Friday 29 August 2008

Beluga board

Although in Sheffield the skies were bright and everything looked rosy, there was rain around. As I headed out of town I could see a bank of cloud over longshaw estate and the reports from a busy climbing works of winter like conditions didn't do much to raise hopes, but a faint heart does not a fair lady win, and with the prospect of the fairest of limestone crags to look forward to I continued.

My first choice of venue was soaked. Actual Rivulets of water dripping off the holds. Didn't even put my pad down, just carried on to rubicon. Dave parry arrived whilst I was fannying around at the car. We found the crag green and in bad condition. Very slippy and everything round by the trees coated with surface moisture. Jon arrived. All agreed it was terrible, but that caviar area probably ok.

Jon clipped up the sissy and despite completing some good links and nearly doing it, he didn't redpoint.

I used the pallets to create a platform beneath caviar. Delightfully I reclimbed the boulder problem, and it didn't feel too bad. Jon's route then goes straight up and a bit right from here. Worked out some moves, didn't really put much of it together, but the climbing was good and I felt happy and quite reasonable, which I am pleased about, as at the moment I'm analysing every performance to determine my recovery. Perhaps its time to stop that before it becomes another neurosis. I would say that I probably need another two sessions on it to get it, but I don't want to prejudice myself against doing it next time. Which, could be Saturday. Ed brown and I are going to try early doors I think. Suppose we need to monitor conditions through the day today.

Good news on the school front too. Nic has been in touch and explains that although an exorbitant amount of money is required to return first circle studios (the school building) to a usable state, there is no appetite to develop it into flats, and pressure from the community to prevent it falling into disrepair and becoming inhabited by homeless people and drug users. So, funding is in the pipeline and we might actually get back in over the course of another year or so. Sounds ok but not great doesn't it? Well, we have been offered a space by the heeley development trust in another building on Chesterfield road. So, we have a short term fix whilst they sort our building out. Hopefully, something should move on this mid September - just in time for winter. Great news.

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