Weekend pass

I miss the monster when she's away (she's been to London with the girls - they went to the theatre and have had a lovely time). I love our 'normal' weekends when she is about, but once in a while - when she's away or something, i get to sample that most elusive of tickets - the full weekend pass! its a bit like going on a mini trip. I always think I should go somewhere further afield when I have the chance. .

 

Friday night I went for a pint with Ed Brown. Forecast looked dicey. Phoned round and left everything open for the morning... Which started with leaden skies and wet roads in Sheffield. Phoned Busby; he and Roy were going to chance Yorkshire. I felt torn. On one hand, I felt that not going to Yorkshire when I have a full weekend pass is to miss an opportunity, but on the other hand its a long way to go if its going to be wet. Decide to stay local. Arrive at Chez Fletcher at 0940 to collect Dylan, Garry and the biggest pad I have ever seen - the much talked about 'mondo'. We drive to Gardoms south - the walls and roads are wet, the sky looks grey - its not going well, so we continue to Eastwood. Jim's POI isn't consistent with the guide, so we opt for the guide's parking suggestion and get lost in the woods. Finally, we locate the edge - amazing rock - really fine grain compact grit. Almost Northumberland esque. Climb the very lovely corpse crack a couple of times, and then Jon's 'ten inch zombies' which balances up a slab - crimping on chicken heads. The obvious prize is the traverse, the so called 'powerband' of grit. Its long, involving and complex. Garry is so uninspired he takes his boots off and waits for us to finish. Takes ages to work out how to climb the crux middle section by which time we are beaten. Muscle and drive are waning fast and then I find a way to cheat past the crux move using a knee bar and thumb jam combo, I try and I get to the end but my hands are opening on the holds and I can't do it. Rubbish. Feel a bit disappointed. Being honest about Eastwood, I wished I had finished that traverse, because I probably wouldnt bother going back, and now I have to. That said, apparently it stays dry, so one to keep in reserve perhaps?

 

We drive to calver cafe for chip butties. After we've taken on sustenance its back to Gardoms south to finish the day. I've never been and am delighted to have two new crag ticks in a day. As you approach, theres one thing that stands out - suavito. Its on Roy's list, and with Dylan's mega pad there's never been a more hand made opportunity. Garry is straight up there, eyeballing the finishing jug - I think he has been on it in the week or something, and is psyched for the tick, he stares it out, it stares back at him and with a token wave at the hold, he's back on the pads. It's well high! Garry's fine in spite of taking the ride so Dylan steps up. Its looks like a bloc thats straight outta switzerland - a jutting sharp edged prow, with broken edges for your left hand up the middle of the face, definately the line of Gardoms south. Dylan gets to the top but gets psyched out and is off. I have a go, fumbling all the moves and not even getting close. Char turns up and demonstrates - he goes with his left hand at the top, and has to battle some dirty swing out board move - it looks terrifying, and tenuous, and high. Discussion ensues as to whether its right or left hand at the top. I'm getting sweaty palms just thinking about it. Having seen what to do I have another go and am soon ensconced on the top holds staring at the top - it looks a long way away. I dont even try the move, preferring to drop off onto the pads. More goes continue from everyone other than Char, until I for some reason start leaning in from the block on the right hand side, I get to the top, and rather than throwing for the top, I shuffle up a bit closer, until rather than a slap its a pat - thankfully, the top is super grippy and flat, I match, get a pocket and mantle to glory. Phew. But theres a niggle, why did I start on the damn block? I decide I should do it again, from the lowest obvious holds - just to be sure. It takes another few goes, but I manage to get it done and am psyched - what a great problem!

 

Whilst we're under Suavito, Dylan chirps that he thinks Brad Pitt is 7b+. Char and I are stunned. When I did it Adam and I agreed hard 7c. I recorded it as such on 8a.nu but subsequently upgraded it after thinking about other problems I've done, speaking to Sam, and seeing that its in the guide at 7c+. I will entertain an argument of between 7c and 7c+, but proposing 7b+ is madness! Suavito is supposed to be 7b+ and I did it in about an hour - Brad Pit on the other hand took me about three or four years! I think its one of those problems that feels ok when you actually climb it, but I think the effort required in doing so is worth +. (7c + that is!). The more I think about it, the more I convince myself that its 7c+.

 

Jon turns up, and he and I scoot off to try some project thing that he is looking at. This project is mega too! (think everything could be today, am in a good mood) as soon as we get there he dispatches it on the first go with me present - either the morton psyche was the required ingredient, or he had actually done it before but wanted a witness! I try, and think I could do it, but hadn't counted on the top move being quite so devious - its classic fulwood madness and I'm not even close. Good climbing though. A sharp leaning arete by a tree - barn doory upside down pinch fest climbing with crucial thumb action required to push yourself back from the barn door. His goosiness busts out the a sitter and proclaims it 7c. Nice. We walk out in the dark.

 

Get a curry for tea, and I feel like I've earned it. Arrange to meet James in the tav, but feel exhaustipated and contemplate crying off. Once get there, I feel full of beans and talk at a thousand miles an hour so that noone else manages to say anything. Sunday looks similar in weather terms, and after popping to Joe and Vic's house to collect my guide book I head to Burbage south edge. Try pebble mill traverse and cant do it, eventually finding a way, but my skin is so bad its not going to happen and with rain on the horizon, cut my losses and leg it to 7ball, which just amazing to look at. The rain starts and I get up to the top as it gets quite heavy. What a gorgeous problem - really climbs well. Walk out and its pretty much passed by the time I get back to the car, but I need to do some shopping and sort the house out and so on.

 

Tidy up, cook, pop to the works to drop something off and move my fingerboard before the honey monster comes home. I've enjoyed my weekend pass, but its lovely to see her and have things get back to normal.