we miss you Lynn. we miss you very much.

Getting closer to my climbing goals for 2008. The last two weekends I've been focused on climbs in the 20-22 range - building a solid 'pyramid' for my push to 24. Last Saturday in the Blue Mountains I red pointed (climbed clean on lead after rehearsing the moves) a 21 called 'Lady Grinning Soul' and followed that with a failed on sight of the 21 'Hang on to Yourself' (but i did manged a clean top rope of it - I'll red point it next time I'm there) Yesterday in Nowra I on sighted 'Beavis' (20) after warming up on 'Butt Head' just next to it - lol. Later I had a shot at on sighting the 22 'Murdoch the Horsef*r' - I fell trying to sort out the first moves off the top of the starting boulder... once i figured those out I did get to the top with one rest. The second attempt was captured on video above... have a watch if you're interested in my very vocal climbing style - someone once told me "if you're grunting you're breathing" and that's stuck with me...

finally! I know i've been a bad photoblogger but our 18 months house hunt was nearing an end. we finally have bought a house! We exchanged contracts today and will settle (aka 'close' as my american background keeps wanting to say) in mid July.



Woo Hoo!

i would so buy one

This past weekend I went climbing with the intention of climbing a grade 22 (5.11b) which would equal an old personal best which dates back to 1996 - I still have that goal of climbing a 24 by August and 22 is the next stepping stone.

Tim, Gaby and I stayed local on Sunday at a little crag in Narrabeen. There's a group of three 22s there that share a common start. After warming up on a couple of easy climbs Gaby and Tim wanted to do a traditional route called 'Common Origin' - this was when Jo arrived and I was like - perfect timing! Jo can belay me on one of the 22s called 'Show Us Your Ticks.'

Well the common start was definitely the crux! the on site attempt ended in a small and very safe fall (nice catch Jo! thank you!) and several (half dozen i suppose) attempts didn't get me much closer to the big holds above the very blank budging face. I eventually pulled up on gear to gain the second bolt and clip it. lowered back down the the crux and gave it another half dozen tries.... sigh. I actually said out loud "I don't think I can do this" pulled back up on the gear and climbed the rest of the route - which was, as it turned out, a very fun climb.

With the rope set up from the top, Jo wanted to give it a go. I was impressed as this climb is a couple grades harder than anything I've seen Jo attempt before but with the top rope, things are pretty safe so she did give it a go. And her method of doing the crux was totally different than mine. While she didn't get it to stick - I was like - OHHH THAT WILL WORK! After Jo was done I tried it again on top rope using Jo's sequence and it worked! woo hoo! so I lowered back down and rehearsed the crux a few more times and then did the whole thing on top rope and was like - I can do this on lead! I know it.

Soooo after a half hour rest. With Jo's trusty belay. The climb went clean. Again a well worked route, a plan that came together, a goal attained. Heaps of thanks to Jo Brothers as with out her I don't think I would have figured out that crux. Woo Hoo.

Two more steps to 24. Next couple of weekends after I get back from the States I plan to work routes in the 19-22 range and should attempt a 23 by the end of May. Right now, 24 by my 40th is feeling very, very possible.

And a big shout out to Tim who had his first grade 18 on sight. NICE!

The morning saw some pleasant climbing and a little bit of rope burn from small fall off the low crux moves of Blister in the Sun graded 17 (5.8). I did manage a clean assent and followed it up with three more clean routes while we worked our way from one end of the crag to the other. The Balrog was waiting.

Now I've mentioned 'on sight' climbing before - this is when you are able to climb a route with no falls or rests having never done it before and with no prior knowledge of the route (aka 'beta' or tips on how to do it.) You only ever have one chance at an 'on sight' and it is a goal I almost always go for. At grade 20 this would be one of my hardest on sights and from the ground, the route certainly looked good. It's 16 meters (52 ft) tall and 3 meters from from the top not far past the last bolt I fell. It was a clean fall - maybe three or four meters. I was bummed that I missed the on sight but was mostly worried if I could actually figure out the top section - i didn't see what to hold! I had a little rest - hanging off the rope and took a look to the right and saw something. I tried that, fell again. arg! it's frustrating but rock climbing is a sport where constant failure is part of the process. Well, i could see some holds now and had a plan. After a couple clean falls I was gaining confidence to push a little harder and I did. I got up a little further - reaching for a good pocket I lost my footing and took a whipper.

"Oh Shit" is apparently what I said. I don't remember exactly. It's hard to explain or understand just how fast 9.8m/sec/sec is when you are inches away from a rock face - it happens really really fast. As I had moved up a bit further there was more rope out - in all i fell about 6 meters (20 feet) - on my way down my knee hit the rock (bruised and scraped) - swinging a bit right to left my foot caught a small ledge which flipped me upside down (not good) and my helmet (yay helmet) hit the wall. Hanging upside down I did a quick inventory of all my parts and they were all still attached and moving so my next words were "Harness Fits!" (cuz I didn't fall out of it!) At this point i was probably most annoyed that I was now back down to the half way point of the whole bloody climb!

I was determined now. I was so so close - just needed to find better foot holds. My next attempt got me through the difficult section and safely clipped into the anchors. With the rope in the anchors I lowered down half way and then rehearsed the top moves again. This time, with knowledge of the holds and the moves I found the sequence far easier (still hard mind you but it didn't seem so impossible as it had at first) so Tim lowered me back to the deck and had a rest and received some first aid for the scraps on both legs (iodine hurts more than rock.) The worst injury is a rather sizable bruise to my right knee.

Next I followed Tim up a 12 (5.5) called Philosopher's Stone (way fun climb too.) Returning to The Balrog I was pleased to see it now completely in the shade and I was focused - I knew I could do it and to be honest I hardly remember climbing it - musta been in the zone. I do remember the top crux - there was a series of curse words from me - hey - this rock did bite me earlier. I won't soon forget clipping into those anchors. "Woo Hoo!"