Friday 30 October 2009

Come Inside...


Today I had personal time in the morning! This consisted of being free to read a bit, then I jumped on the old push bike and pedalled off to the Peppermint Tower, this is an area of the slate quarries where Willow was filmed and Quite a good spot to poke around..
I had originally intended some extreme afternoon alpinismm, but it was the morning and I might be getting past all that sillieness anyhoo. So I soloed Come Inside instead.
This is a lovely squeeze chimney that is definatlely worth some stars, and there's even a bolt at the top to abb off of if you have a bail out 'biner (or a rope).
Pretty chuffed, Especially as I beat the rain by a good 100 seconds or so..

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Give Away Project of the Month - October

My Offering this month is a little more remote, In fact its in Cornwall, See the piccy here

This is the Porthmissen Bridge, The Proud owner of a delightful shale seaward face and one of those places I always said I'd go back to with a rack and have an adventure.

Well, I haven't had that adventure yet, so one of you lot ought to!

Tell us how it went...

Hose

Wednesday 21 October 2009

Blessed by Babysitting!

The Holy Trinity of Weather, freetime (thanks Mum for the Babysitting) and a climbing partner has all coincided Today!

The Result is "Liquid Armbar" E4 6a. Yes today I didn't fall off, rest on gear (or pull on it) or even get tempted by the handy abb rope (backing up the belay).

Ivan came along for the ride and I was extremely grateful for his calm support, We go way back, but life lately has got in the way and we've not climbed much together (soon to be remedied).
He was very close to showing me up by seconding in trainers, but unfortunately the abb rope beckoned...

Once I collapsed onto the resurrection ledge, I knew that it was going to be cool. Slight worry as this time I was climbing with 2 wild country 6's rather than camalots and it showed when I started the wide second section, Camalots are a lot more stable in the wide. This gave me an excuse to dawdle on the ledge fishing for the other six lodged way down in the crack, with 2 slings and doctored crabs.

All that practise certainly paid off (although I didn't stack in any meaning full way) I certainly felt strong and concentrated more on finding rests rather than panicking. Less blood this time as well. I might, however, invest in some thin neoprene ankle supports as these might be less faff.

Don't worry Tom BTW I have a new unclimbed slate offwidth in my sights and the lead is all yours...

Tuesday 13 October 2009

I'm not dead..

...There's just a dearth of notable adventures, hence the lack of posts recently.
Thought I'd better clear that up in case any souls, thought I may have been taking my research too seriously.
Life has been happening.
My boy had his first birthday, I spent 3 hours propelling myself skyward on a big bouncy pillow, I've been skulking round a climbing wall trying to think myself stronger.

But Sadly no adventures.
I'm currently trying to arrange both work, family commitments, weather, climbing partners and my physical well being to coincide with the weekend after next so I can get on that bloody crack and give it back the kicking it dealt out last time..

(still scabbed)

hosey