Benchmarking

So a mixture of summer holiday family time and the small matter of a bust ankle has caused unhelpful weakness to pervade my being. What causes more concern is that the imminent arrival of  the new bouldering guide has stirred feelings of loss...

I have nothing new to work on dammit! admittedly I did give away a whole load of stuff, Cae Dafydd, stuff in Aberglaslyn, all being worked now by local devotees.

In an effort to produce some psyche and lift the malaise, I had a two venue day yesterday. Firstly I went to the Caseg boulder for the first time. I thought that visiting what is widely though to be the finest 6C in Wales will help me get my own forays into perspective. The Caseg Groove was very useful to me, It expose large gaps in my game (open handed strength, core, power endurance) and I could see why it was admired; lovely position, good rock texture, just enough features to work. I did think it was a tad morpho though, and knowing the first ascentionist was somewhat taller than myself cushioned the blow that I couldn't get more than 1.5 moves in (for 40mins).

Following this I visited James' Boulder, this was due to there being a hard project there still to do, and being fairly minimalist, I knew I could compare today's progress to previous attempts.

First up was repeating the Filling to compare to Caseg Groove:

While very enjoyable, the venue lacked the aesthetics of Afon Caseg, and is probably 6B+ rather than 6C, it does suit me more than CG, but still. This would make James sit down 6A+/B

The Skdoosh project felt very uninspiring after Caseg, being neither stand nor sit, and very brutal in execution. I'm nowhere near, but managed a 1 second of controlled hanging on the starting holds.

Its a start.

The patio is one of the first I produced and is a bit ropey, If I can be bothered I may give it a make over and try to make the project more of a sitter...

I need fresh pastures!

Its Been a While...

So at the beginning of the year I had set myself three goals; Short term to get my body injury free and in some shape to climb sustainably, Medium term to climb my Tosheroon project, and Long Term to climb my Marchlyn project.

Well... Getting injury free is going pretty well apart from myself spannering my ankle, as I'm identifying the root problems of my back and core issues (Weak Buttocks). Head knowledge wise this tick is almost in the bag, implementation may take longer.

Tosheroon has Identified itself as more of a Long term goal (it requires fitness), and the Marchlyn project may be easier (or harder) than I thought.

Last night I bit the bullet and decided to put my foot through some highly scientific testing. I walked up to the dam (no scooter as was too windy / silly with my ankle) and jolly well went bouldering.

Must have been a good telly night as the tide was well out (Hydroelectric scheme)

The boulder on the right is Livesey's Love Child, so called as I was reminded of some hideous slopey top out that Bransby was photoed on. The FA was done without a mat, and there was an awkward moment when my trousers velcroed to the lip. a couple of pads and a spotter would make it more nonchalant.

The lower 2 boulders are exposed in this piccy. I've not played on them yet as they either have weird landings or are under water most of the time.

It was great to be up here again, although it certainly exposed my fitness (especially the walk in). Erodeo felt especially hard for F6Aish and I ended up donning my solutions in an effort to climb with less thrashing (the muira heels weren't cutting it). This was another breakthrough as I couldn't wear tight shoes previously. Sufficiently warmed up I spent some time dissecting the moves from my designated project start into Tumbleweed. Its great to work things went you're really weak as its much less likely for you to get distracted with interesting technicality as you cant do it. Pulling, lunging and thrashing I eradicated the impossible and extracted the easiest path between the two. Basically 4 big thuggish moves into the erodeo starting holds. The most technical it got was a toe hook ( another victory as it was my left foot). So get back to fitness and there it goes. 

It was a bit dark when I finished, and getting off of Elidir on to the tarmac was a little sketchy, especially when the wind gusted.

So goals wise; What I didn't factor in was my family life. The addition of one extra shouldn'y be a biggy as there's three already, but I'd forgotten the extra issues of babies, and how a few sleepless nights could impact on the rest of the family dynamic, as well as the extra restriction of my time.

Fitness will have to weight, but posture correction, and strength gains can be slotted in, turning the order of my goals topsy turvy. I'm still confident to tick one or two out of the three by new year.

Watch this space.

My Left Foot

Yet again the blogs been pretty silent. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly its the summer holidays and I have 4 kids. Secondly 6 weeks ago to the day I fubar-ed my ankle with an ill judged dyno while boulder setting at work. I walked it off, and as I could weight bear and still climb a ladder with it I manned up like a neanderthal, strapped it, shoved an ice pack down my sock, and set the remaining 16 blocs and went home. It continued to a) look funny, and b) hurt A LOT when I twisted it. However, I could walk sans limp, proprioception wasn't impaired, and there appeared to be nothing impinged.

Damn soft(ish) tissue eh?

So Its still not right, but on the bright side it almost looks the same as the right one now, and while I still can't get in a tight rock shoe, ledge shuffling in something baggy should be on the cards.

The adventure never stops though, and this time the kids are being dragged along.

The circumnavigation of Llyn Idwal has finally been achieved without nakedness

Having survived the death scree, Ethan mounted the boiler and contemplated the flooded tunnel adventure that awaited..

Ethan likes Pirates

Coasteering. Never be without your spade.

Seren rubbing in the fact that she can climb.

The clan consuming marshmallows

The boys learning appropriate use of lighter fluid.

I.N.S.P.R.E will return when I can at least attempt something.

I.N.S.P.R.E June 2016

It been over a month since I've had an opportunity to put finger to tablet for this blog. I've been busy busy busy with researching obscure classics patiently waiting for your ascents. I've been trying to find some science to locate boulders under forests, trying to find a new Mymbyr, and trying to be social. So far I'm not getting far with these, but we have had successful birthdays for the missus and Ethan and Dylan, and just as I'm looking at training I spannered my ankle bouldering indoors. However, its on the mend and has encouraged me to turn my attention to exploring, and even entertaining the notion of tying on and doing something conventional.

So back to I.N.S.P.R.E.
I've three doozies in the pipeline, from messr's Brown, Pritchard and Crook, but the deal is I want to at least try them first. Therefore, rather than produce some thing half baked, I thought I'd bring you the second of my own offerings....


Bring Me The Head of Don Quixote

Photo courtesy of Ray Wood (I'm sure he wont mind, I scribbled on it and everything)

This is myself on the second ascent, following my first ascent. As far as I'm aware it hasn't had a third ascent (despite being all written up in the guide and everything).

On the first ascent, I was being belayed by Chopper Charlie, an enthusiastic and unencumbered individual, who may have lacked some common sense back then. Hence when I asked him to tie off a rope so I could seesaw abb back down, he just wrapped it round the pinch between two large slate boulders. The ropes were half cut through by the time I was on the ground. Hence his nickname.

E2 5a is a strange and often off putting grade. However, anyone operating in adventurous territory at the E3 level shouldn't gibber. The gear at the pedestal is very good, and there's still reasonable microwires after that. Just build a solid belay out of wires on the ground to abb off...


Its pretty cool. Freestanding towers are pretty cool, reasonable name too.



Back to blowing other peoples trumpets next month.

Adventures in Editing

Ok, this is a bit geeky, but luddite as I am, I've managed to splice a couple of different takes together from different angles. I was going to hold back on posting on every little trip I made to Mymbyr, as it may get monotonous. This bloc, however, is dear to my heart.

Happy Feet is a F6B+ in the Feidr Fŵ cluster. Its fair to say its a marmite route (big G never even pulled on), and if it was another foot above the ground it'd be ace. Back dabs aside, its just big grin harmless fun, and really difficult to describe. Hence trying this vid.

Hopefully you get the idea. Shortly after this I tried hard-ish on the other prominent bloc of this cluster; The Heel Keel 6Cish and gave myself one of those flip top finger type f'lappers that ended play. Fortunately its half term next week, so no climbing anyway...

....And I may have spotted another obscure boulder field...

Laters

Business Time

The initial thing that drew my eye when scoping out Dyffryn Mymbyr from the road that first time was this big towering thumb of rock. That turned out to be rubbish, however, the second thing was this big white slab...

This turned out to be very high and quite thin with a lovely texture. I knew Julian Lines had been exploring up here with Paul Higginson, so in my mind it became the Lines' slab (or should that be the Slab of Lines').

The Slab in the background, with Higg's wonderful 30ft slopey traverse in the foreground

10 years later and loads of fun down the line I finally took it upon myself to pull my socks up (Business Socks) an get it done. Comedy ensued as my highball abbing rope, while long enough for any sensible height highball, wasn't quite long enough when the only belay was miles up the hillside. So with the top half cleaned and played upon, I plopped off the end onto the mats to have a stare at the bottom half.

Fortunately for my nerves it went 1st go:

My guess is that its about 6B! with the crux in the 1st third. A really nice highball, and one for any slab fanatic.

My Second point of business was the Mighty 'Tashe Traverse. my name for the boulder, but Higg's problem. I'd climbed it from a sit in the middle, but the first half always bamboozled me. This time armed with Solutions, I managed as far as the first big move, but weakness crept in like damp. I switched to trying the sit from the middle again:

three bleeding moves from the end... Damn it, there's always something to come back for at Mymbyr...

See! I tried hard(ish)

Come and play.

I.N.S.P.R.E. May 2016

Like many, I was inspired by this pic on northwalesbouldering.com:

Bingo Wings (V7)
mystery crag?
(contact for details)

Sometime later Big G spilt the beans in this BOTM, it was over on the darkside of Mymbyr..

I should clear up the Darkside thing, its not that this side gets less sun than the other, its just it misuses the force, its full of bogs, and hides all its worthwhile boulders. I digress...

The issue Bingo wings had, was that at the time (pre CROW) it was a little bit tricky to access. couple this with the land owner enjoying a peaceful life, being based on a hill in the middle of the valley and always in earshot... Lets just say it was decided to let things lie.

Time moves on, CROW happens, Ioan Doyle shears the landowners sheep, and the frenzy of virgin boulder hunting has died down. By the time I started poking around on this side of the valley he was quite happy for me to pop through his farm (on foot) to go for a wander. This is the view from the last of his gates:

And this is the best way to get to the Bart Stone...

It keep off the worst of the bog, avoids this:

And wanders past this attractive slopey traverse

The Bart Stone rears into view..

Artists impression....

The next three are a selection of warm ups...

So I'd come all this way (all of 20 mins from the car no less) to visit this ill frequented purported classic. I've just had 2 months off resting my shoulder until I was sure it wasn't buggered, just before that I'd climbed my hardest outdoor bloc, also 7A+. So naturally I assumed it would be a goer.

What I found was a massive slightly overhanging block of dolerity sandstoney stuff. the problem broke down into a dyno for a pinch (from a hanging start off an obvious jug), a big rockover, and a lurch for the top.

So a layoff followed by trying to equal your highpoint with a power based ( short intensive) bloc. This was always going to end well, wasn't it?

The two sections I managed

Powerful, simple and elegant moves, what's not to love? I needed to change to my solutions for the rockover, but my power is still a way off returning, and when it does, I will return also.

Approach- So park near RAC boulders and walk through Garth farm ( the one with the campsite). Please ask permission to do so as you meet them, they are really nice people who don't want hassle, so be polite and always shut the gates. They're not keen on crowds so small posse's I reckon. Follow the track, round the right, past the weather station and down the other side to the last gate. The piccy at the top should now make sense.

Wellies are a must for the above approach...

Enjoy! (not too loudly)