So its 11:30 and I’ve just rolled in after my works Xmas do... a heady mix of elation playfully tinged with depression and the odd reflux nuance of vomit rolling up my nose. To be honest, typing is pretty triclky, but I’ll persevere.... No cigars.
Its been a long week... but thats the week after..
Keel club.
Its seen a new entrant and a new successful departure, but not me. Wednesday saw an afternoon trip to the cliff of righteousness, and a brief and windy warm up by demon wall roof. My Zambuca addled noddle enjoys the memory of dreamland on a crisp windy day as part of the warm up. Forearms suitably charged I trundled down to the Keel. Pete was there. Hello Pete! A new (to me) entrant to Keel club.. and thus the next hour was spent. Mutually exchanging beta, wondering/grumbling about the nuances of the odd upside down sticky outy problem.. it was windy. It was Baltic, and in those conditions an hour was good going... progress ~ well yes ish. Practice on some parts- but some great beta (thanks pete) on the starting sequence, with RF up high instead of left – which felt (later) far more efficient... Good. Proto beginning sequence started.
Burp. Christ, wish I hadn’t had that Zambuca...
Pete mentioned an interest/try at Jess roof – and having piqued my internal interest the week before, we went up there to relative shelter from the northish wind.. Good to start to work the moves on that problem again, and start to think about the one difficult move that seems to beyond me at the moment. Left after dark – done in. A good session.
Big Saturday. I was quietly psyched. The forecast was OK, TommyZtone and Nai (3T andT1) were there, as was Grubes and his pal James... a good UKB outing (at ze cliff of course..) Warm ups etc.. (Hello Abbey) – and I skulked off to the Keel.. useless. First two go’s crap. No core. Rest. A hungover James wandered over and had a try – and was promptly addicted and joined Keel club.. More warm up... a go from the start. Good first sequence, RF Mocc half slips off in first heel/toe.. readjust stomp foot on face mid problem, into the toe jam, reach... match.. reach right. Breathe someone shouts.. Adjust RF so its more of a toe down than jam, LF flag twist, pull bastard hard – GO. Shouts of encouragement float in the background - Fingers go in and drop the edge of the pocket, cant hold, slide down and off. Ach. Oh well – best so far...
Time to rest and try the last moves (post pocket) which I’ve not managed... somehow (its not that hard really) I punt a left toe onto the end crozzle and pull on with knees and things - stand up and teeter up to the top (after yelping for a spot). OK. All has been done now in part but not in whole...
I try again – but my left bicep is trashed.. I think I really went for it on the last punt – it feels like its half pulled.. I slump off to Crucix where 3T and 1T are trying their best.. Different muscles, different moves – a good problem to work and I lose loads of skin, do it from standing but nobeans from the sit..
Back to the Keel.. Andrew (IIRC?) – who was there a couple of Sats ago arrives- another one for whom the Keel is a nemesis... comes really close to popping it first go, but does some strange keel-haul style sequence.. James nearly links it (jammy bugger! With a hangover too!). Andrew gets it next time. Sweet. Really smooth – so one leaves Keel Club and another joins... A futile last go from me but I’m reamed..
Well, I feel a bit less like gipping after typing this – and I needed to update..
I feel a hairs breadth from completion. This can go before xmas. Keep the faith as Lore says...
Tomorrow maybe. Hangover willing.
