Gimphanger

My favourite thing to do in the world on a Friday night is to have a walk down to Broomhill (about half an hour), eat at Thyme café, have a beer or two and then walk back and have an early night. Honestly, I love it. It makes me so happy. We are always so tired on Friday night that we need it too. So we did that. Have a nice chat, couple of beers, some nice food, home by 8pm!

Saturday we lay in, and then she was up and off to her hen do in Manchester. Her plan was to start at our friend Liza's, have a barbecue and then into town for cocktails before back to liza's for kareoke. They all sound to have enjoyed it and I got back a tired, but not that dishevelled honey monster yesterday, which to be honest, was a welcome surprise.

I meanwhile, had arranged to go to the Tor with Spain's second ambassador to Sheffield - the mighty Nacho. There was a nice little scene, Vicky, Dale and nacho were in the roof of Ben, Kristian was working on the Mecca repair, Stone was bimbling about jovially and there were some scottish dudes on Sardine. It was oppressively hot. Humidity through the roof. As I finished warming up the crabmaster Haggis arrived, followed soon after by that most deviant of welshmen Doyle.

Relocated to maximise the shade and any chance of breeze, I move camp to the right hand side. Basically, it all feels damp. In spite of what he proclaims as rubbish conditions, Harris manages to do BlueBand, Staminaband and powerband. I shuffle about and try quite hard but ultimately only acheive brusing of the flesh. Nevertheless, i have had a nice afternoon. I head home to an empty house. I wonder about going to the cinema, but given that Dave Parry is going to the beer festival which is literally 200 m from my house, I realise that is the sensible option and wander around at about 2100. Cofe I owe you £2. Some nice beers, some less nice music and some seriously heavy rain. Doyle, Nige, Adam and Keith turn up. We chat, I go to tescos to buy a pie, home to cook it and to watch the end of sniper 2 - (dog5h1t - seriously one of the worst films i have ever seen).

By sunday morning the previous evenings downpour has been forgotten, so I bimble around the house until my tired fiance gets home. We go to Spoilt for Choice on Eccy road. Its a sandwich shop, but a cut above your bacon heavy standard affair. Sit in the botanical gardens to eat, then put her in bed for an hour so she can get up in time for Gimphanger. I wake her up and bundle her in the car. It costs £5 to get in, but its worth it to see the final. Dylog and Lucy, and Dr Pinch are already in situ. I have taken beers in, concealed in my coat as theres no beer festival again. Well missing a trick there Heasonator - I know its something to do with a single person on the committee, but perhaps they could have an 'accident' before next year?!

So, Keith is disappointed, having missed the cut by one point. Dave and Ned are both through. Ned qualified first so will be out last. Dave is out first. He tries valiantly but doesnt get on with a sloping feature. Next out might be Roddy? cant really remember, so lets just cut to the chase - its all about Dave Barrans, Gaz and Ned. Both flash the first two problems, bish bash wallop. Then it gets harder. Here's dave on problem two :

Dave on choad roof

Ned interprets it another way :

So with those two on level points the gear stepped up one, and at this point Gaz dropped out of the running, leaving it up to Barrans and Ned to thrash it out for the title. It was all about the last two problems. Problem 4 - Barrans ruined it - anhiliated the thing - "Get em boys!". Ned steps up, I am sure he is going to do the business, but no, he tries a wack method, fails and has to try again but is struggling, I fear its over for Ned, but he manages to scuttle to the last move - everyone is baying for him to do it but he misses a foot move and falls. Gutted. Doesnt manage to get back there. As Barrans comes out to do the last problem, Ned sits down. If Ned is to win, then Dave cannot do this problem - and he can't! In a world where you want everyone to do well, then you certainly want your friends to do better. I know Dave, climbed with him a few times and I like him and he is straaaang, but Ned is one of my closest climbing friends, and so I want him to do better. Ned comes out. I feel anxious for him - come on Ned - drop the clutch!

Like a torque steering, slightly over powered souped up Astra Ned sets off, completely misses the first hold and is deposited on the mats. Oh no! my dreams are shattered - does this mean Barrans has won? no! Ned presses the Sport button and like Monica Seles he growls and powers his way through the first move - boom! he switches into overdrive and breezes past Barrans high point - now he is on it, there isnt force in the world which could detach the ginger ninja from the wall at this point, the next moves are dispatched with casual aplomb and ned matches the top jug spins around and lets out a war cry! yeaaaahahhahaha! we all go wild - Ned does it! Champ for another year! Here he is on the final problem :

Battle over, we arent completely sure who has won - both have done the same number of problems, but Dave didnt hold the bonus on this last one, whilst Ned did on the one before, so its Ned's - but by a whisker. Dave rushes in to congratulate Nedward :

And finally, here they are accepting their prizes

The rest of the pics are on my FlickR. Went to the tor this morning (at 0730!), it was cool, but still no wind, so didnt make much progress.