[grimer]

Does that mean you can stick both of them up your arse at once?

[a dense loner]

No way too awkward, I use inanimate objects for that.

Good blog ben

[El Mocho]

No way too awkward, I use inanimate objects for that.

Good blog ben

Thanks Dense, is that the first nice thing you have said on t'interweb or are you just buttering me up so you can borrow my rolling pin again?

Can someone explain. There's been a Bugaboos blog, a Diamond blog and a Bugaboos blog. Did you fly home just for a day on the Ormes then return to Canada?

I like to keep people on their toes. Gonna give it a few days then blog about Parisella's, Squamish and then vertigo...

[Doylo]

Can we have one about top roping please?

[Jim]

is it a gritstone rolling pin?

[comPiler]

not yosemite
1 October 2012, 7:27 pm

I should have been waking up here today:



but because of my dizziness (have I mentioned my dizziness?) I have had to cancel. It had been pretty obvious to those around me that I wasn’t going to be going for quite a while, but I had been hopeful right until the last minute. After a visit to the doctors, who strongly recommended staying home, and a trip to Spain for Jase and Daisy’s wedding which left me wiped out, I saw sense and decided that getting better was more important than watching Caff and Hazel tear up El Cap.

On the plus side I got to go to the Diamond again. Went over in Sam’s bling new van (a long day driving and climbing still leaves me feeling dizzy) The Brute was so popular we were queuing on it. This guy got on it:



I am not sure if he liked it though:



I think he is actually pulling that face because it is so good and he has realised that with all our improved beta he might have been able to do it a few years back before he gave it to Dyer.

I had a couple of goes up it to warm up and then managed it first redpoint of the day. I felt ok on reaching the belay, but after all the rain we have had in the last few weeks the extension section was completely soaked so I didn’t even give that a look. Spoke to Pete tonight (he was down yesterday trying his project just to the left) and he was sure it would all dry up in no time. Bring on the good tides next week.

Source: ben bransby

[Stu Littlefair]

Ben - who are you seeing about your vertigo? If its just your GP then hassle them for an appointment with the ear specialists in Sheff. There are a lot of potential causes, from physical damage to migraines so it's worth getting looked at by specialists.

Jules suffered with this a lot over the last three years. In her case it was related to migraines and with a regulated diet and medication she is much better...

[El Mocho]

Cheers Stu,

Have just booked an appointment at the ear specialist this morning - I had been putting it off due to my ability to faint at anything even remotely medical (I once fainted having superfeet fitted!)but my wife forced me to do it. Seems like mine is a pretty standard case of Labrynthitis (sp) but the docs did say they can't see the inside of my ears so it is worth seeing the specialist/getting a scan just to check...

[Pitcairn]

My dad has battled with vertigo for some time now.  Your descriptions of being wiped out and not climbing particularly well even on days when the vertigo doesnt seem so bad really struck a chord with him.  If you dont mind me asking what have the specialists prescribed you to deal with it?

[andy_e]

Seems like mine is a pretty standard case of Labrynthitis (sp)

Have you been watching too much Bowie?

[Fiend]

Get well soon!!

[Stu Littlefair]

Cheers Stu,

Have just booked an appointment at the ear specialist this morning - I had been putting it off due to my ability to faint at anything even remotely medical (I once fainted having superfeet fitted!)but my wife forced me to do it. Seems like mine is a pretty standard case of Labrynthitis (sp) but the docs did say they can't see the inside of my ears so it is worth seeing the specialist/getting a scan just to check...

Good call Ben. Jules got referred to the hearing centre from the ear/nose/throat people. It's well worth trying to get as high up the ladder as you can. Different causes have radically different treatments etc.

Fingers crossed for a quick(ish) recovery - it really is a horrible thing to have.

Stu

[El Mocho]

My dad has battled with vertigo for some time now.  Your descriptions of being wiped out and not climbing particularly well even on days when the vertigo doesnt seem so bad really struck a chord with him.  If you dont mind me asking what have the specialists prescribed you to deal with it?

Nothing yet - see post about only just making an appointment to see the specialist. When I had it at it's most severe I had some drugs which were a little like travel sickness ones (except in some fierce form and normally used in Leukemia patients, also v.expensive, pharmacist nearly passed out when they were picked up think £80 or so just for the weeks supply(I got on prescription)) and they did the trick of getting me so I could at least go to the toilet without being sick. Heard that they can slow down the actual recovery if taken for any length of time and I am past the stage where I feel sick... Is your dad on some kind of medication? What sort of vertigo is it for him?

[Nibile]

Get well soon!

[tomtom]

That sounds awful

[Jaspersharpe]

Labyrinthitis is really grim and I've only had a very minor attack. I know Falling Down has suffered a fair bit with it. Hope they get it sorted asap Ben.

[El Mocho]

I know Falling Down has suffered a fair bit with it.

Hence his name on here? Or is that other falling over related stuff...

[Fiend]

[punkpunk]

Could be BPPV...I got exercises to do which helped a lot. Caused by debris in your eat canal hitting the hairs in their, and the world goes into free fall. Boke inducing at best if you can stay standing.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[SamT]

listened to this yesterday and thought of you....may make interesting listening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n11xb

If the link doesnt work - its 'inside health' on radio 4 - 15:30 yesterday.

[comPiler]

still not in yosemite but not bitter…
5 October 2012, 11:04 am

For my birthday I got a hanging stove so that when me n caff were in the portaledge we could cook and make brews without burning everything down (nowhere to escape to if a fire starts, heard a story of some dude setting fire to stuff and moments later all his ropes/attachment points burnt through… …free fall, nasty.)

Could have been brewing up somewhere like here today:



After Caff’s, by his terms, disastrous trip to El Cap last year I think he had some back up partners in case of accidents. Steady Neil has stepped in to take my place. Here is a pic of him from back in 2000 when him and Lee came up to see us on El Cap spire (see first photo)



With Niel along I am expecting big things – keep reading the El Cap Report but nothing yet…

Had a little work at The Crag Station for DMM yesterday so nipped up Kinder on the way. Went to look at the roof with The Mentalist Cupboard and Stigmata on it. They both looked good and there is a possible line through the middle of the roof – it is a pretty comfy highballing height (although getting pads up there would feel a long way)



It was all a bit wet and misty so I didn’t really climb. The cycle back down was fun although I think I need some new brake pads and maybe get a bike with some suspension. Klem got a bit tired running behind.



Source: ben bransby

[comPiler]

diamond dogs
13 October 2012, 5:55 pm

Got back from two days over at the Diamond, it was all getting pretty wet so I felt this would be my last chance of the year to get on the Big Brute, turned out the top half of the entire crag was soaked and as I was on my own on the thursday spent the day bolting. Very hard work. Even the bottom section of the crag – which doesn’t really seep – was soaking. Went and stayed the night at 9stone Robins’. Pete was feeling pessimistic about his chances on the line breaking left out of the Brute, so much so he even had a glass of wine with the meal.

After a chilled morning me and Tommy set off (Pete was gonna meet us there) only to get a call from Pete who was having van issues. Managed to sort it and all got down the diamond a bit after lunch to a surprisingly dry crag, probably the second best conditions I have had down there. I spent the day messing about on the new line (prob in the 8c region if climbed to the top of the crag) whilst Tommy spent the day diving off the top of Dumpster Divers.

Managed to (rather hurriedly for the second go – hence the shaky footage) film both Pete’s attempts:

Was considering editing down the footage a bit but as the bottom was filmed from a better angle the first time left it all in, the only bits I missed was the time shaking out – I had to turn off the camera and jug up the rope to get the top. Pete was only on the rest for about 45 secs so I was fairly out of breath filming the top section!

Was really cool to see this go down (well at least the first half, it’s gotta go all the way to the top, Pete better get back on it next year in the dry…) Probably the hardest ascent I have witnessed and P-Rob was made up with it (see vid!)

Source: ben bransby

[Doylo]

Nice Ben

[comPiler]

Ron Fawcett, Andy Cave and Me lecture
13 October 2012, 6:06 pm

Me, Ron and Andy are doing a lecture on Sat 24th November at the Memorial Hall in Hathersage to help raise money for the skate park which is being built in the village. A bunch of the local kids have been putting in plans and trying to raise money to get the skate park for a few years now and in the last couple of months things have started to look pretty positive. I am excited about it – have been doing a little bit of skating in the last few weeks with May (don’t know who is better!) and the idea of getting on the ramps where it is acceptable to wear all the padding would be nice.

I will be sorting out my exact show but it is likely to be based on ‘my top 10 routes’ things from local to far away… Ron will be doing his early years climbing and Andy will be doing Summer and Winter climbing in Arctic Norway. £8 entry with all the money going towards getting the Peak Districts very own I will keep y’all informed nearer the time.

Source: ben bransby

[Doylo]

diamond dogs
13 October 2012, 5:55 pm

 Pete better get back on it next year in the dry…) Probably the hardest ascent I have witnessed and P-Rob was made up with it (see vid!)

Source: ben bransby

Ben you know full well Pete won't go back up there