Blogpost 101

This works out as blog post 101, but only cos I've written some and not posted them. I've not read 1984, so this isn't going to be some parady or tribute. It's going to be about the Peak, cos I went there last weekend with Dan.

Bit epic, think on this: I had borrowed Nic's big Moon bouldering pad which has a protective cover. The cover is too big for the pad so I thought I'd stuff it full of other things that I needed. These were:
Alpkit bouldering pad
Tent
Sleeping bag
Shoes and chalk
Bit of food

Looked a bit silly, like a giant bodybag for spongebob square pants. We wanted to go to Froggat so got off the train at Grindelford. It was midnight, raining and we had no clue which way froggat was. We had crappy guidebook maps which didn't mark on all the roads. We made it to a signpost which said Froggat was through a field, but it was pretty dark and we couldn't see a path due to dim head torches. I found I had a good/terrible combination of being bent double from carrying the pads and only being able to see a few feet infront, meaning I could at least see the ground. At one point we ended up surrounded by cows, there eyes reflecting off our almost-out-of-battery headlamps. One started towards us and we made a hasty retreat. At about 2am we got to the crag and put the tent up.

Froggat wasn't that good for bouldering and I joined in with Dan on some solos, Downhill racer and Great Slab were highlights. It's interesting. On routes like this where it's easy climbing, you can see the move in your minds eye. From here, whether or not you do is just mental. Being able to trust your minds eye seems to only happen when you turn your brain off which is a bit of a contradiction. You never know if you can trust your minds eye untill after! One thing that helped me get up stuff was thinking about a highball project in inverness; I needed to practice being bold. We got some banter with a team of bumblies. Our hankerings after a lift not registering with them, goddamnit.

We did some more walking, this time to Burbage. Bouldering here was better and did some pretty special arete problems around 7a. The next day we had short sessions mixed up with a trip to hathersage for cakes. I was trying Blind Date and got all the moves but couldn't get it in the bag for some reason. I think it's a bit easier than QED at Ruthven, so reckon 7C for QED is ok. Soloing The Knock that evening was pretty good aswell. We had pads, but I still reckon you'd be crippled if you blew the top; good training.

Next day, I went up to a problem called West Side Story which I tried in January in the snow. Conditions were maybe too hot this time... but I didn't care. It's brilliant to feel warm after freezing in a tent all night. I was trying WSS, but just in a pottering about kind of way. I took a photo of it on my phone and made it my wallpaper. Did the top out, but my feel were sore and my skin was thin and red. That was the end of the trip.

I do wonder if I'm getting too old for this kind of thing. Me and Dan were both longing to have a car on this trip... we did so much trekking around the peak and wasted time waiting for late buses. We just got knackered. Suppose it helped pace the climbing so skin held on to the end, but it was pretty miserable at times. Maybe walking at the side of the road was the worst bit.

Dominos

I never used to like pizza when I was a kid. Didn't eat much food except cereal and pasta and cheese. Today is tuesday which can only mean one thing - Dominos two for one. One for dinner, one for breakfast tomorrow. The order is on it's way. Times have changed and I think I've gone too far the other way. I think I'll end up like dave douglas.

Keeping this blog uptodate is a pain in butt, but here's what happened since last time. Don't think pongo is 8a. Did SPA training. Got the ruthven project in the bag after about 3 years trying it on and off, it's not 8a either, but don't let that put you off. I'd like some more repeaters of my problems please!! risking sounding like a dweeb, but at least I'm not like Will who leave anon comments trying to get people psyched for his problems! Only joking. Go check out Electric Feel next time your at Uppercave crag, it's almost permadry I reckon, no run off. If you need directions I wrote them on an old blog post or just go hunting below the crag. Get lost in the woods. It's fun. Better than waiting for them top roping idiots puntering hamish teds to get out the way.

Murdoch Danny Andy and I went to France on a tour de tout le best escalade et half cooked attempts at speaking en francais (french). We went Verdon to Ceuse to Chateuxvert. Key themes were ping pong epics up to 5 (win by two clear points), A big orange tarp called the BOOST 600, at verdon we had epics where SPA skills came in handy (esp italian hitch), at Ceuse I felt great after getting Changement de Look done and at chateuxvert I found I was still too tired after the walk-in sometimes.

Got pretty weak again since, just with uni starting and bad weather - I've been to dumby twice and that's about it. Good thing about being weak is getting that 'worked' feeling is pretty easy. I know I'll be better next time.

Pizza's here....