Summer 09, part 9

It continues to rain here in Glasgow, but i managed to escape to wales for a few days, and found dry rock, with Dave , Stu and Mike. I'd never been to wales climbing before and was really excited about the prospect. Dave and I mainly climbed at LPT in the evenings and rested during the day when stu and mike bouldered. i had a play on jerrys roof but was supposed to be resting and gave up pretty quickly, however stu did manage to do it on his first go on his second session on it. On day 3 of the trip i sprained my ankle on a particularly flat section of grass, which ended all hopes of bouldering anything and even walking great distances. I continued to climb and managed Statement of youth with tape holding my finger and ankle together nicely! Dave went one better climbing statement and then muscle beach the next day, he also climbed Hurley burly the day before the trip so he's going really well!!!

Stu on jerrys roof.

After a days rest from climbing and back in a sunnier Glasgow i went to Dumby with all my trad gear determined to get on chemain de fer if it was remotely dry. On our arrival the sea promptly lifted into the sky and fell on dumbarton rock so i we all retreated to the wall.

Dave and stu in our welsh home....a cave.

The weather looks to have got worse again for the next few days at least, hopefully September will be drier but i said the same about august!!!

Summer 09 Part 8

it rained all of July so i trained.....on the actual outside climbing front nothing has happened....due to lots of work and the aforementioned precipitation. I have been to dumby a few times when its been dry, the highlights being doing a move on chalhala sit start, and making a good start on tolerance the 8b link on the sport wall. But mainly i have just been training, mostly endurance and stamina at ratho and on the GCC's 30 degree board. The climbs that i want to do all require these attributes which i have had a major lack of in recent years. It has been fun to train and see the gains quickly for a change.

Hopefully August wont be so wet, and my niggling finger and elbow will heal fully. I'm planing on taking a few days off to this weekend and starting a fresh bout of training on Monday, that should give my injuries time to calm down, and this cold that I've picked up enough time to go away!!

Summer 09, part 7

The weather here in sunny scotland has thrown all climbers a curve ball(sorry for the yanky metaphor!). Instead of the rain and freezing cold and midges that we all complain about and make are lives more difficult, we have heat...humid sticky unescapable heat. Not very condusive to hard climbing.

But preservence is key to success, so i have been out and about as much as possible.... with more visits to Dumbuck and also Glen croe.

Firstly at Dumbuck; I took laura up last sunday in the afternoon after a fun night of drinking and dancing untill the early hours. I had round two with devistation generation, making small progress on a move but it was in the blazing sun and really i was never goind to fare well. I also tried Voddo magic, a cool 8 something(a,a+ or b) depending on who you talk to. I did all the moves and was doing good links, hopefully it will go next visit. It is certainly easier then any other 8b i have ever tired!!!

Cobra, running it out!!!!!

Yesterday Alan , Cobra and me went to Glen croe to do some trad, Alan did the E7 lovebuzz quickly, i almost went for the lead but am not as brave as Alan...again i should do it next time i'm their. Then we went on to try the Fugue, Macleods E9, and it is hard, but not hard in the sense that i was expecting, it really is only one hard move. Alan and me both flashed up to the crux move and after that move the climbing is much more steady. The problem and difficulty come from the position you would be in on lead, facing one really hard move in a no fall zone...falling as Dave said is really not a option. The move however is quite basic (raw pulling on a small undercling..) and i'm praying that with a bit of specific training i might be able to confidently do the move every time without fail. In my opinion thats the only way this route should be climbed unless you are keen on 15 meter ground falls and the prospect of death. But thats just me, i'm rather keen on climbing other things after The Fugue an am not willing to try the route on lead if the move is in doubt.

Alan on lovebuzz E7 6b

Summer 09, part 6

Went back to Dumbuck today with Alan, finally got on Devisation Generation, which is Scotlands first 8c, curtesy of dave macleod. The climbing on it is really cool(not that i managed much of it!). However it seemed just about possible for me, if i'm willing to invest some time into it....i'll just add it to an ever growing summer tick list. I'll try and go back this weekend and give it another go and hopefully make some progress.

I also have been doing some stamina training in the hope of soon being ready to try some of my other projects around scotland. I've not really had a solid summer climbing here (having always been in europe or working full time over summer) an i have to admit that i'm really enjoying it!!!

Summer 09, part 5

Things seem to be going pretty well for me on the climbing front at the moment.....a cash flow crisis meaning i can't afford to be eating all that much, coupled with a lot of time out and about climbing on rock has put me in pretty good shape for climbing.

Today i managed to do pongo sitstart the original way with the pinch, it felt pretty easy when i did it and it was great to climbing something hardish without a battle. i do have to admit that i lied to everyone yesterday about having do do the crux with my feet off.....today when i did it (with newer shoes on!!!) my foot just about stayed on, maybe i'm not as short as you'd think......

After this i managed to do In Bloom as well and that felt easy to....i was even more happy with this because i have tried this loads and been close lots of times before.

Feeling like i was on a role i tried Wills new dyno, and was only an inch or so away...it could go as well!!

Summer 09, part 4

Jeans, Chris and me headed back out to dumbuck this afternoon and had a pretty good time, chris came really close to awaken and i managed to finish off, flesh for fantasy but struggled a fair bit...taking at least 4 goes today after getting so close to flashing it. It's really weird how much harder you can try when you want to flash something, i whish i could always try that hard!! i had ambitions of trying one of the harder lines today but after my mini epic i ran out of steam and we went back to the car.....

At this point i decided that dumby was a good evening option so went and had a boulder(something i haven't done in ages!!) I really suprised my self by almost doing pongo sitter the original way with the pinch. Being on the short side i have never got on that well with this problem but have realised recently that i can do the crux move to the flange off the pinch without my feet on...embracing this aproach i'm hopefull that it wont be long untill its done! Saying that problems at dumby never seem to go without a fight....................

Good weather is on its way so i'm keen to climb loads this week!

Summer 09, part 3

The weather has crapped out these last couple of days, so i have taken a few days off climbing to rest my elbow and skin. Instead i took advantage of my spare time and lauras to break in some new shoes............with champagne.(it was the only booze in the fridge!!!)

sore feet....the alcohol helps

I'm climbing tomorrow..............