Caved In

There was a really good quote in John Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air' book (which I am reading at the mo), from Walt Unsworth. Sadly I forgot to pick it up on my way out, so you will have to wait for the wisdom. It basically says that dedication and commitment bordering on obsession could be confused with madness. But it takes madness to acheive great things sometimes.... Madness that could be vision! or could just be obsession. I will reproduce it later when I get home.

You'd have thought that after the debacle of two weeks ago when I went to the cave and it was rubbish that I would have been reticient to go again, and I suppose I was really, but the cave - she gives so much, her curves and the moves she demands are so alluring that the horror of that day was soon forgotten and once more I found myself recruiting for other cave hopefuls to share the dream. My companion this time was a chap from Sheffield called John Oldroyd. I'd met him in the cave with Kook before, and seen him at the wall from time to time. Seems like a nice chap, and keen for the cave which is the important thing. The day started cold and bright in Sheffield. I actually thought it too nice to go to the cave, and was trying to think of ways I could get out of going and instead get back on Zoo York. The devil on my shoulder was whispering "its nearer, much nearer, and theres a wall in range if its wet", but then in rolled the fog. I used the instant messaging infrastructure to find out that it was at least as bad in Pudsey (20 mins from Caley) and so it was back to the cave. All sorts of thoughts and conundrums presented themselves. I think had it been bad I would have sunk into a gross depression. But, my desires were stronger than my doubts and we set off. Super cold and foggy over the snake (-1.5 on top), bad all through manchester, bad fog still at Chester, Holywell..... then as we got to Prestatyn it started to clear - on the Orme the sun was out. I was frothing!

It is traditional to make an offering to the cave gods in the toilets of Llandudno Asda. We arrived at the cave at about 2pm. Its a fallacy to think this makes for a short session, as 3.5 hours in the cave is enough for any man. Its brutally cold and takes some time to get warmed up, but I feel like I am climbing ok - the cave gods have been satisfied with my humble gift. She's almost totally dry the old girl. There are patches of wetness, but with the exception of stuff like the first pinch on Louie, all the holds are usable. Clever beaver gets three laps, and i dont feel ready. The Hamer bros turn up. I have a few ranging goes on Broken Heart. Can't quite get the heel to work, but have a good link from the undercut into clever beaver. Bit more work gets me into the undercut but falling off going to the jug. Feel warmed up enough to try Trigger Cut.

Steal everyones pads and do my best to platform out the landing. Something about putting a super deep egyptian in upside down on slippery footholds at head height is scary. Have to have a bunch of goes to do the first move. The engram gets reawakened and suddenly I can do it every time. After working that out, i still have goes where I dont take the second hold quite right, and for me its a problem on which I cant afford such luxuries, although trying to push on I need it all to go perfectly. Get to the point where I am trying for the shothole, and like last year it feels blummin far away and I'm not getting enough help from the holds to be able to take a hand off and go for it. I slap at it, but its more like a token effort than a serious attempt and I never hold the damn thing.

John is trying pit of hell. It looks desperate. He does from a couple of moves in into the wobbly jug at the bottom of RA. Ed Hamer is trying Clyde. Which looks desperater. And high. Sam has a go on Upper Cut. We are all scared. Those two jet off up the road to the 'box. With less pads I'm scared of Trigger cut, so I give up and go back on Broken Log. Am getting tired. Get to end of Clever Beaver from the start. Know I havent got it in me to finish it.

John shows me an efficient way to finish Rock Attrocity. Having never done it I get quite excited. The problem I have with RA is that I am always boxed by the time I get to the end. I need a more efficient sequence. When Mina did it last year she had a cunning toe hook where I always just sucked it up. Yes, its quicker and yes you dont need the toe, but I wonder if it can help. Get to the end three times but am boxed. Give up, drive home - no fish and chip supper. You know the rules, no send no fish. A good day, and delightful to be presumably amongst the only people in the UK climbing outside!