Well, the weather was wrong then wasn't it?! It was supposed to be shit on Saturday and nice on sunday, and whilst Saturday did start off meeting expectations, it then went on to exceed them by the afternoon. Figuring to make the most of the drying effect of the wind, I dragged Ned up to Lowrider on Saturday afternoon. To be honest, with hindsight, my undoing was my lack of preparation. The warm up was the hike up the hill through a bog and head down into the wind. A few pull ups on the jug at the start and then quick ascende of the end. Felt grippy. I felt good, it was surely on. We quipped that I would have to be quick about it before we both got frostbite. Which was to prove prophetic. Had a fanny go, forgetting the feet and making it hard on myself, called it a warm up go and sat down to rest before a proper attempt.
This came, and it went well, but not well enough. I turned the lip and got eyeballing the jug, but things were slightly not right and I couldnt take a hand off to go for it. Started the waiting game again. Shoes off, trying to keep warm, even hiding in the green cleft with Nedward for warmth. None of it worked. Body heat was departing fast. Squeezed bloodless white paws back into the teams and set off again. This time it was solid. I rinsed to the jug, sorted myself out and locked up to the rail, feels good, taken it in the right place for once, and then my left hand comes in, and its better than before, I know I've got it, and I can weedle myself into position. I kick my foot off and round to the unhelpful hole thing. It actually feels like I'm going to do it. Start to udge for the sweetspot, looking for that position where you are assured of success, and just as I find it - POW, off blows my foot and I am earthbound, suprised, gutted and cross.
Further attempts come and go, and I get back there about four or five times, but never quite as well, and I leave empty handed. My right foot is so cold that I am back in Sheffield and home well before I get feeling back. So, lessons learned : warm up properly - and possibly somewhere else. And, Lowrider could be one to leave until May.
I am surely due a mega week of account closing. So much failure recently, but so close and so many irons in fires on a number of things. Imagine the mega week - Lowrider, Zoo York, Trigger! That would be a takeaway curry and beer justifying weekend.
2 comments:
I came off that last move at least once before doing it. In the end I used a heel around the left side of the arete to stabilise the position. Might be worth having atinker with.
It's deffo best saved for warmer stiller days. As it catches the wind and is shaded till early afternoon it can be in good nick well past the conventional end of the grit season if you pick your day. The crux for you I reckon will be leaving it till April/May and then managing to drag yourself off the lime once you've got involved in that.
Dob stop puntering around and tick the damn thing!
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