Projects and injuries

Hey all

Well in the last Blog i mentioned that I had found a 8a project and was working on it, i have since then had another 2 sessions on it and good progress has been made, i have linked upto the 6th bolt where there is a hard stopper move that i have come off at a few times due to having a stupid way of doing it i now have a much easyer way. So next time on it i hope to get past this and get a new high point. I have also linked from this point to the top with 1 40 second hang on the rope. So linked in 3 parts with a super short rest at each point. I am now confident that it will go given a bit of effort and time. It has been good as johnathan has joined me on this project it is his first 8a he is trying and he has done super well doing all the moves and linking to the 5th draw on his 2nd redpoint attempt.

We have both been discussing the route and have come to the conclusion that trying to project a 33metre super overhung endurance route is absoloutly exhausting. Both of us have bene feeling it in our stomachs.

However bad news is that the way i was trying the hard move was really tweaky on my knee and i have strained it a bit so will be taking a rest from this route for a few days to let it recover, my new way doesnt hurt it like the old way but still requires the use of a heal hook on the bad leg :(.

 Cheat stone are the only way to start

Missing the frist clip is a nescisary evil less drag and saving energy

 Steep start leads to a steep finnish

 Setting up for the Hero cut loose jump to a jug

 Johnathan pulling hard

 Johnathan on the i feel like a hero jump

Other good and bad news is that lucy has a 7b project at the crag next to where my project is yay, and she managed todo all the moves on it first go up then on the second linked the whole middle section yay. Bad news is that she has tweaked a finger on her left hand just after so is having to rest for a few days :( Its not looking to bad it is similar to what i did in bristol a year or so ago where you pull really hard on a 2 finger poicket with the middle 2 fingers where your ring finger is strait and pullin and your little finger is curled shut it stretches the muscle groupe that controles these fingers. Time will tell.

in other news tala has found a new Boyfriend who is being a bit ambitious and keeps on trying to hump her see photo :)





Climbing here has been good in addition to trying Dr feelgood i have managed to onsight a few 7b's and got a quick ascent of a really sustained 7c so pretty happy to be able to project and still get other things done.

Tray Trying hard
 

Living the dream breakfast in the sun

Siurana, Margaleff and Home

Hey all

Loads of stuff happening here in sunny spain, we have spent another 4 days in siurana after the last message then having picked up my newly resoled shoes we headed back to margaleff where we are now most probably untill xmas,

Siurana was good whalst we were there Lucy managed to get a really cool 7a 3rd go called "es algo" in The grau Del Massets sector. Lucy had a really good attempt at flashing it where she made it through the hardest moves and got 3 moves away from a rest and the start of the easyer climbing. Was super impressive to watch. I had a good rest of hte time there onsighting managed to get anoter 7b+ and a few 7b's including one called "Fridolin" which was a 30 metre crimp fest up a buldging wall, i was super happy with this one as there was no chalk on it at all and it looked super blank it climbed really well but felt like each crimpy section went on a few moves longer than what was comfortable then a better hold to chalk then off again, then a really cool finnish with a mantle onto a small ledge then the chains,

We have now headed to margaleff and stocked up on some suplied on the way, including 2 items im well pleased with i have now got some Slippers!!! sad i know but they are massive warm things kindof like converse but like something off the simpsons. Also we have a doggy toy thats a pig which Oinks when you squeeze it, i think i have played with it more that the dog. She seems sligly miffed by it :)

We have had the sad decission to make whalst in siurana in that we have booked our return ferry we will be arriving back in england on 14th of febuary. so looking forw2ard to seeing you all. good times and sad times. Its been amazing here and were going to be making the most of our last 2 months to crush and achieve our aims, mine being to onsight a 7c and climb 8a,

On the 8a front i have a project here its a 30 metre pump fest called "dr feelgood" it starts super steep and gradualy eases as you get higher most of the holds are fairly good and there are no super hard moves just a really pumpy climb. I have bolt to bolted it twice and worked out all the sequences and clipping positions. Tomorrow and saturday if needed i will be heading there to try and crush, Photos and a report once i do hopefully crush it, I know there are 2 what i think will be redpoint cruxes which if i get past the first i will make it to the second and if i make it past the second i should make it to the top. But time will tell . . . . .

Good and the Bad

Hey all

Great news and bad news which leads to good news.


Good news is yesterdy (saturday) i have sent my latest project its called "La insaciable" and is a 20ish metre 7c+ in margaleff, its taken me 3 days and 4 goes after working out the moves so super happy as thats twice as quick as the last one i did, the route itself consists of a 4 bold boulder problem start thats pretty pumpy then you have 3 bolts of easyer ground thats not as steep when you can recover a bit then into a 2 bolt boulder problem at the top thats lots steeper and is 5 hard moves with the last move being a super powerfull crossover from a poor crimp pinch thing. I fell off this move 4 times first moving my feet to set up then going for the move i was 5cm short of the finnishing jug. then i got 2 fingers on the last hold and my feet popped so i came off. last time was the most tired that i have felt when arriving at the move so i popped and tried to jump a little this worked and i got the hold then my feel came off, controling the swing hight right foot and its over just a few easy moves and im at the chain for my second 7c+ of the trip!! stoked

I can really feel the bouldering strength comming through as have been working on short bouldery routes here im slowly gaining endurance  but power wins for now. got a few other easyer projects in the form of tsunami which is a powerfull 6 bolt 7c in the laboaratory i have done all the moves i just need to do it now so hopefully soon, then a bit of onsighting then its time to find a 8a project and finaly get one done.

Bad news is that today i woke up with a really bad stomach bug and spent the day in bed with cramps and feeling sick. i havent eaten anything all day and feel pretty crappy but hey another day is all good for climbing, good news occuring from this is i borrowed a hot water bottle from Tray which came in a "Fungus the bogey man" cover!!! This has helped massivly and made me smile cheers tray.

Mental madness

Well Since my last post about my mental battle in Tres ponts i can say that i went back to fight my battle and allas came away empty handed but having learnt alot on the journey. Mainly that i may believe i am a brave climber but when i come across things that intimidate me (namely large overhangs and large runouts ) Ithen i need to focus my attention on it more and make sure im happy or if not happy comfortable with what im doing I think that i need to take the fall before i try and redpoint the climb or il be worrying about it all the time about what could happen and climb like a spanner, also that i should climb the whole sequence quite a few times so i am happy with what i am doing and know that my way is the best way for me, If im not happy with any of the nmoves i need to try all other ideas then commit to the one thats best. but hey a good learning experiance now to find something once we get to rodellar i got a few ideas on possible projects will elaborate more when i know what i like the feel of,

Lucy had a stunning performance that more than made up for my messing around, as we first got the the crag she saw a beautiful Tufa line that made a short bouldery route called "Pan De Puta". Having taken a few days to work out the moves she then took a rest day and switched to linking in having wore herslef out on our second last day and not quite made it she decided to rest all the next day and have one last ditch attempt just before we leave and it gets dark so she could be as fresh as possible.

After a frustraiting day of waiting around she deicdes the time has come, i scamper up the ajacent route and get the camera out, she ties in a gets ready. Pulling on she cruses upto the crux, powering through the bouldery crux sequence she looks relaxed and ready to crush the last bit, she inches up the tufa get into position then makes the clip she has been strugling with. YOu can see the look of relief and suprise in her face. She then looks to be prematurely celibrating looses focus and gets her feet wrong then shes off. After getting oh so close.

Not to be put down and with darkness fast aproaching she decideds to have another go 30 minutes later she back on. But with no time to recover it was a good effort but no where near the first. From this she then retreats from battle proud, tired and looking forward the the tapas james has promised us.

A great end to the trip been gopod climbing with you James

Well earnt Tapas

the crux oif Mites modern

chilling in the car park

Lucy pulling hard