Rupert of the Bailey

On friday we set a new record in our house. There was talk of going to the cinema, but it quickly became obvious that so doing would have meant having a disturbed two stage sleep - i.e. we would first sleep in the cinema, then have to drive home and sleep again. So we went to the chippy and came home to the fire. What was this new record then? being in bed at 2030!

 

12 hours later I felt much better. Yes, it was 0830 by the time I opened my eyes again, and 0900 when the toaster began its daily routine. Why so tired? the usual getting up at 0550 of course, and having been out until midnight at Dylogs on Thursday. Had a lovely meal, cheese, wine etc and good chats. Edlog also went out again on the Friday night! hardcore! Edlog news - he hopes to move back to Sheffield. And with such a hectic social engagements calendar surely this can only be good for his back, as all that sleeping on floors does not agree with the older gent (its his birthday this week)(43).

 

I came up with a cunning plan. It wasnt actually raining, and there might be dry rocks, but things looked damp - i.e. roads, walls etc. Clearly, there was still plenty of water about. So, I suggested we go to Chatsworth farm shop - via a circuituous route to allow me to determine if it was worth trying to get out later. West side story looked dry but westworld looked soaked, back towards Bbg North the drifts still ran to the top of the edge. Hampers hang was visible, but the rocks looked the wrong colour. On the road towards dennis knoll we could see people behind crescent arete and in a big air direction (might have been Constance Variable who did that amongst other things on Sat). Curbar also looked wet. Decided to go indoors.

 

At the Climbing Works i spied Ru's new car, and on entry found team fletcher-davies bimbling. Kidnapped Ru and set siege to the board. John Welford turns up. Between us we show Rupert some of the boards beauties. Its very interesting to see how there are some problems I think dead hard that Rupert can just do, and there are some on my warm up circuit that he struggles on. A question of styles. Something of a mammoth session ensues. I do one of the three things in my projects wishlist, which turns out to be a Saucisson special. It goes :

 

Raggy and Pinch

Ciao pocket

Akira

Flash

Below 16i

Resin Pinch

Top

 

The other two (well, there are loads more than two, but these are those which I am working on now - too many irons in fires = channel surfing - no success anywhere!) are Sex and drugs and sausage rolls, and my very own dowel syndrome. I did a version of S&D&SR which is exactly the same save for the second hold. Which is the move I struggle with (its the jump off the resin pocket), so I substituted the dowel. Did it one side, and got to the top on the other, but failed on the final furlong. Perhaps tonight. Quite beasted afterwards.

 

Both Rupert and John Welford are legends. Welford though - he's been in the Power of Climbing and that makes him nearly a demi god in my eyes.

 

Sunday is a day of oddments. Doing things that need doing and reading the paper. Folog and Edlog try to go out. I dont know how far they got, but from Fologs text "the peak is fucked" I take it things didnt go too well. They end up at the wall. So, this week. This week = the board tonight, and the Cave on Wednesday....