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Catch up
19 April 2011, 6:35 pm

Dry days- 65

Days of rain- 43

The Doc and I went up to Glen Shiel on Friday for two nights in the Cluanie Inn.  On Saturday we had a wander up some Munros, planning to do Carn Ghluasaid, Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Sail Chaorain.  The MWIS forecast looked good, but in the event the cloud was down at 750m and it was cold and windy.  After the first two Munros we decided to forget about Sail Chaorain and headed back to the pub.  A bit awkward as I am now left with an awkward to access hill for the future.  Fun day out anyway.

Monday I had an hour in the evening, so headed back to Cadshaw.  The local population of Mosquitos met me at the Red Wall, and it felt a little greasy.  The sitter to Rivers of Blood defeated me completely, the left hand crack hold making my finger go numb.  I had a look at the Ginnster's project arete thing adn made some progress. I discovered that the high "edge" wasn't at all a hold, so the top is going to be hard.  Really, it needs a ladder taking in for inspection/ cleaning.  I think I will be heading back on Thursday with the Ginnster.

On a seperate note, the BeardyBeast has apparently left his laptop and camcorder at home.  That may restrict his Font video making.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[Jaspersharpe]

On a seperate note, the BeardyBeast has apparently left his laptop and camcorder at home.  That may restrict his Font video making.

Oh yeah? Hope he remembered his Spanish spotter and his bike.

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Lime weather
20 April 2011, 7:42 pm

Dry days- 61

Days of rain- 43

It has been hot today.  Very hot.  I hope it ain't this hot for the BeardyBeast in Bleau.

I headed to Fairy Steps today, hoping the sun would be diluted through the trees.  First off I headed over to Democracy, a problem I've never tried.  I warmed up by working it bit by bit and managed every move in control, nicely static.  So then I had a crack at the link.  I was surprised to do it first go, although the calm and control had gone and it was all a bit slappy.  After this I did Cultural Elite Sign Up Sheet, then headed back for a crack at Aeon Dyno.

Three guys were at the Aeon Buttress on the way back so I left it and headed up to Walk Away.  I did Intellect stand, then had a look at The Second Coming and the 7a+ wall to the right.  As usual I failed on both.  By this time it was super hot, my skin was sore and I had run out of drink so I headed home.  Rematch in due course.

from GCW on Vimeo.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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Twist
21 April 2011, 8:05 pm

Dry days- 62

Days of rain- 43

I headed back to Cadshaw with the Pasty Lord tonight.  I met him at the Red Wall where he was having a go at Brian Jacques.  I had a few goes at the Arete Project, feeling more static on it.  I think this will go, but it's hard to know which bit of the break (read "non hold") to slap for.

After this I tried my sitter into RoB, and was surprised to get the RH crimp properly, and turn it into a 4 finger crimped grip.  I had a fair crack at then holding the left hand of the stand up starting holds, so I know I can do this, although it feels hard.

Then we opted to have a look at , one of Olly Mueller's problems from ages ago.  The Ginnster did it in a couple of tries using the back step method.  I flashed it using the Lanky method.  No surprises there.  

We headed to have a look at the other wall mentioned in the old SLB guide as a project, across the river and up a slippery slope of death.  There's an interesting flake line, reminiscent of a mirrored Hacker.  It had a wasp nest in it that I got rid of, only for the solitary occupant to hang around buzzing angrily.  We had a play on this, feels quite hard but it's quite dirty, then headed home via a much easier method that didn't involve death.

Progress made, and I'm pretty keen to get back and finish my project.  Or should I say projects.

from GCW on Vimeo.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[andy_e]

I forgot about those Cadshaw problems...

[andy popp]

I forgot about those Cadshaw problems...

I'm not surprised.

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A New Nemesis
27 April 2011, 7:01 pm

Dry days- 68

Days of rain- 43

It was hot today, and I wasn't sure if I'd be getting out.  My left index finger is still raw from Second Coming, so I was trying to think of places with slopers and Shuck's Lair popped into mind.  I went here once with BeardyBeast a while ago and wasn't impressed but I thought I'd give it another go.  The Doc was at a loose end so she tagged along.

The new approach is much better than the original, and we got ther easily enough.  It was in direct sun and pretty hot and sweaty.  As a lot of the starts seem to involve a campus move it wasn't long before we moved on to the Fairy Steps.  I had a look at the Taliesin area, which I've never been to before.  The sitter for the V4 crack was worth a look.  Initially I was getting nowhere on the sit start, although the stand start was steady away.  After a while I got all but the first move sussed and fairly solid.  Eventually I managed the first move.  

The link was elusive today, I got through the hard moves a few times only to botch a fairly easy, but quite powerful move, that transitions into the stand start.  I was very annoyed, had reopened my split finger and had run out of time.  So that's another to add to the to-do list.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[GCW]

Any reason some of the Blog Posts don't appear on here?

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Fairy Steps Wedding
29 April 2011, 4:06 pm

Dry days- 70

Days of rain- 43

The run of dry weather continues!  I just hope this isn't our quota for the year.  And today was William and Katherine's right Royal Wedding, so us plebs got an extra day off work.

And what better way to spend it than flailing around on the sitstart that beat me 2 days ago?  There was less pressure of time today, so I got to rest properly.  However, the first move was eluding me.  In fact the second move was too.  After a lot of failure, and many many oaths, I was getting really angry.  But it made no difference.  After many tries I was finally getting the first move done, it's very body position dependant.  Then I was consistent on the second move- falling off every time.

Eventually I realised I could put my right foot on a crap dink which helped get the body position right for the cross over.  And then in the end I managed to link it.  Thank goodness for that, pain in the arse that it is.

After this I was wrecked, so I did Et Tu Brute which is an enjoyable traverse and then drove back home to recuperate, and grow some skin.  I'm quite keen to get on Intellect SDS but I'm not sure of the approved Johnny G rules.



Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[robertostallioni]

Red Wine diet looks like its working, G. 

[GCW]

Vin blanc, mon cher.

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Esoterica
1 May 2011, 9:37 pm

Dry days- 72

Days of rain- 43

A day at Fairy Steps.  The Trick and beyond!

Greg's guide mentions a couple of things of V6 and above beyond The Trick.  I explored a bit, eventually finding the V6 wall.  This ended up being a really hard pull on, then a slap for the top.  it took a while to get the move sussed but then it was dans le sac.

I then did the rib to the left, although I didn't top out as there was a big loose block.

Then back to The Trick, and the sitter.  After trying to do The Trick via my original sequence:

from GCW on Vimeo.

I suddenly found a Trick involving a left foot lock.  After a bit I managed to link from the sitter, albeit via a not--as-eliminate as before sequence.

This weather is pretty mad, almost 4 weeks of sun and dry weather.  Time to get on the projects....................................



Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[GCW]

Not sure why that didnt embed.

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YYFY
4 May 2011, 7:46 pm

Dry days- 75

Days of rain- 43

This afternoon I had a couple of hours free, and as the forecast suggests rain soon I opted to look at Cadshaw again.

On the way over the fire of Anglezarke Moor was evident, having spread across to Wheelton Moor over as far as the A675.  Quite a decent burn area, reinforced by the number of fire engines around.

Red Wall wsa in pretty decent nick.  I spent a while trying the various moves on the Red Wall, before getting sucked into my project.  After a lot of trying I managed to link from the LH crack and RH sidepull to the finish of the stand up of Rivers Of Blood (that nobody else can do as they can't reach the starting holds?!?).

After a lot more trying I finally did the project.  It felt super hard, I'll suggest 7b+, but also very morpho (my solution involved a dynamic slap at full stretch for me) and condition dependant.  Really really pleased though, it's a cool problem.

So there was the little matter of the Rick's Arete project.  Shit, this is also pretty tough.  And as my skin was trashed and ROB had given me a flapper, I left it for another day- and headed home happy.  And psyched for more.  YYFY.

from GCW on Vimeo.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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The Weather Breaks
5 May 2011, 7:37 pm

Dry days- 75

Days of rain- 50

Today it rained- I am really pleased to have got Rivers of Blood done yesterday.

As it was raining I thought I'd go for a run, especially as I have the Manchester 10k in 2 weeks or so and I haven't run since November.  I did the local circuit after work, 4.83km in 23:50 (12.2kmh) in the rain.  It felt OK, but I could do with doing some longer runs to get stamina back.

Whilst running it occurred to me that I could link the sitter of RoB into my 6b Jump Arete- I reckon this would be a notch harder than RoB SDS.  But the rain needs top bugger off first.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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Crap Indoors As Usual
7 May 2011, 4:36 pm

Dry days- 75

Days of rain- 52

I had an hour at Wet Poo today, before an afternoon at work.  I felt battered actually, dragging myself up lots of V4/5 things and getting close to a few V6s.  Fingers are quite sore too.

The fact the last few days have been wet means Red Wall will be out for a bit, projects will have to wait for a bit.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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Bugger
8 May 2011, 8:44 am

Either the wall or my recent return to running has annoyed my left knee.  It's never been right since Magic Bus and the last time I started training for a 10k it flared up.  I thought last time it was  a meniscal pathology, and the fact it settled down meant I'd left it alone.  I'll have to see what it does long term, but it has pissed me off somewhat.

So the question this week is this:  do I go running again to train for the Manc Run, risking annoying it more?  Or rest it until the run itself, relying on basic fitness to muddle through.  The was it is today I'm thinking the latter.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[mrjonathanr]

So the question this week is this:  do I go running again to train for the Manc Run, risking annoying it more?  Or rest it until the run itself

The latter, surely?

[GCW]

That's what I'm opting for, along with 3 square meals a day of ibuprofen.

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Manchester 10k
15 May 2011, 5:09 pm

Dry days- 75

Days of rain- 60

Blob 2 had her super exciting mega fun birthday party yesterday, so we all had sugar and E-number fuelled kids to deal with.  More excitement when BeardyBeast needed a jump start due to forgetfulness.  My knee has been pretty bad recently and I wasn't even sure if I was going to do the Manchester 10k.

I was taking the Doc to Manchestah anyway as she was doing the race, so I decided to give it a go.  It was cold and rainy today, not ideal but at least it was cooler than it has been for sometime.  I ended up doing the run, taking a rucksack full of coats along the way.  Other than the bad knee I felt pretty decent, although by no means was I pushing it.  I managed to get around OK, my stopwatch said 56:14 but the electronic chip time will be out soon.

I've been thinking about doing the Morecambe Bay half marathon- after today I'm even more keen, looks like a really interesting day out. In fact, I may go and register right now.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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A transition from doubt
17 May 2011, 8:03 pm

Dry days- 75

Days of rain- 62

After I registered for the Morecambe Cross Bay Challenge in a fit of success and wine, I woke yesterday to the realisation that 13.1 miles across wet sand and rivers may not be that easy.  I wondered to myself if this was a bridge too far, a thought that sat in my mind all of yesterday.

I finished at a reasonable time today, so I put on my shoes and went for a run in the drizzle.  I had a vague idea of where I was going but no real plans and no idea of distance.  I wanted to see how far I could go, so I set off at rest pace and just kept going.

Somewhere around a mile from home my legs were going, but I made it back OK.  After checking distances online I have managed to do 10.8 miles, in 1:54:45 (although that includes time spent waiting at crossings etc) which gives an average of 9.1kmh- certainly not fast but I know I can do a half marathon now and if I kept up that pace it would be in 2 hours 20 minutes, although I am under no illusions that the Cross Bay Challenge will be tough and no place for a PB.

Tired now, but quite pleased.  Need a bit more prep before the day, and it should be OK.

Pissed off with the weather though, totally shite.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

[comPiler]

Remind me in future......
19 May 2011, 9:15 pm

Dry days- 77

Days of rain- 62

Earl Crag.  The hardest thing I've done there is the John Dunne Slap, it always kicks may arse.  I just don't get on with the place- it destroys my skin and kicks my arse every time.

Anyway, today I had some free time.  I wanted to head to Silverdale really, but it's been so wet recently I thought it would be wet.  Earl it was.  First off I had a look at Jim Purchon's 7b under the monument, and got pretty close to getting the hold you leap for.  But the left hand hold has a pebble, and it wasn't friendly so I sacked that off.  I failed to make any progress on Handy Andy's, desperate.  I had a look at Andy Brown's Wall, getting the sidepull quite easily but then getting spat off from the last move.  I was OK moving feet about to get set up, but on one try my right hand slipped off and I ripped a fingernail off- message received, move on.

I looked at the Gimp/ the Flakes / Lager Lager Lager, but by then the spirit was broken and after half heartedly  pulling on to these problems, I admitted defeat.  

Ilkley- another place I don't get on with.  in fact most of ghe visits have been after running from Earl with tail-between-legs.  Ringpiece kicked my ass, the move I could do before defeated me- partly due to tired legs, the 11 mile run has obviously had some effect.   I then went and looked at Chairiots of Fire Eliminate, doing all the moves steadily. This could be a good one to try, but I'm shite at stamina so it coiuld be a bit of a seige.

So if I suggest an Earl visit, please remind me of all this........

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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Accurate Weather Forecast?
22 May 2011, 1:32 pm

Dry days- 77

Days of rain- 65

The forecasts said rain overnight, then today would be dry.  After liaising with BeardyBeast we opted to have a look at Ilkley.  It was sunny, but very windy when we arrived.  We had a look at Chariots of Fire Eliminate again, although I'd totally forgotten my sequence and had to start again.  After some time I did all the moves again, but it's still going to be a bugger for me to link.

BeardyBeast had 2 burns, falling on the last little bit.  Then came the rain.  We bailed and wandered over to Ron's Traverse, neither of us having looked at it.  The rain stopped long enough to have a quick go, but then returned with a veangance and didn't go.  We retired to the car to sip hot drinks from the cafe.

As an aside, there's been more chipping going on.  Photos clickable for full size image.

"Hannah, James, Lauren, Faith, Jasper" on the Chariots of Fire Buttress- this has appeared in the last 72 hours.

"Here resting Susan Brown RIP" just left of Chariots Buttress.

"L. Copley" at the bottom of First Arete



Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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More Running
24 May 2011, 7:20 pm

Dry days- 78

Days of rain- 66

The weather has been very variable- sun, wind rain.  I was half thinking about about going out tonight, but wasn't convinced anything would be dry.  As it was clear asnd sunny when I got home, it just felt wrong to go indoors to some hot sweaty chalk filled wall.

I decided to go for a run, especially as it's less than 9 weeks until the cross bay challenge.  I did a shorter version of my last route and covered 12.2km in 1 hour 15 mins 50 seconds, pretty much 9.6kmh.  I feel pretty good after it which is a nice change.  I am still looking forward to this Cross Bay half marathon, but then if that goes OK then there's always longer runs.  But that's a dangerous thought, marathons and all that.  I will put that line of thought to one side for now.

I need to get bouldering again, still aims to acheive and 7C seems more elusive than ever.  But let's stay positive and psyched, and belief will no doubt help move me in the right direction.  A big up to The Coolboy for his recent 7B+ sends, effort!!

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter

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Bad knees
26 May 2011, 7:59 pm

Dry days- 78

Days of rain- 68

Crap weather continues!

I headedto West View after work.  Schoolboy error- forgot drink and chalkbag.  Luckily Nike Air was there, so after a brief chat (he had customers) he wangled me a chalk bag from lost property (thanks J) and I got down to work.

Basically I was shite.  I failed to do the V6 that I failed on last time, doing the crux a few times before cocking it up.  To add insult to injury my right foot popped off on one occasion sending my right knee into high speed impact with a hold.  Ouch.

After this I did a few more V5s and below, then did all the moves on a V7 but ended up with sore skin.  After 2 hours I left and headed home for a cold beer.

Source: Wafflings of a Lanky Punter