Hi all. Hopefully by now you have finished reading the encyclopedia of European climbing as written by Pleb. Shit! It was like a weekender bender getting through that thing! Top read though, sounds like shes having a good time, all despite traveling with Tasmanians, hanging out with Frenchies and playing ninja games with the sun.
So, what's been happening for the team the last few weeks? More climbing of course! What else could there be going on? Life? Bah!
So 2 weeks ago Omar and I blasted our way out of the city for a weekend out on the rock. I'd just finished another 50hr week, and Omar had just got his beloved van back from the mechanics. To say we were happy to be "blowing this popsicle stand" was an understatement. Try "lets fuck this puppy and go climbing bitches!" An exciting ride was ahead of us, including tailgating trucks, poorly sealed doors, 60km winds blowing us from one side of the hwy to the other, and blowing a radiator hose just past the Big Koala!
Wake to a cloudy, wet morning, and a feeling of distrust towards the Bureau of Meterologies forcast of fine and 25 degrees. Sun however did become all too apparent soon enough, along with the dreaded Spurt Wall Spooge! Hot and humid was the flavour of the day. Despite the conditions, Omar knocked off his long time nemesis route Menstrual as Anything (25) with ease, and had a good crack on Weak Boy (26) doing all the moves easily. I ran a lap on Menstrual as well, being one of my favourite routes there, did Weak Boy and finally completed This Spurting Life (26) after falling off the last moves many years ago. By days end, we were all totally fucked, barely able to talk on the walk out or back at camp. We were all still in T shirts long after sunset.....whats up with that!? 24 hours prior it was downies and thermals weather!
So the next day we hit up Kindergarden, where Omar smashed his other project Flash Gordon (V8). This is one persistent Mexcian, having fallen off the last move many, many times. See the video below. I once again managed to fall off Gripmaster (V10), this time on
THE last move. Its staring to become a bit of a mind fuck, the amount of times I've fallen off this thing so close to the tick. But I did manage to do all the move on So You Think You Can Dance (V11) which was a bit of suprise. I wonder how many times I'll fall of that on the last move before I do it...... Other ticks for the day was an FA of Mexican Delight (V9) by Vince Day, a rad 3 move steep pocket problem, and the FA of Pebble Slab (V6) by myself. Both in Andersons. This place just keeps giving!
So come to last Saturday, just a few days ago. Josh and I head out for an epic day trip to Spurt Wall. Leaving at 6am, we were on the wall in good time. I warmed up by putting the draws on Tyranny (29), then pumped off 2 moves short of the chains before sending next shot, having had a couple of goes a few months back. Good fun route, nothing super hard, just big moves between big slopers and flatters. I had a lash on Lifestyling (30) later that day, and in the spoogey sunshine got as far as the crux.... HAHAHA! This route is soooo awesome, and I can wait to get a bit of fitness up and get back on this sucka!!
Poor old Josh though. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, its just not the right day to send. Quick update for those of you not in the know, Josh had been working Academia (31) before, over, and after Easter, having come so close to sticking the last move of the second crux section, which is at the second bolt, time and time again. After that, its about 23 to the top. Fastforward to this particular Saturday, and after bouts of swine flu, finger injuries, tendonitis and brain damage due to too much studying, mixed in with mass amounts of training, Joshy pulls the crux of the route, only to fall just 1 move shy of the jug and chains!!! Needless to say, expletives rained forth. On the upside though mate, you pulled the crux for the first time on link, and with a bit of witness the fitness, it'll go down!
So thats about it for us at the moment. I'm having next weekend off. I'm pretty exhausted after the pattern of working stupid hours during the week and climbing all weekend for the last couple of months. Its been great to get out climbing heaps, but I miss sleeping in on a Saturday!
Omar on Flash Gordon, V8
Like, um, yeah, whatever....
- TheBigAl
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