[saintlade]

Anybody climbing around abouts Barcelona on these dates who I could hook up with for some climbing? Up for anything, will only have Shoes and a Harness with me. Travelling with a random stranger I met on a train and doing the whole tourist thing checking out the art  , architecture , beach  (weather permitting), nightlife        and drinking plenty of wine    .

Would be a shame not to get any climbing done whilst I'm kicking about in the area. Arrive early on the 9th and leave late on the 15th so looking for maybe one or two days between the 10th and 14th. Failing that does anybody have reccomendations for a good indoor bouldering wall in Barca?

Stu

[fatneck]

Stu, I'll pass you Hip Hop Bens number as he may be able to help. He's actually in Valencia but being the social type (to put it mildly) he may know people/have info for you.

You still in the 'Pool?

[saintlade]

In Sheffield mostly being snowed on. Managed to do the green traverse in a couple of goes (first peak 7a woo!) inbetween snow showers and fall off of the storm and deliverance a good number of times. Then when it came in really hard went over to the (very slightly) sheltered West Side Story and froze. Going to get out after lunch today if the weather holds then travelling back to London to leave for Barca early Wednesday. If you could tap Ben for some contacts would be good, phone is still the same. Just looking for 1 or 2 days sport or bouldering, can get public transport from Barcelona to wherever people are climbing. Will you see you up in the pool on my return no doubt. Nice Font pics on facebook by the way, did you crush?

[saintlade]

Oh My! Valencia, that'll be by that fabled Albaraccin(?) spot? Well psyched to get down there if people don't mind me falling on their pads. Only 3hrs on the train from Barcelona too.

[Richie Crouch]

Hey Stu I don't suppose there is any space on the plane?  I need to make use of this thick skin I have regrown!

[BenF]

I can't believe you've used that picture for your new avatar Rich.  Could you not find a photo of Jimmy Sommerville?

[Monolith]

For the underprivileged majority who don't know Rich, imagine a hybrid between Paul O'Grady and De Niro in Taxi Driver and you're on the right lines. Sure I have something in the Photoshop vault somewhere

[BenF]

For the lucky bastards who don't know Rich and therefore still have food left in their cupboards, imagine a hybrid between Paul O'Grady and De Niro in Taxi Driver

O'Grady crossed with De Niro?  That's optimistic. 

Although of course, the mohawk willl surely have gone now since he was scared of showing it to his mother...    

[Richie Crouch]

She wasn't overly keen on the shaved number 2 all over but I think the dodgy mowhawk would have resulted in being disowned 

[andy_e]

I need to make use of this thick skin I have regrown!

My arse...

[saintlade]

Thick skin eh Rich? So you now have 3 as opposed to the usual 2 layers of skin you sport on your pinkies?    Barcelona's not gonna be a climbing trip per se, gonna do a day or 2 tops; but might stay on if you fancy it and can work the logistics out. Got the flights with Ryan Air for very cheap but beware, they charge extra for baggage and such if you need that guff. Have just had a very nice though occasionally snowy day climbing along Burbage and starting off towards Barcelona tomoz. It's a hard life.

Keep me posted on the Italy trip or any trips for that matter. And how is the Crouch/Mono/Lade hotel chain coming along? 

[meatball]

With the  amount of time you spend away from home i thought you had been disowned anyway

[BenF]

She wasn't overly keen on the shaved number 2 all over but I think the dodgy mowhawk would have resulted in being disowned 

  

[saintlade]

Yo all, back from a very nice trip to Barcelona. Climbed indoors at ClimbAt, a nice little bouldering wall in the city with some seriously long problems. Got shown around a bit and managed to hook up with someone for a day's climbing at Montserrat. Climbing there was pretty interesting, managed a couple of nice 6's to warm up and a couple of early 7's, the climbing is pretty much vertical on a very fine conglomerate with pockets and pebble pulling being the order of the day. Amazing looking place, though can imagine the climbing isn't suited to all tastes. Spent ages locking off and checking for holds, biceps were properly knacked given the angle.