Another hiatus for me. Been patchy recently with A2 management and life stuff getting in the way.
But...
Trip report!
Friday 19th: Tentative session at Brin, partner wanted to try "It's high End 8!" - (7b+) so just had a few Tr laps on that, making sure not to tweak a finger on the wee crimps. 3rd lap linked it clean but held off leading as I wanted to make sure I got to Pabbay with no sore fingers!
Sat 20th: couple of E1s at Glen Nevis, drove to Skye.
Sunday 21st: Boat to Pabbay from Skye (4 hrs), managed an E1 and a TR of an E4/5 as mate's had a rope on it.
Monday 22nd: Easing in with a trip to Allanish walls, led Fracture Clinic and As Sound as a Mr Ja, both E2, both great fun.
Tuesday 23rd: Prophecy of Drowning - so....So good. One of the best E2s in the country.
Wednesday 24th: Spit in Paradise. Mental. Just bikers how much this things overhangs. E4, but all pitches no harder than E3. So much fun, and my fitness is clearly good as I only had a sniff of pump on the first pitch crux, then nothing the rest of the way,
Thursday: Poop deck - Who killed JR was delightful at E2 and I laughed my whole way up it as the holds were just so pleasingly good! Seconded a few things (climbing as 3) and then strapped on for the big one - Thursday's Setting Sunrise. Very steep E5 crack, probably 20/25 degrees overhanging! Pumpy and technical jamming, roofs, good gear. Got it clean but had to fight - those jamming muscles less fit than the crimping ones!
Friday: Felt quite fatigued by this point, but wanted to get another classic done. Sugar Cane Country was just phenomenal! What a ride. I was a bit more tentative than on previous days, just through slight lack of head rest (maybe not best sleep) but felt smooth on it, kept the pump pretty manageable and read all the moves. Good times!
Sat/Sun - lazing / packing / boat / travel.
83.5kg....heaviest ever, but managing steep and pumpy E4s with almost no pump. E5 less so but good. Plenty power, fingers strong. Odd.
Last year I went out to Pabbay too, probably similar sport fitness and trad warm up, but with no 3 week trip to slovenia getting tuned into rock first. I had high expectations last year, thinking of going for my first E6 onsight and then had a poor trip, falling off E3s, E4s and barely getting anything clean on lead. This year we did have better conditions, but I also eased in, low expectations and just got the flow on. This seems to be key for me. (and less whisky - last year was my 40th and some celebrations got out of hand...)
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