A World of Opportunity!7 January 2011, 5:56 pmAfter saying in my last post that i wanted to knuckle down and tick something hard i'm not so sure now. I had been thinking about some new routes that i wanted to try and today i've been on a mission with Tony all over the shop looking at untouched white limestone. One of the reasons i like North Wales is that it isn't completely climbed out like most the English sport crags and there are still whole crags with nothing on them. Found this cool Frankenjura style bouldering cave with a handful of problems:Theres also a meaty crag nearby with some big roofs so keen to check that out too. Then we headed down another valley full of crags and found some good stuff including some very hard looking sport climbs. All i need now is for some expansion bolt company to sponsor me!At least i've got plenty of reasons to start again.Source: Doylo's blog
Here we go16 January 2011, 11:44 pmI might start having a couple of months off every year to rest the body and mind. Its certainly been beneficial in getting my mojo back recently.Source: Doylo's blog
How much mental and physical effort did you need to complete that route?Far too much. It was extremely frustrating actually. I trained quite specifically over the winter and when i got back on the route at the beginning of '96 i was pleasantly surprised. I had gained enough power to do all the moves comfortably, making me think it was going to be a fairly straightforward process exercise to get it completed. I was hoping to get it done before the arrival of the hot weather, giving me time to concentrate on my preparation for the competitions. I kept going to Pen Trwyn and getting so close, then it all started going backwards. I ended up leaving it for quite a long time while the weather was hot. Mentally it was very annoying. I constantly wanted to get down there when the conditions would be right. There was a problem of not knowing when the next good day would be, whether to rest or do some training. It was driving me mad. When i eventually did it, i wasn't massively over the moon. It was more of a case of 'bloody hell thank god'. Just a total relief.
Ormesman of the Week: Colin Goodey - The Original27 February 2011, 11:13 amColin Goodey is the original Ormesman. He started the ball rolling and was the first man to venture onto the Orme with climbing in mind. In 1947 at the age of 11 Colin and his brother started bouldering and top roping on some small crags at West Shore. Colin lived close to the Orme and transport and finances meant that getting to Snowdonia was very inconvenient. In the Summer of 1950 Colin led the first route on the orme with a single 100 foot length of manilla rope and nailed boots. The route was Pigeon's Chimney VD on the Toll Gate Crags. Colin rates the best new route of those early days as Colin's Groove VS which was put up in August 1952. By 1956 Colin and friends had motorcycles and so extended their climbing to Snowdonia. They returned in 1958 to practise their pegging for a trip to the Dolomites. By 1960 they were pegging across the huge roof at Elephants Cave. Colin also discovered Craig-y-Forwen and Castle Inn Quarry. Colin is in his 70s now but is just as active today. He has developed quite a few new routes on the slate and Tony even caught him sniffing around a new venue on the Orme the other day. Once an Ormesman always an Ormesman!Colin with the old king:Source: Doylo's blog