What's Goin On and arrrrgh!!!

First with the arrrrgh!!!

I have somehow managed to hurt my back (not to bad) just as the weather has gotten alright. Rest, stretch and spend some time rolling on Sven (the massaging tennis ball) today and it should be alright for some easy classics later in the week, at least thats what i tell myself.

As for what's goin on, not much unfortunately. Had a fun day in the wind at Burbage sth on Saturday but back was starting to get sore so was just mucking around doing hands free problems and mantels. Sunday went to Stanage and met up with lots of people but sore back led to low motivation. Felt sorry for old bleedy hands (Ricardo) as every hold he touched seemed to rip his fingers apart. 

Only a week left of holiday left so i will be soon back in downtown Blackheath. Looking forward to sun and training as this trip really hammered home my Weaknesses. Body to heavy and not nearly flexible enough. Should be fun working on these when i get home.

I actually thought i had prepared well for this trip and was going to make some breakthroughs in my climbing. It's funny how sometimes your best laid plans don't happen. Grade wise i have climbed worse than i have in the past but i still have had alot of fun doing the problems i have done and hanging out with great people.

The trip has certainly made it clear that climbing is what i want to do, but to climb the

problems i want to do i still have a long way to go.

The tortise beat the hare in the end.

Have fun and enjoy your Day.

photo's of Rich and Toby at burbage west.

Skeletons and Goals

Giving my list a bit of thought and there isn't to many skeletons but the few that really bug me 

are

routes

Madge at the Glen fell of 2nd last move

La La Land: Porters pass fell of on slab to top

Crime is art: South Central fell off last move

Bloc

Dead on Arrival: Fear Factory close but no cigar

The Ladder : Jessicas one more move to do  

Project at?????? not telling where but think i can do it.

Jump Through Roof thing at Mt York

Not to many there, will get them done.

Other goals in climbing and training need a bit more thought but stay tuned.

The photos above are from today at the Bowderstone in the Lakes. Thought it would be dry but high humidity ment that the main face was wet, always shitty when you drive 2hrs to a wet boulder but still managed to do a bit at the left end. The Lakes district is pretty spectecular anyway and it was cool to check out.

Sharik on Spring chicken and me failing on the warm up.

LINKS

Just added link to my flikr site, it's over there on the right ,see it

now click

Resting, Pain and the Train

Well things are looking up for Gritstone february, the snow has melted and although the sun, isn't out the rock is starting to get a bit dryer. All we need is a bit of wind and sun and things should be back on track.

Managed to get out the past 3 days, Saturday played around at Froggat, Sunday out to Almscliff and yesterday headed out to the Slipstones. No major ticks on any of these trip but it's been nice to be out on the Grit again. Drove down to the Peak today and both the Limestone and the Grit were wet so taking a forced rest today and out tomorrow.

On a bad note Young Jack sprained his ankle pretty bad yesterday jumping onto the pad from about a foot, remember just cause the pad looks level doesn't mean that there isn't an ankle breaker under it.

Thinking about what i would like to get done at home this year, and think it should be about cleaning out the undone skeletons from my climbing closet. A couple of months hard training when i get home, some good weather over winter and there should be nothing left but dust  at the end. 

I will post a list of skeletons up soon and see how i go.

Get CRUSHING!!!

More Limestone sun as the Snow starts to melt

Headed down to the Peak district yesterday with Sharik and Jack where we met up with Vince.

We were hoping to head out to Froggat to try some routes and boulders there, unfortunately the sun was causing the snow to melt which caused run off so the whole crag was dripping. 

So we headed down to Rubicon to see if it was flooded or climbable. Good decision, the sun was shining and the water was no where near the wall.

We all got stuck in, even shirts off for the first time in a while, again English limestone was a bit much for me managing a few hard moves(pulling on) but no tickage.

Sharik and Vin managed to get up a few things like the Press and Press sit start.

Went to Ilkley today after we got snowed out of Almscliff. It was bitter to say the least, and for the first time in ages i couldn't warm up. Tried a few moves but the blood just wasn't flowing and i felt like if i pulled to hard everything would snap and end up in a pile of blood and tendon on the snow.

The weather looks better for later this week so i will continue to remain patient and when the time is right fuck'n rowww!!

Then the Snow was gone

Woke up to clear skies today and headed up to the south lakes (Trowbarrow) with Sharik and Jack. There had been less snow up in Lanchashire and what was there had basically melted away.

Although the problems were to hard for me it was nice to do some tough moves in the sunshine.

Sharik managed to do Virtuian Man which was a pretty cool line with some big moves.

Hopefuly be out on the Grit tomorrow  depending how much snow has melted.

Otherwise it might be back to the Lakes.

 

Birthday and snow

Well i'm up in Leeds now with Sharik and Jo and it's pretty much been snowing for 5 days now.

Don't get me wrong i quite like the white stuff and tobogganing in the park on Monday was great fun, but i'd really like to go climbing for the day soon!!!

Was my birthday yesterday and managed to get out to Almscliff for a while, managed to do Wall of Horrors one of the only dry bits of rock around. At least i got up something on my birthday.

Had a curry and almost won the trivia at old mate with the team from Jo's work. If only we'd listened to Sharik we would have won.

Gritstone February is sort of in a holding pattern at the moment guess we will see what the weather brings. Probably more pints than climbs can't be all bad.