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Surf rat
7 October 2010, 8:23 am

After we went to Islay I had a weekend at home, then I went off down to Bracknell to go on a course. This was frustrating, because through no more serious effort than following the Twyford plan (i.e. not eating bread), I was down to a svelte 11st3lbs, and climbing well. I'd not tried to get my weight down, but I had been just avoiding bread which does seem to work. So, i'm all light and strong and everything, then I toddle off down to a hotel and undo this good fortune with lard. Ah well, easy come easy go I suppose.

Breakfast in the hotel was £16!!! I know I'm not paying, but £16!! so I felt I had to make the most of it and piled my plate high with various cooked meat products. I love breakfast, its probably one of my favourite meals, but starting the day feeling so full you might be a bit sick is perhaps taking things to excess.

Courses provide lunch. Which is usually congealed egg mayonaise sandwiches and/or sausage rolls. Deathy. This course laid on a full cooked dinner! So lunch was bad as well. Then of course, because I was staying in a hotel, I couldnt cook or anything, and Tea was deathy as well. I basically had three full cooked dinners every day for a week! Like I say, easy on, easy off (hopefully).

Made it to Craggy island on the Wednesday evening and had fun (and pizza). The bouldering is quite a small area, but the setting was good, and unlike before - not everyone was a punter, which was disappointing. I visit these southern climbing walls under two guises, firstly to go climbing, and secondly because you quite often do everything, burn everyone off and get to feel like a hero for all of ten minutes.

The course finished at 1400 on friday, and I drove home. This mundane detail is going somewhere, I promise. I get home at 1800. Its poured with rain the whole way. I unpack the car, throwing my stuff in the porch of our house, and I bundle my wetsuit, board and a sleeping bag back in the boot. I dont even bother with a change of clothes - am going to be living like a rat in the car - i won't need them! The Wifelet is wedged in the passenger seat and at 1930 we set off again. Phew. This time our destination is Bristol. In spite of surface water we make it there for just before 2300 and have a couple of beers. Get to bed at 0100.

She's staying in Brizzle with her friend Frankie. My alarm beep beeps all too early (0600), and I roll out of bed, back into last nights clothes and the car. Which rolls off down the motorway to Devon. Its ten to eight when I am suited up, trotting across the sand with a lump of fibreglass under my arm.

I'd just like to briefly visit the excitement as I crested the hill before Woollacoombe and caught sight of the ocean for the first time that day. Clear long lines stacked back across the surface of the water - it looked so clean! I could barely keep my right foot off the accelerator as I dropped into the town. I wouldnt say it looked huge, but it did look clean.

How wrong I was. The time now said it was 0930, which meant I had been trying to get out for an hour and a half. All I had so far managed was a number of near death experiences and to drink a lot of sea water. At one point I was level with someone riding in, about 20 metres to my right, and as the surfer turned in at the bottom of the wave, he was completely stood up, looking back UP towards the peak, which was at least 2ft over head. Basically, it was bigger and harder than I have ever been out in.

A combination of amateur duck dives and paddling like my life depended on it (felt like it did at times) got me out back. Set after set rolled by whilst I tried to recover. My arms and shoulders felt anhiliated. Finally my time came, and I took my chance... Glancing over my shoulder as I paddled frantically I could feel the water hefting me up, and then I was pitching, no, shooting towards the trough, I was too far forward and had I tried to pop I would have gone in head first and gotten slapped down, which I knew, so I stayed put and shot beachwards at what felt like light speed. But now I had to get back out again.

The problem is, I cant duck that board, so you just have to take everything on the head. Quit at 1130 and went for food. Bought the papers, had a snooze, got back in at Putsborough in the afternoon. This was much better. It was smaller and the tide was on the way in. Easier to get out, and got some good rides.

Slept in the car that night, and got in again at 0800 the next morning. It was good until 0900, and I thought I was really learning, then the wind started and I sacked it home. Well, to Brizzle, then to home. Pooped

Source: The Blog of Dob

[SA Chris]

 

the ease of climbing so appealing, compares to surfing which is to struggle, but so fleetingly incredible.

Very true Dob.

[Falling Down]

I think Dobbin's hard climbing career is well and truly over for the next ten years. 

[Nibile]

climbing is about power to me, getting the thing done no matter how.
surfing is about style and grace. that's why I hate when surfers try to snatch half manouvers just for the sake of it.

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Prison Bloc
12 October 2010, 7:27 am



There is something menacing about the tower which stands over Strangeways. Like an Orwellian overseer, its gaze unflinching, never sleeping - the all seeing eye forgetting nothing... I'm getting carried away, Its just a structure of bricks and mortar after all. But these thoughts fluttered around as I walked back from the station holding my coffee. It was 0830 on Saturday morning, and I was waiting for Rockover climbing (herethereafter referred to as Prison Bloc) to open its doors. Which was, in itself, a shame. Nice day saturday turned out to be, but Jordan had invited me to be part of their team, and I couldn't let him down.

Officially, I have retired from comps, dismissing them as 'for kids'. Thing is, I thought the chances of loads of good people going to this one would be smaller, and that I might do well, and there's nothing like the promise of glory to reawaken ones interest. Barrans and Johnny P were the obvious ones I wasn't going to beat, but beyond that, things looked hopeful. Jordan and I surveyed the task ahead. Everything looked quite hard - where were the giveaways? got chatting to Cassidy - he's going to quit climbing walls and start converting vans for a living. And, pointed out the easy ones. Which looked dropable.

Climbing started, and we flashed our way through the back corridor. People were actually falling off some of these problems, so already it was unlikely I was going to be last (yes! get in!). Quallies require more strategy than may first appear obvious. Don't completely warm up, as some of the easier problems should continue your preparation. You need to go round and identify the hard ones before you do anything. Work out which ones arent going to get climbed by anyone - and which ones you think you can do. Look also for those with conditions dependant holds on, and get these done early. What you need to work out is what standard everyone else is at, and what you will need to do to get in the final.

Say what you want about Gaz Parry (he looks like David Dickenson and eats Pork pies) but he is a savvy competitor. Watch him in comps and he races round picking off the problems, finishing early and leaving a longer rest. He is also a very good climber, so he doesnt make mistakes, and those "shouldnt fall off" difficulty ones? well, he doesn't fall off. Which is the central reasoning behind my not doing comps anymore. I spend the following three or four days frustrated and kicking myself about my silly mistakes. I climbed well, but as always, there were errors. For instance, there was one problem where I set off when someone else was in the way. I thought they would be out of the way in time, but they started fannying around and I greased off whilst waiting. Error.

I say I could have done better, and that I was/am frustrated, but I was knackered when climbing finished, so i must have been trying hard. Mixed feelings as they announced the results. I was tired and didnt know if i could climb again, I was partly frustrated to have missed the proper final by one point, but mainly proud to have gotten through to something. Although, as Folog charitably pointed out - there are no 'names' in the list below me. (Effort to Rich Sharpe!)

Finals are an interesting showcase of ones ability to perform under pressure. I dont have it. Totally misread the problem and failed early which will have cost me places. Jordan on the other hand, he went up as a result of both being good at showing off, and having better fitness (and being a better climber). Naomi also made the finals and looked to be climbing really well. Predictably, the unstoppable machine which is Barrans won. Second, comping's nicest man Jonny P.

Finally, a word about Shauna. Amazing. She won the lady comp comfortably - is a very good climber.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Charcca
12 October 2010, 8:15 am

Can't believe I forgot to mention, that Char did Mecca on Sunday!Its a bit with mixed feelings I report this news, as in part, my mecca

chum has now done it and wont want to go on it again, but also I am

off the hook - its scary and now I dont have to be brave.Solid as a rock according to Pennells (last night at the wall). I

better get my finger out!

Source: The Blog of Dob

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d5 damager, power to the people
19 October 2010, 9:01 am

Its not that nothing's happened since we last spoke, just that nothing

you'd want to read about. Far be it from me to make judgements about

what you do and don't want to read - i mean, a whole load of people

actually buy the daily mail, so you'd be suprised what people do want

to read, and hence here's a little note to brighten your Tuesday

morning. Or, plunge you into a pit of self loathing and despair (based

on how good i am and that you aren't me).On wednestag Dylog and I went out. It was a beautiful autumnal

afternoon, but still with a bit too much warmth in the direct sun,

which of course Mecca would be in. I wanted to go to Sean's roof to do

that Banks problem to the left. It was wet. As was Sean's. Some

discussions about where it starts and hold investigations. Then I

remembered about Neil's wall, and Smitton's 8a.nu scorecard comment -

'soft as sin'. If ever there's something to galvanise the loins its

the prospect of an easy 8a, and Dylan hadnt been and could do that

Beginners wall thing.I put the clips in BW and set off. The holds didnt feel as good as I

remembered, and I gave up attempting to stab my hand into the dogs

mouth pocket at the end of the hard bit. Dylog had a go and fluffed it

as well. I went back up and did it this time. Lowered off. Dylog did

it as well, and then I got involved with Neil's wall. Did it from

stand, and very nearly from sitting. Sadly, its not 8a. Neil Travers

is a full legend though, and no stranger to 8a, so I can only imagine

he either did it with his eyes shut or new footholds have been

uncovered since then. It started to bite, so I left it for another day

and we went to the tor.Which was in a strange state. It was cool out of the sun, but it wasnt

out of the sun - and the rocks still felt warm. Ok, it wasnt bad, and

certainly someone competent who know what they were doing could have

done Mecca, but thats not me. Although I did reach a new high point -

which was one hand in the groove. Fun afternoon though. Problem is

that it goes dark at 1830, but the crag is too warm until 1700!

Although, it is supposedly cooler this week, so maybe. Actually, the

all important breeze wasnt present, and as time went on it looked like

there was mist forming in the valley.There are no tales of further glory at the hands of the Tor this

weekend, as I have been off having my picture taken. No, its not a

repeat of 2008's modelling debut, rather my mum's 60th birthday

present - a deeply shameful family photograph. Oh god. I could only

think of zoolander as it happened, and suspect i may have been pouting

and looking rather less than fabulous. When I get to see something of

the pictures I will post them.So a weekend of drinking and lard really. Went back on the board last

night, and was shit. Its good that board though. Hooray for winter.

Man, the works was well busy. My little oasis of calm remains quiet,

but by 1900 the place was teeming. Anyway, back out again this

wednesday, and theres potential for thursday too. This weekend, I need

to catch up with Edlog, as there might be something going on there as

well.Finally, I might buy a Volvo V70 D5. Am shopping....

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Cumberland Grit
21 October 2010, 7:41 am

Starting back at Stanage is very different to starting back at School

was. I am excited for one. One of the great things about living in the

UK, and particularly the Peak national park is the variety of rock

climbing on ones doorstep. In spring I long to get involved with the

sharp crimps on the limestone, in autumn I remember how to mantle.If my spindly sport climbing legs would have let me, I would have run

up to the plantation. But walking around with pads on felt like hard

work after a summer of stumbling to the tor with just a rope. Few cars

in the car park, and something in my heart said that the ace/joker

would be occupied. Sixth sense didnt go so far as to tell me who would

be there, just that someone would. You'd have thought that those

crimps would be unusable in the sun, but two people were indeed there,

and as I drew closer the blobs became shapes, and slowly the bushy

black thatches of Constance Variable and Cave legend Davies took form.

They were trying the Ace, and not doing very well to be honest.Although in the sun, the wind was bitter. I'd guess temps were around

5 or 6 degrees. Pretty much perfect to be honest. Pottering around

warming up, you needed a coat on between goes, but it felt brilliant

padding up slabs, remembering how to trust ones feet again.Joining Dan and Chris at the Ace, chris is about to go. Ryan turns up.

I have a few goes on the joker. For me to climb this problem I have to

try quite hard. This means I have to commit to snagging the top with

my left - which is scary. If you were to plot intent against attempts

then you would see early attempts with no actual intention of holding

the top, its all about seeing how it feels. Then once it shows a bit

of promise ("let dog see rabbit") I get excited and start trying

properly. Thing is with that problem is that to do it (as we have

already said), you have to commit to the left hand sloper. If you do

that it changes your trajectory such that you arc out over the death

gully, and you save yourself by grabbing with the right hand, only you

might not get it and that will end in a plummet. So you need a spotter

too really. I didnt just have spotters, I had spotters who had climbed

8c+. Perhaps not the best choice of spotter, as presumably a less

able, but fatter chap would do a better job of stopping ones

earthbound bulk.They started working the sitter (yes, the sitter. Climbing out of the

cave. It looks hard), and i went to go and 'do' Help the Young sit.

Took me about 15000 goes to repeat the stand (brilliant problem), then

I felt like i was running out of skin, and beans, so I went back to

the Ace to meet them. They were going anyway, so I waited to walk down

together.Couldnt decide where to go next. It was about quarter past five and I

had perhaps another hour before it went fully dark, so i needed

something near and ideally that I hadnt done. Ended up going to Spring

Voyage, where i met old school hero Robin Barker. Excellent I thought,

this means I can see how its done and get it sewn up quickly. Which

isnt how it worked out - has this gotten harder? I'm sure I remember

getting up to that sloping crimp rail loads of times in a session when

I have tried this before, but it felt desperate and a real struggle.

Neither of us did it, but with aid Rob managed the top (i.e from crimp

rail to top). Consoled myself (and tried to warm up) by doing the

dyno.Blimey it was cold. When I got back to the car it said just 1.5

degrees! I would like to say 'lets hope this is the start of a great

winter' but its raining this morning, and supposedly will be until

Sunday. Its only 1815 when I get back to the car, so I pop to the

Climbing works to gloat that I have been out. Am more tired than I

gave myself credit for and flump around falling of the jugs for half

an hour before admitting defeat and going home to eat sausages. MMMMM,

sausages!

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Breakthrough!
25 October 2010, 7:33 am

I was just playing before. I dont think I actually wanted to do the route - I mean, it looks great and so on, but I was scared of the top, and I didnt really think it was possible. People kept on at me to stop working the bottom bit and get stuck into the top, as even though its supposedly easier, you need to have it wired. The route  requires a shift in attitude for me - one must actually embrace the idea of trying hard above the bolts and the possibility of falling off, and Saturday saw a big change...

But not just in terms of my progress on Mecca. I'd supposed to have been going surfing with Edlog. The charts and forecasts were checked, refreshed and checked again before finally, the advice was not to go. By the time we'd have gotten there, it would have gone to shit. Now I love the tor, and when I know I'm going, I get thinking about what I want to do and get my head in the right space for it. When you have gotten yourself excited about one thing (surfing in this case), enthusiasm doesnt just switch to its replacement activity. So, it took some time to get motivated.

As I minced up the path with a coffee, a glum faced queen of the tor (Rae) stood beneath the pinches wall with the Mighty Lion Paw (Sharples). These two Tor stalwarts did not look keen either. It was cold, raining, and Paul Reeve had a t shirt and shorts on! All chatted, then they went off to try Culloden. Ethan and his dad turn up. I do the Bear Claw at long last. Tried for the first time in new Teams. What good shoes these are. People seem a bit down on them, and yes - they are very hard to get on, but when they are on I think they are really good. Ted arrives, and inspires some enthusiasm in me trying 'the route'.

Paul is on Mecca extension. I think I'm off the hook, but he wont hear of it. He proclaims it perfect conditions, but says that he feels shit and pulls his rope. I get set up. Blimey, it does feel good. Typically, i'm not listening to those who have won their battles, who tell me to get on the top bit, and am trying from the ground again. It does feel good, but my fingers are a bit cold, and cranking through the start bulge, the grips feel amazing, but I feel a bit tweaky. I actually think I would have gotten into the groove that first go, but the sun had come out. I dont mean it had gone hot, far from it - I mean that I couldnt see the footholds in the glare! I flump off, then monkey up to the top of the groove to put the next bolt in.

Its well bolted Mecca. All the bolts are in good places, and in the only places you could use them. However, if you are working it from above, the line pulls you away from where you need to be, particularly when you want to work the groove. On this first session I feel good and everything, but the top of the groove is totally impossible. I cannot get out at all. Its desperate. I come down and cant ever forsee of what I need to do.

Ted gives me a pep talk and eventually I agree to try again, but this time, monkey up the draws to the start of the groove. I stick the belay and rumble to the top - which is ok. I suppose its the fear of the unknown that makes me wimp out of even trying. With the belay clipped I place another draw on an old death bolt to the right - this makes the rope I am on run perfectly down the groove. I come back to the top of the groove, and Ted coaches (or perhaps coaxes) me out of it. Ted's knowledge and enthusiasm is the perfect tonic for a limp sequence and a wet day. He knows not only how he did it, but also how everyone else does. He soon works me out a method and I go from it feeling impossible at the start of the session, to not only having a sequence, but actually having executed it, climbing out of the groove to the top of the route.

I cant emphasise how important this is! I now actually have a chance. I now actually want to do it, and am starting to believe i could. I think had I had it worked out earlier in the day, I could actually have done the link i was trying, which was from the move into the groove to the top. Is it on? more work needed, better fitness etc, but in theory - yes!

Britain's strongest Pathologist turns up and starts working on Keen Roof. He's a nice chap Tim Palmer, and brutally strong too. I hear on the grapevine that he actually does it later that day as well - so good effort Tim!

Edlog and I leave the tor malnourished and tired. We go up to Neil's wall. He has different foot beta, but I totally cant remember what you do with the top sloping death rail. After some skin grinding attempts I manage to get to the top from the sitter, but cannot match. My tip splits and we decide to bail. I have had an amazing day, and fall asleep with dreams of Mecca, the groove and a complicated leg intensive sequence.

Typically, I have climbed the loggest day of the weekend. Sunday is beautiful, and I make a woodstore and a roast for the outlaws. Today is also beautiful, only I understand that theres a chance of rain moving in later. This is the last week before the clocks change, so after work action really will be a thing of the past next week. Most people I know are in Font.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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White edge
2 November 2010, 7:52 am

More stories have been proved accurate. Years ago Neil Bentley said

that the groove hurt your leg, and i thought he meant cos of some

jagged edge that dug into your flesh, or maybe that the deep egyptian

hurt your joints or something, but thats not what he meant at all. The

first 'arse bar' is fine, you sort of flick one buttock into the

groove, wedge it there and stuff two fingers into an undercut pocket.

This gives enough respite to be able to torque the left knee down into

a mega egyptian. From here I've been trying to basically hop up the

groove, which has proved to be fully desperate. I spoke to Char about

this, and thats not what he did. He told me to watch the

Littlefair/Heap video on Vimeo (sorry for no link, am at work and cant

check it), and what Rich does, is takes the egyptian out, essentially

matches feet, then steps right up, left back out and then does the

egyptian again. So that is what I think I need to start doing when I

next go.I learnt another important lesson on Saturday, and that was that you

need to take the right shoes if you are to succeed. One of the whites

had fallen out of my bag in the house somewhere, so I had to make do

with velcros. Now, these are a great shoe, but softer and even with an

edge they flop around on those edges in the groove like clown shoes.Had a nice morning though. Felt good, tor was in good nic just the

wrong shoes this time. Maybe one day all the planets will align and a

crow with the head of an elephant will swoop upon the tor and success

will be mine. Just another seven years to go...The rest of the weekend was spent living like a lord. Its a wonder I

dont have gout now (not to sure of the symptoms, so may actually have

it anyway). Friday night chippy, Saturday night Cricket Inn, Sunday

breakfast in sainsburys cafe and then massive roast lamb dinner at

home. So hungover on Sunday morning. Touch and go for a while there.

We walked to get the car back, and for at least half of it I really

didnt want to be there. Then like a switch had been flicked, I started

feeling human again - totally out of nowhere. Really strange, but

fine, if thats how it is, thats not a problem.A couple of weeks ago, those nice people at Vodafone sent me a

BlackBerry torch, which is the latest and greatest from the BlackBerry

people. Its got a touch screen, but also a physical slide out

keyboard, so on paper at least it should be the ideal device for me.

Perhaps because I am used to my old BB I am struggling a bit to get

into it - it annoys me that I have to do something to get to the

keyboard, and the recessed nature of the keyboard makes it take a bit

of getting used to. Basically I cant type as fast as normal and its

annoying. On the other hand, browsing experience is really good, and

its nice to have a bigger screen. So i'm wavering again this morning.

Had i not landed on it at the climbing works and broken the battery

door, I think I would try it again.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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I keep farting this morning.
4 November 2010, 9:35 am

"Electric Log splitters?" I spluttered to Foundry Aiden... I couldnt believe my ears. Why would any chap wantonly eschew the paraphernalia associated with log preparation? And a chap with a canadian other half too. Thankfully, she had the decency to look horrified and start inching away from him, as logging is part of their genetic makeup. I launched into a tirade about the various hardware items I now need to own - I bet Jim has a wood grenade, must ask him.

I have my celebrity belayer back. Now with added 8b tick, and not just one but two. The little runt. I remember the days when I used to burn him off, and now the ginger ninja seems to have forgotten his place in this pecking order. Rest assured I dazzled him with my skillz at the Foundry, and I think he went home suitably impressed. "Ned" I said, "its not about how many heel hooks you can pull, or even the crimps you can bone, what really matters is the moves you throw down on the wave" - food for thought I'm sure you agree.

This is funny. Whilst having my breakfast this morning I stumbed across this post on UKB - it points to some wierd blog someone has set up, but read through the list as its quite funny - particularly when you get to the uncool list....

Source: The Blog of Dob

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LoneRider
8 November 2010, 11:44 am

Commitment is getting out of a warm bed at 0600, struggling into a cold damp wetsuit and yomping accross dewy grass towards the beach in the twilight. Its slogging uphill through a bog with two pads on your back, the wind biting at your face when you should really be having a lie in, and all to get the best conditions. Commitment is not succeeding at either of these ventures, but still going back and doing it again the next week in the hope that things will work out different.

It feels like I have been getting to the end of Lowrider for years. Getting to the end of, but never doing. I've been up there at 0700 before work, I've stumbled back down on my own, in the dark after work and almost all the times I've tried i've thought i would do it on another go. So after Saturday's apparent progress I'm not getting duped - i've been here before. However, where before there's been doubt, and a feeling that I would just have to man up, i've reduced my power sapping easy to fluff sequence to a more moves, but more assured one.

It really looked good for Saturday. The problem was that by the time I had it figured (this new beta), I had blunted my edge. I had four or five 'redpoints' which finished with me matched on the top rail, staring at the jug. On two of them I lurched jugwards before failing, and on one of those I actually got a hand to it but still fell off! The hopeful optimistic in me says - this was because you fannied around working it out for too long. And the Bennett says that we've been here before, and that it doesnt mean anything.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Project management
16 November 2010, 8:09 am

Mismanagement. Thats been the problem with me and lowrider. I kept thinking i was going to do it so I never stepped back and looked at the bigger picture. Because i kept nearly doing it, so I never took the time to work out why these goes to the end never amounted to anything.

You should be reading this nursing sore and thin fingertips. I'm not. Got called out saturday morning and had to spend three hours on an incident call, so missed my slot. Raced up to Stanage far end for about 1500, and got involved. Shot my bolt, warmed up too quickly and kept getting to the end but being a bit pumped and being unable to hold on. I think it might also have been condensing a bit too. Oh well. Worked out that my left leg has been getting stuck beneath the prow on the very last move, and that i need to move my hips right.

Meanwhile Ed does Brass Monkeys, and James gets close. Junior Hammertime has done Mecca! i think this is three 'days', but one of them he had no beta and was only on it 15 minutes, so two real days i guess. Well good effort, and is that quicker than Elie Chevieux? I have it in my head he might have been three days or something. Whatever, great effort Junior Hamertime!

Sunday, she's in a right pickle, so I clean and bake and do housey stuff. Oh, and the wood burner is blazin squad all day. M.i.n.t. Theres a time and place for a lazy day, and I dont think it would have been great on the rocks, so that was it.

Ned and I hatch plans to do Zoo York. I'm well keen. We talk about what else I would like to have on my list, and so far obvs there's LowRider. Then I would like to do the help the young sit. Then Full power. I like to have aspirations, and I think those are fairly realistic, but if i have learnt one thing in all my years of trying, its that having goals which arent just acheivable, but doable in a session is worth a lot. But we cant think of any 7c's.

Actually, since writing that I think of Pogles wood? whats that like? perfect day? Ben's wall. The reclimbed walk on by.... Your thoughts?!

Source: The Blog of Dob

[Stubbs]

Your thoughts?!

My thoughts are that I'm astounded that a man of your beastliness struggles so much to apply it to the rock!

For 7C's you should be looking to Earl, unless you've taken care of those. Oh and Jason's Roof and Sidewinder should be on your list for 8's too.

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The Jippy scuttler
22 November 2010, 7:20 am

It felt brutal getting up at 0350. I rolled out of bed and tried to shake it off. It wouldn't go, and I felt terrible. Nauseous, bleary,cold. Dressed, kissed the monster goodbye and headed out to join Ben in his van. Thick fog shrouded everything in gloom, and we both felt ill. The drive and journey was all fine. I would write more about it, but am tapping this in from my blackberry and there's more interesting things to talk about than travelling. We arrive, check in and discover dai koyamada staying next door. Haven't actually seen him yet. Didn't climb saturday afternoon for two reasons - one: we all felt shocking, and two: it was filthy anyway. Made dylan's legendary chorizo stew, everyone very impressed (thanks dylog!) And collapsed in a heap.Sunday dawned and the sleety death rain battered on the windows. Brilliant we collectively thought. Just brilliant. With no urgency we breakfasted and slithered in the snow up to chironico. Couldn't even get the hire car up the flippin road. Didn't think we'd be climbing so just had a walk up to find the alphane moon, which is a dave graham problem which stays dry. Amazingly, it was. I can't really articulate just how wet everything else was - fully and totally soaking, constant rain and snow - none of which was there the day before. So, we went and got the stuff. Since more people had now tried the road now had tracks, and we decided to move the car. Fiat doblo's are shit in the snow. I'm really excited about this problem. It looked like it would really play to my strengths, I honestly thought I could do it. We started trying. As there were no other dry holds, so we had to monkey around on the start to get warmed up. Two or three easy moves on jugs lead to a series of long should presses between crimps. Dave, gangle and their dutch friend michael turn up. I'd researched this problem and commited the sequence to memory having watched the internet and doyles film over and over. Landing is a bit more spicy than you'd think having seen that though! There's a heartbreaker of a move right near the end which I knew would be a problem. Its awkward, insecure and requiring you to sort of lurch in off a straight arm. I kept getting to it and failing as expected. But I knew I could do it, and thankfully managed to do so just before beginning the downward curve of performance trajectory. James and ben make progress, but ben is injured and james starts to go backward. We go home, eat tea, drink beer and watch east bound and down on ben's laptop - which is brilliant by the way. When he told me about it I thought it sounded awful, but it was actually really good. As predicted, the appetite for typing on this thing has worn thin. Its chucking it down again, and we're in bed drinking tea reading. I think its supposed to stop raining later today, then tomorrow and the rest of the week looks amazing. Fingers crossed!

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Swizzle
26 November 2010, 7:58 am

Everything aches and we all feel like we creak as we hobble around on sore feet. We've all got either hurty skin or actual holes, and the prospect of going climbing again is somewhat abhorrent! So, it must have been sunday when I last wrote. I'd just done the alphane moon and those two were looking hopeful. Monday everything was soaking everywhere so we went back to am as it was dry. We all did arabald (7b) to warm up and those two made progress. I didn't climb on the alphane moon again (for obvious reasons). Tuesday was the first of the mint days. Drove back to chironico and went to centrale to warm up, then I tried serre moi forte. Which is the hardest problem in the world. Ben P did cliques a claques. Walked out to freak brothers - wet, then on to no mystery/schule des lebens. Gangle did no mystery. Thought I could do it but didn't. Wednesday, brione. Frogger was wet, ganymede start driable but wet really. Pamplemousse looked implausible. Some international dudes turned up and did ganymede and pamplemousse - one of them was michel caminati - he climbs 8c. I hurt, and was lying in the sun, but they made it look so easy I had to have a go. I knew I could do it and waited for them to go before doing so. James looked possible, ben's elbones hurt and he stopped. Brione is lovely. Stopped somewhere on the way back down and then went to the pizza shop to celebrate. Thursday, yesterday - felt good. Went back to finish serre moi forte. All do papa razzi (7a), bp does cliques a claques again, none of the rest of us can do it. Serre moi forte holds out, although I do manage to get out of the sitter into the stand, but am unable to link it. Two sections. Very hard. Went round to the alphane moon - those two make progress, and james has a great link towards the end of the session and it looks on, but he fades. Go back to freak bros which is now dry, but flippin desperate. Suspect not warm and feeling it as would be my thing another time. I'd be keen to go back on it. Today, last chance saloon. I'd like to do no mystery. Cresciano.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Final swiss roundup
1 December 2010, 1:21 pm

Well, fritag was hurty as predicted. Everyone felt broken, and it would have been too much to ask for us to do anything noteworthy to be honest. Started with Bendy doing Vol au Vent which is the worlds hardest 7a+ , then we moved round to Franks, which I read Mina has just done - which is another great effort - she really is climbing brilliantly at the moment. Better than us too, as we couldnt do it - noone held the match without a supportive spot, or winch in place. Its a great problem though, and I would really like to do it. .Made progress from previous years I suppose, in that I used to take the pinch and basically fall off. Now I was taking the pinch, walking my feet through and getting back to the heel, but it felt shit - I wasnt getting anything off it and attempts at matching resulted  in headfirst plummets. I think perhaps its one to do a bit earlier in the trip next time.

We walked on to Il Partner. Mina and I had been chatting about which was prettier, cresc or chironico. She said cresc, i said Chironico. I almost texted her after we had walked through Cresicano, because suddenly i got it, I was reminded of how lovely it is at Cresciano, its just the mountains you can see more clearly from chironico. So, I dont actually know which I like more, just nice to be away isnt it? Anyway, Bernd Zangerl turned up at Il Partner. We spoke to him - its scary up there. Noone did it. On to La Boule to finish off again. Still couldnt do the move rightwards on la boule itself, but managed to drag self up La Boulette. Felt pooped. Went and looked at La Proue. I think if ever there was an 8b I could do, that this might be it! another trip maybe.

Get home, flights and everything are all fine, but its actually colder here than it was there I think! And theres more shitty death snow!

Bendy has an iPhone4, and I became jealous in the week away. So I bought one. Its very good, but has some draw backs. I have to learn to use the on screen keyboard, although it is pretty good, and i am already getting faster. The Notifications thing is annoying. It pings up in the middle of what you are doing and if you are typing quickly then you get all gobbledegooked. Signal is definately weaker than on a blackberry. Havent had the grip of death thing yet though. I dont like that you cant completely control it, but when a jailbreak exists, i might go this route. On the plus side, its beautifully made, and the screen is possibly the ninth wonder of the world.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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iMeddler
8 December 2010, 8:25 am

I have decided. An iPhone is an excellent all the things a phone isnt. Its like having a small tablet PC in your pocket. The browsing experience really is brilliant. If you want to go on the internet then look no further (unless you wanted flash), its amazing. Occasional internet use - throw the laptop away. Actually stops me opening the browser at work, which can only be a good thing.

If you are on your own at the climbing wall then its brilliant. This is where it beats any other phone hands down - on a normal phone, you text all your mates and then put it away. Nothing to see here. The iPhone is the friend of the meddler, its something to fanny with between circuits, laps or whatever you are doing.

But, there are many things I took for granted with my beloved BlackBerry that I miss. And when I say I have decided, what I mean is that the BlackBerry is without doubt a better telephone. Its thought out around being a telephone (that does email) and it does this brilliantly. Things like being able to click on the person in a text and it rings them. Being able to attach multiple images to an email, cut and paste works better, the flashing red light, better battery life and better signal, UMA.

It all depends on what you'll do with it. But like when you buy a faster car you drive faster, if you have the interweb then you use it and wonder how you did without. What I'm saying is that it changes how you use your phone and what you expect from it.

Would I buy one again? maybe. Would I recommend you buy one? well that depends on you.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Santa's Grotto
16 December 2010, 9:11 am

Thick snow blanketed all of our crags, but just as quickly as it arrived (possibly quicker) it was gone. The difference between snow levels on Thursday and Friday of last week was astronomical. On saturday you would have had to persuade that it had snowed at all. Made it out on Sunday. It was never going to be a high octane sending session. I'd driven up to Hooks Carr on Saturday night just to see if Ringinglow road was open, which it was, but there was fog around and no wind. Wasnt bothered really, just wanted to end my spell of fantastic plastic by touching rocks. I suspect this was a common theme as the mood at the Plantation was one of light hearted sociability. Pottered around, tried Help the young sitter a bit. My celebrity Belayer becomes celebrity Beta database when its bouldering season, and with his help I think its possible. I get off home to roast things and drink red wine.

With everything else being wet again, and having an afternoon off there was only one option. Thankfully plenty of other people share my longings to scuttle around in the back of a cave on the Orme, so I wasnt alone. The cave is brilliant. I dont care what you think, I love it. The moves are brilliant, the potential persuading and the scene scintillating. It was really nice to see Ben P again, who has been avoiding me since switzerland because of the pounding he was subjected to. Three teams - two young lads I have seen about but dont know names of, Team Dylog - Dylog, Joel and Bendy and Team Dobolog - me and Jim.

Of course we made the obligatory detour to 'dudno Asda. I bought a healthy options chicken fajita and waited for Jim. I thought he was taking a long time, then I saw why, the sight before me left me speechless - Jim waddled out of the sliding doors with armfuls of rotisserie barbecue chicken! How the honest people of Llandudno reconciled a metric tonne of flat cap wearing Hillyard I will never know. I suspect the samaritans are busy this morning.

Like a true caveman Jim tears into a haunch of barbecue chicken, watching the spider like form of Joel wisping effortlessly up Trigger Cut. Good effort! Dylog does Louie. Boy band member also does it. Jim and I get shown some of the lip problems which we have never done before. I start working left wall high, which is suprisingly good.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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Cognitive Boning Therapy
4 January 2011, 3:55 pm

Some of my friends have been experiencing motivational lulls. One such person sent me a message to ask how I managed to maintain my own enthusiasm, and I started to reply, but then Doylo posted about his own apathy, and I thought it might be of interest to a wider audience, so here follows some of my philosophy on the subject :

Climbing, although fun is not all there is to life. It can appear to be, and perhaps it will be for a few years, but ultimately it doesnt fill all the gaps. If you always eat cake, then cake ceases to become a treat. So dont always eat cake. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If I always appear psyched when I am climbing its because I dont always get to go whenever I want to, so that when I do its a treat - of course I'm in a good mood!

If you do feel down in the dumps about it all, dont sweat it, just go and do something else for a bit. Part of climbing and climbing hard teaches us not to lie down and accept defeat, to battle on when the chips appear to be down and the quest hopeless, so your instinct is to push on even when you dont really feel like trying, but... there's a difference between going and training when its cold and rainy and you cant be bothered to making yourself try to be psyched for something that you arent really bothered about. Your heart wont be in it, and at your limit it needs to be to summon the force to do the deed.

Goals are important to maintaining psyche levels, and goals should be achievable, stretching and measurable. For instance, me saying that I want to do Voyager would certainly be stretching, and measurable, but perhaps not acheivable. If I said I wanted to do the Green Traverse then this would certainly be acheivable but its not a stretch. You get the picture. When I went to swiss before xmas I wanted to do three things, and I set my heart on them - I studied the videos on the interweb and watched what others had done and then when I got there thats what I did. I had a goal, I trained specifically and I was lucky and it paid off.

If you feel uninspired, a trip is a great thing to give you something to get excited about, but sometimes the lull runs deeper and maybe you need to walk away and do something else for a bit. If its true love then you'll be back!

(am full of cold and havent been climbing since before xmas)

Source: The Blog of Dob

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calog
21 January 2011, 8:00 am

There used to be something we called the 'January two week weather window', only the month could've been dropped as it kept moving about. But now I feel like weather patterns are so out of kilter that I dont know if we still get that and as to when, well - its anybody's guess. This week has certainly had potential, although, its felt like perhaps its condensing - things in the shade stay wet, and flat surfaces feel damp.

There's been little to write about of late, as I've been indoors, scuttling around on the board and whilst some wild new shapes have been created and radical moves thrown down, this doesnt make for interesting reading. Had been supposed to go to the cave yesterday, but with people posting on the interweb that they had ended up at the wall the day before, and Doyle not having eyewitness accounts, we sacked it. To Caley.

It felt like a treat not to have to sit through the a55 boredom. The excited babbling on the way there, the broken mono-syllabic muttering on the way back. Brown rocks instead of white, slabs and aretes instead of ribs and rooves. Finesse instead of Force!

Gritstone was a harsh skin wake up call - blimey! And it was brutally cold, but totally dry and possibly the best nic I have had Caley in. Tops of boulders had not frost, but a cold suggestion of moisture, so topping out was fine - you didnt need to resort to Bradbury tactics, but felt a bit spicy. Thankfully, topping out wasnt going to be a problem.

As is the law, we started out down at Fingerknacker crack and Rabbit Paw wall. What a charming rock climb. As Ned pointed out - its jugs up a wall - whats not to like? We moved straight up to the main event and found some other cave regulars up there. Bendy busted out Ben's Groove, Ned followed - Me and Jim floundered. Jim and Ned tried Secret Seventh, Ned did it. Ben and Ned start working the BG sitter. I move to Zoo York. I feel stronger and more capable than last year. The moves feel harder, but I am doing them and keeping going rather than being in extremis on every one.

You know when you are trying something and it goes from you doing some moves to actually having the concept of doing it? when you can actually concieve of doing that day? well that happened yesterday. Two or three times I climbed from the ground up into the top cut loose and either fell trying to get the heel in place, or fluffed the cut - whatever, anyway, got hugely excited about the prospect of doing it and am keen to get back. By god its sharp though!

Felt like a wonderful afternoon, and one with the promise of actually acheiving something. The crag hitched up its skirts and I saw the promised land. I didnt manage to get there, but I got an idea about how it looks - and I liked it! I enjoyed myself so much I wondered how I could do it more often, but when thinking about that this morning I realised that precisely the reason it felt so special was that it was a treat and that I dont get to do it all the time.

Source: The Blog of Dob

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L-L-L-Logridge
25 January 2011, 8:42 am

Logridge - cha cha cha!

Logridge - cha cha cha!

Logriiiidge - cha CHA!

Such myth, hyperbole and vitriol surrounded the place in the week leading to our visit that I wasn't sure whether or not we should even go. However, crossing the peak early on saturday morning it became obvious that the chances of action closer to home were going to be seriously limited by damp.

And anyway, what's better than a guidebook? a tour from a local. And not just any local, but Preston's answer to Peter Andre - the mighty Adam Lincoln. We arrived at a damp crag with damp in the air and damp all around, but the rocks were dry. Ish. It was brutally, mind numbingly cold and for a moment the line between keen and stupid seemed perhaps to already have passed.

Adam demonstrated the proud independant line which is the eponymous 'Vickers eliminate' before our hard wired quality control kicked in and over rode the desire not to fail. We moved to the business end and investigated big marine, then submarine then super submarine. Big Marine is ok - everyone romped up it. Submarine is about 8b+ and even Adam had to have a few goes. Super Submarine - hmm. I think its possible. Hard, but feasible. Noone does it.

Boasting some of the 'best movement' on the crag, we move right to Rupert's In Excess sitter. The hype is justified, its a bit damp, but the combination of wide pinches, slopers and drop knees gets our interest, and we both manage it. This is a good problem. Next we do Delta Force which I think we both flash?

I have a quick look at the pot of gold start to Colon Power, but its unpleasant, and success revolves around a factor of your willingness to lurch from a wedged knuckle to a jug. Finish with a quick rumble along the Bend of the Rainbow, which is as fun now as it was 18 years ago when I first tried it.

So who was right? what was the verdict - were the doubters on the money or is this a gem in the crown of lancashire? We had a fun day out and big props to the Lincolnator for showing us around (and Grimer and Dribble, I have things for you) but in many ways the advice was right - if you are in the area its good, and if i lived there I would be all over the place, but I dont think I would recommend driving all the way from Sheffield especially.

Source: The Blog of Dob

[Probes]

btw i think submarine is 8a/a+

glad you had a good visit, sounds like you didnt get to spanked for some outsiders

[grimer]

Did Dribble buy the trousers with the runny supergle stain?

[Somebody's Fool]

I'm not made of money.