Sardine Foundry Sardinia

This may be the last post for a week, as I am off to Sardinia! I can't wait! Not going with any real climbing intentions, although I probably will take my anasazis as I understand theres some bouldering somewhere in the area we are staying.

This week has been major climbing overload (as I am effectively having a week off next week). On Monday I went to the board but I didnt pull on (fingers hurt from sunday) instead I did some skipping, then called James who was coming down to train in the rings and diverted him to the pub. A wise choice. It was hot. Made a curry, went to bed (not with James).

Tuesday I went to the Tor with the mighty Foley to go and get back on Rooster Booster. It was well hot. Had decided on the way out to try and do Sardine (I TR flashed the straight version - tomato sauce is it? years ago, so I cant claim the flash but I have never actually done it) but there were punters already in situ, so got the pads out and got started. Good to see Joe Le Sausage who was bouldering on pinches wall with the guy whose name (I think) is Dale. Joe and I went to get on the traverses and I had a good lap on PB falling out of the last move for no good reason (again). Had a few goes on the Staminaband start, making it through on all but the first move when I got one of the undercuts wrongly, but the transition move feels about 8c. Its really hot and my fingers are probably swollen, and theres no friction! excuses excuses. Halfheartedly try Stamina Humps but again am climbing like a sac de merde and make no progress. Pure people have arrived by now. Adam Lincoln, r_man, Dave Mason, Tom and Rae and no doubt others whom I will have forgotten. Ah yes, Ted rupert bear. And Scut.

Sack bouldering in favour of ropes. there are now three lots of people vying for the first 10 feet of sardine. Ross Cowie (crumblefish), Not_Dan_Varian (in brine), spiros (can this be his real name? fantastic! - sardine)and James and I who are on Rooster Booster. It feels fucking desperate and I get nowhere. Not_Dan_Varian makes a sequence suggestion which takes the heat out of the first crux section. I can do it comfortably from sitting on the bolt, but I cant do it from the ground as I am pumped out of my mind and my fingers hurt. Ah well. Consign it to the bin for another day. Am keen to do it, as its quite fun. Strip the route (or rather, James does), and wander off up Sardine. I am pumped! I get to, but fall off the crux, then I have to shuffle from bolt to bolt to put the rest of the clips in. I am so pumped. James has a valiant effort but is also pumped and falls. He continues to the top, lowers off and I have another go. Again, I pump out just before the crux, try hard but have nothing left and cant get through. I lower off and he has a go, then me and so on until its dark and we are the only people at the crag. Its 2200! head home. Have a bit of food and eventually retire at midnight (or thereabouts).

Next morning I am tired. Work is ok and I head home at 1600. James gets stuck in traffic but we meet at about 1830 at the Foundry. Far from the heat of the day before, its fully tipping it down and quite cool. Dont even boulder, campus or anything. Its straight on with the harness and we are rumbling up really easy routes on the left. Have a great evening, ticking a bunch of steady but fun climbing routes and wander why I havent spent more time at the foundry over winter doing routes - they are great! Get involved with a fun green route in the main roof right at the end and its genius! swinging around in the middle of the roof makes me feel like I'm francois legrand! have a great time and sack it home at 2100.

So, its been a good week in climbing terms. The Honey monster is back from torquay tonight and its her birthday. I would offer to take her out, but I think she has people coming around to see us. No work for me tomorrow - am so psyched for the honey holiday! weather forecast is good out there! Was thinking about taking my blackberry so as to be able to write blog updates, but to be honest, I will end up looking at the emails on it and so I'm not going to!