Rolling Thunder
This has got multiple references today.....
1) The current state of my head after a night's drinking. Remember those sand-buckets (bottle of whiskey, red bull, and coke) I mentioned from the Full Moon party? Well, after heading out for a drink last night I decided to celebrate a little bit (more on this reference to Rolling Thunder in a bit) so The Three Amigos dug (me, Sean, Dawid) into one. Well, one became two, two became three...... It turns out that I can still kind of slackline with alcohol also, although it's pretty scary in runners on a wet line (again more on this in a bit)! Anyway, as the night progressed, the crowd dropped in size till it was only small part of Team Ireland (as we're collectively known around these parts) holding up the bar, maybe 5 of the Irish. Anyway some of the other teams had arrived in for a drink also.
After a highly entertaining chat, myself and Tim (of Tim Emmett fame - he's here doing loads of basejumping - I'll explain who he is at the bottom of this posting) ended up drinking one of the buckets. In one go. Through straws. This as it turns out is a bad idea :) I should clarify that this was his idea also!
I made it home in one piece after a lonnnnggggg night.I've never woken up drunk before....... As part of this, I decided to test the old trick of a cure in the morning. Nope, doesn't work :) Anyway, there's a major storm brewing in my head today, thankfully it's a rest day today.......
2) The actual weather.
It actually rained yesterday. Proper rain. We haven't seen clouds in over two weeks, and then the thunder rolled in (see my Rolling Thunder reference? :). Thankfully it was just the end of the day so we were just leaving the crag after a long day climbing. When it rains it pours here, crazy amount of water. Anyway, that's how the slackline got so wet, seriously dodgy and seriously stretchy which meant for some spectacular ejections from various people as they attempted the line last night.
3) The route 'Rolling Thunder'
After two days of climbing, I was having a weird day.
I'd fallen off the second-last hold of my current primary project (Phaet Maek - 7c+) on that stupid reachy move that only affects people of 5'10" and below (i.e. me) the morning before.
As I prepared to try it again on the second day (I can only try it once or twice a day as the moves are pretty tough), a Russian came over and climbed it also. Barefooted. As his warmup. sniff sniff. It didn't really put me in a good frame of mind so I didn't give it a decent attempt so there'll be another go tomorrow...... By the way, the Russian guy then went and climbed his own personal project, an 8b, straight after. You guessed it: barefooted!!!!! Amazing and truly humbling to watch. Turns out there's a load of World Cup climbers here at the moment.....
So, after that (and a few other routes), I'd a quick go on one of the classic 7b+'s here. Usually, I don't have any problems on these (well, relatively few). This line was seriously polished, and I got completely beaten down on it. Felt like the hardest route I'd tried here?!?!?
So, as the day continuously lived up to what I would currently call a Bad Day at the Office, I ended up at Generator Wall (yes, there's a diesel generator right beside the climbing area....). Ryan, my partner for the day wanted to try this route, Rolling Thunder, so I said I'd have a go. Anyway, with some prior information, I tip-toed up the lower wall (I'd to use loads of footholds - 3mm edges - as handholds as I couldn't reach between the good holds), and up to the good rest on the edge of the roof.
Took a brief break, then pulled up into the crux. I'll try write this again like a description. Route is about 5/10 degrees overhanging.
Small vertical a knuckle finger edge.
Big move for me to a sloper.
It's crap but enough to balance on before throwing the same hand to another sloper. Slightly better, I can live with it.
Re-adjust feet and swing other hand from low to a vertical sloper.
It's appalling, I wouldn't even call it a hold. Anyway, I've been told that it's crap so I'm expecting it.
Pull feet up to one decent edge and one flat piece of wall and..........a complete full-off dyno (that's a jump for the non-climbers :). Everything off the wall, and latch the huge hold about a metre and a half above. What an outrageous move.
Re-adjust, clip a bolt, and finish the route.
the reason I'm explaining this route specifically? Cause of it's grade.....
7c+
Flash (that means I knew how to climb the sequence of the hardest section, but got it completely clean on my first go without practise).
Maybe it's a Slightly Better Day at the Office :) And hence the partying last night!
Actually, I'm just going to write that again. 7c+. Flash. Hopefully I can get some confidence from it now, and use it for some harder climbs.......
1) The current state of my head after a night's drinking. Remember those sand-buckets (bottle of whiskey, red bull, and coke) I mentioned from the Full Moon party? Well, after heading out for a drink last night I decided to celebrate a little bit (more on this reference to Rolling Thunder in a bit) so The Three Amigos dug (me, Sean, Dawid) into one. Well, one became two, two became three...... It turns out that I can still kind of slackline with alcohol also, although it's pretty scary in runners on a wet line (again more on this in a bit)! Anyway, as the night progressed, the crowd dropped in size till it was only small part of Team Ireland (as we're collectively known around these parts) holding up the bar, maybe 5 of the Irish. Anyway some of the other teams had arrived in for a drink also.
After a highly entertaining chat, myself and Tim (of Tim Emmett fame - he's here doing loads of basejumping - I'll explain who he is at the bottom of this posting) ended up drinking one of the buckets. In one go. Through straws. This as it turns out is a bad idea :) I should clarify that this was his idea also!
I made it home in one piece after a lonnnnggggg night.I've never woken up drunk before....... As part of this, I decided to test the old trick of a cure in the morning. Nope, doesn't work :) Anyway, there's a major storm brewing in my head today, thankfully it's a rest day today.......
2) The actual weather.
It actually rained yesterday. Proper rain. We haven't seen clouds in over two weeks, and then the thunder rolled in (see my Rolling Thunder reference? :). Thankfully it was just the end of the day so we were just leaving the crag after a long day climbing. When it rains it pours here, crazy amount of water. Anyway, that's how the slackline got so wet, seriously dodgy and seriously stretchy which meant for some spectacular ejections from various people as they attempted the line last night.
3) The route 'Rolling Thunder'
After two days of climbing, I was having a weird day.
I'd fallen off the second-last hold of my current primary project (Phaet Maek - 7c+) on that stupid reachy move that only affects people of 5'10" and below (i.e. me) the morning before.
As I prepared to try it again on the second day (I can only try it once or twice a day as the moves are pretty tough), a Russian came over and climbed it also. Barefooted. As his warmup. sniff sniff. It didn't really put me in a good frame of mind so I didn't give it a decent attempt so there'll be another go tomorrow...... By the way, the Russian guy then went and climbed his own personal project, an 8b, straight after. You guessed it: barefooted!!!!! Amazing and truly humbling to watch. Turns out there's a load of World Cup climbers here at the moment.....
So, after that (and a few other routes), I'd a quick go on one of the classic 7b+'s here. Usually, I don't have any problems on these (well, relatively few). This line was seriously polished, and I got completely beaten down on it. Felt like the hardest route I'd tried here?!?!?
So, as the day continuously lived up to what I would currently call a Bad Day at the Office, I ended up at Generator Wall (yes, there's a diesel generator right beside the climbing area....). Ryan, my partner for the day wanted to try this route, Rolling Thunder, so I said I'd have a go. Anyway, with some prior information, I tip-toed up the lower wall (I'd to use loads of footholds - 3mm edges - as handholds as I couldn't reach between the good holds), and up to the good rest on the edge of the roof.
Took a brief break, then pulled up into the crux. I'll try write this again like a description. Route is about 5/10 degrees overhanging.
Small vertical a knuckle finger edge.
Big move for me to a sloper.
It's crap but enough to balance on before throwing the same hand to another sloper. Slightly better, I can live with it.
Re-adjust feet and swing other hand from low to a vertical sloper.
It's appalling, I wouldn't even call it a hold. Anyway, I've been told that it's crap so I'm expecting it.
Pull feet up to one decent edge and one flat piece of wall and..........a complete full-off dyno (that's a jump for the non-climbers :). Everything off the wall, and latch the huge hold about a metre and a half above. What an outrageous move.
Re-adjust, clip a bolt, and finish the route.
the reason I'm explaining this route specifically? Cause of it's grade.....
7c+
Flash (that means I knew how to climb the sequence of the hardest section, but got it completely clean on my first go without practise).
Maybe it's a Slightly Better Day at the Office :) And hence the partying last night!
Actually, I'm just going to write that again. 7c+. Flash. Hopefully I can get some confidence from it now, and use it for some harder climbs.......
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