[GCW]

A hard route from 1991.  I was passing by Anstey's Cove last week, so I dug out Fear and Fascination by Geoffrey Odds from its usual place in the back of the cupboard to have a look at the Anstey's stuff.  I also came across the page on Second Generation.  I knew I had it somewhere, but I'd never looked it out.
Disappointing book I felt, don't know if others agree.  The lack of Scottish stuff was mildly irritating.
Anyone on here done Second Generation?   ???  This says it's quite good:

[Paul B]

is that one of the few routes that requires a figure 4?

[SA Chris]

And doesn't he look good?

[lagerstarfish]

He can probably still remember all the moves. Tallented ex-youth.

[Houdini]

Geoff Odds: now there's a blast from the past.



Geoffrey Odds was the name on the phonebill of a particular house on the Snowdon Path that was rented by climber-types before it was recently turned into tea rooms/art gallery. 

I'm not sure if they ever did find Mr. Odds about that bill.   

(Figure Fours have always been harder to execute than all moves ever, and are well freaking pointless unless you're drytooling.)

[Stu Littlefair]

Second generation - a fantastic route!

The figure of four probably isn't essential, but it definately helps. This and Pierre Precieuse at 95.2 are the only two useful FoF's I've come across.

[i.munro]

I think you'd be very lucky if it dried out again this year.

[Houdini]

Dig out F & F and spy the pic of Billy Bollweavil on the somewhat damp Idwal Slabs.   I nominate this as the most awesome climbing pic ever.  Billys' expression is worth a million dollars.

[GCW]

Got a page reference Houd?  Can't see which you mean.


EDIT:  Page 75, the pic of Nigel Fawthrop/ Zoe Panchic/ Gary Wickham is class.

[Teaboy]

Dig out F & F and spy the pic of Billy Bollweavil on the somewhat damp Idwal Slabs.   I nominate this as the most awesome climbing pic ever.  Billys' expression is worth a million dollars.

At the risk of sounding more anal than usual, I think the picture you are refering to is from David Jones' pre Power of Climbing opus called "Rock Climibing in Briatain" or something (the one with Mick Lovatt on the cover and Tony Mitchell showing his cobblers to all and sundry whilst warming up at some climbing wall).

Odds' book was the worst piece of shite ever committed to paper, and yes, I do own some Jingo Wobbly guides.

[Kingy]

A figure of four makes Chouca 8a+ at Buoux much easier than if the crux move is dynoed - see Jason Myer's interview in the POC....quality reading. BTW this must be one of the hardest 8a+'s in the world!!

[Jaspersharpe]

The FOF on Chouca only made a big difference before the pocket broke imo. Since it snapped (if you're tall and find the dyno too bunched) it's easier just to jump from standing in the good pockets. And yes it's nails for 8a+ which is why it used to get 8b.

It was Gary Wickham who worked out the FOF on Second Generation and I certainly couldn't work out any other way of doing it. As you can see from that picture (never seen that book by the way) it's a fucking long move and you'd struggle to dyno it as the pocket is over a bulge so you can't see it from hanging the break. I might be biased but it is one of the best routes on Southern Sandstone (probably only second to Krait Arete imo). I don't know if it's still in the same condition as when I did it as some of the holds seemed quite fragile but I know that in my usual basic style I'd not found the easiest sequence for all the moves. 

I only beat Dave Turner to the first ascent because he kept falling off the finishing moves which were quite hard and really easy to cock up with the sequence we'd worked out. When Ben Moon repeated it he fell off the finish a couple of times and thought it was the crux. However, when I went back and repeated it with Simon Scully he worked out a better way of doing the top moves which seemed to make it a fair bit easier and a lot less fluffable (depite not being able to do the rest of the route). I'm not sure what grade it is really. Ben and Dave confirmed it as 8a with my duff sequence but it's probably considerably easier if you get the top bit right.

Anyway. It's well worth doing if anyone's down that way (and it's dry). 

[i.munro]

Out of curiousity if you did the direct start to Fandango RH back in the day did you FOF it?
I've been told that's the easy way ( haven't tried it cos I avoid FOFs as it feels like my girly forearms are going to snap)

[Jaspersharpe]

Do you mean the move from the holds on the traverse direct to the half moon jug thing? Dunno about a FOF, I remember putting my right heel in the traverse hold next to my right hand and it being quite a powerful lock on the left hand edge thing to reach right hand to the half moon. One of those moves that felt impossible to start with but is easy once you know how.

[Ally Smith]

The good hold that you FoF'd from is no more, leaving a sandy sloper to do the move off of. This was 4 yrs ago when i last tried it, though there was talk of gluing the hold back on, or applying some resin to stop what was left from deteriorating more. I saw the move done again with this hold, but not linked in one from top to bottom.

[i.munro]

Do you mean the move from the holds on the traverse direct to the half moon jug thing? Dunno about a FOF, I remember putting my right heel in the traverse hold next to my right hand and it being quite a powerful lock on the left hand edge thing to reach right hand to the half moon.

Was trying to go straight up without the 'left hand edge thing' & was told FOF was the way to go

[Jaspersharpe]

Hmmm. Don't know about that but it sounds like a painful proposition from there.

[i.munro]

Rumour has it Fb 7c?? (without the FOF I think) but it seems like a good candidate for FOF. Long reach off a big hold with poor/awkward footholds.

[Carnage]

Hunt out Ian Stronghill if you want beta for anything on Fandango. He's got everything on that wall wired (or he certainly did have when I was venturing down there.)

[ian h]

Rumour has it Fb 7c?? (without the FOF I think) but it seems like a good candidate for FOF. Long reach off a big hold with poor/awkward footholds.

7c i think for one of the elimninates using just the small lip below the cresent shaped hold , i think 7b is the easiest version upto the cresent, or figure of four upto cresent hold, then lift leg out of fof and toe into break , right hand up etc 7a+