Runup to Christmas.

I havent 'blogged' for ages so i have a lot to report on. On 10th Dec i went to AWCC and did 2 f6B+ O/S and found a better f7A project with a much safer fall (not slamming into a vertical side wall). 2 days later i went to my local wall for a high intensity training session. I did some quite good eliminates but my fingers were shreaded.

On Wednesday 17th Dec I went indoors again but i can't remember where or how well i was climbing but i think i was doing well. On the Friday i went back to AWCC to try my f7A project and to my surprise got to the 7th clip first time, then took qiute a big fall just before clipping the 8th bolt.

6 times in 7 days

After the cold weekends affair. I went to Rope Race with explorers. I wanst climbing particularly well although i did do a really balance vertical tufa on the arete. And i also campussed up the upstairs woodie. Tuesday was a rest day. Wednesday i went to MCC with dan where the grades are totally wrong (routes harder than the given grade), the style of climbing is not to my liking, the holds seem really sweaty and covered in grime (one route was last re-set in march) and worst of all the told us to stop 20 MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING TIME. I really dont like MCC.

Thursday we were off school because of 'snow' which was actually rain and sleet. I think they decided the night before after looking at the BBC weather forcast, which is usually wrong, it said we would have 8 inches of snow. After finding this out I went for a walk with Caroline and Jack the hyperactive dog, although he wasnt so crazy when we got back. About 10 miles if you include the walk from my house to Caroline's. I also went to AWCC with her where i was a bit knackered from too much on the previous days. But i did do a f6B+ and completed the font 7A traverse. Now i have to link it with the traverse wall at font 7B. I finally got a rest day on Friday and i could certainly feel that i should have more rest days in future.

COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went to the local wall after school again. Wasn't trying anything imparticular but i did traverse about 60metres without coming off. Then i went to Bamford Edge with Chris Weedon on Saturday, which was a good day out doing Stuff from VS to E2. I also soloed 2 Diffs in muddy walking boots. A rather good day that finished on the jugs of Gargoyle Flake (VS 4c). But not all went to plan. After Chris had got himself up Master Blaster (E1 5c) with lots of up and down climbing. I tried to second it and fell as the rope came tight i suddenly dropped once again and ended up on the floor. It turns out that part of the belay slipped causeing Chris to loose balance from his standing stance, presumable slipping on the thick frost. I looked up to see him upside down looking into the grotty corner. After a couple of minutes the belay was re arranged and after exchanging "are you alright?"i was on my way agian and i fell again but this time Chris was sat on the edge and all was good. I fell a few more times then decided to give up and escaped up the VDiff corner to the right. It was a VERY COLD day.

On sunday i went again to the local wall and had another go at my project and couldnt do it but i had fun anyway.

Thanks for the day out Chris.

Rest days. Don't bother with them.

I went to the local bouldering wall after school on friday where i didnt do much but i did like an arete problem which i have been trying on and off for ages. On Saturday i went to Climb Rochdale to try the leading ladder. i didnt climb too well on the comp routes. At the end on the session i dogged up a f7A and did surprisingly well. There was a bouldering comp on that i didnt know about (not that i entered it) where they were giving aawaay free posters and stickers. And finally on Sunday i arranged that Chris would pick liam and brandon up then come and get me from the train station. Then dirve us up to Burbage South. I did some good slabby bouldering here but the highlight of this part of the day has to be watching Alex honnold lead Parthian Shot (E9 6c). We then went back to the carpark to find that some pillock had blocked us in, however a kind woman moved her car to let us out so that we could get off to Higgar Tor. Here we parked as close as possible and just walked across the field to the cliff. The main wall is alot more overhanging than i expected. I tried to onsight Brillo (E1 5c) this was a bit optimistic but i would have rather done a hard well protected route as oppose to a easy but runout and dangerous route. In the end i couldnt do the crux. The best bit of this day was watching liam s**ting himself at the top of a 10m VS 4c when he didnt think he could do the move. All in all a great day out.

Thanks for the lift Chris.

Garage Wall

I have now built the first part of my garage wall. it has a small vertical section at the bottom (so we could fit the main bit through the door) which is about 25cm tall. and the rest of the 3m height is 25ish degrees overhanging. Although one side overhangs slightly lees than the other because the floor and ceiling are not parrallel so therefore the frame is slightly twisted. But yeah i am really happy with it.

A painful week

On Wednesday i went to MCC with Dan, Hugh and Gareth. We are convinced that the grades are harder at MCC as oppose to AWCC because i can usually O/S f6B+ at awesome but i had to rest on some f6A's i think this is a combination of the grades and me not being strong. My fingers were wrecked after that. On Friday i went to my local boulering wall, Glossop leisure centre, which is great for strength. I was climbing really well there. And i am building the first part of my home wall at the weekend.

Stanage Plantation

Went up to the plantation with Brandon, Liam and Jordan on friday, after they had got a train which was delayed. They then had a go at the station manager because it happens every time and got a free taxi to hathersage. So 2 hours waiting a bit of confusion in finding each other (i think i was in the toilet when you came into the cafe Brandon) and watching Liam try on some painfully small dragons on in outside we were off up the 2 mile track. Up turtle hill Jordan ran in his marine style only to find out it was a bit harder and steeper than he remembered and collapsed at the top. But anyway we got to the boulders at about 3pm. I personally wasnt climbing well but i think that is because i am not used to boulering and dont have the power that boulderers have. It was a great day anyway, if only i could have stayed for the halloween bouldering. Dont forget to pick that litter up next time you are there Brandon.