For those who rocked...

My neck hurts. Its years since I 'rocked', so I'd completely forgotten that headbanging gives you whiplash. No climbing this weekend, only a rock themed fancy dress party at the Nether Edge club on Moncrieffe road. It was good.

here's the birthday boy in what I think should have won the prize for fancy dress (he couldnt self award so gave it someone else) :

James with skulls :

Geordie Stef as Freddie Mercury playing air bottle :

Those jeans are wrong!

And this is from the end of the evening. Full set here

Finally, Ed went to Gardoms south on sat and before it was too hot investigated Suavito and Perfect day, both too high for solo mission but added to the list for later. Foley met Dylan and Variable at the Tor yesterday, Dylan has two overlapping sections on Ben's Roof whilst Variable did the Hooligan start but slipped off higher up apparently. Blimey.

The big weekend ticket is up this weekend coming, and so far the plan is to go to the county, but she just said she heard it was going to rain this week. And, all the bunkhouses are full. I will continue to investigate. Climbing tonight, wednesday and probably thurs.

Sissy closure

If there was a measure of reliability, Andy Hutchinson could be considered 100% reliable. When it comes to arranging climbing then you can rely on his being where he says he will be when he said. As I work through the text a thon required to sort belayers/partners/spotters/compadres I hedge my bets, putting several irons in fires in case some of the fires go out.

On paper at least, it should have been better earlier in the week. The car said 14.5degrees on Tuesday and 17 yesterday. When the sun was out it was certainly too hot, but it didn't feel too greasy. Or perhaps it did and I was just more on it? I wonder whether the cries of bad conditions are actually excuses and whether in fact if you are on it you can make it work whatever the weather? probably elements of truth in this, but there are certainly some times when conditions are genuinely dreadful. Ever since going on the Sissy with Jules a couple of wednesdays ago I have been uber keen to get it done. I returned last weds but couldnt seal the deal, feeling tired after my first go, which lead me to thinking I must have blown the warm up or something. Then last night it all lined up. I clipped it up and then did the top bit with the 4th in, then I lowered back to the start of the hard climbing having unclipped the 4th - remember, I had never done that clip... Breezed up to it and its ok to clip after all - phew! cranked through to the top and knew in my mind I could do it - all I had to do was put the easy bottom bimbling bit on and it was in the bag.

Andy was/is on Beluga. I couldnt remember the foot sequence as I was focussed on Sissy. From the ground he cruised through to the undercut with thumb catch but was finding it hard. Its my time again, we walk back down - its been 13 minutes. I tie on and feel a bit but not too jittery, the climbing starts and I feel a bit more efficient on the easy bottom bit, I'm not worrying about the fall or the clips, I'm just climbing. The 4th gets clipped even easier - I cant believe I didnt try it properly before, and I have changed my beta slightly for the match, which leaves me able to have a little flick of my arms between moves, I get out to the right and instead of doubt I have desire, I really want this done now! I paste my foot on and nail the last hold, catching it slightly off and open handed - the shouts go up from below but I grease and am airborne! shit! this fall is a great one for confidence boosting as its clean and theres nothing to worry about. Dammit! I haul back up, clean the holds, and strip the route. Back to Beluga.

This time Andy seems to be struggling a bit through the start, he doesnt look as composed as he did, but seems to get higher, taking and holding the undercut but being unable to move. Ed Robinson comes back from Cbrook - reporting soapy not great conditions, he and Sam set about the Kudos wall. The floor is better than it has been in months - all the puddles have gone. Its possible even to climb on the three tiered traverses.

Ed and Andy join me at the base of my route. I tie on and feel jittery - like I've had too much coffee (perhaps the second can of relentless was a mistake), I stare at the wall and try to banish my insecurities, I dont want to overanalyse my performance, I just want to do. With a few deep breaths and an emptying of my head I exchange a glance with the Hutchmeister whose face says 'this is it, this is the one' and then I'm climbing. I dont feel as solid as the last go but by the time I start the hard section I'm locked in to the sequence and its just a question of execution. I'm careful to slow it down and take the holds right and have a little shake between them, clip the 4th, make the match - slightly stuff it up, but its ok and I find myself on the penultimate hard move, but somehow I know its on, I have the holds better and the determination is all there... BANG! I hit the top hold and bone it! YYFY! roll through to get established on the bigger holds above and back clip. Start to get sewing machine leg a bit and jitter through the jugs to get to a rotten horrible belay. Clip it and slump onto the rope! phew! belay looks dodgy so I bimble off to Zeke belay and lower down off that.

Andy goes back on Beluga, and suddenly I can remember what to do! sorry andy. I explain the foot sequence and now he can put it all together but bad skin, fatigue and darkness call a halt to proceedings. I'm psyched to do Beluga now too!

Percy's black stump

Couldn't find a belayer to get the Sissy done so ended up on a solo mission. Been wanting an opportunity to get back on Staminaband anyway, so perhaps this was it. It wasnt. Undercuts fully sopping, but the massive patch of seepage above has dried out. Hot in the sun, not as much wind as I hoped but quite cool when behind a cloud. Chatting to Ross and Rae I moved camp to Ben's roof and engaged cruise control, only cruise control wasnt enough - had to try to pass the egyptian - sure this used to feel easy? its hurting my finger so I swaddle it in tape and try again, this time climbing out of the cave but forgetting how to do the top bit. On my next go I just cant summon the energy to try properly and decide to sack it to somewhere secret...

At the secret crag everyone knows about I am delighted to find its pretty much bone dry. All the useful bits are ok anyway. I try the hulk, but it feels evil brick hard - I am unable to generate any movement at all. I go on Sean's instead and keep nearly doing it but foot keeps popping off the top and I again pack my stuff and head off. This time to stump hole cavern.

I really fancy being out in the open, some nice rolling moors to gaze out at and to witness the yellowing leaves as it gets autumnal (love the changing seasons, am so looking forward to grit bouldering season now). If this is your desire, do not take yourself to stump hole cavern. A streak of white chalk on nearly black rock at the back of a dark nook besides the road was not what I had in mind, but the single problem thats there is quite good. I do the stand fast, and very nearly the sitter, but my fingers start to hurt and the grit is taking a chunk out of my pad so I stop and drive home for tea. Its 1830 - dark at 1900 these days.

The new crag excitement is muted by the crapness/esoterica of stump hole cavern, but I still am pleased to have tried something new. My plan for winter is to climb outside as much as possible and to do lots of new problems in lots of new places.

mtb mania

Should have learnt to pack in advance by now really, but still, everytime I go anywhere I always find myself packing at the last minute and having a blind flap about forgetting stuff. So with 15 minutes to go before getting picked up for a mountain biking weekend I was still shovelling stuff into my bag at lightspeed and with no organisation. I subscribe to the Sellars school of packing - at least when I am camping anyway - you need only one pair of trousers etc. Travel light, travel fast, alpine style. Felt a bit funny volunteering to go a whole weekend without climbing, but as the weather was hot I guess it worked out well.

 

Friday night then: zipped up to Gordale Scar campsite and pitched up. Man who runs campsite could charitably be described as 'eccentric'. Biked to pub, felt a bit car sick, fairly early to bed. Saturday morning started off early 0730 (other people up and about making noise) and was a beautiful day. We cycled up out of Gordale and into Malham village, then up an Alpe d'huez esque (I imagine anyway) hill towards the Tarn. Quick loop off road swooping back to street gate, across Mastilles lane to Kilnsey - brilliant almost out of control downhill into Kilnsey - awesome - highly recommended, and certainly the right way round to do it. Stopped in the pub for a pint of orange cordial and enjoy the sun, then beneath a deserted but largely dry kilnsey to Arncliffe cote where we turned left onto a bridleway which is accurately described 'a bit of a slog'. Gazed across at Yew Cogar on the way up up and up again. Finally, a grassy descent back to street gate before another grin stretching descent by road into Malham itself. 35.5km. Awesome. Had a walk to the scar and then ate and went to the pub.

 

You never sleep as well as you should when camping. Even with ear plugs its not completely comfortable so getting drunk to self-medicate yourself to the land of nod is a valid strategy. Slept from 1130 ish to 0900 which sounds like loads but woke many times in between. Another beautiful day. Slow start with plenty of tea before taking the car up to the top of the hill out of Malham (stiff legs, no juice left). Parked up and rode 4miles off road on good path down to Langcliffe Cote, then across top of settle before climbing steeply out on the road back towards Kirkby Malham. Theres a bridlepath there over the top of the fell which we slogged up - hard work in the sun, finally a short sweet downhill back to the cove road. Packed up and headed home, deeply tired, slightly sunned and happy. A lovely weekend.

 

So, the plan for this week is to climb Tuesday aft/evening. Am touting for partners... Andy Hutch has hurt his elbow, Eds Brown and Robinson will be at work, James Foley has no car, Jon Fulwood is off work and might be going to beeston tor, or might be trad new routing, Dylan depends on his work (which probably means not!). Then again on Thursday - probably just a short board session in the day. Then hopefully back on Saturday morning club.

Back beyond the rubicon

I couldn't wait to get back on the Sissy. Arrived at the crag to find Andy Hutchinson and Sam over by the Kudos wall, and the lake greatly receded. Still sticky on the approach, but better than last weds - no signs of seepage on the crag itself which makes under foot muck palatable. Dan Cheatham and Ed Brown turn up soon after and everyone sets about their intentions. I am here to do the Sissy as is Sam, Ed is on Dangerous Brothers, Andy on Tribes and Dan sets about Too Old to be Bold.

 

Sam and I talk sequences. With a slightly far away look in his eye he says he hopes to get it today, and I wonder if he's trying to convince himself or me. He goes and has a bimble, not a rp but a refresher. It doesnt look like its a dead cert, but the ground is covered and the engrams reinforced. I get tied on (with the 4th clipped) and engage cruise control - I feel really nonchalant, breezing past the match (which feels easy, the holds just feel bigger today) and to the broken penultimate hold, I've juice in the tank but the fifth drawer isnt in, I'm worried about giving it all to nail the last hold but being too pumped to place a drawer and then clip it. I gayly slap but dont really try to hold the hold and thats the best go gone. Rubbish.

 

Meanwhile, Andy has equipped Tribes and is redpointing, he has a really good go but falls right at the top. Ed is on DB but struggling with the crimp. Dan is still warming up. My goes on my route get worse from there. I feel tired just starting out, but I always get back to the penultimate hold, just feel further away from being able to do the move. The thing with this route is its one you have to go for it on, you can't afford to hope to get there and be able to style it, you have to be prepared to stick on one to do that last move. I want to do the move easily, but I need to change that and just go for it. Which is why when I do this it will be a more significant acheivement for me than DB. DB i thought was ok, its up my street - short and hard - I'm in control throughout. The Sissy is personally more of a challenge because I am going to have to go for it at the end.

 

Andy crushes Tribes in excellent style - its been about three goes or something - impressive stuff. Sam steps up for a go on the Sissy. He gets to the match (i'm on belay), his elbows come out at right angles but he holds it down, moving rightwards he takes the penultimate hold, sets himself up, his back arcs out and he has the appearance of a man about to fall off, but bam! he nails the last hold - he's still attached, not coming off for anything now, rumbles up through the trivial top bit to complete his first 8a! a well good effort. I do have another go but am boxed and haven't recovered. Get past the match but am all over the place and fall again.

 

Ed doesnt do DB, Dan doesnt do TOTBB. Dan really should have done and Ed has made progress, but they want to go to the churnet and sack it home.

The Grand Earl of Midge

Its not enough just to pull on the holds, its the ability to flow between them that makes a climber. But, its easier to flow between holds if you are stronger. And, its easier to get stronger than it is to learn the movement. At the change in seasons and thus changing style of movement (from lime to grit) the differences become all too evident. A basic summer of pulling down gives way to technical tomfoolery, having to think in the third dimension and of hitting the ground every time you fall. AND I FUCKING LOVE IT!!!!

 

Me, Jim, James and Nik met at a midge infested Earl Crag last night. When I arrived it was raining, but it was quite cool so I had new crag excitement and reasonable hopes it could be ok/get better. I ran in my work shoes through the mud to get to the crag where I found Foley settled beneath 'The John Dunne slap'. Within minutes of my arrival the wind stopped and the midges came out in force. The image of Jim in a white vest in the middle of a cloud of midges is not something I want to repeat. Foley's head looked like he had teenage acne. They bite me but I mustn't be allergic to their saliva or something, as its irritating when I'm there but when I'm not its all fine again. Underworld and Underpants look good. Its so midgey we give up and walk back to the car, then Jim suggests a look at the hitching stone, which looks to be a short walk across moorland to a buckstone sized lump.

 

Off we quest across bog and marsh to a boulder which never gets any nearer... days and weeks pass and the four of us (and the dog) quest on, my work shoes are sodden and at several points enthusiasm plummets and we/I consider turning back. But, eventually, and without loss of any of our number, we reach the block on the horizon. Like a river bursting its dam, enthusiasm rushes back and I'm racing to put my boots on to be the first to do a problem - it doesn't look great but there's nay midges and I want something for my money. We bust out the big numbers - a 5 goes down. Attention turns to the 'line' of the boulder and I squeak my boots for a go, but despite my thrutching around in the reeds I cant actually get my ass off the floor. Thankfully, neither can anyone else, at least not until doctor Midge bait steps up and manages to pull on. But not move. Eventually, I do move 1, Jim does moves 2 and the top and foley also does move 2. Nik cannot summon enthusiasm to do anything. Jim looks set in for a siege, and I can see one of those video moments where we are all waiting with our coats, ready to go whilst Jim has 1000 goes in the gathering darkness, but its so out of reach that even he has to admit defeat. We walk out and go to the Chippy, which is about 20 miles away past three or four other closed chippys.

 

Its good to be back on the grit, but its not time yet. Andy Hutchinson and Dylan sound keen for Wednesday. I am desperate to get back to the Sissy, because I think I can do it. No word from Brown as yet.

Manc sissy

Saturday morning club has its disadvantages. From anecdotal evidence at least, the weather is often better in the morning - the forecast weather for Saturday was good, but started off wet with low cloud. It had rained all night and there was almost no prospect of dry rock - at least, not until later, or so I thought. Ed decided to go surfing and James sounded exhausted. I dropped the monster off to do her morning of work and headed round to Chorlton to pick Follicle up. We went to Manchester Climbing Centre. Its in an old church in Ancoats and is quite handy for town. I was a bit fearful of the car, but the car park is guarded and has cameras and stuff so its probably ok....

 

I'll not launch into a review of the climbing wall, as its a climbing wall. Its not bad. Certainly it has more to offer than Rope Race. A bit wierd that the bouldering is separated out into three roomlets, two of which are moulded resin surfaces and then there's a small board. Which is too small really. They've done a good job with the available space, and it is a good wall, but upstairs is limited by the ceiling height - it feels long enough climbing on the moulded resin cave, as its really steep and therefore long, but the board isnt steep enough and so you've no soon as pulled on and its over. Some good well set problems mind - I imagine the hand of the barrans at work as they certainly felt like comp problems. Another major plus is a good cafe - good coffee and homemade cake.

 

The afternoon is spent at a barbecue birthday party back in Sheff. We get home at 10 drunk. Sunday is a better weather day and we pack our wellies and head down Cheedale. We keep trying to walk through cheedale and keep being turned back by the river or rained off but not on Sunday, we made it all the way through. Chee tor looks good, and is dry, Cornice looks brilliant but is absolutely soaked, max's wall is pretty wet but Two Tier looks ok. Saw Ed over there and half waded the stream to say hello but kept getting nearly washed away and bottled it.

 

Today I had hopes of getting back on the Sissy. I think I could redpoint it but cant find anyone to hold me ropes. So, in the absence of a belayer I hope to have a board session, still awaiting confirmation of that even. Wednesday ed is on about LPT but I need to be back at tea time so looking for partners then too.