From learning on nursery slopes on Monday, to attempting black moguls and off piste powder on Friday I don't think I have had quite so much fun on any other holiday.
I simply cannot wait to go back.
Since I returned on Saturday it seems to have been a bit of a whirlwind in my life.
I went to Portland on Saturday with Ed, and tried my hand at some of the longer routes there, which ended badly for the most part.
It appears that trying to do stamina routes after a week of snowboarding, and a day of being cramped up in a car is not the best way forward. Especially if you miss breakfast and fuel yourself with service station food.
Nevertheless, I tried to climb and did a 6a onsight lead, and tried a 6b but got rained and hailed upon before running out of ideas and steam. I then did a 6c on toprope after Ed tried his hardest to convince me it was a good idea, and I will confess, the route was excellent.
After that, we left and headed to cuttings so that I could give Liquid Sunshine a blast.
I sent a V6 in about 3/4 attempts using utterly broken and lanksome beta, and then got down to the business of being completely shut down by my intended target. I think being tired was a large factor in the failure, but I just felt completely clueless about the moves and not even close to putting it together. I shall have to get down there again for a decent session sometime in the near future.
After accepting failure we trekked back up to the new cuttings, and I sent Ed up my first ever 6c route outdoors. The Unworthy is a short route, with potential for a tasty lob from the last move due to a hidden final hold. Ed flashed it of course, and when I went up to clean the gear, it certainly felt a lot easier than it did when I first climbed it. Of course, that was about 3 years ago now, but it is still nice to see that sort of improvement in solid terms.
Monday was first day back at work, and by the afternoon I felt like curling up and dying from fun withdrawal symptoms. Instead, I got dragged into a squash match against a few of the teachers. Despite not having played for a good few years, I eked out a clean sweep of victories against all challengers. Unfortunately I am now a bit of a broken man from all that running and whatnot.
Tuesday was another fives session and a long day of preparing and cleaning practicals, before helping to adjudicate in the house climbing competition
Wednesday has been a long one too. I finished working at 3:15, then went down to the school wall.
I started by climbing all the problems in the competition and then working some of the new hard ones.
Sadly though, I was climbing awfully and didnt feel good at all.
I eventually left at about 7:30/8:00 after setting and testing a few new problems.
Basically, I need a rest if I am to have any intentions of putting in a showing at the Reach on Sunday.
However, even if I don't climb there, I am going to go to my first 'Barcraft' with a couple of friends in the afternoon! If you don't know what one is, Google it, repress your first thoughts (which are just close minded), and come experience it with me!
Gnight all.
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