to be a frustratingly average meal and one of the first her family have let us pick up the tab for.
Sunday came and I'd like to say we jumped out of bed and got going bright and early. The reality of it is Natalie woke early and I slept like the student that I am. After midday I surfaced, ate and plotted a course to Matlock.
Ever since abbing in to High Tor the first time I've eyed up the lines that break out of the Castellan cave, they breach some impressive territory and I can remember thinking on more than one occasion that it was unlikely I'd ever have the balls to do any of them.
After consulting the guide it turned out that many not so desperate routes forge their way through this steep ground. Circumnavigating the steepness with devious lines. Nightmare of Brown Donkeys (sadly I've not been dreaming about an ethnic neurotic version of the wonder mule, or is it the paragliding mule? You never know these days) was the route of choice. Mainly picked for line but backed up by stars and a recommendation from Mr. Littlefair. What I should have learnt by now (but sadly I haven't), is that Natalie is very happy to follow me up anything I should choose (that puts a sensible cap on it anyway!). However, if there is any form of sideways component to the route, she instantly becomes unhappy, and 'touchy', not to mention her movement slowing to a glacial pace.
The ab went fine although some fat b*gger has removed the spiky foothold I use to get past the first bit. All that remains is a brown hole where it once was. Abbing the line I pulled in on various bits of tat to ensure I had a fighting chance of ending up in the Castellan cave and thus avoiding the first pitch of loose VS crap that is skylight. Success was had and I was glad to be in the cave as Natalie rained down a block or two whilst abbing in. Good skills.
The first pitch is pretty fun leading you out of the cave on the RHS along the lower break to a stance below the groove.
Following this is one or two tricky (slightly bold) pulls into a dirty crack after which you climb up until you see a large peg, down climb a bit and then try and fathom whereabouts you actually turn the corner to the obvious ledge on Laurin. This took a while as there wasn't any chalk, and more to the point, there wasn't much for your feet. Especially if you've been an idiot and are now suffering the consequences of breaking in new boots in the most undesirable manner. After what was likely an age I found the traverse line and scrabbled my way across to the ledge via a piece of tat that looked bomber. Looking rightwards my error was clear; tat may look good on the outside but sure enough the bit inside the rock is probably not that confidence inspiring (exposed core and not much of it). A breather was had before eyeing up the various bits of tat, snapped bolts and wooden blocks and opting to belay under the big roof (not advised in the guide). Once again this had so much rotten tat that it was hard to pass my sling through the fair sized pocket in the back of the birds nest.
At this point my earlier identified issue came into play. Nat struggled with the initial pull into the groove, fought her way up to the peg then rat crimped her way over to the ledge looking non to happy. At the belay I gave her the option of backing off (I'd managed to lean out and grab the ab line on the aforementioned ledge and trailed it with (I really thought she'd want off at this point). My offer was met with a resounding "NO!" so once again the ab line was freed to hang in space.
The next, and final pitch has to be one of the finest positions I've climbed in thus far in the UK. Traversing on undercuts and poor feet underneath a roof to its edge and then making some fantastic moves around it and into a groove above. Sadly this is where my delight ended. Rock quality from hereon was poor to say the least and each path I attempted to leave the groove left me on holds that seemed more inclined to part company with the rock than I care for! Lower turned out to be the way, with an old peg marking the path that some fool must have picked out many moons ago.
At the top, boots off, life returning to my toes ever so gradually, Natalie began what was to be an entertaining pitch. Having placed two runners fairly early on the traverse, the first easily visible, the second somewhat buried, I made sure to explain that if needs be she should clip into the first bit, lean across to strip the second and then unclip from the first, remove it and continue. This almost registered but not in its entirety. From what I gather, she did indeed clip into the first, and then succeed to remove the second. However, she failed to remember to unclip from the first and thus began a process of moving the nut and then re-weighting it in exhaustion. This process was repeated until the inevitable happened; she'd moved it enough that it wasn't good enough to sit on. A little shriek later (enough to stop walkers down by the road), a lot of cursing, and a quick top rope of a dirty (harder) route and she was into the joyful world of loose rock for which I was blamed.
On summiting a quick glance at my mobile showed that it'd taken us a whopping 5 hours. I still can't quite fathom where the time went but considering you can get a meaningful value in mm per minute and that people climb El Cap in less time it was seriously slow.

(I really wish I had a compact to carry on routes like this)

Wet and Dry

2010-07-23T00:16:00.003+01:00

As Nat is away this week and next the aim was to get out as much as possible and do very little work. However, next week I have a rather large progress meeting and this simply isn't possible. I'm starting to get very disillusioned with my studies as a lot of the time I feel I'm scratching around in the dust looking for something of novel interest. Add to this that I struggle to justify the increasing complexities of my models; they don't give better results (in fact they're arguably worse) and computationally they take much longer. Currently I have around 18 all queued up on various university accounts. Each one takes 160 hours on the grid computing system I have access to. Thats a lot, althought not as bad as an earlier one which took nigh on 28 days of iterations, night and day.
Due to this, I didn't leave the office until after 8 today and made it to the Foundry by about half past. A brief hello on the way in made me a few minutes later and by the time I'd finished re-filling chalk and lacing on my new pair of boots it wasn't that far off 9.
I hate time-pressured sessions in or out. There's so much risk that you either won't warm up enough, or you'll warm up too quickly and ruin what little time you have etc. Thankfully tonight I did none of these things and the session felt very like a good (dare I say it?) School session. The wave is a great wall, even to this day I've never come across a wall thats as good at introducing steep footwork and power in a realistic manner, granted the feet are always going to be a bit bigger than when out but its not bad is it?
Anyhow, I climbed well and with little rest. I felt powerful but more importantly I seemed to be moving well (which is a good feeling). I think there's something to this getting out lark?

Unfortunately something tonight really boiled my piss. Talking to someone whose name I really ought to know by now (I don't), the conversation drifted to Kilnsey and I made mention of the recent changes in condition seemingly overnight to which he laughed. He then made a fly-away comment about how 'his mate' had been bragging that he was going to post a false 'wet' conditions report. Now if this is the case I think its fairly off. People base their (treasured) weekends/evenings/days-off on the information supplied by freinds and the good people of UKB trusting them to be accurate with maybe a little pinch of salt thrown in for the needlessly pessimsitic (*cough*). To undermine this system in such a manner seems to me needlessly selfish, maybe it secured a quiet crag, maybe it was just for fun but personally I don't find it very funny.

Thats all a bit heavy so feel free to click on the recent Flickr uploads link for a laugh. If anyone is interested (which I'm sure they're not) I'm keen to get a piccie of someone on powerband using rim lights etc. Recently I flicked onto the Beastyboys channel and saw some of Mark S's recent off-camera flash and thought I'd stop neglecting mine and aim to use them in a climbing context. Which as until now (apart from an indoor shot:

at the works), I've failed to do. I wasn't really happy with that one either, can't put my finger on exactly why. Maybe 'cos its shit.

Unleashing the dank physique

2010-07-21T23:33:00.002+01:00

The cornice certainly won today...

The clean routes were unaffected by this recent spell of poor weather. The less clean stuff wasn't and was hanging onto moisture to the bitter end.
After nearly punching myself in the face a few times on undercuts and then becoming airborne in a blink of an eye. My best boots split with a giant smile rendering them useless.
After this performance I'd run out of excuses why not to get on something tricky. Monumental was clearly going to be too much and a little damp, K3 and RNP appealed but something a bit more left field, featuring the word 'technical' appealed the most. Unleashing the wild physique seems to follow a fantastic line (or it looks too from the ground), the climbing is thin and technical with some finishing spice. Its at a bit more of an ameanable grade than the other routes on my list (although in my estimation it sits fairly high in this boundary).
Anyway I had a brief crack, which rapidly turned to bolt to bolting (wearing a ruined pair of dragons). To be brutally honest I found it quite hard. The bottom is easy, the top is ok but very fluff-able, the middle is thin and very fluff-able. My sequence doesn't seem perfect but a quick chat with Carl suggested I make a few adjustments that retrospectively make sense.
Typing this, my middle finger aches. I'm a little worried, with little over a week before the big hol I don't really want to re-injure my finger. It might be worth backing off just ever so slightly until afterwards.
Cordless Madness looked good from above and has been added to 'the list'.

Tor'd

2010-07-20T02:32:00.003+01:00

Another of the 'excuse routes' went down the other day and just as I was about to get on the last remaining one it was snatched from beneath my gaze by an eager clipstick. To be fair, I was knackered from the previous evening and having done an awful lot of mileage in the last week, I wanted a rest day.
Saturdays weather didn't offer an easy choice of weekend destination so we stayed in the Peak. We didn't get going quickly either. Some time in the afternoon we plumped for High Tor and drove through on and off sunshine and rain all the way to Matlock. At the top it was windy so we sat (and bickered) wasting time. If we were both honest, neither of us were feeling the psych.
The clouds parted and after pointing a nearby walker in what I now know was completely the wrong direction (oops, thankfully not off the cliff), we bit the bullet and abbed in. Darius was what I wanted having thought I'd followed it a good few years ago with a Mr. Bell (namedrop alert). That day we didn't have a guide just a local climber who obviously didn't know what on earth he pointed us at. The route I did on Saturday was not the same and considerably easier. I remember starting up a hanging groove which had a large bit of tat hanging from a peg with a ring (which was split) and then belaying off on the right somewhere on a very large (4" diameter) round 'peg' which was folded behind a flake, does anyone know what this might have been? I'm pretty sure we finished on the final pitch of Debauchery.
Anyway, this time we did have a guide, and to be fair, the line is bleeding obvious. Its good too. We split the pitch for a few reasons and I have to say it took me a good long time to find a decent stance between the miriad of shit pegs on perseus. My nutkey, some digging and threading came good and I was happy. (For all of the purists out there I made sure I went back down onto the original line as not to miss out any of the hard climbing.
Higher up on the crux move, (certainly the nicest move?), I managed to f*ck up my ropes. This was clearly going to lead to a lot of drag and a pain in my ass so I had great fun reversing the cross hands manouevre back to the bolt (another question, why is there a bolt right next to a bomber thread?). After this the climbing is piss but the territory steepens a little. Nat didn't like this, especially when removing her knuckles to retrieve a wire.
Sunday was spent at high tor again, this time Perseus featuring on the agenda and some serious scoping of the routes right of Flaky wall (this looks fantastic by the way).
This week and the next she's up in Newcastle, leaving me to live the climbing bachelor lifestyle (wifebeater vest; check), complete with van. The problem is I've got a massive progress meeting a week on Thurs and a few unexpected twists and turns has left me a little pushed for time. I can do the work easily enough IF it'll converge in time. It seems a waste not to make the most of this time but sadly its looking like I might have to scrounge what little climbing I can between bouts of hard work.
This evening was spent on the wave (what a wall!). I was expecting to get absolutely spanked but gladly I felt fairly strong and even better I seemed to be moving and twisting in all the right ways.

Two weeks to holiday time. Just made a ticklist and it amounts to 60 routes in North Wales alone.

Seriously Sloe

2010-07-16T00:15:00.002+01:00

I thought I'd finally collared a belayer for the spider later last week but he escaped at the last minute leaving me as another tag along to the Cornice. I've never really trained stamina and never really felt the need to as it seems to come quite quickly at the start of the sport climbing season proper after a few frustrating sessions of flailing.
Having now learnt how to climb at the Cornice a little better and having the numbers on almost anything that could be classed as a warmup I've been well poised to get a bit fitter by ticking routes I've never been on and getting them wired so when it does become the time to get stuck in I'll be ready.
That time is vastly approaching. Tues I spent at the Cornice, twice. I'd agreed to go out in the evening with somebody and then a better offer came a long for an early start to mid afternoon. I took both which resulted in doing 10 laps up and down. Some of those were doubles but not all and led me to believe I was getting a little fitter.

Random old photo of Nemesis to break up this mass of jibber jabber. Taken Sept '05!!!.

August is rapidly approaching and I'm aware that another good weekend of weather (although the forecast wasn't that way) was lost to sorting the last bits and bobs on the van. Apart from one 'maybe' task, its done and I have to say a big thanks to everyone thats lent a hand and for abuse of Nats' parents hospitality and tool'age. Worryingly enough it seems like far too long since I required my nuts, I'd rather have my head in the right place before our two weeks begin rather than feeling I lose a few days getting into the groove. We have 16 days, I wonder how much climbing we'll get in? (My mind has been thinking of viable backup alternatives should the UK ressist with a wet fortnight).
Yesterday was meant to be the cornice again but an achey belayer bailed on me. It was probably a good thing too as tonight I went and felt a little creaky. Maybe I'm not 'quite' as fit as I was hoping. Nat joined me tonight after work and got stuck into War Memorial (after a few cams were placed for the ending spice). She frustrated me greatly by putting in a valiant effort, flailing at the bulge and then walking up to the belay and then, not getting back on? Much bickering ensued, mostly from my side. Although, she has developed a new style of belaying. I like to refer to it as emotional belaying. I won't go into detail, but its not ideal.
I did a few routes but annoyingly couldn't seem to get on the ONE route I was hoping for. There was a serious man in-situ, not very talkitive and who broke out his protein post redpoint. Laughably another less serious man chose to break out the Sloe Gin. As ever my wishlist is expanding at an unstoppable rate. This can only be a good thing right? It is an indicator of psych. The main issue will be when I have to pick something meaty (oh look at that, pick on vegans Friday already?). I've got a few more excuses (this is the river and the other line into it) for staying away from the burl or the tech but they won't last long, a couple of sessions at best (worst?). Then I'm lost:

Unleashing looks fantastic.
K3 - tempting but every man and his dog seems to be on this one route, queing isn't fun
RnP - supposedly better?
and the big one...
Monumental - it looks fantastic

Other things on the list are:
Spider
Lockless - hopefully a quick affair?
HFC - this should be done and is grating away at me

I wouldn't mind swinging around the main roof at Kilnsey either, if only for an onsight blast as I'm sure the frigging will get tiring in more than a few ways. The chances of me getting on, let alone completing all of these routes is slim to none. The spider can wait until later in the season and HFC will be avoided until I know for certain it'll get done instantly, another day spent on that and I will lose the will to live. BUT, the Cornice needs full appreciation while its in condition.

Being a complete amateur, my boots are now well and truly ruined. I've got one pair of ok ish dragons, a new pair and an ill fitting pair of verde's. This needs rectifying in some way between now and holiday.

Right better go, funnily enough I'm at the Cornice tomorrow.

Van Conv.

2010-07-07T21:34:00.002+01:00

Can't be bothered to insert all of the tags for the recent conversion pics. If you're interested they're here:

http://bit.ly/bN48l4

Got offered a years secondmant today in Stuttgart. Anyone know of the climbing situation Jura/Pfalz both two hours away?

Monumental Failure

2010-07-06T14:21:00.003+01:00

Last Tues should have been spent out, not in. However, Nat had made other arrangements that left me without transportation and with a million and one things to sort out so I was doomed to a sweaty evening at the works. Actually there was quite a good scene and I climbed surprisngly well given my lack of indoor activities over the last few months (novel I know).

Later on in the week 'she' left for the North East as it seems this is the only place in which her office has any work and I used my time alone to make the flat look as if I am indeed a bachelor by not tidying up after myself, batch cooking and drinking solo. I cobbled together a last minute plan to get out on Fri although I struggled to find other daytime warriors and finally used UKB's hookup forum to get out and about.

When Friday came the destination had been agreed as Cheedale cornice. Why not? Its not as if its dry often and at least it should be quiet. 'Nai' and I enjoyed the place to ourselves warming up on something incredibly filthy (not in the good way) and being generally blind to fixed gear I ended up making it more bold than it needed to be.

Now, the Cornice and I have a strange relationship. The first place I ever climbed on Peak lime was Cheedale Cornice. After being at uni for a matter of minutes I posted over on UKC (note the difference) for someone to climb with. I'd spent the summer working my way through many of the trade routes at Kilnsey and had topped off my season with my hardest every redpoint and basically I was overly confident (hopefully not equally arrogant), coming from a small climbing scene I imagined that I in fact was much stronger than in reality.
Who answered my post? None other than UKB's insect overlord the Shark. I popped over to his that evening for a quick drink, met his mad collie and heard how a freindly local student had kicked his wing mirror off (I think?) after an evening on the sauce.
The day of reckoning came later that week as I stood outside ranmoor waiting for my lift. It came in the form of a 330d estate and I don't think I'll ever forget a foolish comment made by another passenger at the time which resulted in more rapid progress throught the peak district than I anticipated.
We parked at wormhill and I spent the next 20 mins sliding around on my arse as skate shoes clearly weren't up to that muddy approach. When we arrived at the Cornice every one else seemed plenty happy enough but not me. Having spent most of the summer at Kilnsey with the odd trip here and there to Malham or Gordale I was seriously unimpressed. I was assured the climbing was great and the various teams started warming up. Clarion Call was the first order of the day and begun my Peak limestone education with a big fat slap back to reality. I can't even remember if I got to the top, most likely yes but not by much.
I lowered off and Shark went on K3. Powerplant was my chosen route (fool) and I spent the next 30 mins suspended from the bolt by the undercuts perplexed. One thing that its worth noting is that back then, power was something I didn't have. Currently when I go back on one of the routes I enjoyed that summer at Kilnsey its blatantly obvious just how much weaker I was. My sequences involve deviances that I wouldn't even think about currently. If you haven't seen it yet, the irony here is that aged 18 I actually identified this as a weakness and delt with it accordingly, it took until I turned 25 to see that I didn't ever stop in this pursuit.
After yet another schooling on powerplant I moved on, this time to climb with Mark on 3rd reich I believe, a thin 7c ish (?) thing on the right hand side. Again the holds were tiny, the climbing tenuous and I had recieved another harsh lesson on the white stuff.
Fast forward a few years and i was back again, this time my Curly haired belayer and I arrived and I knew exactly what to do; avoid clarion call. Inspired by a picture of Ru footless I decided to dog up Nemesis. The climbing was good and I sorted the moves individually (no doubt swearing they were/are easier than clarion call) and lowered off to take over belaying duty. When it was again my turn to climb I put in a valiant effort which ended on the Sika'd hold, pumped out of my mind with little chance of recovery that day. I picked off something in the center of the wall at a much more ameanable grade before leaving.
Now back to Fri; Having only had one day of sport so far this year (which went 'kinda' ok) I wasn't sure what to expect. I haven't trained in a while and outside I've been plodding. My forearms were still a little tender from the weeks earlier session. I decided after looking at a particular route that any chance of a hard route was out and that I should try and enjoy some onsighting. The warmup was done (as above) and we moved onto clarion call.
From here on out I climbed the worst I've climbed for quite some time. I couldn't pin point what was wrong for the simple fact that everything was wrong. Sloppy footwork, poor reading, no arms, no fingers, no stamina. Thankfully one thing was with me, no fear (well only a little bit. Beal Joker 9.1mm + GriGri + Featherweight + New belayer leaves a few nerves here and there) and it was a good job too as everything and anything from here on I fell off. Redpointing 7a's was soul destroying and I couldn't really find a reason to cling onto. Pritch turned up and didn't seem to believe how poorly I was climbing until he witnessed it with his own eyes. I was all ready to right this blog as an admission of my poor performance without excuses however my body has obviously created a highly developed self defence mechanism wherby dobbin esque levels of neurosis are converted into actual ailments; in this way as Fri progressed so too did 'Man Flu'...

The weekend was spent stranded in Watford making final adjustments to the van and drinking too much at the family BBQ. It wasn't fun and as I was doing very little (stitching) I couldn't force the workers to speed up. Another weekend is required to finish the last little bits and I don't really want to sacrifice any more good weather for this.

Later on this week a Cornice re-match... maybe.

I have now booked two weeks off starting in Aug which I hoped to spend puntering around throughout some UK venues. The list is long and I have to say, after Fri the confidence is slightly dented.

Dream of White Horses (fancy a spot of riding?)

2010-06-28T16:51:00.003+01:00

Very tired today after having a monster weekend at Gogarth. We left Sheffield at 10pm on Fri night after sorting plenty of last minute van things (including a stove). We arrived later at the South Stack lighthouse to see nought but fog and a beam of light cutting through it. I tried to capture this but failed miserably (repeat after me; manual focus).

Lighthouse, Gogarth, South Stack from Bennp2000 on Vimeo.

I also spent a small age trying to figure out how to use rear curtain sync to take a photo of Nat with a slow burn and then flash her in. Again I failed as canon doesn't offer that off-camera apparently?

Day 1 (or Saturday as its more commonly reffered to) was spent at Wen Zawn and the nearby areas. For the popularity of our first route we were (pleasantly) surprised to be the first people on the crag and the only team that appeared later went on Wen anyway. As everyone surely does, we viewed the Zawn from the promontory which somehow managaes to offer a viewpoint that reveals none of the obvious bedding planes you can see instantly from the ab. I'd advise gearing up somewhere other than the top of the ab itself, the approach and scramble down is atmospheric to say the least.

Dream itself is fantastic, the final pitch crosses territory that it really shouldn't (at the grade) and set the tone for the remainder of the routes (and moreover the weekend). Later on we headed to the Britomartis area and did a few routes here. A route finding accident left me on slightly harder territory at one point but apart from knowing I was in the wrong place I was fairly happy.

Not a terrible photo given you can't tell what you're taking using our horrendous little Fujifilm, the lack of viewfinder makes it impossible to know what you're taking a picture of when you're outside. It is however, waterproof should it go for a swim (I felt like testing this at more that one point).

Some helpful sole asked to use our ab rope which of course was not an issue until later that day when I came to take it up and found they'd left a nice big overhand knot in the bottom of it. Of course it got stuck and I got pretty angry.

The weather on Day 1 was fantastic (as above) with little wind. However Day 2, was somewhat contrasting. Despite the sky and ocean being stupendously blue, the wind made the whole Zawn a lot colder and a trifle more intimidating. The wind literally emptied my chalkbag as a gust came through the arch and straight upwards, showering the top of the crag in superchalk. I could see on a colder day with stormier sea's that these areas could get rather intimidating to say the least.

As Nat decided that The Flytrap (despite my best persuasion techniques i.e. Bitburger) wasn't one for her after our slightly harder route finding fail the day before we opted to do another route on the Zawn. Concrete chimney. Again this takes a line through territory that looks rather unlikely at the ameanable grade that it gets and it felt fairly exposed on the lower arete with the wind doing its best to try and unerve us both. It failed with me (medal?) but mightily pissed me off as I found I had to place a cam to keep what should have been a bomber sling in place! Nat was a little unnerved and below the final pitch we had a quick chat to check she was ok continuing (instead if slinking off onto Dream). It wasn't wholly clear if she was entirely happy but I couldn't be arsed waiting for it to clear anyway. I'm glad we didn't slink off as crossing through another unlikely set of overlapping slabs and roofs is one of the finest pitches I've ever done. Afterwards we called it quits and headed back Sheffside exhausted, the van having served us perfectly over the weekend.

More more more.

Week in Photos

2010-06-19T20:10:00.005+01:00

Not really in the mood to write a lot. Mon - Tues was spent in North Wales with Reeve on the slate. Anything hard was his, anything easy was mine.

No doubt some will view that as ruining the onsight on some classics but it was a good few days and there are plenty left.

One nu-skool classics we went on was the Wow Wow, great fun but there was plenty of loose rock on the 2nd pitch (my pitch), which I wasn't happy about.

The van has progressed nicely:
Aux input
Underseat sub
Metal Frame
Wooden boarding
Foam

Now all that needs doing is covering the foam and sorting out some curtains or thermo-mats. I'm getting a little bored of sourcing ancillaries however its nearly done. Its a tad painful as with the van conversion, the van itself and upgrading my (or our) rack:

(add to that a Beal Joker and we're away!)

...we seem to be spending at an unsustainable rate.

The van is supposed to facilitate more climbing. It'll be good when thats the case.

Electric 6ix

2010-06-05T21:18:00.002+01:00

The fusebox was a bit messy so it was time to tidy it up:

Barely visible:

Also got the back window tinted.

Seem to have found a little problem; the aerial or the headunit won't pick up radio very well (thankfully in Sheffield its ok!). I can't really work out if its the unit or the aerial, I did however notice that the headlining has been peeled away slightly by the aerial connection (its in the screen btw). The connection doesn't seem broken and technical prodding hasn't made much difference (if anybody has any idea pipe up!).

Got measured up for the rear frame. I'm going box tube with welded connections to keep the structure as shallow as possible. A few plates aligned to the heavy load points turns it into a bolt in bolt out feature.

After that, there's curtains and trimming the foam and then its ready. I really want to fit an underseat sub and an ipod lead but talking to various ICE shops it seems more money than I want to spend.

Hmmm

Furry Fingers

2010-06-03T00:56:00.002+01:00

This weekend was spent almost entirely inside the caddy with carpet and glue. Lots of glue.
First the wiring was done, then removal of the panels. Then finally carpeting of the metalwork, panels and headlining (with the installation of four LED spots).

Results (which I'm proud of and spent most of this evenings sessions showing off):

I spent most of Sunday evening picking carpet fur from my fingernails which had been stuck with high temperature contact adhesive.

Tommorrow I am going to discuss a bed/platform options for the back. Get the rear tinted and visit a few audio specialists to discuss my 'needs'.

Tonight I went to the works, it'd taken about a week for my finger swelling to go down so the muggy heat worked to my advantage keeping me off anything vaguely tricky. It was boring and sweat but with my finger mummified in tape it was also pain free.

Nat and I decided that we'd sort the van as quickly as possible to save missing the summer. So far thats going well and now its in a completely usable state. Can't wait to finish it off.

A different kind of Tor

2010-05-25T01:09:00.004+01:00

How many more times will I have to run out of gear for me to realise/admit that my trad rack is woefully inadequate and go and spend some cash?

One more it would seem. Tonight, at High Tor. Not only did I run out of wires that would fit, I was using my Petzl spirits which gave little confidence in the wires I placed not lifting out the second I was above them. Oh and the core of my rope seems badly damaged about 10cm from the middle.

This weekend Nat wanted to see some of her old school mates and I took that opportunity to totally abuse her parents hospitality and the vast array of tools and DIY equipment her dad hoards.

To good effect I might add. Vinyl floor fitted, B pillar trim cut out of old bulkhead (tricky). New panels cut. Vinyl inserts cut for trays etc.

Next up is lighting, headlining, carpetting and flashing tape. Lots of it...

Still can't find a non switched non timed live in the back of the van though.

Burnt Out

2010-05-20T02:02:00.002+01:00

Last weekend we both burnt out (I did quite literally setting my arm on fire at Neds). Getting out every evening possible and putting off chores for another day caught up with us (Nat especially) and we just didn't want to do anything. Except drink, mainly at Neds birthday bash.

Recently we've aquired another van. This one isn't too big nor is it too small. Its juuussst right, a VW Caddy C20 104, BEHOLD:

Pretty happy with how the shot turned out, its been a while since I played with my strobist kit and I believe that was the first shot of that nature taken with the 550d (which I love).
The van itself is essentially a Golf GT Tdi with a box on the back. This one packs the appearance pack, the electrics pack, climate control and cruise control. Can you say 'fully loaded'?

Reading Stu's blog I have to say I'm very envious. I've always wanted to try Mandela after being up there on a previously wet day with various equipment that I've never seen before (resembling stirrups), the only rose like moves I'm doing at the minute however is crossing my hands between the two different temperature bowls of water in front of myself. In an act of blind stupidity and to erase the guilty feeling for not climbing at the weekend I went down the works and clearly went mental. Pushing the cod finger far past its comfort zone and I'm now paying the price. Its worse than it ever was and ice isn't doing much to comfort it. I felt strangely strong but I guess thats easy to do swinging around on jugs?

This weekend we're committed to a trip down south (to the almost in-laws). I'm intending to make full use of a non climbing weekend by starting to fit out the rear of the caddy using her Dads extensive tool collection and DIY fetish. The whole point of the van is to allow weekend raids without the need to stay in a tent (which I have to say isn't my bag these days) or finding somewhere else (£££). Its essential that the project doesn't escalate to the point at which I finish with little of the summer remaining.

In another bid to save some cash this year and not having immediate enthusiasm to go back to a specific part of Europe (without a little more time for Nat to improve and get more out of it [her words]), we intend to do a mini UK tour at some point (time of year?). Taking in many of the places and routes at an ammeanable grade that really I ought to have done by now.

Back to switches, carpet, plywood, screws, cabling, steel and glue, lots and lots of spray glue.

Ominous Froth

2010-05-13T16:53:00.004+01:00

This weekend we'd managed to get ourselves a little more organised which meant a quick and efficient start to the weekend.
Saturday we drove down to LPT after being tipped off by Mini-pick that the tides were right. We spotted an alarmed Doylo as our little Punto casually passed the cave. After Natalie faffed around for what seemed like an age we were trundling back along the road towards the LPT descent. A quick stop and chat in the cave to assure Father Doyle that I hadn't come all the way for Parisella's and then I pointed Nat down the death slope approach.
The crag seemed fairly popular and given the lack of sun and a strong breeze it threatened to be painfully cold. We warmed up on Kaffee something which wasn't the best of choices at which point the sun turned the corner and turned the crag into a great place to be. I know LPT can be a little funny with conditions but things didn't feel too bad. A little soapy in places but nothing to moan about. Anyway back to the climbing; God knows what it was but I climbed the warmup in terrible style. My feet felt like planks and I just wasn't moving nicely. On return to sea level I realised why; having cut my monsterous toe nails the night before and being lazy with my laceups my toes were nowhere near the end of the boots.
Nat had a tussle but inevitably found it hard and again the wrong choice for a warmup. We moved rightwards onto the other easy lines and picked them off one by one. All nicer and all with just enough clips to keep you happy (or one too few for my better half). I gave her a nudge in the right direction and got her back on the sharp end, after that she seemed to get more confident with the runouts and showed a glimmer of the determination she pulled out now and again on her best efforts.
At this point I noticed the crag emptying. I'd only finished warming up and I was damned if a minor thing like the sea was going to stop me climbing more. We both did one more route at which point the sole remaning team left. The ominous froth deposited by the incoming tide was perilously close but once again I decided there was time for one more. The crag was now empty, all other climbers were long gone, even the peeking heads from the cave had disappeared. One more? why not, after all its only a 7a+ and I've done it before. Nightglue it was (what a fantastic route). The start was wet, so too was the undercut seam but that didn't detract from what is a fine set of moves. A quick blast up to the angular jug before a shake out of Spanish proportions. A quick move right which highlighted just how weak I was. Its not a massive move or a terrible hold but I had to try worringly hard. Again a stupendous shakout at the next jug (as I did so I tried not to take in just how close the sea was. All that remained was the final spring up the headwall where the last small hold threatened to re-tweak my finger. Above this are three strikingly similar moves and a lower off.
Back on the floor we made our exit in a wild scrabble vowing never to do "one more" again.
Sat night we had a B&B in Llanberis (twas my birthday after all).
Sun we awoke and drove up the pass to see the sunshine hitting Dinas Mot. The original plan had been the cromlech but the sun hitting the north side quickly changed our minds and we ran up Direct Route or something similarily easy. It again became evident that my rack is too small as I fished around on stances for placements that fit my remaning gear rather than the other way round. We abbed back down the western gullly and then spent 20 mins tugging on a stuck line. Nat had misinterpreted my "when you come down just move the knot out of that channel", inevitably lots of bickering ensued.
Back in Llanberis we had a rushed late lunch (chip butty) whilst weighing up whether or not we had time to find Rainbow Slab from the bus stop parking or whether we'd just walk around for hours getting lost until dusk.
I really wanted to find it, Nat was knackered and had little psych. This time I won (twas my birthday the day before) and rather painlessly I found myself at the top of the rainbow staring at one of the most hilarious bolts in the world. It was place in a block the size of which dictated that it can't weight more than 30kg, in the bottom of a collapsed building. I didn't want to ab the cystitis line as with the minimal rack I really did want a look at what was on offer (Fail).
Abbing down the rainbow slab is an atmospheric experience. The slab itself is so blank on your right and above all you can see is tier upon tier of destruction caused by man. Behind, a more natural view and inbetween a power station offering a mild hum broken only by the sound of clattering slate.
We were both glad to have bothered at the end of a long weekend, the climbing on Pull my Daisy (a lowly E2) is stunning. Nat flew up it like a rat up a drainpipe and told me she'd found her calling: Slate. I think she might change her mind when I pass over the wires (or lack thereof).
Yesterday, I (or we) bought a caddy. I still stand by the decision to sell the T4, its far too big. But this isn't much bigger than a golf, you can sleep in the back and comes with the same (if not more) creature comforts up front. Add to that the stunning R32 rims and I couldn't ressist.

Unfortunately this now means the Punto must go.

2010-05-06T00:39:00.005+01:00

This blog has recently been turned on its head. Over the last few years in Sheffield I had definitely become lost, training for no particluar goal apart for the trip that I was almoste sure, would happen, some time, maybe. Thankfully it did and as they say, its all money in the bank.
Since coming back I've struggled (which is encouraging) to slip back into the training mentality and the quest for power for powers sake. Instead I've been getting out. Loads. At this point I'd like to say that its been a long time since I've enjoyed climbing in Britain this much. This weekend was no exception:

Learning from our mistakes we went where the weather dictated. Saturday was spent at Kilnsey with Nat becoming re-familiarised with the prospect of sport climbing and I became more accustomed to having to do more than a few moves in a row and finding my forearms to swell rapidly. Nothing special was achieved by either of us and for myself 4 routes (nothing of note) in, I went for a fifth whereby I curled up and died by the second bolt with chilly fingers and solid forearms. Despite this, I can't wait to get back. Nat's very keen to tick a few things and thus it begins!

Sunday we made a rash decision to go to North Wales. LPT looked bon, until we checked the tides (or Doyle did on our behalf) and found that the sea had other plans. A quick re-evaluation, Gogarth was mentioned but Nat wasn't too keen for seconding classic traverse pitches above the sea and instead we settled on the slate. Where I would have to quickly become happier with runouts and serious situations.
That I did as it soon became apparent that my rack (bought around 10 years ago and having nothing added since) is wholly inadequate for most trad routes. Take a trad route that only eats very small gear and I had one or two pieces at best. Not the ideal situation.
Nonetheless the day was spent ticking classics in Vivian quarry, Serengetti and then finally to finish at California with Looning the tube, which I fully expected Nat to hate. She loved it.

Monday we'd planned to do a route up the Nose on Dinas Mot. Like usual though we'd left it too late and after a few up and downs of the pass decided we'd rather climb than wait for a parking space. Therefore, we went straight back to the quarries. More california, a bit of Australia and then the tiers above looning. Not a bad day out, if a little busy for my liking.
The journey back took a little over four hours which was mildly eased by Radio 1's DnB takeover. Mildly.

Tonight I went to the works. A warm heat and strange conditions left my hands feeling glassy on everything. The board spat me off in disgust which has left an undesired pain in my neck. Currently I have an old Umbro sock, filled with brown rice and a few dashes of olbas oil (to hide the smell) draped over my neck after spending a few minutes in the microwave.

At the minute I'm juggling too many lists in my head an invariably I will forget one. Its come the time to put virtual pen to virtual paper and commit them to print.

Grit Omissions:

Purple Haze
Velvet Crab (although after my warm scrittle attempt I'm not so psyched)

Unfinished Business:

Monsterosity - my biggest redpoint glitch to date. I just can't finish this one
Hot Fun Closing - should be a formality later on in the summer season

Get Fit:

Comedy
Ground Effect
Sticky Wicket
50 for 5
Dominatrix
Biological
Frankie
Sideshow
I'd also love to try Mandela, I'm not such a pussy these days and Nat is happy to play belay bunny so it should be on. Kristian always said it was only worth 7c+ you just got the grade for finding it in condition and digging mud out of the holds!

Destinations:

Pembroke
Lundy
-Devils Slide
Fair Head
-Wall of Prey
The Pass
-Lorraine
-Cenotaph
-Left Wall
-Cemetary
Tremadog
-Vector
North Wales Slate
-Pull my daisy
-Collosus
-Mau Mau
-Dervish
LPT
-Anything, its all great
Gogarth (yes I did just type that)
-Dream of white
-anything on yellow walls that Nat agrees to.

There's f*cking loads to climb on this Isle.

The Nature of the Beast

2010-04-30T15:02:00.003+01:00

For the last two weeks I've been comparing my data, to that of my predecessor's (both lab and simulated) without too much success.
If I do a bit of a rewind here, my Phd revolves mainly of modelling pollutant travel through urban drainage volumes. Think Manholes; Tanks Zzzzzzz.
I've got data from a scale model, a CFD model and some fancy PIV data (cameras that work out magnitude and direction of particles within flow!) for verification against what is meant to be my new and improved model to be used in more realistic (i.e. changing) conditions.
The fit was appalling and today I found out why. I traced it all back to particles going missing. Numerically vanishing. At first it seemed completely random but after a LOT of coding and analysing of data. Think 1e+9 lines of data per particle for 80,000 particles. I found out where they were coming from and where they were vanishing.
I've been convinced that I'm a dim wit and got something massively wrong in the setup of all my models.
I've been chasing a numerical glitch in a commercial code for at least the last month. The thing is; during the past month I've cursed my work, my supervisor, my project and a lot of other things yet today I have an almighy grin on my face as I've triumph'd, this is the nature of the beast. Problems challenge you to devlop mentally, examine things you might otherwise ignore and learn new skills to bust the problem wide open.

BOOM

Motoring with Arm rests

2010-04-29T15:16:00.002+01:00

I did indeed manage to get out on Tues evening; to Burbage North. Bannana finger area for warmups (Nat ticked) then straight along to the far end to try Velvet 'hot as hell scrittle' crab, Nicotine Stain, Cleo's arete and then finally Remergence. A nice potter but not much beyond that.

Wed morning I picked up Mr S (as he will be referred to) from Hathersage and hammered the little blue italian North up the M1. We arrived around 11am and turning the corner onto my parents drive my heart was in my mouth. I'm always worried when selling cars that I've got it wrong and maybe oversold somethings quality/condition. I was relieved to see the van glinting in the sun light, bumpers as black as the day it rolled out of the factory. Phew.

God I love that van.

After a coffee Mr S checked the van over. Straight for the engine. Started first turn of the key. Then the bodywork, interior and finally the roof.

He asked me to take him for a spin, naturally I agreed and lept in. Arm rests down, window open just a crack, fallin right back into trip mode. Oh how I love that torquey big engine. It may be a van but its a joy to drive.
By this time I was wearing a large grin with a furrowed brow. Why oh why was I selling the van? Its like taking an old faithful pet to be put down. It just doesn't feel good.
Anyway the sale went through very quickly (sold pretty much for what I paid) and Mr S set off back down to London.
The van is gone and I have to say I'm pretty sad to see it go. I may have cursed it a few times on the trip but I couldn't have asked for more. Hopefully I'll never see it again.
I once owned one of the last Mini Coopers ever to be manufactured. It was fantastic and I would spend hours polishing all of the chrome parts. When I finally came to sell it, it went to someone I knew. He had a modified focus and really I should have known better.
The exhaust developed a small hole so he replaced it with an ugly aftermarket wide bore system. Then, only a matter of months later he part-ex'd it (the stupidity) for a Seat Leon Diesel. FFS, that was a travesty. I never want to see that happen again.
To cheer myself up I spent the rest of the day detailing the Italian. Nat took it to work this morning and didn't notice.

All Wrong

2010-04-27T00:57:00.004+01:00

This weekend we got it all wrong. Approaching the weekend there were two options:

1) Finish off random 'never got around to' grit boulder problems
or
2) Take Nat out for some not so Hard Grit trad action.

At the last minute on Friday night we realised we were out of chalk. No problem as we live next to Sheffields premier climbing wall... the Foundry. Two minutes later we had super chalk and another option. Yorkshire Lime?

I've never been that fussed in driving for what seems like an eternity (I know team Tenacity have this one wired), up to the Yorkshire lime as I used to live just over an hours spirited drive north. I spent most of my younger summers at Kilnsey and getting there from Sheffield seems a little too much like hard work. However, I haven't lived their for around 6 years and truth be told, I miss the place.

I was sold, Nat wasn't. She had her heart set on tradding and that is where we ended up. At High Neb, with the punters and the tw*tty IT consultants moaning about their income (you don't get a rise, its a recession you fool [unless you're a banker]). It was warm, sweaty and very irritating. I'm not a people person at the best of times but the boreal joker wearing lemming brigade really got to me.
Back at the car I had a minor hissy fit about a wasted day, we set off back home for a BBQ which would have been great if Waitrose didn't refuse to sell us alcohol. 24 years old and with ID they wouldn't sell it to me as Nat couldn't provide any (despite her not paying). I asked how they were then selling it to the Middle aged (no doubt tory) lady with her 12 year old son next to me and got an answer that could have been delivered by a disabled parrot 'its policy'. Oh yeah? Its f*cking idiotic policy and you were happy to sell me BBQ lighter fuel without any ID. To add insult to injury the manager said if I rejoined the que by myself they'd happily serve me. So your policy protects against what exactly?
Sunday we failed yet again and arrived at a BBG west as the heavens opened. We retreated.

Tonight we were going to head out. Not to Yorkshire, this time it was either
1) Random grit
2) Cheedale

Quick calcs showed that Cheedale wasn't going to happen as time would be just too limiting. Warm grit seemed better than warm plastic so we decided to target another problem off my list. Unfortunately I got stuck with my Matlab code and anyone who's used this will know that half-way through a botch it coding operation isn't a good time to call it a day. We retreated to the works.

Given the amount of rest I've had over the last few days I felt it was time for the board and myself to do battle (thoroughly expecting a spanking). Ned, Katie, Tom and the almighty Dense stood guard and mocked me about my Rocky esque comebacks to strength.
I was amazed by the performance I put in (despite my finger complaining a little). I felt strong, light and powerful. An hours board session was enough so I finished with some touches (I always lack lock), a set of repeaters and then just for Omar15 a round of one armers.

I might try and pop out tomorrow night as Wed I'm busy playing dell-boy with the van. Thurs nat is stealing the car and next weekend, well I want to get it RIGHT!

The Golden Hour

2010-04-23T16:16:00.003+01:00

"Many climbers move to Sheffield with dreams of training hard and making it big, only to find an almighty reality check awaiting. You might have been the best climber in Bingley, but in the Steel City, whether you go to the wall or the crag, there's always someone stronger than you, better than you, or both. A lot of healthy sized fish in a not enormous pond. A fair few folk simply drop out, others sink into competitive training, but the majority put their ambitions to one side and just get on with their climbing."
Quoted from Adam Long UKC Article

A fairly good summation I'd say. Over the past few weeks I've been getting out with a regularity that surprises even myself and quite frankly its been great. Last night, after an evenings pottering along Burbage South edge, finally getting around to trying/ticking a few more from the glaring omissions list I wondered to myself; "why on earth don't I do this more often?". The simple fact is that from now on I will try to.

The weather is getting warmer, its time to get out the rack that I've neglected since coming to Sheffield and see what's what.

Ego

2010-04-09T15:53:00.003+01:00

Climbers with large ego's, I'd advise you avoid the climbing works until team Mammut have left.

Last night the works was a truly dismaying place to climb. On the one hand you have Sheffields stongest bouncing up the board like they eat a diet of low fat helium and on the other you've got a few blokes that look like Euro waddage, and some guy who looks a bit like David Lama swinging around and generally throwing some crazy shapes.

I have to say I'm struggling a lot at the minute. I'm climbing 'nicely' outside which is what should matter but I have to admit I struggle not to beat myself up when indoors I'm getting burnt off left right and center. In all honesty I thought I was above it all but when everyone is stronger than you and cruising things that you're failing on it all gets a bit much.
Viewed objectively last nights sessions wasn't all that bad, given I left work late and didn't get to the wall until 8.15. I put to bed a couple of problems that had been frustrating me, floated up a couple of crimpy numbers (which leaves me even more confused about the state of my RH A2). However what sticks in my mind is the amateurish approach I had to the session. Not resting, missing sequences and generally doing far too much volume before getting frustrated that I can't tick yet another of the frustrating (big lock) moves at the end of a session.
I think a lot of us judge our own performance by looking at those around you. If the pack are all behind then you're undoubtedly going well, if one person speeds away then he/she is on good form. If everyone else has seemingly lept forward a huge amount and left you trailing? I just don't know. 6 Months of routes is good for one thing, but when you go for Stamina the moves become so ridiculously easy that all of your power just flows away.
One thing I know for certain is that it'd be good to have someone to bounce off during a session. A few weeks ago I bumped into Stu at the Foundry (before the juggy big move problems came along) and had a great session. At the works I tend to arrive with Nat, warm up and then we both head our seperate ways. Its hard to ensure you take an objective look at problems and the necessary rest without anything else to do other than stand around a look like a lemon.
Hoepfully I'll soon be able to definitively say whether or not my A2 is a real problem. If it isn't then I think its time to start trying just a little harder.

HIgh Balls

2010-04-07T00:53:00.003+01:00

Work
On Thurs my work went arse over tits. Put in a 100 particles; get a 100 out. Put in 200; get 188 out. Put 1000 in get 600 ish out. I need to put in 82,000, and with that level of mass in balance, I'm screwed. Something is going wrong within Fluent and I'm making my case to the helpdesk to rectify it. How come when you have direction with something like this a massive obstacle falls from the sky and lands right in the way? Oh well, my license runs out in 8 days anyway and they're notoriously bad at renewing it so I won't lose any 'extra' time.

Onto more interesting things...

Bank Holiday
The weekend came and to be fair the long range forecast had us all a bit defeated. On Thurs night we made the decision to head north, crash at my folks and then check the weather in Northumberland the next morning, if it was poor we'd relax with my family. If it was good we'd climb.
It was good, in fact excellent. We chose to go to Callerhues which is out towards Bellingham, a little off the beaten track and therefore quiet. Empy if truth be told. One thing that should be noted is that the Trad guide and Bouldering guide are interchangeable for this crag, it depends whether you can look at something high and think F5+ does it justice, or whether the E3 solo tag makes more sense (the latter does for me). The rock here is great but needs more traffic and a little effort with a SOFT brush to sort out the tops (which are rounded). There really are a few gems at this crag; Monocle, Crouching the mahogany, H8 and Softly Softly (sorry guys the problems at the far left are far from classic). Dan's eyes of silence was damp on the right arete so I opted to steer clear.
Saturday we awoke and did the same thing; check the weather. Yorkshire looked questionable, Northumberland poor. Again a quick bit of a guidebook flick led us to the Bridestones, I wanted to tick Horror Arete and Nat wasn't fussed where we went. The crag was empty until we left in the evening when a solitary boulderer turned up. Conditions were a little greasy but the weather held and I got my ticks and did battle with a few grit slabs.
Sunday, you guessed it. Up then weather. Again there were a few problems I wanted to try that I'd just never got round to visiting. Ramshaw, Newstones and Baldstones were the order of the day. The wind was howling at Ramshaw which made Oasis bulge tickier than it ought to have been. On the lower tier the wind was held at bay allowing me to nip in for a quick ascent of Tierdrop. This problem is classic, high, basic, grit pinches, a bit of power, what more could a man want? Newstones and Baldstones weren't riveting but Charlie's and the Ripple needed ticking.
Monday, we both awoke sore and with little skin. Instead of climbing we opted for DIY and we now have a new working electrically heated, electrically pumped shower. Which is nice. Neither of us died in the process which is also heart warming.

There are a few things that I haven't got around to trying that I really feel I ought to. Marks roof being one notable hole in my repetoire. I also feel that I should visit the Gardoms North circuit and see whats what. Pogle's wood looks like a great little find.
When the weather gets a little warmer and a little more stable (does it ever?), I think it'll be time to take Nat tradding, The peak, the pass and the slate are top of the list. I've never been to pembroke but maybe this is the year?

Training
I'm back into visiting walls as often as I feel up to it and I have to say that I'm struggling. Tonights sessions was far too long and I didn't identify that point at which I stopped making progress in the right direction. I berated myself for not getting a double toe to work and kept hammering away until all skin and stomach were destroyed. Its a rookie error and one I need to address. Stop strong? Yes Malcolm.

Misc
Camera's n stuff? Got a little lucky and found a load of old lenses my Grandad had, these 'should' work a treat with the 550d when/if I manage to get one.

Oh and if you haven't heard through the grapevine or some other source, two weeks or so the wench and I got engaged. This time she took me seriously. For anyone aspiring to propose I suggest that you never do it:
A) drunk
and
B) using a carrefour (value) jelly ring

St Bees

2010-03-29T16:47:00.003+01:00

As my computer is currently saying "DPM Iteration" and I have no idea how long that'll take I might as well write a blog post.

Basically, I've been going to the Foundry or Works occasionally and noticing improvements each time but still, I feel generally weak and in terms of all out 'strong as ever' comparison, I'm weak as a baby.

No matter though as it seemingly makes little difference.
Friday night came and Nat and I weren't happy looking at the Easter weekend destroying weather forecasts. However, a stroke of good luck was that led me to look at the St Bees forecast which was stunning for this weekend. One hour later, we were headed North to our beloved yellow van and then onwards across the 66 to St Bees.

It's been a long time since I was last there, a decade perhaps. I turned up young/stupid and with a rope to find most things gopping wet. This time I took the pad. We slipped our way down the easy descent and got stuck into the classics as the sun beat down upon us. The place is like port ysgo but much much better (landings and outlook).

I didn't have any particular goals so the day was spent running around like the preverbial dog with 6, trying everything and anything. I bumped into a fellow UKB'er which was good for banter and for pad stackage for Nat.

A quick shower in the middle of the day had us all ready to leave but too much chatting allowed the clouds to part and the rays of sun to once again beat down upon us. We waited for the rock to dry (like good responsible sandstone climbers) and then carried on, feeling ever more tired as the day progressed.

The other guys left and Nat and I hung around trying various bits and bobs before sacking it back to the van... via the Fishermans steps. Now Dan told me he replaced the rope which inspired confidence, until I saw the bolts, this is an accident waiting to happen. With a pad hanging loosely off your back and a stretchy galaxy to hold onto I wasn't that comfortable. Why on earth did I even consider the more dangerous exit option?

Anyway, we made it to the van. Realised we were knackered and as we'd both climbed well (or it felt like it to me), we went back to Keswick for a chippy tea.

Now thats not quite so much pressure on getting away for Easter weekend and we can simply see what the weather does to us.

Volume

2010-03-11T17:52:00.002Z

I think the key to getting back on track with my climbing is simple; volume (not to be mistaken with volumes).
I went from training, to a trip where I climbed most days, to not climbing at all and general apathy. Thats never going to end well. At the start of the trip we ended up at shorter venues and then as we were forced further south the length and style of the routes we were tackling shifted. Thats all well and good, but compare the moves on a Montsant mega-route to that of something on Eldorado wall and you get an idea why I'm currently feeling weak.
Last night I wanted to go to the Foundry, basic problems are for a change what I need rather than what I want. However, Nat has mates she can climb with at the works and she's had even less time climbing since returning and thought Foundry bouldering might be a bit soul destroying. I agreed to go to the works.
The volume thing shone through again as warming up my forearms were feeling somewhat achey and my skin was thin and weepy. Nonetheless I skirted around, picking off a few of the (easier) reds before finishing on the comp wall. To give you an idea of my weakness; I still haven't done the red (the womens final problem). Last night I failed at the last move being a bit of a dunce, I didn't have the energy to get back up there. Oh well.
However, slight progress is once again evident. I have to admit I get slightly frustrated with people telling me how quickly and easily it'll all come back. I have to fight incredibly hard to get strong and maintain it, its not some gift, I put in a lot of effort. I can't just click my fingers and magically be able to pull on through. YES! It will return quickly, simply because I will MAKE it. I'll campus, I'll deadhang, anything. The plus point being that this time, for once in my climbing life, that is actually what I need to do!

Double Trouble

2010-03-04T22:55:00.003Z

Something is troubling me deeply after this evenings session...

Earlier on tonight I found myself too weak to pull through a move and in a dismaying turn of events I shuffled my knees around until I found a position where I could lean out with ease, in a kneebar. Truth be told, I'm actually quite pleased that my technique and footwork has been seemingly dragged into 2010 and now isn't lagging behind quite as much as it previously felt. Its a good job as well as everything else is poor. Indoor climbing is a brutal game and any weaknesses become dreadfully apparent.

Locking between good holds, I'm a hero. Tick-tacking between small holds, I can get by. The instant the options for feet are diminished I'm off. I can't stop swings, I have no contact strength (I merely wave at holds) and raw power is non existent.

Its not the end of the world as I've never struggled to get any of those things back, it just takes a bit of effort. However, usually its one or two things that are lagging not most of them and I know exactly how to pull it back into line. Right now there's so much, finger strength, contact strength, power, core to name but a few. Where do I start? How do I start? WHERE do I start?

On another plus, I enjoyed tonight despite feeling dismayingly weak in the company of Mojo, blay and Variable. I think I'm about ready to get back into it all, maybe just.

On another note I feel I may have made yet another technoshizzle faux pas. I bought a HV40 a little while ago and at the time I was convinced it was the way to go, why on earth didn't I consider the fact that I could upgrade my DSLR for about the same cost and have one device that has the capability to do both after all I never chose to pick the HV up instead of my faithful DSLR. Whoops? I think so. Thankfully the second hand market for HV's is strong so I don't think I'd lose anything financially.

Man Flu

2010-02-22T15:40:00.003Z

This weekend has been a bit of an anti climax. It was Nats birthday on Sunday and we'd found a cracking deal on a fancy hotel over in Manchester. However, she woke up ill and it just didn't seem worth blowing the cash on a fancy room in which to feel crap. Not a problem, she was feeling all better this morning (she'd booked the day off). However, I awoke all Man Flu'd up so today has been spent feeling rubbish and trying to get a sensible answer out of the management company about how the hell I park anything other than my Punto in my darn space (which it currently seems that I can't?), finding the cheapest company that'll insure us for the next year (harder than it sounds!) and booking the car in for an MOT. What fun!
I'm fairly certain working is bad for you. On the trip it took Nat 2 months to lose the 'tired eyes' look. It took under 2 weeks for them to return. She's been ill twice in 6 weeks and I've been the same.
At least daytime TV is some what enriched with the presence of the Winter Olympics.

Donkey

2010-02-18T17:16:00.002Z

I've never really been all that bothered about being weak in front of people I know and its a good job because currently I'm VERY weak (the fitness has remained but everything else has evaporated). However, I hate climbing poorly in front of people I know (or even strangers), its appalling. Last night I felt like an amateur. My feet like lead blocks, my stomach muscles; saggy. My thumbs have zero squeeze, and keep getting caught underneath my fingers when I snatch at crimps. Seriously, I can't crimp. No, scratch that. I can't climb....

But the thing is I can. When Nat and I went out on the grit I climbed well. My feet felt good for a change and I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Maybe this indoor malarkey isn't what its cracked up to be?

Its all very odd.

"Lighting Works"

2010-02-16T00:38:00.002Z

Last night I ended up at the works. It wasn't planned. It was just 'convenient'. Nat wanted to try a dance class that was on that side of town and it simply wasn't worth driving back home and then out again, so I went to the works. Last time I went I hated it. Plastic seemed dire and I just couldn't bring myself to try hard. Add to that the fact that it felt brutal compared to climbing on rock and I wasn't a fan.

This time was different. I didn't hate, nor did I love the experience or miss it deeply. It was quite interesting to see how I climbed. It all started really well, I felt light on my feet and could lock everything with ease. My power soon faded by the time I got stuck into the meat of the comp wall. The green shot me down on the match and then almost every move above that. I called it a night sooner than I thought and today my forearms ache.

Its not as if I've been doing nothing mind you, I've been at the gym. Not with regularity but enough. My PB lifts have been matched and now I feel in limbo between avoiding climbing here and not really wanting to go to the gym. Good job I've found something else to distract myself...

My Chinese strobist kit arrived in the post a little while ago now. I went for a budget set-up as really anything else is very expensive and I didn't have a clue if I'd be as interested once I started trying things out (as I thought I'd fail). So for roughly 150 sheets I have two flashes both E-ttl capable with full manual capabilities and two (reliable) radio triggers, a stand and an umbrella. Not bad when you compare OM brand products with the same capabilities.

My first 'out of the box' shots were cr*p, but then again I hadn't showered or shaved and literally tore open the parcel and started firing away. Later on I convinced Nat to go for a wander around Kelham island and these are the results:

For a first stab I was pretty happy. They're far from perfect but TBH I haven't really shot that many portraits let alone with off-camera flash thrown in for good measure.
This weekend I managed to get another 30mins of compliance to try and balance some ambient light with the additional off-camera light. These are the results:

Taken right next to the flats. I have to admit that at first I felt like a right tw*t carrying and setting this stuff up in public but now I'm not so fussed. I like the results. Again, sure they need work and I've got a lot to learn but thats great. I seem to be very psyched to read stuff at the minute and try it out, this area of photography has plenty to go at and when I'm feeling particularly ambitious I can try and DIY some of the equipment used. I'm already planning on modifying my transmitter so it works off a more readily available battery pack.

If only I could find this enthusiasm for work. I've done so little since returning. I have an issue, a major issue; a desk squatter. She's a foreign exchange student who has been using (and not maintaining I might add) my machine. She's resisting vacating the seat as its basically less hassle for her to finish off there rather than using remote jobs. I really wish she'd f*ck off though as I just get moody and don't do anything for days.

(I took one more frame at the Works, but as James wasn't feeling great I didn't get quite as much time to setup as I'd hoped - shame as it was nearly empty - I'm not that fond of it, but here it is anyway)

Hungry Eyes

2010-02-01T01:01:00.005Z

Since returning, I haven't found much spare time to blog. That seems odd as it also seems like I haven't managed to get too much work done either. What have I been doing?
Well, the thing is, before we left there were some things that needed doing around the flat and there were also certain pieces of tech that I wanted to buy. As we didn't spend anywhere near as much as we originally thought on the trip I went ahead and did just that. I should really say 'we' as Nat has been going mad buying clothes. The side effect of a 6 month trip is a dress size that isn't widely catered for in the UK market.

Exercise? Well unfortunately I crumbled and joined the gym. I tried very hard to climb but I just couldn't hack the indoor scene straight off. Numbing my mind throwing bits of metal around seemed like the obvious option. I did have a change of heart as the first set of gym paperwork was thrust under my nose, we left and went to the wall. We came back the next day and I signed my life away for 2 months minimum.

The gym is going well. I'm nowhere near as cut as I previously was as I'm not going on a specific cut. It works, but its not fun. Today I managed to equal my previous PB's which is a good indicator of how in shape I am at the minute, previously these lifts took me 3 months.
I managed to get around to doing another thing this week; relinquishing my 5.10 team membership. They first started giving me boots just before my leg, since then I've done nothing of note and quite frankly this trip highlighted just how good some much younger people are in comparison. I've voiced my thoughts on doing this previously and many people seemed to be of the mentality that I should just shut up and take what I was given. It didn't seem right any longer. Other people, much more psyched can benefit more from that membership than me. Hopefully it goes to an uber psyched Sheffield resident who is looking monstrously strong and keen at the minute. I really have to say thanks to Mark, they continued supporting me when all I gave them was some cr*ppy pictures and a whole list of injuries. Thanks.

Another few days were lost completely to computers. My video camera broke so I replaced it. My PC couldn't edit the footage so I replaced it. Windows 7, compiling all of my various bits of software etc. took a while. Then my parents wanted a new PC as theirs had major hardware failure. So I obliged. Another day down. BUT isn't Windows 7 great? If I can find a 4Gb USB drive I think my Acer D150 could do with a sprucing.
The next major loss of time was solely down to the strobist website. I loved taking pictures on our trip. Granted, most are rubbish but there are a few that I really LOVE. Looking through Flickr I found mention of the Strobist site. I began to read and read I did until it was 4am and there wasn't a single blog post that I hadn't scanned. I had a whole lot more knowledge but noway of using it. More research and I found a budget setup and a heavily sought after DVD called one light. More watching, more reading and I am psyched out of my mind. Nat is quite patient which is a good thing as I think I'm going to suck at this for a while before I produce anything half decent. Should be interesting. The more and more I look at various things I wish I'd gone Nikon right from the start.
So now there are several things on the way from ebay (read: Hong Kong). I hope they come soon and that nothing is DOA.

At the end of the DVD (again at some ungodly hour) it begins a small Lightroom tutorial. I've seen Cofe and JB recommend this on UKB but never really tried. I've always used the GIMP (which isn't exactly an intuitive program). Lightroom is fantastic, simple, good to look at and I seem to get better results. The internet is great, now I can get lost in youtube Lightroom tutorials for a week or so before emerging pale skinned and malnourished. Oh, wait a minute.

Inspirational

2009-12-25T18:06:00.004Z

I'm a grouch, through and through but for some unknown reason, this year, I have been looking forward to Christmas. Although I wouldn't trade our time in the van for anything. After a while when the hours of daylight get shorter and it rains more frequently it can start to be less than comfortable. Christmas was going to be the end point and with that it also represented what we'd grown to miss.
Christmas eve was spent sat across the table from Nat's Dad comparing a range of high quality ports, brandys and finally; single malt. I can certainly think of worse ways of spending an evening. BUT, Christmas day was what I was looking forward to most. Two things in particular; 'Progression' and 'Between the Trees'. Both Natalie and I have been struggling to find direction and psych within our climbing since returning. Being able to travel Europe's best venues, picking of the best quality lines is fantastic. Battling frozen fingers, rain and the associated frustration that I associate with gritstone is less so. These two DVD's were my pre-packaged psych material, and I couldn't wait.

It was a toss up between which would be bunged into the player first, but as we had none climbers present (...and I couldn't be bothered to explain the 'point' of bouldering) big up won the toss.
I'd heard that progression was the newest and by far the best offering from Big Up and I have to say I totally agree. Incredible. Patxi fever seems to have overrun Sheffield since people first viewed the film, the Racist in particular seeming particularly strong and in shape of late. However, it wasn't the total dedication of Patxi that I found the most inspiring.
Since climbing in places like the Verdon I've developed a large amount of respect for people who can perform in a situation with such exposure. It is simply mind blowing to me. That is why Tommy Caldwells 'dose' had me leaning forward in my overly reclined chair, glued to the huge screen. Simply, WOW.
On the trip we barely managed a week of bouldering, Albarracin was fun, Magic wood was at least; new. However, none of it was as awe inspiring as it had once been. Yes the moves are nails and the holds are seemingly none existent, but its all over so fast.
Next up was 'Between the Trees'. Firstly I have to say that on first viewing of L'etranger I wasn't overly interested. Then about a year later I dug it out for a Font trip and watched it over and over again. My ticklist comprised only of problems on that film and I had what I think was my best bouldering trip ever (helped by nigh on perfect conditions day in day out). I still forgot/didn't donate. I don't think its overly fair to post my own review of the film (not that I'd think Keith would care), opinions are very personal and being a little un-psyched by bouldering I would probably be the wrong person to do so anyway (this blog has upset far too many people by accident). Elephunk looked great.
So there it is, on the back of a 6 month trip my goals in climbing seem to once again be shifted. I'm inspired (by the Patxi sequence) to start once again putting in the effort on fingerboards, boards and the rocks in order to achieve what I want but for me that isn't that extra plus, more a handful of problems and routes. I could go on forever chasing that elusive half grade extra and miss out on some of the other parts of the sport that I've barely explored. Hopefully when the weather improves Nat and I can start exploring the grit stone edges together and when it improves further my favourite sport venues in North Yorkshire. Until then I hope to hold on to a small slice of my endurance and that's going to require work.

Where is the f*cking school when you need it?

Merry Christmas

Love Affair

2009-12-17T22:07:00.002Z

A while ago I read what was basically an attack on the automotive industry about their thirst for power (as in brake horse power) rather than economy. I felt at the time this was rather unfair as in fact, with anybody selling anything, customers dictate what does and doesn't succeed and up until recently in terms of cars that has been safety. Encap ratings being the big thing. This led to each size of car bloating somewhat to make it more pedestrian lemming friendly and to get better ratings of course (great ad material). The problem with this was that the cost of re-engineering engines to match the new cars size and weight was just too great and it was far easier to just re-use old engines with slight tweaks (think 206 and 207). This in turn led to a range of highly underpowered cars that, in reality, offer limited MPG in the real world. Currently the aim of the games is greater MPG, and lower C02. Alfa have been making tremendous engines of late offering a lot of power, with amazing environmental statistics. Add to this the new rule change in Formula 1 meaning refuelling is prohibited and it won't be long before advances in fuel economy leak down to the home market. If you're really concerned about C02 there's another way to go that involves no Cat converter but this poses a bit of a hydrocarbon nightmare I'm told.
And this brings me on to what caught my attention at the time. The fact of the matter is that GOOD economical cars have been out there for a while, people just didn't buy them. My car in fact. A 53 reg Punto HGT JTD (~ 6 years old) of which I've had two, both offered amazing MPG that makes some modern cars look poor. 62 and 58 mpg respectively over their entire lives with us, that includes city driving and the daily slog up to Wakefield.
After returning from 6 months off our beloved blue Italian has been sat in my 'rents garage with no electricity. Its first Italian-ism was waiting for me when I went to recharge it. Whats the answer to the riddle "what do you do with a Punto with a flat battery and a broken bonnet release"... The answer to which is: Fight to remove bonnet release handle as silly Fiat decided to leave the threaded bar too long to fit a socket over and the bracket too small to fit a spanner in, pure genius, they must use special tools over there. Having fought for a while and eventually winning I left it to suckle electricity overnight from the slow trickle charger. It turned over first go in the morning and then chucked out warning lights from Engine Failure to Refuelling Needed. 15 minutes later these had disappeared and I was on my favourite backroad. The snow was falling, the road was wet and coming into my favourite bend on my ex Saturday morning school drive I gave the throttle a blip, the car slid in perfection just hitting the apex and once again... I love my Fiat.

Oh and I climbed indoors the other day, it was average and hurt my hands.

The End

2009-06-24T18:09:00.002+01:00

Well, I think its about time that A2I was no more... the readership of this blog is stupidly large, much larger than I intended and that means there's a hell of a lot more chance of me p*ssing someone off who doesn't know me all that well and doesn't realise I'm just having a bad day.

So far I've offended friends, wall owners and most people who decided to have children, my work is done.

I was also rather hoping to become less Addicted to Injury whilst on my travels...

Power blogging

2009-06-17T20:51:00.002+01:00

Time is short (although I'm sure Mr Foley would disagree!)...

Tomorrow the van should be done
Tonight Nat ploughed up the middle of the troll wall with ease (impressed me no end)
We have bought everything we think we might need
We still need to get our lives in order (i.e. lots of boring cr*p)
This weekend we are at my folks
Next week we plan the general route!

This weekend at Center Parcs I tried my best to ruin my shoulder playing squash. However, strangely for me (by tonights performance) I'm guessing I didn't quite manage it. Someone did however steal my locked up hire bike.

I got to meet three legends within the last 24 hours, Two halves of an ice cream duo and Bubba from UKB. Nat recognized two of the bunch which is progess.

The van is looking amazing and all of the extras the seller threw in are of greater worth than I expected, especially the quileted window insulation pack.

Right, current task; eat everything in the freezer. MMmmmm

Full steam ahead...

2009-06-09T09:42:00.004+01:00

Its full steam ahead in our flat currently as piles of replacement climbing gear appear all over the place. Printed topo's, emails and anything else useful continously spew out of my printer turning our newly converted room into a royal mess.
Nat has been asked (no, made an offer she couldn't refuse) to finish this Friday which just leaves my work and a heap of chores to do before we're clear of everything.
Yesterday evening her crash course in sport climbing had its starting jolt. Team 'hombre' climbed earlier than us but later on James, Nat and I were in the Foundry and it was time for ropes.
It would be a pretty boring blow by blow account but suffice to say it went well with Nat seconding almost everything she was pointed at. She handled the added height of the Troll wall with ease the only thing she seemed to slightly struggle with was remembering to quit.
I was actually quite surprised by my recovery during the session and for a while pondered why I've spent so long chasing power when realistically my body is built for stamina? For my last route of the day I went for something spicy and pink. I fought my way through to the steepness but it was too much for me. Stabbing wildly at a hold I fell into space. Happy that, on the first session on a rope this summer I'm confident to try.
The next step is Nat on the sharp end. I'm concious of rushing her but also concious of time running out. Anybody fancying doing routes over the next few weeks please don't be shy!

Beta and Pain!

2009-06-03T21:46:00.004+01:00

The blogging will likely be short for the next few weeks. The To-do list is huge and getting bigger by the hour so I think its going to eat all my free time. I'll pick the van up on Sat from Chester and then set about fixing a few things that I think it needs, then re-MOT it as otherwise it'll run out midway through the trip.

Tonight I bumped into the climbing shire horse that is Uncle, he claimed he was weak. He didn't look it from where I was standing. Tonight was a good night, not only for the banter but tonight was the first session I climbed without tape and left with my skin hurting and nothing else. Ice now, just in case.

I'm currently trying to extract trip beta from as many people as possible, if you've got anything you feel might be useful, please don't be shy!

Going to see a man about a van...

2009-06-01T19:39:00.002+01:00

Things move fast in the world of last minute euro-trip planning. I've got a competitive insurance quote, I've located an ideal looking van and I'm off to view it tomorrow...

Ex AA
Pop top
Pro Conversion - fridge, leisure battery, 2 ring burner, captain seat and the rest...
2.5 Tdi 102 bhp

YELLOW!

(probably faster and more economic than a tortoise box)

YYFY

2009-06-01T13:24:00.001+01:00

The woman from the PhD she says YES! (yes f*cking yes)!!!

Now, lets get me a van!

Dilemna

2009-06-01T00:11:00.003+01:00

Just to disprove Keiths post about life being simple I thought I better put my thoughts in print:

On Friday Nat came home with the news that she's been offered a 6 month sabbatical. Obviously I'm still in the middle of my PhD, we're now homeowners and well there are a lot more factors to consider.
Firstly, this is a great chance to finally take the trip that we missed out on a few years ago. Nats career is going somewhere and the chances of us having spare time that coincides in the future is unlikely. In order to ensure a trip in the future the ideal time would be at the end of my PhD. This would mean her quitting her job, which to be honest wouldn't make financial sense and may leave us in a bit of a pickle. Work is low for her at the minute, dangerously low in fact. Her boss pointed out that she shouldn't sit up and wave to upper management that she doesn't have anything to do for obvious reasons. Taking a break now would secure her job in 6 months time when they DO have contracts starting. Not doing so may lead to something a little more disastrous. Her boss told her that they'd have to be in a bad state to start losing graduates like her. Well, they have 12 projects on, 10 of which are 99% complete and the other two are small. They're at that stage.
Now for my side of things; I don't want to quit my PhD, but then again I don't want to pass on the opportunity of taking a trip as who knows when the chance might arise again. Hopefully my supervisor can sort it so that I can take a 6 month break. If she can't I'll be forced to rethink things. I think I'd feel really bad about letting her down but then again I don't think that in itself is a good enough reason to discount doing so. I could leave with an Mphil and I'd only have wasted 6 months of her and my time.
Financially we're set for the trip, I've got cash from my Beetle turned submarine and the fact that we've only recently realised we are no longer students means we've accidently been saving.
Speaking to various people has been interesting, everyone sits clearly on either one side of the fence or the other. Talking to my parents over the weekend the same is true.

I didn't join the gym this weekend for obvious reasons (I might be off on a trip in less than a month). Instead, I worked my way through an extensive cocktail menu in the sun and then spent Sunday wandering around Cheedale. This evening I had a brief session down at the works which confirmed my suspicions that I'm managing my injury well and as a reward its recovering. Today was the second session without tape and (ignoring the fact that I'm still in easy ville) it was the also the second session during which I felt not real pain.

Breakthrough

2009-05-28T00:12:00.002+01:00

Tonight was a definitely a 'breakthrough' session.

The works was very hot, it’s getting to that point of the year when all the glass in the building starts being a problem, this happens twice a year. Once where you freeze your nads off trying to climb, and secondly, where even shirts off for power can't stop the sweat from pouring down your forearms.

Nat and I started on the browns but I quickly became bored, they're a good set. The new pink tufa problem on the comp wall was pretty funky as well; all of the bobbles were a bit of a pain with two fingers taped together so I didn't bother trying too hard. Dave M was down taking the adult improvers class and Nat decided she could probably learn something from him instead of me just telling her to lock it deeper. I climbed on the board with James and Rich but quickly realized that it wasn't big or clever and that really, it’s pointless trying. A quick hang from the Beastmaker confirmed that I should have definitely gone for the 1000 and that I can back 3 and front 3 but mid 2 (and I'm guessing) back 2, are still out.

Tonight I made 3 variable ice packs by filling sandwich bags with washing up liquid and freezing them. They only partially freeze and stay gel-like which is good for using on finger injuries. Plus, as Dan points out on the BM Blog, you don't suffer from bath skin. With my already terrible skin this is a definite bonus.

The fact that Dave thought I seemed to be going well tonight gave me some perspective and is maybe one of the main reasons that I'm being so positive about it. I ticked a few yellows that had been bugging me and came painfully close to another red. It’s a hard one, on the steepest section of the inner 'room'. I think it would have been ticked if I'd dared to slap for the small edge up high. Common sense kicked in as the chance of my fingers opening up on it was quite high, I backed off.

Today Nat and I decided to get our diets back in order. Recently with being quite busy we've been taking the easy option a lot and not cooking as much. Couple that with a lot of birthdays in quick succession and the accompanying meals and we've indulged a bit too much. I haven't changed weight or anything I just don't like it, plus whilst not 100% focused on climbing I can concentrate that side of myself towards leaning out. For no particular reason just that sick self belief that I know I can eat 'clean'.

Work is going well; I'm making breakthroughs there too. I'm back up to 4 working licenses and I've resolved some issues I've been having.

Homeowner

2009-05-27T17:18:00.001+01:00

I don't know whether this is worth celebrating or not but last Friday we completed on our flat. It made financial sense given what we now pay is significantly less than the rental price of the same flat.

Works soon, another frustrating session no doubt but all in the name of rehab.

Works?

2009-05-22T01:22:00.002+01:00

I was at the works tonight, the session went OK but was quite frustrating. The fingers spent the whole session taped together and I felt little in the way of pain, BUT, I spent most of the session giving up. Half way up things and sometimes before even pulling on. I've become aware that my thoughts at the end of the last session that I might be able to try relatively hard were not accurate. For some reason I can't crimp hard, a bony little problem had my pants down today I just knew it was going to hurt so had to admit defeat. Sessions like this are frustrating but that's the nature of the game I guess when you're injured? Improvement is slow but that's to be expected.
Next time I'm at the supermarket I'm buying a bumper pack of washing up liquid to mix up some Varian ice packs.

Shiny!

2009-05-21T01:03:00.004+01:00

Well my birthday present arrived today... just as i was going out!

Here it is:

I've just spent a while getting it set up how I like it and removing all the manufacturers crap.

Today on the tram I watched as a disabled man in an electric wheel chair drove over the foot of a blind man and then remark that it was his fault for not getting out of the way! Jeez, the guy is stood still and f*cking blind, I couldn't believe it. Is it naive of me to think that wheelchair bloke might be more sympathetic towards another disabled person than the average joe? What a twat.

Testing Testing 1,2,3...

2009-05-19T23:45:00.002+01:00

Tonight I needed to go to the works to offload my bags full of resin, it seemed sensible that as I was going to the climbing wall I might as well punter about and see where I'm at. After all, if the worst comes to the worst, the works is always a good place for a bit (a lot?) of a natter (in fact I think it does this best).
Over the last few days I've been unable to think about a much else apart from climbing. I've been reminiscing about days spent at Kilnsey, minor epics when I dare to do trad and my long nights spent beavering away on a cellar boards. Walking into my building this morning (ok, afternoon, late afternoon) I was thinking about pullups and getting psyched out of my mind.
I can only take this as a good thing, climbing isn't lost for me I've just hit another set back and although there have been many, a lot of them haven't actually been climbing related. After reading Keith's latest blog post the other night I got mildly depressed and started missing progress. I was feeling that for the best part of two years, there has been none at all but in reality that's not true. This christmas in Font I climbed the best I've ever climbed, not grade wise, thats irrelevant in this instance. I was moving well on he rock and getting up things that really didn't 'suit' what people generally think of as the type of things that fit me well. Maybe thats why Noir desir still remains one of my proudest moments to date in climbing, it showed that progress, a slight tipping of the scales as Keith put it, towards redressing the balance between all of my hard hours of training and my often neglected technique.
Recently in Albarracin I climbed well, I wasn't floundering and I generally felt like I was reading things well. My base level is significantly higher than it was two years ago and I'm less narrowly focussed towards one type of problem; basic and crimpy.
With Bonjoy this winter, I got involved with a route that if the grade sticks will be my hardest trad lead to date, my ascent wasn't ground breaking but its something that I'm very pleased with. The whole freezing affair was great fun with the BOY.
All in all I can't argue with that... Ok so I haven't been travelling the world, I missed my Europe trip and have yet another injury, but progress is there, lurking in the background. I just needed to learn that progression isn't necessarily always done at your top end. Bringing up your base level or attacking weaknesses are equally as valid and in the future they will move that glass cieling just a smidgin higher.
The climbing psych wasn't as high when I finally got to the works tonight, resin just isn't that appealing when you've just had a trip, add to that hordes of people and a fair dose of heat and I was feeling less positive.
Being sensible, I warmed up on greens but rapidly became bored. Stu suggested buddy taping as cross loading the sheath is apparently what causes the pain. He was right. I climbed like that for the rest of the night with a good deal less hassle than before. Its not perfect and there are certain things that two fingers taped together prevent but the session was in the end, a good one. I ticked the hard stuff on the comp wall, did a fair few yellows and even cheekily (when Dr Pinch had left) ascended the mother board.
I'm going to manage this injury properly, climbing may have to take a back seat but its not geting kicked into touch. Not this time!

D.I.Y. Finished

2009-05-18T19:52:00.001+01:00

4 days of hard work, a lot of sawing, even more painting and the spare room is complete.

Behold my spangly new monitor!

D.I.Y.

2009-05-14T13:23:00.003+01:00

The board is dead! Two days to build, another to put the holds on yet only 4 hours to completely remove it. Just because a board will physically fit in a flat, don't imagine that it won't get in the way. The rest of the place rapidly turned into a dumping ground, it had to go! (Plus everything we recently signed to do with the Mortgage suggested a big heap of wood in your flat was a No-No).

So, after re-hurting myself I'm taking it easy for a while, I thought I might be able to go to Swiss with Dob and the rest of them but unfortunately not. A little gutting I have to be honest.
As the spare room is now empty and I'm not doing much in terms of exercise, Nat and I have seized the opportunity to actually make the board room into a useful room. The amount of effort required to do so is ridiculous and I'm not looking forward to it. However, not having a spare moment to think at the minute makes the whole non-climbing thing unimportant.

Last Friday Nat had a bombshell dropped on her by her boss "Sooo Natalie, how do you fancy working from Libya"... Nice! Now she's actually been given the information about the job it doesn't seem bad but seeing as though Friday was my birthday and her boss wanted an answer on the Monday we weren't too pleased.

Options

2009-05-06T22:40:00.004+01:00

or

or

Has time spent in the gym doing weights furthered the imbalance between my fingers and my upper body? We all know tendons take much longer to strengthen and heal yet almost every injury phase I find myself keeping myself in shape in some form of gym. I do love climbing, bit I seem incapable of being content without something to throw my energy into 100%, (un)fortunately that has never been work.

Addicted to Injury

2009-05-05T22:39:00.002+01:00

Tonight I hit an all time motivational low. Warming up at the works my finger/hand hurt on almost every hold type. Crimp, open, pinch, sloper you name it, it didn't feel quite right. Further down the line even jugs weren't even playing ball. After a short time it improved and some major motivation was coming my way from a number of psyched individuals (of varying strength), so I tried to make the most of my evening.
I ended up on the 6b ish thing with white/blue/red holds. It isn't hard. We did it one way, then we tried it using another sequence. Left foot high, hit the pinch with my left hand. BANG! OW! OW! I swear my feet didn't even touch the floor before I was headed in the direction of the loo's. The pain subsided after a few minutes of cold water but we all know that pain like that just isn't good.
I'm absolutely sick of injury upon injury. It seems regardless of what approach I take my body plays along for a few months, leading me into a position of false hope before some part of it fails. This time I haven't even been training or trying hard indoors whatsoever. That doesn't work either. I'm really struggling with the fact that it seems IMPOSSIBLE for me to get back to the level of strength, fitness and motivation that I had just two years ago. OK, so I've got a fairly high base level and I can probably punter my way at a totally respectable grade in my current state but thats not something I want to do.
I've got unfinished business with HFC and Entree, both of which I feel I would destroy given a few months without a niggle. Staminaband? Staminahumps etc. are all out due to this one and will have to wait, realistically until next season. That's if I ever dare pull onto the latter again.
Last summer I took a long break from climbing... I don't want to do this regularly but it seems to me as if there's no other option.

Aplogies for the fact that I'm almost drowning in self pity. Injuries suck!

Mixologist

2009-05-03T01:02:00.002+01:00

As my finger isn't in the best of states, my hand has developed leprosy and the tor isn't seeming overly tempting I doubt I'll do much climbing this weekend.

However, I WILL do a lot of drinking... On the way home from Spain I got psyched to get strong, train hard, put the hours in etc. then I remembered my current injury, got slightly upset and bought a tonne of Rum in duty free.

Thus, I type this with a rather camp (but oh so nice) Raspberry Mojito in my hand.

Here's to injures, present and past!

A (wo)man a van a plan...

2009-05-01T11:47:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I was stuck in Warwick listening to a bunch of 4th years who'd misunderstood their brief and thus their work was fairly useless in terms of development (maybe refinement is a better word) of a piece of code. It was a long day, I left at 6 and returned home at 9. Unfortunately, it was all a waste of time.
Currently my hand is suffering from a weird reaction to something. Either it was Sundays mussels, Mondays heavily nutty curry or the leather cream I used to try and undo the damage the hot spell is having on the Punto's steering wheel. Whatever it is I want it to go away so I can feel confident that dipping my hand into a bucket of chalk isn't going to cause lots of irritation. I think my injury could do with some more progressive loading and this isn't helping!

Onto the main point;
Two years ago when I happened to hit the mats in an unfortunate position, messing myself up, one of the first things to pass through my mind was the fact that my end of uni summer climbing tour wasn't going to happen. In fact, I believe it was the first thing I said to Nat when she got over to me. I was devastated about that. Even more so when the day came to sell the van which I had hunted high and low for.
This trip, we bumped into a number of people we knew from Sheffield all of whom were travelling around in vans and having the time of their life. Finally Nat realised what she'd missed out on and maybe this was the first admission of how much she's really been enjoying climbing since starting. So, she hatched a plan.
In our industry Chartership matters. Once you have this qualification you're employable and people want you. Currently she's being offered great opportunities left right and centre, one of which is to co-author some major design standards that will be highly influential for the foreseeable future. Funnily enough this also involves my PhD supervisor who is also keen to persuade Nat that a part-time PhD would be great. Chartership isn't far off for her and at this point (2 years or so) she plans to ask for a sabbatical, if its not granted she's going to quit.
Its really reassuring when she turned round to me and explained her mighty plan as to be brutally honest I wasn't seeing it happening she's just been doing too well...

Albarracin

2009-04-28T12:43:00.008+01:00

Sunday was set aside completely for packing. As ryanair were robbing us for actually wanting to take something with us we'd jammed the pad into our only check in bag and had the hand luggage to cover all of our boots, chalk, camera and clothes. Due to this, packing was short and left us with nothing to do on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Not for long however as we quickly decided to get horrendously drunk with cocktails on Devonshire green. I awoke about 4 hours from the time at which we had to leave, swimming. I drunk gallons of water before settling back for a few hours more kip. On awakening the water was switched to coffee. I felt OK to drive but it was close and TBH I regretted stepping foot out of the house the day before. East Midlands airport is ridiculously handy for Sheffield residents, just over an hours drive away. At the carpark company the bloke on reception took 45 minutes to check our car in which was an absolute joke. The amount of coffee in my blood made me very anxious to get on with it and I probably ended up being very rude.
On arrival in Spain we bussed it to the hire car company (Centauro Uno) who were absolutely excellent given my claims history, the fact I'm under 25 and the clincher I don't own a credit card. The car? well that was less excellent. A Pug 207 1.4 petrol. Now this was the first LH drive car I've ever driven. Plus I've had a sporty diesel for the last 3 years. The drive was less than smooth, painfully slow and the heavy frenchman drunk a tonne of fuel. Having said that, 2 hours from the Airpot to Albarracin isn't bad, if you go there try EMA to Valencia. We got sorted in our bungalow at the campsite and quickly realised that we'd forgotten our down jackets. No worries, one fluorescent site jacket later and we were ready to go out exploring.
The rest of the evening (6pm onwards) was spent runnng around Techos 1 & 2 psyched out of our minds at all the good looking lines. Sensibly boots had been left in the car.

Nat past Loskot

We wandered out past area Loskot and the view was pretty stunning. I recognized Klem's traverse and chalked it down as one to get on.
Monday - Tune up day. I started the day sensibly and took it steadily throughout but another wander to see the view left me below Klem's. Now before I go further this traverse is actually in a banned area between Jan and Aug, I'd left the guide in the car and managed to miss that fact until later on in the week. Whoops and sorry. I got involved with the traverse which starts on two or three juggy holes and then breaks leftwards on holds that look similar to Jerry's Traverse but there's no nasty top bit to stop you crimping. RESULT! After getting my foot stuck in a heel toe lock at the start I sacked it off and romped along the juggy crimps until the last 'Dyno', in reality its a big slap. I slapped, hit the hold but my bottom hand didn't feel right. I sat down for 5 mins and rested again. Back to the same point I slapped further left (ignoring the idiot line) held the hole, but something wasn't right, my right hand felt bad. Do I carry on for the tick or drop off? Day one, hour 3? I dropped off to see my RH index finger had split along the first joint. NNFN!

Klem's Traverse

So at the end of the day I had finished Klem's without doing the 6b top out and sensibly, I sat the rest of the day out. I was a little disapointed with the problem in all honesty. I'd wanted to do it since seeing a picture a while ago thinking it looked hard but played to my strengths. The reality is that it was a mid grade problem that played to my strengths. In the evening we explored the windy streets of Albarracin, which is packed with nice inexpensive restraunts and quaint bars and shops.

Albarracin Town

Tuesday was spent exploring Techos 1 & 2. These areas are great but you'll find that a lot of lines are flawed in one way or another. Namely the rock is soft at the top of the climp or low down on the climb, some end in the middle of nowhere and some have suffered due to loss of holds. Despite this there are a huge amount of quality, bulletproof lines such as:

Supermafos Macho

Lanky people miss out the crux but despite this its still a great problem up a gently overhaning wall. I got stuck on top of the boulder and tried to kill myself my topping out over the next roof (which was loose) before realising that an easy lip traverse gets you back to tera firma safely. The 6b to the left was Nat's main tick (below) and yet again she impressed me no end in powering up it with relative ease.

Supermafos Tacho

I ran around Techos 1 and 2 on the first few days like a kid at Christmas, ticking pretty much everything I wanted to try. Like a bow, Le Campana and many others which I can't remember the name off hand. The one problem I wanted to try, Cosmos, was still there tempting me despite my injury. As I walked over to it I quickly noticed that the lefthand hold you slap from isn't a crimp as I'd been told, its a pocket. A quick go at the first move out to this hold definately reminded me that pockets were OUT! Darn. Instead I pulled on after this move, crimping hard in the pocket wanting to see how hard the next move is. First slap I missed completely, kick Nat in the legs and end up crumpled on the floor. Next go the same. Next go the same. Then BANG! I hit the jug and once again pain was felt, this time in my palm. The jug you slap for on Cosmos is sharp and had taken a chunk out of my palm. I quested leftwards to the easy top out and dropped off, money in the bank. For people wondering, (dylan) its not 8a+ but neither (dobbin) is its 7C as you have been told.
More laying in the sun was had throughout the week whilst avoiding the midday heat (climbing wise). We wandered around the banned areas and I was quite aggrieved to be missing out on these. The problems at penninsula look stunning in the flesh, ok on dosage they don't look amazing but standing looking at the long steep roofs I can't think of anywhere that offers such a range of independant climbs up ground such as this.

The view past area Loskot

The view from Penninsula (Bird Ban)

The next days were spent exploring the more roadside areas. Parking (covered in sh*t), Aeroline and Techos don Pepos. I think a blow by blow account of each individual tick might get bloody boring so I'll spare you.
In summary, Aeroline is like a small inclosure of gritstone classics
Techos don Pepos is another bulletproof roof in which a classic 7a takes the main line (of the same name).
A group of Bleausards were attacking this as I entered the area (like a sandstone version of the sheep pen) and I was soon invited to get involved. On my flash go I ended up eyeing up the final hold, unfortunately Mr French pointed out the handy nothing hold instead of the 'git big' jug next to it. After this I struggled to get to the same point again until finally I got my sh*t together and powered through. Later whilst resting I realised why the problem felt so hard. I wasn't on the correct line. The actual problem went down without a fuss.

Bug Train

Arasteredo is another larger area at which we spent a couple of days. I'm getting tired of typing now so basically its quite good with the problems being less on boulders and more on sandstone buttresses. Here's Nat on a poblem that she came really close to ticking but to no avail.

Nat's Project

At this area there is a proud line that I think everyone who's tried deliverance will love. Mardi Gras (7b+ I think?) the rock is the same shape as deliverance but the holds are numerous small crimps and poor smears. This leads to an all out leap to the top. The problem wasn't my cup of tea so I didn't really bother, the lines on the same boulder all between 6-7 are extremely worthwile and the highball 7a+ behind the boulder was like a board problem at the school although it was terrifying above my one, old and ruined Metolius pad.

Esperanza

At the same area the above problem is a classic 7a arete. It starts via a long slap from good positve holds. I seemed to be the only person to think that shouldering and locking the press was a good idea. After this you end up quite high with poor slopers having to get your foot up unervingly high.
Two people wrecked themselves on this problem whilst I was watching, one snapped something in his knee and clawed himself onto the boulder thus requiring a rope rescue. The other fell and hit the only hole in the mat badly twisting (nearly breaking) her ankle. Gulp. When it came to my turn I wasn't letting go.

Some 6b+ at Arastaredo

I range of easier steepish thuggy problems are also available close by.
Sol and Macia are two areas that I haven't mentioned. Sol features briefly in Dosage V with Jason Kehl demonstrating an Uber classic 7b, this has broken but is still climamble via a different sequence.

'Funky Chicken'

The Spansih guy pictured above is crazy. He overheard someone saying Funky Chicken and for the rest of the day screamed Fucking Chicken at anyone he saw climbing. They do smoke an awful lot of weed!
Sorry for the post slowly dying into boring tattle, I can't really write "I did this", "I tried that" as on this trip I didn't go with a ticklist, I just ran around crazily ticking everything and anything I could get my hands on. If I bothered with 8a.nu anymore there'd be far too many entries to deal with.
If you're thinking of going to Albarracin, I'd suggest you do. The climbing isn't hugely extensive (i.e. its not FONT) but it is great and it offers you climbing unlike any I've experience before. If you climb well on boards, like crimpy holds and don't mind scrabbling over a slopey top now and again this is the place for you. The food is good, the wine is cheap, the climate is good (and all the problems are shaded). What more could you want?

Solid grades perhaps?

Albarracin Albarracin Albarracin

2009-04-19T16:09:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow!

We just had a minor credit card / car hire issue but its sorted now.
Went to the tor last night, felt really off it which was disappointing. The finger feels weak. Earlier on I went a drooled over shiny bikes.

Haha Ryanair

2009-04-16T16:28:00.004+01:00

Ryanair want about the same as its cost for Nat and I to fly to Spain for taking 'sporting goods' i.e. a pad. Well, I'm tight so not a chance. Instead I've just managed to disassemble a pad and cram it into a normal looking bag! Victory is mine and the Sellars school of packing is now a total necessity.

Works

2009-04-16T10:40:00.003+01:00

A phone call from Tideswell suggested that I give the tor a miss last night. Instead, unwillingly I might add, I climbed at the works. The finger felt fine ish but then again I avoided using it. Most of the comp wall problems went down with me having to use front 2 in quite a few holds to avoid risking further injury. I've still got the yellow problem through the roof to do, I simply can't read (nor climb) volumes. To be honest the current set of comp problems seem exactly the opposite of the last set, maybe a little too opposite? However, despite this, the red circuit is great! I managed to do my undercut board problem as well. Its not hard but I am injured.

Plus, of course, BRUCE is amazing! A remake of the Cordless T-shirt is long overdue.

Afterwards Nat, James, Dense and I went to Zeugma's to top up on protein. Mmmm.

Northern Soul...

2009-04-14T19:26:00.002+01:00

The destinations were completely dictated by the weather. Hepburn on Fri morning then when the rain was due, off to Kyloe in for Nat to attempt a crushing of Bad Finger and Bad Company (unfortunately neither of which happened).
In the morning Northern Soul was the only thing of interest. Climbing it without weighting my left hand much at all made it a little more tricky than I expect it really is. Nonetheless a great problem at an ok crag. Sequence:

At Kyloe in Nat got stuck into her stuff while I worked away at a bogey problem of mine; Yorkshireman SS. Its one of those problems that despite spending a small age at Kyloe In, I could never really figure it out. Following the Earl's sequence one day left me sure that I'd never do it. Well helpful local lad A was giving out beta left right and centre and it wasn't long before I was at the top of the crack eyeing up the pocket. Slapping to a two finger pocket whilst injured? Err No. I tried the flip LH round and go with RH beta but its never worked for me on the standup. Therefore, I stopped. Completely made up with progress on this problem. Then a dog stole my chalk bag:

In the evening Laterooms had done well and landed us a far too swanky hotel. So swanky in fact that it had a dress code. The evening meal was simply the best I've ever had. It blew everything else I've ever eaten completely out of the water.
On Sat we headed to Shaftoe for Nat to try Soft Center. Despite piling everything we owned onto the mat's as well as doubling everything over she could barely reach the break. Hmmm. I eyed up blood sport. Its a good line but massively morpho. After this the sun came out and did its worst. We laid around for a while before deciding to call it quits. Sunday was spent with the family.
Monday; Slipstones.

It was hot but not too hot. I showed Nat around the crag and we picked off everything easy in sight. After stopping for lunch it was obvious that the temps had risen and the rock was baking. Again, we decided to cut our losses and head home. Skin still in tact and both looking forward to Spain in a weeks time!

Twatter

2009-04-09T00:48:00.003+01:00

Again, I don't have Twatter but if I did:

Paul is wondering (after flicking through the Northumberland guidebook) why Sheffield seemed so appealing?
Paul is seriously abusing the recommended dose of Arnica capsules
Paul's finger isn't feeling too bad today, maybe due to the above
Paul will continue abusing the Arnica capsules, even if it is just for psychological benefits
Paul seriously misses the gym
@Dobbin - you're gay
Maybe I secretly desire to have a Twatter account?

Tenacity No. 2 pointed out that the best thing he ever did for his climbing was taking up surfing, hence not climbing as much and having something to do when injured. He also runs. I'm in awe of how the hell he fits it in. I'm not interested in surfing, well, not in this country! BUT and I think it is a big BUT, I think I could enjoy morbidly torturing myself on a road bike slogging my way around the Peak, my main concerns are that:

A) Someone WILL run me over
B) It's darn expensive
C) Someone will steal whatever I buy
D) I'll spend less time working than I currently do (which I cannot afford)

The cheaper option of running is out due to the impact on my sparrow leg. I could kill the gym cravings and the expense of the bike with one stone but I've never been one to sit on an aerobic machine indoors it just seems silly (well during the summer anyway).

The weekend plans remain unchanged but instead of me dictating where we go I've let Nat (with some nudging I admit) pick the destinations, that way I can just bimble around on anything that looks easy enough not to injure me further. Outdoors, I think its a lot harder to warm up effectively and control what you pull on. Holds are uneven, things are deceptively hard etc. hence I'll have to be extra careful.

Foley, I gave you the low down earlier, I'll be watching out to see what sauce is in your shaker!

Anyway that'll do, thoughts on a postcard...

Tor-ment?

2009-04-07T23:29:00.003+01:00

I've been to the tor a handful of times since my injury. Not to climb, simply to drive, spot and then drive some more. Nat's been trying too hard for mark leach and she's nearly done it, but the last move is seemingly a bit of a bogey move for her.
Last time (mon) we arrived to find the crag deserted apart from Tenacity No.2 sat underneath Ben's roof. He swore he was struggling and proceeded to prove that on the hard release move. By the time it was getting dark he threw together a link from move 2 until the end and cursed not doing the start.
Nat's attempts progressively got worse as the light faded which ended up in a tantrum and a quiet drive home.
Tonight we both went to the works, about 7 days to the hour from my injury. I managed to limit myself to the green circuit (many thanks to Ed who stopped me from entertaining the idea that I could do locks on the campus board as long as I was fully crimped!). The injury didn't feel too bad during the evening but then again everytime a hold required mid 2 I found some other way of using it to avoid weighting the finger. During the course of the evening it twinged once or twice when dragging some of the smaller holds, but nothing earth shattering. Arnica, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, Ibuprofen and a bag of frozen peas later there doesn't seem to be any more pain than before the evening commenced. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Thur night we're off to my folks.
Fri - the county
Sat - the county
Sun - back to my folks
Mon - Slipstones, possibly?

I'd be psyched, but i'm injured so it'll be frustrating and really hard work to keep myself off things that I've been wanting to try (/finish off) for ages!

NNFN!

2009-03-31T22:20:00.004+01:00

Went to the tor...

warmed up thoroughly, but all of my goals were wet so I went on 'Powerhumps' with the hope of getting it so wired that 'Staminahumps' is a real possibility.

First try goes badly, I hit the crimp wrong. No worries, it happens.

I pull back on, hit the second open and carry on to the jug, easy.

Drop off from the jug in absolute agony.

Uncurling my fingers hurt like hell, I couldn't load it. I can't load it. Its f*cked!

NNFN!

3 weeks 'til trip time...

Tor-bound

2009-03-31T14:46:00.004+01:00

When Nat gets home from work we'll be jumping in the car ASAP and nipping to the tor, fingers crossed for ok conditions, as well as no traffic.

If we run out of light, Wed I'll be buying a lantern!

Whilst I may berate myself for not approaching my sessions very sensibly lately, at least I can say that these days I am definately making a lot more effort to get out instead of taking the easy option...

Amateur

2009-03-30T15:22:00.002+01:00

Having not had much enthusiasm to train recently everything has become a bit slack. I haven't been indoors much and when I have, I haven't really tried all that hard, preferring to sag back to Terre Firma than actually pull hard. Team this with my amateurish attitude to skin from the previous weekend and you have the perfect recipe for a disappointing day at the Tor. Yesterday, weepy, hurty bruised skin stopped me from feeling particularly good on anything. I couldn't manage the move on Ben's roof where you (or I) take my feet off and plonk them on the sidewall (I was cruising on this just a few weekends ago), this left me feeling frustrated with myself. I've got a trip coming up in less than a month, I don't want to have peaked too early or waste it by not being on form or worse; because I haven't given it my all before I leave! Maybe I just wasn't on it, maybe it was too warm, whatever it was it certainly wasn't great.
When we then decided to leave (5.30 ish) it was evident that I'd made another amateurish mistake, the conditions had improved massively just in time for the so-called 'hour of power'. We arrived in the heat of the day, with bad skin, and yet persevered? Foolish behaviour, which I won't be repeating anytime soon.

Next weekend we are away so I'm going to pack in the training this week as much as possible. Tomorrow night Nat and I will try and squeeze in an evening tor session. My lock felt particularly weak yesterday and it's about time I did another Beastmaker phase. NO MORE BEER...or tequila...

A few things crossed my mind yesterday (whilst being grouchy of course);

Kids and climbing are all well and good but when they have little or no understanding of crag etiquette and their guardian would prefer to get stuck into Staminaband rather than to stop them chanting (loudly) behind someone climbing then the two simply don't go together.
People who walk over and try whatever you're trying for the sake of it are annoying, especially when their kids are running around being a pain.
IF there isn't enough room for you to get in between me and the bit of rock I'm about to pull on to, suppose there may just be a reason. Especially if your kids are running around being a pain.
Climbing or more to the point BOULDERING is far too accessible.
Sheffield will be getting a real treat in under a month when UKB's latest pair of buildering fanatics head our way, supposedly climbing full-time no doubt not living in a woodshed.

Deck!

2009-03-27T15:57:00.002Z

Things have changed and it might be possible for me to get out on Saturday morning, because of this last night (despite being absolutely disinterested with plastic) I eventually arrived at the Foundry.
I climbed well but a bit half heartedy. The current set of problems IMO are a bit poor. Many of them are tweaked older problems or have the same start as before etc. Its like doing the same problems over and over and gets boring. The new white thing was good but went down fairly quickly, the only other struggle was the wasp. It turned out I was missing a feature out but TBH its better and more basic (and harder) without.
Later I ended the session on the board, I did a few of my old things, a few of Carl's and fell off on Leo's. I was pretty chuffed to do the moves on Pinch 3 mind you, which is something that seemed so unfeasible just 6 months or so ago. Strong Ed arrived later on but by then I was too tired to try hard on his pinching problems.
Midway through the session I was stood beneath the wave chatting to Bentlegs about various stuff. We both fell silent after hearing an almighty thud from the lead wall. Everybody knows what that sound means and to be facing out from the wave whilst it happened wasn't nice. God knows what caused it but from about 6 clips up on the wall just left of the main overhang some poor sod had decked, completely. His belayer was hysterical and in absolute bits. He, thankfully got up unscathed, a real tribute to the matting that is underneath these walls!
Rae Cowie (sp?) casually walked past me later on that evening and (in a very dry tone) said "you should learn to land like that"... and then later on "at least he didn't scream like you". It made me chuckle but morbidely curious about what she knew. Turned out she was the only person to see me screw myself up and not only had it nearly made her sick on the spot it had stayed with her...sorry about that.

Twitter

2009-03-25T15:30:00.002Z

I don't have twitter so unfortunately I can't let you know instantly when my bowels decide to move however;

Paul

Has just realised he has been climbing for 5 days out of 8 (all on rock)
Has been climbing absolutely sh*t indoors for the last few weeks
Thinks, maybe the two are linked?

I forgot to post about the weekend before last.
It was something like this:

Sat: Go to the tor with Nat, start trying Staminaband. Make great progress and find myself two moves from the end. Fall off a few times then it got busy. Realise that I linked from the u/cuts to the end. That means I've actually got around to trying and ticking powerband.
Sun: Caley, too warm for Zoo york. Rumble around with some elder waddage and generally have a great time. Nat waltzed up otley wall amongst other things. Flash New Jerusalem and realise its not only morpho but soft as anything in its current condition.

Welsh Rampage (...of sorts)

2009-03-24T10:18:00.011Z

Ok so here's the full story:

Thurs:
The morning came and I still hadn't sorted out when or if I was still going to Wales for a few days to stay with Doyle. Having just booked a holiday to Albarraccin in the coming months I'm really feeling the pressure of getting everything done before I go so that the meeting (3 days after) goes smoothly. The main problem is that everything I do uses CFD and long iterative processes, it can't be hurried and small mistakes usually cost a large amount of time which right now I simply can't afford. I'd tried all week to meet with my supervisor to sort out some issues I was having but she didn't seem to have any time, that was until the Welsh idea formed in my mind and then she set about offering meeting times that would ruin going away at all. A few emails later I had managed to sidestep some difficult questions, so I scrabbled to get some chores done before jumping on a train to the Orme. As you will remember the weather was great and the 3 hour train journey went by quickly as I settled down to start reading Revelations. What could be more poetic than heading to LPT to try Liquid Ambar reading that book? Doyle picked me up from the station and told me we were going to the cave. Oh. I got sucked into Sams finish, a none too exciting bit problem on the RHS and set about systematically ruining my skin. Doyle made plenty of remarks about my amateurish approach but this problem got under my skin. Finally I was bleeding, failing after all the hard climbing and admitted defeat. I was quick to point out that if I stop at the first signs of skin damage I wouldn't get up anything!

Fri:
Doyle disappeared to get his window fixed whilst I slept in. After that it was a rushed warmup in the cave followed by a rushed look at LA. LPT is a phenomenal crag and it hit me just how long it had been since I'd pulled on here. Some freind of Doyle's (female) was being a rude pain in the arse and giving me hassle about various stuff. It was annoying. Doyle was made up to do one of the lower hard moves and then as the session progressed the crux move followed by what will probably prove to be the redpoint crux, a huge span from an undercut, bypassed by Moon using a dirty crimpy and simpson by some really nice pinches. When I was my turn I was a bit surprised to find a poor glue job on route, the moves felt ultra-spanned for me and I got my arse well and truly spanked. The top move (the long one) looked feasible for me off the poor crimp but the lower move before this just seemed out of my league. I returned to the floor with a badly strained bicep.
As the tide crept in we retreated to Pill Box Wall, tape covered the majority of three fingers and prevented me from trying anything too hard. Instead I ticked off the mid 7 classics one by one. They're really good! The session was kept short so that I could salvage the rest of the weekend.
Nat arrived late after getting completely lost and a hellish drive from Wakefield. M62 -> A55 on a friday night. We spent friday night at the heights which I can only describe as a shithole straight out of the league of gentlemen.

Sat:
The pass, Wavelength as suggested by Doyle. We picked off the obvious boulders as we set off up the hill, Utopia, Pieshop, Wavelength, Boysen's Groove.

The Shelf (V2)

The wavelength boulders were king of them all offering some really superb climbing for both Nat and I. Tape wasn't helping again but everything I tried got ticked fairly quickly.
We ended the day by walking over to the barrel. A quick flash of the minimum and then lots of catching up with people I hadn't seen in a long time (backing off Dinas Mot due to low cloud). Newman appeared and we chatted some more before collapsing back to Pete's for some food.

Sun:
We quested back to 'the Meadow' which we had missed the previous day. I wanted the lotus but it simply wasn't happening. I did all of the moves fairly quickly but my skin was really letting me down on the crux. Oh well, one for another trip. There are few nice problems around up there, Lordy Lordy stands out and also Killer Weed (Mark Katz on Stick it!). We then tried a highball slab which unsurprisingly shot me down (it was the wind I tell you!). Lunch time. After lunch we blasted over to Ogwen. I say blasted but in reality I was stuck behind some p*nis doing 20mph through the pass and veering wildly over to the wrong side of the road to stop me overtaking. When the road straightened out towards Ogwen he purposefully slowed down and then accelerated hard onto the straight well past 60. I think he was surprised to see the little blue thing hanging onto his tail up until the point where he exceeded the limit. Prick.
A quick stomp up to sheep pen and it was time for me to get all confused by little groover. It seemed really hard until I cracked it at which point I was starting to realise the sheer volume packed into the last few days. Nat was done, completely knackered. So, it was down to me; Jerry's was next on the list. I took off the tape and sat down, aiming to give it my all but as I began to take my weight on the crimps they hurt like hell. Tape please! I hit the press well and first go, locked in deep near my chest and stared upwards. Not a chance in hell! No flick nothing. I pull on from standing and still, there was no hope. On someone (Nodders perhaps?) recommendation I went to try the pinch.

The Pinch (V7)

This went down instantly but I couldn't help doing it both ways and then again and again for photos. Back in the sheep pen it was really time to pack up but it all looked so good. I knew I'd need to rest for a few days after this trip so couldn't really help myself. Dog Shooter, Kingdom of Rain, Gnasher all went without a glitch. Before people had left I'd been told that traversing into them (Ding Dong's?) made for some nice problem so with the same list in mind I started again. DS went well. KoR was going well until the last move. I had the undercut and my feet in the same place but I just didn't have the power to slap for the top. My RH went back to undercut, my LH went onto the intermediate and I dug really deep slapping wildly for the top anywhere I could reach. My legs helicoptered well over Nat's (wrong) spotting position and somehow I controlled it and pulled myself over the top. Leave it there? Nope. I waited a grand total of 2mins before settling back at the start of the trav this time with Gnasher in my sights, I made some stupid mistakes on the traverse and decided to rest properly. After a whopping 4 mins I tried again; I made it past the akward heel around about KoR and onto the holds that form the obvious link between the problems but there was no way I could continue. My hands were sore and all power had long since faded away. I sagged onto the mat and rolled down the various gaps coming to a halt underneath Dog Shooter. Nat began packing up. Stupidly I repositioned my mat underneath Jerry's. Tops of for power I tried it from standing.

Jerry's Problem (V10)

I could pull on, take the intermediate and almost control the swing enough to get my foot up onto the starting ledge, from this position the top was easy. All that remains is to see whether or not fresh (and with skin) I can link those two positions.
After this I finally admitted I was ruined and we slid our way back down to the blue machine. A great weekend away once again... I haven't climbed since, I am destroyed.

I must apologise for the horrendous spelling and grammar in this post. I rushed it and I simply don't have the time to read over it and sort out all my hurriedly typed mistakes.

Testing - failing

2009-03-13T15:46:00.002Z

Tues: Works, got sucked into the comp wall and quickly realised that I was still absolutely ruined from the weekend. Left with my tail between my legs, very sore knees and a new found respect (of sorts) for comp wads.

Thurs: Home board, it held but flexes a lot in one place where we had to cut the panels to 2ft x 4ft (to fit in the punto). It's hard, maybe a little too hard and the footholds are uber shit despite being resin.

Weekend plans: Unconfirmed, Caley is tempting but so too is the lime. Sat morning poor weather, Sunday is looking like the better day. I'm exhausted from a rather full on week of pulling my finger out and presentations left right and center. Pill box wall is also strangely tempting.

Injuries: I have a crush mid way up my middle finger on my LH. I'm sure its from that brown pocket problem at the works. It's not stopping me but I've learnt to be wary of niggles like this.
My weird hand strain is still here from Christmas but is less of an issue.

Welsh Weekend Round-up

2009-03-11T13:39:00.010Z

Friday night we quested off to Pete's eats in Llanberris, the drive was arduous as the Welsh deem it acceptable to knock a 3 lane road down to 1 with little forewarning. This leads to RTA's left right and center and one hell of a traffic jam. We arrived late, 9.30 ish I think. A quick and rather poor Chinese takeaway and we settled into the comforts offered by the cold twin room.

Saturday morning I usually wake up, look at the clock, roll over and go back to sleep until well into the afternoon, but not this weekend! Oh no! Psych was flowing and after devouring a large breakfast in the cafe we once again jumped into the eye-talian stallion and headed for the coast. Porth Ysgo here we come! I've wanted to visit for ages, Stick it! made both the setting and the problems look stunning. On arrival (after another massive traffic jam) I was less than impressed. The boulders weren't very high, they all felt slightly 'tacky' and the classic lines all seemed to appear a lot less appealing than they were on my TV just the week before.

Nonetheless we walked to the far end of the crag and worked our way back. Stick it! offering the main tick list, Jawbreaker, Popcorn Party etc.

Popcorn Party, V6

One line that looked great in the guide was "tide of dreams". I got involved and quickly joined the V4 (sorry about the stupid grades but I simply cannot convert them in my head). Another bloke wandered over and made a big deal out of showing me that a low low low undercut was wet. It wasn't subtle. So despite starting on my rather short ass I still wasn't quite low enough. Oh well. Next...

Fast Cars, V5

We both got stuck in but Nat didn't seem to be enjoying herself much and I wasn't being drawn towards anything in particular. Incredible shaking man was sodden and I couldn't even find an axle that wasn't partly buried. As we approached Area 1, we both decided that we'd prefer to chance the pass being in condition and promptly jumped back in the blue beast.

It wasn't. Driving rain was the weathers weapon of choice and everything looked soaked, apart from (of course) jerry's roof area. I'd wanted to try this for god knows how long and again the psych flowed. I knew already that the tick would be evasive due to the slab running with water but nonetheless its all money in the bank. I made sure to start in the correct place and promptly was back on my ass after placing my feet rather poorly on the polish. Next go I fell at the crux hitting the hold in completely the wrong place. Next go I did the same. After actually looking at the hold and getting it right I nailed this move and carried on to the lip. RH on the slab, bump LH, bump RH... oh its now soaked, never mind!
Next on the list was Mr Fantastic another classic Stick it! tick. I pulled on at the crux with my hands spread widely and to my surprise bowled over rightwards, caught the pinch and flicked into what I now know is Bus Stop. I was a little shocked as my right shoulder is a weakness of mine and I expected to be spat off violently. For my next goes I did the sensible thing and worked backwards from the crux. Ah.. I couldn't do the catch from that high hold, darn. A large pinch is just below the positive slot like hold on Jerry's and I once again did the crux from this, much easier. Dropping from the jerry's hold to this pinch is a violent affair but very doable and I now had a sequence which breaks the crux into two separate movements, firstly a dropdown and secondly a press. I rested, rested some more and got involved. My sequence involves using really quite small footholds that are badly polished so a fair few goes ended with my feet 'clicking' off at the wrong moment and hitting the floor but one go they stuck just as I needed:

Mr Fantastic, V12

The photo sequence shows my vastly inefficient and overpowered sequence (watch the video of Ty on this for a comparison). I managed to link from the start of Jerry's into the point at which Mr Fan hits the lip. My last ditch attempts to claw my way over the top didn't yield any success whatsoever.
Now I can't take the tick obviously but I'm quite pleased, in fact I'd go so far as to say that on Sat night I was climbing the best I have since that nasty day a few years ago.

Sunday morning I awoke a lot more sore than the day before. The breakfast didn't soothe my aching shoulders but it didn't matter much because as I finished shovelling hash browns into my mouth a sleety snow fell in the town. Nat and I made the decision to explore the slate quarries:

Dinorwic Quarries

Doylo called later that morning and offered a tour of the mill. I was psyched but felt like I might not climb my best as I was still aching. The mill is great, seriously great, and confirms my thoughts on the merits of the various types of boards that now exist. The session went well with Doylo crushing a long term project and Nat powering up the board after pretending to be much weaker than she is. That very tanned man was in route mode and taking an age to ascend each problem but somehow he just wouldn't let go!
Sunshine shone through the dilapidated mill taunting our premature decision to go indoors. At that point my session ended. On the way back home Doylo offered a tour of the Orme which ended up being a quick tour of Parisella's cave before he went to Angel Bay. I think the expectation on arrival was for me to be in awe of the cave and psyched out of my mind. I wasn't. I also wasn't going to get rushed into trying Rock Atrocity and so set about getting spanked by Trigger cut, Louis Armstrong and then destroying myself on the right hand end of the cave, trying helplessly to avoid all the hooking beta I'd been offered. Doyle and Linc both left. I managed to get slightly more psyched to try trigger cut and finally worked out how to hit the ear correctly and twist my body into a position that I could slap to the shothole from. Nat offered one of her best spotting mishaps and this attempt ended with a face full of dirt and her pulling on my sleeve.
Just as thoughts of leaving the cave entered my mind I remembered just how long it had taken me to get around to visiting. I WANTED to try Rock Atrocity, furthermore I really WANTED to have a damn good go at flashing it, but in my current state of destruction I wasn't so sure if it was feasible. The holds looked like my kind of thing but Chris had warned me that I might have to jump for the glued on flake. I eyed it up for ages, would I or wouldn't I? was I too tired? was my skin too sore? could I seriously expect anything more out of the weekend than what I'd already achieved?
Blog posts, lectures and forum posts ran through my mind and the answer was obvious, with Jerry fever sweeping the climbing populous there was only one question that really needed answering; WWJD?. So, without further ado I nestled my fingers into the starting jug of RA and pulled on...

Wales boyo!

2009-03-05T22:47:00.002Z

Well the CWIF is this weekend. I was quite psyched that once I'd finished my degree I could get back to doing comps (they were always in my exam time and then when I was broken) but that psych has long since faded as the comps have changed from the days in which Malc was king and Holdz were the height of designer resin. Now its all giant swinging balls and triangular weirdness. Each to their own I suppose. I'm thinking team beastmaker 'might' just make a big impression especially after Neds session tonight.
Nat and I haven't been out climbing recently, we've been tired, busy and then building. This weekend we decided to do something different; WALES! I've hardly bouldered in Wales, what I mean by that is that whilst LPT has been drying off I've done a little bit in the cave and that's that. The weather isn't perfect but I figure having a meal in Pete's eats is a good enough tick regardless.

The plan looks like this:
fri night - drive over to Pete's
Sat morn - drive to Porth Ysgo, get Nat ticking Jawbreaker, she'll love that. Do the classics
Sun morn - the pass, sheep pen looks good.
Sun aft - the weather looks questionable, I'll do what I can, maybe the mill if its really bad, hopefully Doyle will be around to give me a pointing tour in the evening.

Today I presented in front of a large number of people who I deem to be brighter than me. To top it off I had to present a brief summary of the work that had gone before my PhD topic. The people that carried out that work were in the audience making it even harder. I thought it went badly but I was told otherwise, the Q&A session at the end went well. I crushed that. For some therapy I spent a fair portion of the afternoon screwing on a large number of holds, the board is looking really good now, some more wood and a small scattering of jibs and it'll be good to go!
Motherboard tonight (I hate the name, supposedly Dave M hates the colour). Ned, Dan (ill), Stu L, Travs, James, Ben T, Dense and myself occupied the corner all evening. Everyone was looking strong, Ned and Stu especially so. I climbed well I think and I've got a fair few problems to work at now, I say problems but what I mean is Ned's 'moves'.

Another topic is grating in the back of my mind, I'm trying hard to let it go but I'm struggling...

Another Jaipur might kill it... or a honeydew perhaps.

Absent Bloggage

2009-03-02T23:03:00.008Z

Its been a while since I wrote anything here due to a few reasons. The main being that blogging had seemingly become yet another thing which I waste unnecessary time doing. I think when this blog began it had a point, I'd messed myself up and it was a good way of keeping track of the healing process and much easier than relaying that information to a load of people at every stage. After that it descended into nothingness albeit with a couple of posts that read well (I hope) as well as one or two controversial posts. After leaving it for a while a few thoughts were rattling around my empty head but nothing earth shattering but this, THIS I have to share:

BEHOLD BEDROOM BOARD:

Now I'm terrible with wood, give me steel, a lathe etc. and I'm ok. Give me wood and a jigsaw and things get messy. Despite this, I'm very happy with the board.
Its 8ft wide and has about 12ft of climbing length and completely self supporting, it also supports a nice big storage shelf and some stow away space. You get in underneath the right hand side of the board. The holds aren't all on yet. I started with the jug's and I'm slowly working down to the smaller stuff.

Its not symmetrical - I can go to the works for that
Its not systematic - If I made it too specialised then Nat couldn't play on it when she wants.

It will have:
A good range of holds
Big moves
A beanbag shaped like a beefburger sporting dubious marks
A large rear storage shelf

Back once again...

2009-02-19T00:10:00.002Z

Count it... 3 times in one week at the works.

I was meant to go out today initially with Ben but he managed to assemble a team of about 6 to go and try one of the most conditions dependant problems there is. It looked a lot less appealing despite the list of good company, after all, the main idea is to try the problem. A few minutes after pondering the possibilities a text arrived from Vic, desperately searching for someone to accompany her to Eastwood for a full day out. That sounded more like it, there's a couple of things I'd like to try there, one project which would be a lot easier if I had a couple more inches (I'm sure that's been said before), James' thing; Westwood, which is now harder due to hold breakage I was going to see if I could climb into the press method like Ned suggested.
Anyway; when Nat awoke she told me I wouldn't be going anywhere today. Grey and missly was how she described the view from our flat. Damn and blast! Vic confirmed her thoughts on the matter via another txt and again when she arrived at work. Later on tonight I found we made the right decision, Scouse had ventured to Eastwood and EVERY hold on the traverse was wet, wet, wet.
The backup plan was the Beastmaker but Nat was climbing with peeps tonight so it seemed sensible to join her. I was a bit wary of two days on, especially on the board but it went well. I climbed my Mono problem on both sides and I 'think' its reasonably hard. I don't understand 1a-5a though so I can't really comment. I came up with a crimpy number as well with the added miniature dowels at the top of the board. Being the first to pull on them (or so I imagine as there was zero chalk up there) the first few goes landed me in a crumpled heap in Bennett corner. Any takers? I'm also now convinced that the works BM is easier than mine. A quick look at the panel suggests it might be on a slight slab... Someone (Dan?) has added some Beastmaker wooden logo's to the board just above some footholds. They look good but lead to unnecessary boot rubber mince-age if you're slightly in-accurate when clicking off.

Rest tomorrow and work hard. Fri try again to get out. Sat morning very early raid. Rest of weekend deal with her family. Nice dinner.

Hip Hip Hoorah

2009-02-17T22:02:00.002Z

....for the climbing works!

(WTF?)

Yup, I have to say that the works, Ned and Dan have excelled themselves with the new board. I climbed on it this Saturday while it was still a work in progress and couldn't really see how it could be elevated from what it was. Well... fixing a lot of the non symmetrical holds and adding nearly everything from the Varian board that's how!

Tonight was meant to be a short session but I was climbing well so I carried on. I set a number of problems on the V-board which were instant hits with some familiar board faces. Climbing with Nacho I ended up jumping between pockets and then finally I set myself a power problem on two finger pockets and mono's. Work those weaknesses! (Joe pointed out when I was yarding on the bleaustone key-rings that if I could do that I really shouldn't be training it anymore...).

Agh DAMN!

2009-02-16T23:23:00.002Z

Mortgages are a pain in the ass, I'm sick to death of this one already. The b*ggers keep losing my proof of income, now they've actually managed not to lose one and they're complaining as I didn't send them the whole lot. They're also refusing to accept Nats electronic copies (she doesn't get payslips anymore) so they now want all of the electronic ones and copies of her bank statements for the last year)...
Solicitors are scum. I spoke to ours today and he has yet to get Nat an examination since the crash, hasn't yet got hold of the police report and was unaware that the other party was prosecuted for drunk driving (over a year after the event). For the amount he gets paid an hour I think this shows utter imcompetence.
The weekend seemed to be lost to alcohol and far too much of it. On Sat we both climbed at the works which was suffering from condensation on the holds. Strangely the beastmaker in there felt p*ss easy and without warming up I was doing pullups on the worst slopers, maybe the condensation helps with the wood? I was flying off without warning left right and center on the resin and after a while got fed up and left. Of course due to this I needed to drown my sorrows and made myself incapable of doing anything apart from a short BM session on Sunday. I'm still to equal my best effort on back 2 repeaters.
I'm a little annoyed that the weekend before I didn't put in more effort to get out. I note dobbin has been on the ace and TBH I'm gutted I didn't get the chance as I've been climbing well and its the one thing I'm keen to do (although realistaclly I don't think it'll be this season), when was this? My work is mounting and I have a looming March deadline. This weekend coming is Nats birthday and with her family descending on us early Saturday morning I can't see when I can fit in getting out? Tomorrow I'll train and then I should deadhang on Wed but then again if people are heading out Wed maybe I shouldn't train tues?....
Oh I don't know...

Beast-failure

2009-02-12T21:21:00.002Z

As predicted tonight's Beastmaker session was short lived; the fact that I could feel last nights session in my forearms before I left the Foundry should have been a good indicator. Rookie error thrashing myself at the wall, even more rookie considering I realised what I was doing and still didn't stop... Tomorrow I rest, Sat I'm not sure, I guess its dependant on the weather...

Moonblog

2009-02-12T12:42:00.003Z

Look like Tyler did Gecko Assis recently looking on the moonblog, as well as Kheops,

Ty Landman - Khéops 8b from ben pritchard on Vimeo.

Mortgage people have re-valued the flat lower which has restarted the whole damn process and of course the rates are now slightly worse. I'm so sick of it.

Last night I climbed well but like a fool, I didn't stop when I should have. Stopping strong wasn't on the agenda but at the end of the day my goes on a specific problem didn't progress purely due to fatigue. I'm sure that tonight's BM session will be poor but i'll try to make the most of it!

Atmoic Playboy

2009-02-11T13:32:00.004Z

Word from the BM boys suggests that Mina is dead close to ticking Atomic Playboy. This information has seriously blown my mind. The whole traverse is illogical, even for Mr. Laumone.

The logical problem starts sitting on obvious holds in the middle of the shelf.

I tried this when I was out in Font and it felt really f*cking hard. Fairly steady from 2 moves in (fall off able due to the holds and the sandy feet), but the start seemed to have two options, press or go over. Both shoulder tearingly difficult. Well... or so it seemed. Watching the video I am kicking myself fairly hard, why not go again? IDIOT! I also seemingly missed the hold he starts on for his RH, putting you even closer to the crimp of justice.... Double IDIOT! Oh well one for next time!

Doubt Chimp!

2009-02-11T12:29:00.003Z

Today Dobbin and I are meant to be going out, initial plans were to nip into the plantation but someone reported last night that the boulder of interest was suffering from runoff. It was just lightly snowing on top of an already damp pavement in Sheffield. Dob fancies Rubicon, but I doubt it'll be in good nick? Hmmmm decision time.

Systematic

2009-02-10T16:57:00.003Z

I emailed Unclegecko to get his input on my future board, he got back to me with this:

The crimp.se warm up for bouldering from crimp.se on Vimeo.

Systematic, non?

If you haven't seen his new video then take a look. Its even slicker than L'etranger.

Jerry! Jerry... Jerry?

2009-02-10T01:19:00.004Z

When Friday came and it looked as if it would be a bit of effort to find dry rock both Nat and I decided that we didn't want the hassle (the first time in a while that I've slipped back to this mindset). She'd had a bad week, we needed to make some fairly big decisions and anything else tricky seemed more hassle than it was worth. So, instead, on Friday night we had a session together at the Works, a rare thing in two ways:
a) I went there voluntarily
b) We got to climb together - we seem to spend all week out of sync with her at one wall and me at another. I'm resting whilst she's climbing etc.
Immediately when I arrived I felt un-psyched, I don't know what it is about the climbing in there it just doesn't tempt me and I always dream about 'what it could have been'. Wrongly really as its obviously a thriving success. Dobbin amongst others have pointed out that publicly I've been outspoken about the place in a bad manner and although not as intended, from the Works' point of view it always seems like I'm having a stab. I hadn't really thought of my comments on the UKB thread in that manner, simply that like all other things on the forum, they are my worthless opinions and nothing else (time for a signature change to include my blog disclaimer!). Next time I have an opinion on the place I'm keeping quiet.
Typically, 5 mins before we needed to leave for the JM lecture we realised a load of things that we'd been meaning to do, still needed actually doing! A crazed rush around the flat still left us late leaving but didn't stop me bellowing out chants of Jerry, Jerry , Jerry as I jumped into the Punto (officially the worst car in snow, all the power in one chunk, very low in the rev range and a very Italian traction control system!). As we arrived I was shocked to not find the works heaving outside, nor was it heaving inside. Nat and I reserved seats for James Blay and friends just one row back.
The lecture started well... the Foundry gag had me thinking that it was going to be the best lecture I'd been to, sadly it wasn't. Don't get me wrong it wasn't bad but he didn't seem to have an awful lot to say. Unseen training footage, monkeys chasing banana's and some cracking photos carried him through.
One good thing did come of the night; on leaving the works Nat turned to me and granted me the board I'd been wanting to build for a few years now. Balcony board was a failure. Wardrobe board will be no such thing!
Space is limited but I have a few things I REALLY want to tick this year and one thing that I want to try and hopefully tick next season. All but the latter are steep and completely reliant on finger strength and power.

My idea currently is to have a low roof leading into a steep section of board finishing on a slightly overhanging panel to allow for some horrendous finishing holds.

The room is as follows:

any other brainwaves are very welcome.

This is getting long but I can't quite be bothered to cut it into two...

This afternoon Dobbin and I met up at the Foundry. On Sunday I had beasted myself in a short but very sharp BM session. My fingers felt creaky and my forearms, shoulders and upper back seemed to ache deeply. As I warmed up slowly whilst talking a lot I contemplated going home but kept quiet until I started failing where last week I was climbing so well. Dobbin pointed out that he thought it was my ego stopping me and that I should drop my intensity and climb like that. I pointed out that it wasn't the failing that was bothering me. I wanted to train power and lower grade easy stuff just wasn't going to achieve this, quitting early and returning fully rested the next day seemed more sensible? At this point I was ready to go until I realised that climbing on Tues would ruin my chances of performing on the grit on Wednesday.
Time to whip out "eye of the tiger" on my iPod and think of Rocky II during my boot change. Obviously my dragon's had something in them as from then on I climbed well, very well even. Despite lacking power I was despatching relatively well (or so I think?). Everything felt tired, I hit things wrong but seemingly continued until I made a last desperate slap to the finishing sloper or jug and then dropped off. Very confused that I actually made it to the top!

3rd post lucky...

2009-02-05T00:53:00.002Z

Steady on now, 3 times a day? ooh suit you.

I just thought I should mention that tonight I managed to complete a fingerboard session. At home, without anyone to train with and despite my Creative I-trigue amplifier dying half way through my first track (the speakers on their own are pitifully weak)!

Warm up with pull ups then following the Variable's 3-2-1 path to back 2 glory:

Open:
3
Front 3 Repeater
2mins
Back 3 Repeater
2mins

2
Mid 2 Repeater
2mins
Front 2 Repeater
2mins
Back 2 Repeater - fail on 5th
2mins

1
Slopey Mono - Max hang

Half-Crimped
2 x Encores - 4 fingers half on large holds
2mins between

2 x Repeaters - 4 fingers half on small holds
2mins between

Sloper:
Middle Sloper (35 deg?)
1 Encore
END

Progress with dead hanging is rapid. Back 2 repeaters have shot up from me not being able to do a 7 sec hang to being able to do 5. Mono's are just breaking themselves in nicely as well! Encores seem pretty hard core and you can really feel the full lock in your elbows, not too good I'm sure? The board didn't rip off the wall which is nice but I've realised that mounting it above a door frame does have its issues:

You (or more likely I) need a cheat stone
Its useless for doing one armers on all but the central holds there's simply not room. That means I lose my party piece. Tried doing one with my legs trailing up the door frame to stay open but unsurprisingly it didn't feel very natural
The frame gets in the way a bit when open handing the smaller holds blocking the way in which the fingers 'tuck up'

Very Jerry?

2009-02-05T00:34:00.002Z

Er, No.

I went back at 11 with Nat dragging behind me like some kind of wet rag. She can't handle past 10.30 now, having a proper job takes it out of her.
I knocked at the door as per earlier and as per earlier I got no answer but a lot of curtain twitching. Eventually a young ish lad came down and refused to open the door. Instead we conducted the next 5 minutes of who we were what we wanted etc. through his letterbox before I shoved my e-receipt through the letterbox. He opened up looking very confused. Genuinely so. I explained again and he started wildly sorting through a massive stack of mail at the bottom of the stairs explaining its all for previous tenants (lo and behold there was plenty of junk addressed to me), sadly no jerry book though, no little red slip either. He said he hadn't seen it and seemed 100% genuine, he took down my name/number etc. and promised to call if it showed up. My last shot is to ring the sorting office in the morning and hope it shows up. This all seems like a major ball ache that I just don't want right now. I WANT to read the book before Sunday night, little chance of that happening!
Yesterday we finalised the mortgage details as A&L lost our last proof of income. Today Nat was told that she has to be flexible and might have to work from Bradford, Solihull or Warrington. Perfect timing as ever, buy flat in Sheff, potentially need to work elsewhere. Genius.

Where's jerry?

2009-02-04T16:54:00.002Z

Today when my copy of the "New Testament" still hadn't arrived I got in touch with Cofe who was very aplogetic and was going to drop a new copy around straight away, he just needed to confirm where I live..

Paul B
9 Holberry....what the f*ck?

Well it turns out that somehow Paypal has managed to authorise a card payment from me using the wrong address, an old one but still my card hasn't been reg'd there for quite some time. Now its not as if I typed the address into the delivery field here but I guess I have to accept that its my cock up and try my best to sort it out.
This afternoon I wandered up to try and get it. Knocking on the door of my former grotty student house got me no answer. All of the curtains were drawn. After 5 mins I walked off to the corner shop to purchase a pen and leave a note. At this point I noticed the curtains twitching so I marched back and had another bang on the door. 5 mins later a small indian women opened the door about 3mm. I tried to explain the issue but it wasn't going too well until she recognized the word "book", at that time she repeated "book, book" at me amongst a lot of garbage which I managed to extract the phrases "my son", "at work", "back at 11" not necessarily in that order. So, the book came. Not addressed to them but nevertheless the wide reaching inspiration that is jerry obviously captivated her son who is now enjoying a signed copy at my expense whilst bored at work.
I'll be going back at 11, something tells me that its not going to be straightforward.