[moose]

Just back from a holiday in Antalya; had a great time and now proper chuffed (pun intended... sorry) for the coming season.   Terrible start: snow-pocalypse led to missed flight, so had to pay for a extra one-way trip the next day (still, you can't take it with you).  Then, when we got there, it was unseasonably cold and rained eight days out of ten.  Frequent power cuts and freezing nights spent trying to burn damp wood on a log stove (all my "holiday" clothing went unused: spent the entire holiday wearing the warm-weather clothes I had worn in the UK!).

Still, we managed to climb every day and I amassed a pretty healthy ticklist: 36 routes, 23 of which in the 7s.  Mostly on-sight, including on-sights of four 7b's and eight 7a+'s. Before this, I had previously only managed the very occasional 7a/+ on-sight (including last year at the same crags - so not a "holiday grades" effect).  Circumstances generally precluded more than a go or two at any route but I was satisfied to bag three 7b+s too (one of which is now 7c locally), including Black Moon, my nemesis from last year. 

Just so very happy that last year, my first ever proper spell of route climbing, seems to have had a tangible effect (despite not having roped up for almost four months - not even indoors).  Odd to think I am improving at my ripe old age - the benefits of starting late and being shit! Now I am raring to get into the Yorkshire lime; although fully prepared for a spanking from the minging crimps of my comparatively slabby and polished home turf.  Just hope the weather is a bit less wet this year...

[a dense loner]

Good trip that moose 

[tomtom]

Nice one Moose..

[SA Chris]

So Turkey has loads of soft touch graded routes then !

Nice one sounds like a top trip.

[moose]

If it has, I must have avoided them on my trip last year!  What I would say is that, after a year of Malham and Kilnsey, the routes in the F7s all seemed pretty basic and uncomplicated.  Very on-sightable; if the on-sight was blown, a quick fiddle whilst getting in the remaining quick-draws usually found a good enough sequence for RPing next go.

Also it played to my limited skill set: I am weak and slow but pretty good at recovering at semi-rests on steep ground.  I took 50 minutes to on-sight a long, steep F7b called Homme a l'envers at Mevlana - extended shake outs between each panic-stricken section of tufa wrestling - more to clear my senses than anything! 

As a side note for potential visitors, whilst Turkey is good place to accumulate F7 on-sights, the climbs in the low/mid F6 range often seemed hard for the grade.  A lot of F6a+ to 6b+s involved burly tufa wrestling or steep crimping that made them feel far more physical and sustained than the average UK comparator -  more reminiscent of a F6c+ up a big indoor lead wall than the slabby nastiness more common in the low F6s.  Certainly made the "warm-up" interesting.

[nik at work]

Nice one Moose. 

[Wood FT]

Great route psyche. 50 minutes on the steep 7b sounds impressive, get that man a trad rack

[Grubes]

well done Luke.
Now you just need tremelo to dry so you can focus on raindogs 

[tomtom]

Great route psyche. 50 minutes on the steep 7b sounds impressive, get that man a trad rack

+1, 50 min of staying power - impressive. (I have never been able to recover on a good hold.. my arms just dont seem to work like that..)

[moose]

Nice one Moose. 

Cheers, your professional advice to speed up might not have been in evidence (as my partner's stiff neck will attest); but that coaching trip left me with valuable general know-how for working routes and a new willingness to "have a go" that has definitely had benefits.  By the way, if you have any future trips planned let me know.  As always, I am up for domestic route action most weekends too.

[SA Chris]

I have never been able to recover on a good hold.. my arms just dont seem to work like that.

Me neither. A partial depump is the best I ever get. That's limpet like staying power.

[andy popp]

I have never been able to recover on a good hold.. my arms just dont seem to work like that.

Me neither. A partial depump is the best I ever get. That's limpet like staying power.

I once managed to spend well over two hours on a route at Kilnsey. Those were the days.

[moose]

+1, 50 min of staying power - impressive. (I have never been able to recover on a good hold.. my arms just dont seem to work like that..)

Being composed entirely of slow-twitch muscle has some benefits.  What I have found is that even when a rest initially doesn't feel like it is any good, it can be worth persevering with.  At first you might think that you are not getting anything back, but, after a while, the heart stops racing, the senses clear, and the benefit becomes more obvious.  Though sometimes I think it's more a matter of relaxing and recovering mental composure than a physical effect.

[slackline]

Sounds like a great trip Moose congratulations.

If you put the stamina to use be mindful of tide times on sea cliffs (I once spent an hour and a half sat in the cave at the bottom of Strait Gate watching the tide come in hoping I wouldn't get soaked as my mate spent ages faffing around leading it recovering on almost every move).

[tomtom]

I have never been able to recover on a good hold.. my arms just dont seem to work like that.

Me neither. A partial depump is the best I ever get. That's limpet like staying power.

I once managed to spend well over two hours on a route at Kilnsey. Those were the days.

bloody hell! Did you take your lunch and a flask?

I like the idea of recovering even when you think you're not recovering Moose... sadly my hands just let go instead

[SA Chris]

Sounds like a great trip Moose congratulations.

If you put the stamina to use be mindful of tide times on sea cliffs (I once spent an hour and a half sat in the cave at the bottom of Strait Gate watching the tide come in hoping I wouldn't get soaked as my mate spent ages faffing around leading it recovering on almost every move).

I had to move up onto the top of the block when belaying on Rock Idol while my mate had clipped into some gear (but not weighted it) as the tide had come up to mky knees. Also belayed GF in thigh deep water on Pain Pillar at Aberdour. And then seconded her with wet ropes slapping me in the face. It's OK though, I got revenge on the HVS just to the right 2 weeks later (and she's a lot shorter than me!).

[andymarshll]

Only about 4 weeks after starting bouldering again after an (arguably minor) bicep tear, went to nant gwynant and sent going down on an elephant and tusk. Two new ticks in a session, one pretty much as hard as i've ever done   

[Dr T]

Yesterday - best grit day ever.....
1st 7b flash
2nd 7b flash..
plus 2 more 7b's and a host of other stuff..
Gonna need to to set my sights higher
Might be a good year.....

[leeroy]

nice one! what were they?

[Drew]

Had a session on Left Hand Man just after doing Dick Williams 2 years ago. So nearly topped out. I think I got to the pocket, but dropped it trying to match it. Finally went back again tonight, had completely forgotten my beta, so watched Nai's Secrets of the Garden beforehand. Tried it his way. Totally shut down (Nai you're a beast). Ended up trying my lanky mate's beta which I dismissed 2 years ago. Fucking nailed it! Happy days.

[JackAus]

Discovered a new area today that's at least the size of Sabot..... Time to clean...

[SA Chris]

Nice, what area? (stress not, I won't encrouch on your territory) Are you in touch with any of the other UKBers in Oz?

[JackAus]

Nice, what area? (stress not, I won't encrouch on your territory) Are you in touch with any of the other UKBers in Oz?

Nearish to Nowra.
Couple of pics here: http://jackfolkes.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-discovery.html

Na I'm not yet. Been meaning to get in contact with them.....

[SA Chris]

Carnage, BB and nick fletcher (username eludes me) are all Sydneyish based, but i think they seem to hibernate from climbing over the summer.

[shark]

ET sent home