Tor1:Car0

First visit (of the year) to raven tor today - thanks to Masonic Dave for driving. Thankfully, he is keen to do routes, so I fully plan to abuse his keenness and get some serious ticking done this summer. Was a good morning. We arrived just after 10, and in time to catch up with Superted, who has sadly bust a finger (pulley injury) and informs me that he has got a job, so the aforementioned Ted acheivement graph (which I havent plotted) will perhaps drop off from now on... Once a beast, always a beast?

Other regulars in situ for the summer include Stone (who I dont think ever goes away), Paul Reeve, Kristian and that chap whose name I think might be Simon - anyway, he's always there too. Had ideas about getting Dave on Sardine, but to be honest, its a full sandbag route to point someone who has never led outside before at. I mean, its hard for 7b+ and its super polished - plus, I havent actually done it before and memory of sequence is sketchy (and the top is both run out and loose). Figured that Super high intensity body building would suit him better, as its only 2 bolts long and bouldery crux at the start. Plus, I had't actually done it before. So, I nip up and put the clips in, and lower down for masonic Dave. Dr Pinch (ed robinson) turns up and we chatter on whilst Dave gets tied in. One thing I should mention is that I forgot the spare harness (dave doesnt have one of his own), so we had to borrow one from SuperTed, and its one of those really shit ones you can hire at the foundry! Dave is not comfortable! Anyway, he skittles through the boulder problem start and makes it to the jug ledge by the first clip, clips it and announces he's pumped (I was too!), the next move is a reach to a pinchy thumb sprag thing off a great foot hold, and he does that but rather than stepping up into the massive sidepull flake he is questing off right wards on non holds! anyway, he pumps out and sags onto the rope. Has a rest, sorts out what he should have done and dispatches first red point. First ever route ticked!

Rae and Tom arrive, and Rae tells me theres actually a belay through the grass on top! I have to strip the route anyway, so do it again and this time find myself mantelling loose sods of earth and facing a ground fall. Great. Its easy and all but I think if you lost it there you would be very close to the ground when you stopped. Clipped the belay, stripped the route. Robin Barker arrives and says hello before doing laps on powerband. Considering he had fully snapped a tendon recently, he's not doing too badly.

We move to Rattle and hump, and to start with I cant do the boulder problem. I am thinking how I have lost it since last year as this used to be really easy, but I am full of cold, and I have had nearly three weeks off climbing, so am not that suprised. Dave shows me a better way for the feet and I do the problem, but sharing the jug feels hard. Wierd. Work out the gaston move and climb from the jug to the top. Remembering how good the climbing is up there. Dave has a go and gets stopped by the gaston move. He hangs on the rope and works it out and then has a bit of a bimble at the rest of it, working out a way etc. I have another go, climb past the gaston move, make the next clip, but for some reason my feet are wrong and I drop it going up to the next right hand gaston. Lower off and Dave tries. He is on and off quickly as can feel a tip splitting. I examine my own hands which are getting chewed up by the dogs mouth teeth like holds. I tie on, climb past the gaston and clip, get my feet right and finish the route. Suprised and happy, we leave the crag.

Anyway, apologies for the last paragraph. i am sat in the car awaiting an AA man, and between the paragraph above and the one before it he called to say he would be 10 minutes, so I have to hurry up.

Update - just got towed back to the garage and home. AA man suspects the following based on my description of events : the turbo seal failed and sucked all the engine oil into the exhaust (hence the clouds of white smoke), then because I tried to turn it over again to see if it had worked the engine might have siezed. Shit. That means a new engine. Possibly. Thats worst case. Anyone know how much a short engine for a 53 plate 2.0 TDi A3 is?