Inter Semester Break Funtimes.

So now that the exams are over I have finally had time to get some stuff done. Certainly been a long time since the last post but hopefully this one will be worth it.

After my final exam I headed off to Derby with Mungo and Anthony, met Aaron and did a final shop for the next few days of gritty pebble wrestling.

On Saturday we went out to the Plantation to try a few problems that I had read about and tried before.
After running up the hill we warmed up by traversing on the Deliverance boulder and then moved over to problem number one - Green Traverse.




Aaron on the first few moves.


I let Anthony and Aaron work out some beta and then sent it second attempt which was neat, I guess it was just my type of problem with a few decent feet and some strong moves on holds with good friction.


Anthony crimping hard.

While we were working GT I spotted the Potokars who came over and completely destroyed it before heading off to have a play on Brad Pit

You can see the ascent at the end of this video...très impressive.



Once they came back over we wandered round the corner to deliverance and sent I managed to remember the moves well enough to do it in 3/4 attempts using the POWER OF GRAYSKULL!



Aaron and Mungo then disappeared off to do some trad and myself and Anthony had a play on The Storm which felt pretty tough but possibly doable at some point, just an incredibly long rock over to a sloper.
After we realised that this was not about to happen I went back to Not to be Taken away and took a chunk out of both my finger and my ankle in the pursuit of the ascent.



Shortly afterwards we found ourselves in a nice pub eating some dinner before shivering ourselves to sleep in Mungo's house in Derby.

Saturday was spent at Froggatt.
I had my first proper tradding experiences on Three Pebble Slab and Strapiombante which both left me feeling very cold and unimpressed by the prospect of doing any more.


Traddy Bullshit

Fortunately a uni group was also there and they stuck a top rope up on Downhill Racer which I was able to hop on. I had previously seen Johnny Dawes do this one handed at his lecture the week before which was impressive in itself, however, once I got on the route you can tell just how incredible that achievement was. I flashed the route and can definitely recommend people to get on it if they get the chance. I would like to try it a few more times before I would even think about doing it solo.

On the last day we went to Black rocks and stood in awe of Gaia, Meshuga and Angel's share before overcoming this stunned awe and doing a couple of 7a problems and having a look at an E3 6a called Golden Days.


Checking the gear

I abbed down and checked out the right gear placements and then made a flash/onsight (no idea what to call it since I didnt try any moves...) attempt and succeeded after dicking about at the top for a fair while.
Aaron got some footage of the ascent so I'm sure that once he puts together a video I will stick it on here.
Either way E3 tick is (to my knowledge) the hardest done by any current BUMC member so that leaves me happier. I do make the concession that I still dont have a freaking clue what to do with any gear... although I am marginally better than I was.

While Mungo and Aaron disappeared off to trad it again we had a play and found a chockstone which prompted this lovely picture.


Aron Ralston eat your heart out.

Finally we went home and the very next day I had a lead climbing comp in UCR.
I may write a better post on it at some point but right now I am bored of writing. Suffice it to say that I won and got some shiny new BD quickdraws for my troubles.

Finally - My favourite picture from the trip, at the end of the third day on the rock.



Cheerios all.

Ticklist for the weekend

Climb name Grade
Golden Days E3 6a Flash
Harold V6 (6b) First attempt after it was actually clean
Hat Trick font 7a Took quite a while
Trackside font 7a Flash
Strapiombante E1 5b Lame climb, too easy with a semi dangerous finish. What is the point?
Three Pebble Slab E1 5a Same problem at Strapiombante
Downhill Racer E4 6a Flash on toprope - Awesome route.
Strawberries font 6b First session on it, nice climb.
Deliverance font 7b+ Repeat in a few attempts
The Green Traverse font 7a Second attempt.
Not to be Taken Away font 6c One vaguely hard move followed by jugs...not sure I see the attraction...