The Power Is Pumped

Today the forecast was really good, but sat in Outside cafe it was ming! So after a tour of possible grit crags we end up at the Tor. Totally mint, it felt like cheating. Got on Pump up the power as Harry was trying it and had loads of pads. Of the ten minutes i have spent on this in the past, its always felt nails. First go i fell going for the gaston. Second same. Third same. Fourth go i was on the jug. Felt easy and i wished i had taken a rope with me for the full route.

So i put some clips in and then tied on and went for the full route. Fell off going for gaston first go, rope felt weird. Then in the rain, managed to get to jug again, and onwards to the top. Top day, and to warm down i finished off with the sitter to right of bens roof problem. Another tick in the book.

Ted also flashed the 8a i flashed the other day, The Green Alternative. He thought it was probably worth 7c+, which i wont disagree with.

Pump Up The Power, V10/7c+, Raven Tor.

Remote Flash Piccies

Check out the remote flash pics we got this eve in Ben's Roof. On the right in my flickr preview column.

Another 8a Flash

Though sadly again it was tres soft! This time it was The Green Alternative at Raven Tor. The line in between Chimes and Weedkiller. An old Zippy route. Seen a bit of traffic lately. Got the beta off Jon Clarke and managed to flash it. Its way easier than Chimes so not sure on grade? Who knows.

After that was doing some stuff to train. Weedkiller into Chimes. An 8b link which is great for the PE i will need in the cave. Fell off a few times in Chimes, but was feeling tired after training yesterday. Fresh it should go.

Rest day tomorrow then maybe Cave Sunday, or even grit weather permitting.

Off to eat my sweetie that Keith put in my Between The trees dvd. Is he trying to fatten people up?

Training training training

One good thing to come out of this rubbish weather is i can train like Paxi, without worrying about compromising my climbing outdoors by not being recovered.

I have been going to The Depot and Boulder UK. Having good mixed sessions at both. It must be working as i have been flashing most of the 8's at BUK and that is quite rare for me. Maybe they are soft this set?

I have a couple more sessions of training before Font next week. That is if we go. If weather is looking iffy we wont go. At the moment its looking cloudy for the 4 days we are there. I can live with that.

Anyway, off to The Depot in a bit.

(Weight -10st 5lbs)

Grim Weather

The cave didn't materialize this weekend due to iffy weather but an ace session at the depot did. What a wall. If you haven't been, get yourself over there. I was like a dog in a lamp post factory. Amazing roof, plenty of angles, rings, beastmaker woody, the list goes on! Oh and great coffee...

This one session has kick started my training again. Really psyched for some hard training interspersed with raiding trips outdoors. I feel getting out in rubbish weather is not the way for me at the moment. Train and get out when its respectable. More gains to be had i think. The stuff i want to do in the cave this year will need me to step up my game a little. But its all do-able.

Plenty of PE and Core, with plenty of problem mileage thrown in for good measure.

Weight has gone up a bit in last few weeks. That is probably down to all the Toblerones and Nando's hot crisps. Mmmmm, tasty. Up to 10st 7 at minute. Feel stronger though than when i was at 10st 2.

Living the Cave Life

Had a job in Bangor this morning, so when it had finished i went over to the cave to meet Doyle. Was pretty minging, with not many full things dry that i hadn't already done. So it was finishing off cave life that was the project of choice. I worked the individual sections having not been on it for a good 6 months. First go i punted it by falling off left wall after getting the sequence wrong. Quick bit of beta later and i had dispatched Cave Life. First V11 of the bouldering season, so happy with that.

After that i joined doylo on Pilgrim. Quite a power endurancy V12. (Aren't they all in the cave!) This starts up left wall and then moves into RA, via the arch traverse. I can do the crux section, but not from the very start. Its pretty tiring. Plus the end of RA is wet s not so keen to get through it all to have to drop off at the end. So get a bit more muscle memory on it and then move onto in hell. This is the v12 extention to pit of hell which i did earlier this year. After a bit of working i found myself falling off a few moves into RA. Fresh, i think i will nail this, as i had done a lot of climbing already today. Maybe the weekend?

Barracuda

Well i have had almost a week off to re energize the body and mind for climbing. I have been surfing down in the SW since Wednesday, and feel stronger in the shoulders, and very very psyched for climbing again.

Off to Rubicon tomorrow with Serps and we are meeting Ted there. Arran hoping to finish off Caviar and myself on a three part mission.

After my brief ten minute play on Barracuda last week with Ryan, i know i can do the move. Its pretty easy after it so if i can just pull the move once, i can tie on and finish the route. The grade is still for debate, but at 8b/8b+ its a fierce route.

Depending on how that goes, one way or another, before the skin goes, i need to finish off Hot Fun Closing. Also need to do Dangerous Brothers.

So all three would be amazing. Two would be brilliant. One of the three would be more than acceptable.

Lets see what the day brings.

Big K

We arrived at Big K, and it was lashing down. My psyche was low and my pocket on Dr crimp was wet. I decided not to climb, but rest. Andy F and Cookie were tag teaming Grooved Arete, so i just watched. Then Arran turned up and as his proj (Vanilla Path) was wet he decided to get on Private Practice, the 8a+ next to Grooved Arete. After he worked out the beta i got psyched, and was redpointing in no time. Very soft for 8a+, and very flashable with beta. Ted?

Top was wet though which is the same as Little Earnie. So knowing this might have prevented my psyche from getting to a level to do the route. Couple of goes i pulled into crux but not out of it. Cest la vie.

Will prob try and head back tomorrow or Wednesday to redpoint. Before i then take a well earned surfing break to Cornwall and Devon.