Numbers have their place, but most of the time they aren't very inspiring. Climbers are inspired by stunning lines in a beautiful setting, interesting history, and the heroic characters of each generation that made the sport what it is today. ... strive to select goals that are specific as possible, such as a particular route.Sez the Anderson Bros in their training book (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=24215.0).
The first day I climbed one of the most famous routes in Germany. Sautanz was first freed by Kurt Albert in 1981, and it was a very futuristic type of climb at the time of the ascent, not to mention the first 5.12c in Germany. The photos of Kurt on the route made it onto the cover of Germany’s climbing mag Boulder, making Kurt and the route instant stars. It’s still the most sought after 5.12 in Germany. .... The rock was phenomenal, and the climbing was just as good as the best 12c’s I’ve ever doneOne of my local climbing walls has the a big print of the classic picture of Kurt Albert on Sautanz in the bar; it looks heinous and the idea that it might be possible for me wouldn't even have crossed my mind a couple of years ago.
We "saved" Sautanz for a long time because I was expecting a really hard route, not least on account of of [Kurt Albert's] aura. I didn't even think of trying it onsight. So I was all the more disappointed when the route gave in first go after after a short inspection. In the course of our classic-collecting, we recently did "Kalauer" on the same crag. What a stark contrast. The hardest 7a in the world for sure. And it easily bears comparison with Sautanz. The difficulties on both routes are limited to about five metres, and the climbing is definitely comparable.But wait. Duncan's mate Andy (http://travelswithrockboots.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/the-frankenjura-beta.html) sez:
beware, Sautanz itself is thin, technical, surprisingly powerful given the barely beyond vertical angle and very polished.
older athletes need to replace skill practice with heavy strength training in order not to lose vital power and strength.
In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)Now in tenth year of fatherhood and basically surrendered to mentor/coach/observer/has been/old man mode...
surely this is too early?
surely this is too early?
I've got at least 7 days climbing left this month and more than one target left to get for this year... The psyche's still high for 2014!
After my epic failures to do much from my lists, I will keep it simple in 2015.
1. Don't die trying to do the Lakeland 100
2. Get back to climbing after the Lakeland 100.
I'm ductaping skyhooks to my wrist as I type.
To be there when Lagers does his 7C.
and tell him he dabbed ;)
In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)Now in tenth year of fatherhood and basically surrendered to mentor/coach/observer/has been/old man mode...
1) 8c (Mini Sukarra at Margalef, or Make It Funky(?) any thoughts Stu??)
I have two goals for 2015.
Rain. Shadow.
Mine are now seven and five, they have interests - dance, music, Judo, gymnastics - is there a point soon when they start competing at these activities or doing them several times a week and your weekends & evenings are just making sure they're where they need to be?
Apologies, not read the thread through yet... I will. Just a bit giddy after my birthday experience on YYFY...
Simply... Balance desires to chuck myself off cliffs on a DH MTB and get some high 7s bouldered. Gym work, board sessions, yoga, fat loss - not weight loss - as I'm now 67 kg on creatine and was a 34 inch waist 7 months ago and now fit prana 30 inch climbing jeans. I was 74.5 kg before I got pissed off with looking at a fat late middle aged figure in the mirror every morning. My true non weight training weight, after creatine subsides will be about 65 kg.... It's time to my fingers back... Man up and spend time out on the rock. That is my challange... Balancing family, biking, work and bouldering... I need to think about this.
To be there when Lagers does his 7C.
and tell him he dabbed ;)
In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)Now in tenth year of fatherhood and basically surrendered to mentor/coach/observer/has been/old man mode...
Is there a point between toddler and 7/8/9(?) that life resumes briefly after the effort to get them walking, etc. then their demands take over again? Mine are now seven and five, they have interests - dance, music, Judo, gymnastics - is there a point soon when they start competing at these activities or doing them several times a week and your weekends & evenings are just making sure they're where they need to be?
Good to have you back FD.
My shed is round the corner and I'm always up for winter grit action.
Lamping as well
Get barrelled on my backhand.
Proper fins out turn on my forehand
Respect HST. Looks like you're tradding pretty close your sport grade (unless these E6's are all unprotected slabs).Or they are all highballs above stacks of pads. Which IS common these days.
Respect HST. Looks like you're tradding pretty close your sport grade (unless these E6's are all unprotected slabs).Or they are all highballs above stacks of pads. Which IS common these days.
Decided to set some targets and throw my cards on the table for the first time in over 15 years.
Boulder 7C ( not one I have done before)
Boulder 7B on the school 50 deg board.
Red point 8a.
Get barrelled on my backhand.
Proper fins out turn on my forehand
Get my working week (mon-fri) under 50 hours.
:) Ill change my sig thenGood to have you back FD.
My shed is round the corner and I'm always up for winter grit action.
Lamping as well
Nice one Dolly... Up for it. I've got rid of that single pivot bike, and got a nice complex multi linkage. The single pivot must of rotted my mind. :-[
- Play my guitar and sing out live.
- Write some songs and press an EP or album.
- Get barrelled lots on the Indo boat trip.
- Do a good time in the Henley bridge to bridge eight mile swim.
- Try to become a Dad.
1. Winter grit.Did Berdorf for a week way back in 1992. Great climbing, really nice mix of styles of routes and certainly at the time, it was fairly sparsely bolted I seem to recall. Dossed in the woods and in a bus shelter much to the annoyance of the locals. Also stopped in Belgium on the drive down for some limestone routes and techo vinyl shopping :)
2. Berdorf.
3. Pfalz.
4. Move South.
5. Wales / South West trips.
6. Keep training.
Carry on getting on the trad routes I get psyched for.
4. Move South.
1. Winter grit.
2. Berdorf.
3. Pfalz.
4. Move South.
5. Wales / South West trips.
6. Keep training.
Decided to set some targets and throw my cards on the table for the first time in over 15 years.
Boulder 7C ( not one I have done before)
Boulder 7B on the school 50 deg board.
Red point 8a.
Get barrelled on my backhand.
Proper fins out turn on my forehand
Get my working week (mon-fri) under 50 hours.
Decided to set some targets and throw my cards on the table for the first time in over 15 years.
Boulder 7C ( not one I have done before)
Boulder 7B on the school 50 deg board.
Red point 8a.
Get barrelled on my backhand.
Proper fins out turn on my forehand
Get my working week (mon-fri) under 50 hours.
Nice one Gav. The last one is key to the first three. I'd be interested to know what you have in mind to change that? :jab:
-8a boulder would be a dream. Open for ideas, i need projects
(in fontainebleau)! the only one i've been trying is Neverland, and i don't want to try something where i can easily get injuried (no bad falls, no crazy crimping). The only proper 7c+ i've done is Hypothèse (=foot-on campusing with tiny, shitty feet)
Carry on getting on the trad routes I get psyched for.
Do a real first 7C.
Sort out shoulder/neck ballache.
Climbing - shifting back to chuffing this year after a 10 year hiatus.
1. To Bolt or Not to Be - 5.14a
Bouldering - Enter the Dragon,Tremeirchion.
Sport- maybe my Dulas proj if it feels a bit easier and is dry.
Main goal is to buy a house with a garage so I can build my own board :-*
Nah it's too late. He's in his 40s, canne get it up no more.
He's all teeth and he bullies me. He keeps telling me I've got Stockholm syndrome and won't let me out in case I hurt myself.
Climbing - shifting back to chuffing this year after a 10 year hiatus.
1. To Bolt or Not to Be - 5.14a
Good luck with this, let me know how you get on! I'll let you know when I book a flight over for the Spring
UK Trad: Revisit Pembroke
Trips planned: Chulilla in Jan (onsight 7b+)
However, there are three 7b+s (I think) next to each other (Rock Punk etc) at El Algarrobo that are nails to onsight with hard boulder problems.
Austrian Oak natch
Trips planned: Chulilla in Jan (onsight 7b+) Font at Easter (Lady Big Clacques) , Squamish in the summer (Steal a Mountie’s horse, wrestle a Grizzly, climb Grand Wall and Freeway with habrich) Kalymnos October half term with Tom again (attempt Zawindul Syndicate onsight)
Main unfinished Peak projects: eatswood Reverse, Kudos, Rattle and Hump start, Jericho Road, Anger Management, Bens Roof
UK Trad: Revisit Pembroke, Fairhead festival and Cornish BMC festival. Attempt Reproduction at High Tor ground up
Buy/refurbish another rental property if anything suitable comes up. Get patio, drives and garden sorted.
Ensure climbing / work balance is where it should be. Get and stay sub 11.7. Stay psyched. Avoid injury / manage niggles.
Come to terms with turning 51.
Buy/refurbish another rental property if anything suitable comes up.
Trips planned: Chulilla in Jan (onsight 7b+)
That's one aim in the bag; congrats in advance! I had a good fortnight at Chulilla in November. Either the grades there are very soft, or a lot of the classic routes are just incredibly well-suited to on-sighting (at least if you can recover on decent holds).
3. Complete MA in Gritology: Master's Edge, Masters of the Universe, Master of Reality.Nice theme. OS / Flash one presumes...
Austrian Oak natch
Trips planned: Chulilla in Jan (onsight 7b+) Font at Easter (Lady Big Clacques) , Squamish in the summer (Steal a Mountie’s horse, wrestle a Grizzly, climb Grand Wall and Freeway with habrich) Kalymnos October half term with Tom again (attempt Zawindul Syndicate onsight)
Main unfinished Peak projects: eatswood Reverse, Kudos, Rattle and Hump start, Jericho Road, Anger Management, Bens Roof
UK Trad: Revisit Pembroke, Fairhead festival and Cornish BMC festival. Attempt Reproduction at High Tor ground up
Buy/refurbish another rental property if anything suitable comes up. Get patio, drives and garden sorted.
Ensure climbing / work balance is where it should be. Get and stay sub 11.7. Stay psyched. Avoid injury / manage niggles.
Come to terms with turning 51.
Good goals. Respect.
Bloody hell!! you're 51!! Seriously... You don't look it.
Jeez...
1. Burn off Will Hunt consistently
You are Oldmanmatt and I claim my £5
Hitching back from Cham in the 80s I was offered 5 francs for my "services". Five bloody francs! I ask you!
Hitching back from Cham in the 80s I was offered 5 francs for my "services". Five bloody francs! I ask you!
And....? ;)
he means the way Will's structured the writing in that last post Matt, reminiscent of your poetic style
Hitching back from Cham in the 80s I was offered 5 francs for my "services". Five bloody francs! I ask you!
And....? ;)
And what?
he means the way Will's structured the writing in that last post Matt, reminiscent of your poetic style
Uhh!
I know, duh!
Ironic, meant it I, young Skywalker.
he means the way Will's structured the writing in that last post Matt, reminiscent of your poetic style
Uhh!
I know, duh!
Ironic, meant it I, young Skywalker.
sorry
Try not to be so old.
Try not to be so old.
Let me know how this goes. I'm in the market for tips and tricks...
Try not to be so old.
Let me know how this goes. I'm in the market for tips and tricks...
Go to the Frankenjura!
Going to set the bar too high probably:
Do 25 things 8A or harder
Make the most of having a car
Get around the UK more and get better at climbing not on trips
One arm the small beastmaker crimp (doubtful )
10 pullups (managed 3 the other day). Sounds pathetic but this by far the hardest target I have personally.Good goals. For me it's exactly the opposite, no probs with pull ups but 100 press ups a day would be impossible for me!
100 pressups EVERY day by Sept.
50th birthday in Sept, this will be difficult but I want a six pack. Shallow, vain but attainable. Try harder Mr. Mann.
How much it will help your climbing is another matter of course! I'd imagine doing 100 of anything every day is going to end in tears too.
Never drink again....Till tomorrow?
Never drink again....Till tomorrow?
hows the back?
make a fictional climbing film.
6. Onsight at least 7a+ in Chulilla in feb. Onsighted 7b
7. Do a 7b+ in Chulilla Didn't try anything harder than 7b
Font 8a
French 8a
Bolt and FA a very good and >7a sport climb Bolted and climbed my first sport FA at 6c
Put up a new cool hard-ish boulder problem/find and develop new cragFA of what is probably my hardest problem yet. Two move wonder, and I'm still wondering how I did it
SE Asia climbing trip Might go to Mallorca instead
Get this year's work published
Training - 1, 4, 7. Tick!
1. (as per last year) Alpine / trad trips to any two or more of: Dolomites, Oberreintal, elsewhere in Alps e.g. Ecrins, UK trad excursion. Not yet. Oberreintal & UK trad planned for August, weather permitting.
2. Sport climbing: redpoint 7b Tried one, it was heinous. Realistically, though, I could do one if I found one locally I was willing to siege. Have done both of my 7a redpoints in a half a dozen goes. But I prefer to stick to things I can do in a day or two. So many great crags and routes, don't want to spend all my limited time going to the same place.
Fuck it: Sautanz. Maybe 2016. :lol: Maybe this decade. Not looking good at the moment.
3. Sport climbing: place in the top fifty old codgers in Germany (http://www.8a.nu/Scorecard/Ranking.aspx?CountryCode=DEU&RankingAgeLimit=2&CombinedRanking=0&RankingListType=1&Gender=-1) per 8a.nu routes ranking. #63
4. Do a muscle-up. Abandoned training towards this when I bruised my ribs in February. Might resume in the Autumn.
The road to Sautanz.
6c+
Schöne Aussicht. A minor classic and somewhat Sautanz-Lite (very lite): circa vertical, techy, cruxy. I've been on it twice already, should get it next visit.
Katalysator, Löwenherz. Not at all similar to Sautanz, but *the* Frankenjura classics at the grade so I must get them done.
7a
Dampfhammer. Not at all similar to Sautanz except that it too is a famous, polished Kurtie classic. But a must anyway for the German 7a aspirant.
Pfeilerweg, Griesen. Obscure route on obscure non-Frankenjura local crag, but looks superb.
Edelbitter, Konstein. Not similar to Sautanz, but the first 7a I tried and excellent. Finish this project in the spring when it's dry again.
Die Blaue, Konstein. Ron Fawcett route on obscure local crag. I haven't even looked at it yet but my mate Tom says it's good.
7a/+/b
Kalauer. "World's hardest 7a"? Sautanz-slightly-lite. On the same crag, similar in style and supposed to be not much easier. The benchmark.
7b
Maßarbeit, Zugabe: I know nothing about these except that Patrick Matros recommended them as targets for the Frankenjura 7b aspirant.
(Clipsticker: totally uninspiring three bolt boulder problem. Everybody's first UIAA IX- in the 'jura. Would be a shame if I had to resort to this.)
None of the above
1. V8. On my way. Very close on a few different 8s. Just a matter of time really.
2. DWS project. Got very close before it got too cold. Back to waiting for it to warm up abit.
3. Drop weight/get fitter. Lost 14kg so far. Kinda stopped trying to lose it atm and just been climbing so much. Still more to go. Would like to get down to 70, currently at 76.
4. Spend some decent time in the Grampians. Red atm because its only the start of winter now... Trying to plan a couple week trip for later in the season but time money and weather permitting.
1. Winter grit. - fail, weather dire.
2. Berdorf. - fail, bad organisation
3. Pfalz. - fail, bad organisation
4. Move South. - fail
5. Wales / South West trips. - fail, bad motivation, bad organisation
6. Keep training. - partial success, done some training but too many lazy days too
1. Make 7C the new 7B - about half a dozen to go
2. Stu's roof at Almscliff - TICK!
In rough order of importance..
1. Era vella FUCK YEAH HONKY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQgd6MccwZc Sorry.
2. Finally have fully healed collateral and be able to climb UK sport again - progress, hajj, bat route Bat route and cry freedom done, good links on Progress, finger holding up so far as long as I;m careful with the volume of crimpy stuff, hopefully will continue..
3.Onsight more 8bs 1 down, more would be nice but not sure I'll get more trips to onsight friendly crags due to goal 6.
4.Flash 8b+
5. Louis lankstrong or keen douche Not really been psyched on bouldering since Spain. Need to get Progress done then get on it to train for big post-phd trip
6. Finish PhD hmm...
One arm the incut edge on BM 2000.- One arm hung the 1 pad rung on the bm on the sides for 5 seconds or so, hopefully the incut edge should fall in a couple months. One arms are going well on right arm, but on the left arm can occasionally summon one with neutral grip, but not front on yet. This has been on a back burner lately due to elbows and desire to get better at climbing.
Proper v10 on the board or outside.
Boulder open A finals for my state
Not wreck myself
With chris j junior due to arrive on the scene next weekend I'm not sure how much climbing will be done next year. I suspect I'll be lucky to equal this spring's high points, never mind exceed them. But being an optimistic spirit here goes (in order of importance):
1. Be a good dad.
2. Don't get injured. This year was good in this regard. Becoming increasingly important as niggles and tweaks seem to take exponentially longer to heal with increasing age.
3. Throw the grade pyramid out of the window and redpoint Just Revenge/Avenged at Ansteys (7c+).
4. Maintain bouldering around the 7A level, hopefully improve.
5. After this year's debacle of 2 days trad climbing, do some trad.
I don't know how compatible goal #1 is with 3, 4 & 5, I think I'm going to be relying heavily on my secret weapon of the new garage board, which means goal #2 may come under pressure...
Never drink again....
1. Don't get injured.
2. Old-skool circuiting and easy high circuits I've never done:-
Yellow - Justice de Chambergeot * Couldn't find it, one for cool weather
Yellow/orange - Pignon poteau * nope
Orange - Grande montagne * Beginning done, retired injured, I may go back.
Orange - Gros sablons * nope
Yellow/orange - Envers d'apremont * Imminent visit
Yellow/green/orange - Apremont * some point in the summer
Orange - Dame Jouanne * ?
2. Get the biggest, spongiest mat for my birthday * done
3. A few camping trips in the forest. Very hopefully a visit to the U.K. * Peak trip done, no camping yet
1. Burn off Will Hunt consistently
2. Blog more frequently
3. Put together a climbing film or at least a few short clips
4. Go trad climbing more (I forget it's what gives me the most pleasure)
5. Get a training contract
To be there when Lagers does his 7C.
and tell him he dabbed ;)
Climbing - shifting back to chuffing this year after a 10 year hiatus.
1. To Bolt or Not to Be - 5.14a - Not going to be this year due to life goal :(
2. Climb remaining local 5.13a or harder routes. 7 of 10 currently done. - No more tried, and low motivation for those routes
3. Climb 2 out of 5 of my existing sport projects , and 1 of my 2 existing trad projects. - 1 Done, good progress on two more, hopefully in the fall when connies come back
4. Bolt and climb four new 8th grade routes in AK. Currently there are only 4. - None yet, but have identified two walls to recon, maybe if life slows down just a bit
Life:
Full on into business start up. Goal is revenue of 150K for 2015. BIG GOAL...-currently at 45, and have current contracts for 160K, plus 3 proposal outstanding, so it's looking really good :boxing:
1. Burn off Will Hunt consistently
2. Blog more frequently
3. Put together a climbing film or at least a few short clips
4. Go trad climbing more (I forget it's what gives me the most pleasure)
5. Get a training contract
Half way review:
1. TICK! Went to Font with Will over April and his poor cheshire hands couldn't keep up (though he was looking better at the start ;)) Favourite moment was watching an Italian boys face drop when I topped out from Carnage and he'd been trying it for ages.
2. Nope Two blogs this year so far :no: Work life has taken over massively over the past 7 months but it has all paid off at least. On the plus side I have loads to write about when I get a bit of time spare. I joined instagram to keep some kind of media posting going...
3. Hmmm I have written a couple of scripts and have ideas of grandeur. More time needed etc, will see how this goes but fingers crossed for the project.
4. Nope Haven't tied on yet. Maybe after the summer again but for now am very much enjoying my bouldering.
5 TICK! Very pleased and relieved to bag one. The best part is that I get to be a student again from September to do my LPC. Will start as a trainee Sept 2016. Better get to Yosemite before then :whistle:
:agree:1. Burn off Will Hunt consistently
2. Blog more frequently
3. Put together a climbing film or at least a few short clips
4. Go trad climbing more (I forget it's what gives me the most pleasure)
5. Get a training contract
Half way review:
1. TICK! Went to Font with Will over April and his poor cheshire hands couldn't keep up (though he was looking better at the start ;)) Favourite moment was watching an Italian boys face drop when I topped out from Carnage and he'd been trying it for ages.
2. Nope Two blogs this year so far :no: Work life has taken over massively over the past 7 months but it has all paid off at least. On the plus side I have loads to write about when I get a bit of time spare. I joined instagram to keep some kind of media posting going...
3. Hmmm I have written a couple of scripts and have ideas of grandeur. More time needed etc, will see how this goes but fingers crossed for the project.
4. Nope Haven't tied on yet. Maybe after the summer again but for now am very much enjoying my bouldering.
5 TICK! Very pleased and relieved to bag one. The best part is that I get to be a student again from September to do my LPC. Will start as a trainee Sept 2016. Better get to Yosemite before then :whistle:
It's the simple pleasures that makes climbing worthwhile.
3. Do a wank, esoteric, Yorkshire grit, first ascentBetter ask Will as he might have done the wankiest already?
3. Do a wank, esoteric, Yorkshire grit, first ascentBetter ask Will as he might have done the wankiest already?
I can direct you to some projects in un named crags 10 mins drive from my house with a 1 min walk in I can't be arsed doing for esoteric west yorks grit esoteric shitness
Half way huh...1. V8. Climb one, gets downgraded. So just climb another.... Very pleased.
2. DWS project. Got very close before it got too cold. Back to waiting for it to warm up abit.
3. Drop weight/get fitter. Lost 14kg so far. Kinda stopped trying to lose it atm and just been climbing so much. Still more to go. Would like to get down to 70, currently at 76.
4. Spend some decent time in the Grampians. Red atm because its only the start of winter now... Trying to plan a couple week trip for later in the season but time money and weather permitting.
Doesn't look like much progress overall but the weight loss has made me tear through a bunch of V7s recently and help get me close on the V8s... Climbing so much better lately.
See how the 2nd half of the year pans out.
Climbing - shifting back to chuffing this year after a 10 year hiatus.
1. To Bolt or Not to Be - 5.14a - Delayed for personal reasons to 2016 or 2017
2. Climb remaining local 5.13a or harder routes. 7 of 10 currently done. - No Progress - Potential to get 1-2 more done this fall, but the likelihood is low
3. Climb 2 out of 5 of my existing sport projects , and 1 of my 2 existing trad projects. - None sent yet, but solid progress on 2 of the sport projects earlier this year, and now waiting for better conditions.
4.Bolt andclimb four new 8th grade routes in AK. Currently there are only 4. - I'm revising this to simply climbing 4 8th grade routes, and so far the two old projects listed above would both apply, as well as two old abandoned project I just found out at Byron. Game on to see if I can get em done before the seaosn ends.
Life:
Full on into business start up. Goal is revenue of 150K for 2015. BIG GOAL... :boxing: - Getting there. If we can get contact negotiations finished on two projects soon enough, we'll get there. Plus the potential for two more contracts would make this a big win.
I had a pretty productive year this year, which hopefully sets me up for next year. A few unfinished bit from this year and slightly more focus on specifics than last year.
1. Start running again. Min 5km run once a week. Definitely haven't been out every week, but I've been out most of them usually more than once and I've run further than this quota.
2. Get on some of the big E5s in Pembroke, the Pass, Gogarth. E.g. Right Wall, Headhunter, Positron. Got on Headhunter, was greasy, got scared. Not been to North Wales this year as I've been injured or abroad for most of the trad season.
3. Complete MA in Gritology: Master's Edge, Masters of the Universe, Master of Reality. One for Autumn/Winter
4. The big (and possibly unrealistic) one: Point Blank. Had a good look on a shunt and put in decent links. More feasible than I expected, won't happen this year due to injury, but a definite goal for Easter.
5. Make good use of summer holiday for trip out of Europe. Spent summer in Canada, with 10 days in Squamish. Did the Grand Wall and a bunch of classic cracks
1. (as per last year) Alpine / trad trips to any two or more of: Dolomites, Oberreintal, elsewhere in Alps e.g. Ecrins, UK trad excursion.Two short but decent alpine outings - Kaisergebirge, Gesäuse (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=26160.0) - and a day at Staden Moor. Hurrah
2. Sport climbing: redpoint 7b as per Nik's instructions (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25007.msg465493.html#msg465493). Wait:No
After my epic failures to do much from my lists, I will keep it simple in 2015.
1. Don't die trying to do the Lakeland 100
2. Get back to climbing after the Lakeland 100.
RaindogsSteady in sections but didn't have the juice to string it all together. Didn't go back after injuring finger in June.
Hot Funking Closing will be the local aim.Within 2 moves four times first session back on it, returned a week later confident of success to find it broken and highly unpleasant, haven't bothered since.
E4 onsights, ultimately Resurrection.Hardly any trad, been nowhere near Wales.
Brad Pit.Hardly bouldered, been nowhere near Stanage
As usual 8a will be the main goal
achieve more than I did this yearWell?
Get registered as "visually impaired" i've probably been in denial for the last 6 months,hoping things get better.They won't.MS shit doesn't seem to have progressed so a YYFY on that one :2thumbsup:
Get assessed for this MS bollocks and consider my treatment options.
Quit smoking.Again.
Fix garden shed.
Get tree in back garden cut down.
Dark Matter stand at Sampson's Stones and tidy up some other bits and bobs from last time.
Morning Afterglow and tons of other stuff at Torridon.
Summer in Shetland.
I would regard that as a good year.Off to Harris now for a week of rain,gales and doubtlessly fail on my project over there........oh and to be more positive this year ;D
Merry Xmas all :)
7C as usual
Aim: simply to burn off Ondra. Watch out you little punk bitch! Dave's coming for ya.
Trad: Resurrection, Right wall (again!), Headhunter, PositronFlashed Headhunter, yyfy. Didn't get on the Cromlech or Main Cliff but did go to Pabbay/Mingulay, Onsighted a few E4s and had the best time of my life so not so fussed about Positron/Right wall this year
Sport: Arch Enemies, Energie Positiva and Call of NatureDidn't manage any of these in the end. Not too bothered though as I got sucked into Cheedale action, did Toys for the Boys, This is the Sea and finally after many session managed Powerplant as my first 8a. Very happy.
Bouldering: try hard and often for once!It appears I'm not a boulderer, i'll get my coat...
Big: complete a long, moderately hard and reasonably free ascent on the Naranjo Del Bulnes lumpsFucked it up half way up the Rabada-Navarro, did a few east face routes and had a brilliant time. It's a great place and I would recommend it.
Other: decorate and furnish house/have a moving in party, make a fictional climbing film.I had to sell a bunch of filming equipment and I moved out of the house so had a tough few months, the climbing mafia sorted me out so I couldn't be feeling any more different right now. I still want to make a fictional climbing film, 'I am not an athlete: The Ryan Pasquill Story"
Austrian Oak natchTempted to give this an orange Massive progress in the Autumn and came very close.
Trips planned: Chulilla in Jan (onsight 7b+)Attempted a few and took a massive lob on one. Making sure I pack my stamina this time for the January return visit
Font at Easter (Lady Big Clacques)One session on this and did OK though it was a bit warm
Squamish in the summer (Steal a Mountie’s horse, wrestle a Grizzly, climb Grand Wall and Freeway )Superb trip doing a mix of trad, sport and bouldering. Doing Grand Wall with Tommy being amongst lifetime bests. Took a couple of falls on Freeway which was a shame
Kalymnos October half term with Tom again (attempt Zawindul Syndicate onsight)Didnt go as Tommy was keener for Malham and he was almost rewarded with Raindogs
Main unfinished Peak projects: eatswood Reverse, Kudos, Rattle and Hump start, Jericho Road, Anger Management, Bens RoofAll still unfinished
UK Trad: Revisit Pembroke, Fairhead festival and Cornish BMC festival. Attempt Reproduction at High Tor ground upThis should have all been April-June time when I was recovering from a burnt hand
]Buy/refurbish another rental property if anything suitable comes up.Got a student property in Nottingham which has gone ok. Run out of leverage now.
Get patio, drives and garden sorted.Got a wondrous yorkshire flagged patio with drystone retaining walls now.
Ensure climbing / work balance is where it should be. Get and stay sub 11.7. Stay psyched.Avoid injury / manage niggles.Come to terms with turning 51.Lack of project tickage aside its been a good year with exception of hand burning. Even when busy with work still managed to get during week by working evenings and weekends instead. Getting and maintaining all time low of sub 11 stone throughout the Autumn was an unexpected achievement
My year is effectively over unless I manage to smash Northumberland over new yearQuoteBig: complete a long, moderately hard and reasonably free ascent on the Naranjo Del Bulnes lumpsFucked it up half way up the Rabada-Navarro, did a few east face routes and had a brilliant time. It's a great place and I would recommend it.
Wrote about it here - http://www.nectarclimbing.com/words/la-torre-junto-al-mar
PhysioPretty happy with how the physio went. Don't think my foot is quite at 90% strength, even now, though.
1. 15 unilateral calf raises in Jan
2. Be able to run again by Feb.
3. Be able to safely jump/fall off (indoor) boulders in March.
4. 90% foot strength and mobility by August (50% for inversion)
ClimbingI massively underestimated how long I would have so little psyche for. Got to quick 8a+ and 8b redpoint.
1. 8a onsight and shit loads up to that on Easter trip - Turkey?
2. 8c-9a in Summer. Hopefully back in Flatanger (Baltzola if not?). Nordic Flower, Nordic Plumber, Art of Flight, Dharma, Little Badder. Try Thors Hammer.
1. Be trading online this year and hit business plan projections.
2. The Jura fell race during Islay whisky festival week already booked on to.
3. Start climbing again and fix back-related issues it induces!
4. Win the Islay festival nosing competition. Missed out by one dram last year!
My year is effectively over unless I manage to smash Northumberland over new yearQuoteBig: complete a long, moderately hard and reasonably free ascent on the Naranjo Del Bulnes lumpsFucked it up half way up the Rabada-Navarro, did a few east face routes and had a brilliant time. It's a great place and I would recommend it.
Wrote about it here - http://www.nectarclimbing.com/words/la-torre-junto-al-mar
Great write up!
Starting a project to republish 'Stud marks on the summits' has also been awesome and things are progressing nicely here.
7C as usual
fail
as usual
Encourage everyone to use orange coloured writing in their end of year review, and not yellow, so people can actually read it.
Starting a project to republish 'Stud marks on the summits' has also been awesome and things are progressing nicely here.
This Mark guy sound like quite the ladies man.
2. Flash/onsight 8a.
Not 100% happy with this one as the 8a I onsighted was very soft (Debout les Morts in Kalymnos). I am 95% sure I would have onsighted/flashed Mon Dieu at Oliana which gets 8a+ but after getting through the hard stuff the bolt at the end of the run out was missing and although I didn't know how to do the moves on the route I had some idea about the clips and I heard the bolt after the bolt that was missing couldn't be clipped from below so I gave up!
Full time result: mixed, but a lot better than the rubbish half time result :-\
1. Winter grit. - fail, weather dire.
2. Berdorf. - fail, bad organisation
3. Pfalz. - success, last minute random trip. Despite cool temps, too still and sweaty to climb hard, but still great fun in a great place.
4. Move South. - fail, really feeling how much Scotland sucks at the moment, in the wise words of Cassidy "If you want to climb well, don't live in Glasgow"
5. Wales / South West trips. - success! - nice trip to South West early summer, excellent time spent in Wales late summer, one of my best times climbing and just existing for quite a while. Proved the importance of easy rock access, wet weather options, easy partners etc etc.
6. Keep training. - partial success, kept training regularly in ridiculously extra-wet non-autumn, decent progress bouldering and gym, but put on even more weight >:( >:( >:( >:(
2. Flash/onsight 8a.
Not 100% happy with this one as the 8a I onsighted was very soft (Debout les Morts in Kalymnos). I am 95% sure I would have onsighted/flashed Mon Dieu at Oliana which gets 8a+ but after getting through the hard stuff the bolt at the end of the run out was missing and although I didn't know how to do the moves on the route I had some idea about the clips and I heard the bolt after the bolt that was missing couldn't be clipped from below so I gave up!
6. Finish PhD
Handed in yesterday.
- Play my guitar and sing out live.
Yep done three solo little gigs and stood in for my guitar tutor playing bass in his band. The solo gigs were nerve wracking but the other one was like riding a bike after twenty odd years.
- Write some songs and press an EP or album.
Got some songs written, maybe next year I'll record them.
- Get barrelled lots on the Indo boat trip.
We didn't surf many barrelling waves but we had the best surf trip ever and after I got into the groove on day three it all came back and I got heaps of fantastic waves. The surfing comes second place though to spending two weeks with close mates and people I've not seen for years in a mindblowing location on a fantastic boat.
- Do a good time in the Henley bridge to bridge eight mile swim.
Broke several ribs and suffered massive intercostal tearing falling off onto the flat from ten feet up whilst vert skating about two weeks beforehand. I couldn't tie my shoelaces for three weeks afterwards and could barely move around so a big swim was out of the question.
- Become a Dad.
Proving tricky... In the middle of tests and stuff...
Bouldering - Enter the Dragon,Tremeirchion. tick
Sport- maybe my Dulas proj if it feels a bit easier and is dry.no tick but finally got a sequence on the crux and got on redpoint (stuck crux 3 times from the start). Was getting there when end of season dramatically hit. Very hard for me
Main goal is to buy a house with a garage so I can build my own board :-* tick
- Become a Dad.
Proving tricky... In the middle of tests and stuff...
I have two goals for 2015.
Rain. Shadow.
- Become a Dad.
Proving tricky... In the middle of tests and stuff...
Best of all possible luck on that.
It may be a busy year so i'll be relatively conservative in my aims.
As for 2014, i have several aims and don't think i'll have good occasions on each of them.
-8a boulder would be a dream. Open for ideas, i need projects
(in fontainebleau)! the only one i've been trying is Neverland, and i don't want to try something where i can easily get injuried (no bad falls, no crazy crimping). The only proper 7c+ i've done is Hypothèse (=foot-on campusing with tiny, shitty feet)
-sport: i'd like to do one route out of the following list:
Couleur du vent, l'ami de tout le monde/ Choucas, Elixir de violence/ Le Bidule, Octocratie (Saussois)/ Witchcraft (FJ)/ Hilti Blues, Dis Moi... (St Léger) / Le Traité... (Grotte du Brotsch) / A couple 8's whose name i can't remember (Berdorf)
-trad (crack climbs): same as for sport.
Mustang, The Doors (Cadarese) / Pure Finger, 7b roof (name?) (Annot) / something in Orco, but what?
-MP: no real aims other than having a good time. Oh maybe one: redpointing Alix Punk de Vergons (Verdon)
- Become a Dad.
Proving tricky... In the middle of tests and stuff...
Best of all possible luck on that.
PM me if you want some perspective on that.
:o :shag:
- Become a Dad.
Proving tricky... In the middle of tests and stuff...
Best of all possible luck on that.
PM me if you want some perspective on that.
Thanks gents appreciate the offer.. In the middle of things right now so once I know the situation I may take you up in the offer.
I will be stronger than ever and fully primed to push my grades in 2016.Sounds awesome eddie.
I will be stronger than ever and fully primed to push my grades in 2016.Sounds awesome eddie.
Hope the knee is sorted soon.
This year I want to keep the sport climbing ball rolling, after making good ground last year.
Sport - project 7c+/8a and climb more at 7c. 8a YYFY
Boulder - nothing specific, see what happens... and something harder than 7a in Fontainebleau! 7C in Wales YYFY Didn't go to Fontainebleau
Training - 1, 4, 7. YYFY
Trips - Fontainebleau and Ceuse. Nope
General - start playing music again, take better photos, graduate and get a job (not essential), start drinking coffee, sell my motorbike, buy a car, become a real man, understand women?!?!?catch a fish and eat it, win a fight, 2 pointless answers in one show, zero drop knees.
Gonna be a big year :punk:
2 pointless answers in one show
2015:Ha-ha-ha, at least I don't have to think of any new aims for next year...
1) 8c (Mini Sukarra at Margalef, or Make It Funky(?) any thoughts Stu??)No, tried a wet MIF for half an hour and it felt hard, then made massive tactical error in Margalef trying Mini Sukarra when it was wet(!!) and trashed my fingers, idiot. Felt a lot easier than last year frustratingly...
2) All the eights (ideally 8a on-sight, E8 fa or flash, >8A font) at 40 years of age (Feb onwards...)Nope, nope and nope
3) An 8b fa8a+, meh
4) Either of the cave projectsNope
5) A trad fa harder than E8Super frustratingly nope, had one project ready to go at E9 but it got seepy, other project is hard...
6) Get on a 9anope
3 out of 6 would be a result
Accept that since I am getting on a bit, that my grip will never be the same as it used to be and try to remember this if/when i get some form back that I inevitably have to stop due to discomfort of some sort. grip is now good, not strong, but not sore
get strong again, last year was bad, this will involve staying away from local comps because they are way too bad on my hands (I only have one comp setting, which is pull too hard) reasonably pleased, no finger tape, no ibuprofen, only caffeine as a cructch
Deadlift 150Kg Hahahahaha
pick and succeed on a project at either a resonable grade, or that is completely beyond my current skillset. um, yesh, a couple of taller probs in font and did a couple of 8s
From last year's list (2013), get euro-lean managed for a bit and did the above
stop being mean to younger climbers down the wall, even if they are grumpy-uptight-selfdelusional-posing-arseholes. Check
Going to set the bar too high probably:
Do 25 things 8A or harder HA no
Make the most of having a car would say i got out as much as possible, whether or not it was as productive as possible...
Get around the UK more and get better at climbing not on trips bit more ambiguous but i would say yes
One arm the small beastmaker crimp (doubtful ) not a hope in hell
Pity you didn't make it up to Aberdeen for comp last Sat, was good vibe and good probs.
Going to set the bar too high probably:
One arm the small beastmaker crimp (doubtful ) not a hope in hell
retrospectively these are whack goals
Pity you didn't make it up to Aberdeen for comp last Sat, was good vibe and good probs.
i barely made it out of bed
glad it went well. hopefully next year if they run the series again I'll be able to take part.
1. Burn off Will Hunt consistently
This would have been a complete success, if only Will hadn't snatched a last minute victory from the Jaws of defeat. The roaches trip with my old nemesis and downfall, 'Spring Slab'. For three consecutive years Will has left me on the boggy floor, unable to get past the second move...
Brimham - 31st Jan -Ben (Marginal)Indecisive
I think you did Rachel's Box Variation which I failed on, though only because I tore a fingertip off *sulk*
Fun stuff:
- Climb again, in a sustainable way. Tick. And snuck in trips to Font and Switzerland.
- Surf more new spots and continue to improve as a surfer. Semi-tick. Improved as a surfer, but was quite limited in where I surfed.
- Get the weight back down to climbing fighting fitness Tick.
- 2 x BW deadlift Tick.
Serious stuff:
- Make a call on what to do with my life Work in progress.
- Normalise working situation Work in progress.
- Spend more time with my friends Could have done more.
I had a pretty productive year this year, which hopefully sets me up for next year. A few unfinished bit from this year and slightly more focus on specifics than last year.
1. Start running again. Min 5km run once a week. Failing on the regularity, in part due to work commitments in the Autumn, but putting the miles in a feeling good about it, which is the main thing :-)
2. Get on some of the big E5s in Pembroke, the Pass, Gogarth. E.g. Right Wall, Headhunter, Positron. Got on Headhunter, was greasy, got scared. The was basically injured for the rest of the year.
3. Complete MA in Gritology: Master's Edge, Masters of the Universe, Master of Reality. Not going to happen this year.
4. The big (and possibly unrealistic) one: Point Blank. Definitely feasible, and I think if I wasn't curtailed by injury I'd have managed this.
5. Make good use of summer holiday for trip out of Europe. Spent summer in Canada, with 10 days in Squamish. Did the Grand Wall and a bunch of classic cracks
Climbing-wise 2014 was great, seeing me match or better myself in every climbing discipline.
trad
On sight more E5s. Simple really, keep getting on ace three star routes when you feel good and just have an honest go. it's not the onsight as a finished product that matters, but the onsight as a process.
Really psyched about this year's trad efforts in the E5 department; would have been happy doing one or two considering last year i did my first but ended up doing 6: Warpath, Killerkranky, Ships that pass in the night, Right Wall (YYFY), Wall of Prey, and Ordinary Route (I led Positron headwall - YYFY) - prob would have done more had I not fractured my heel!
Go to fairhead and the burren. had an amazing week trip to fairhead climbing loads of amazing routes. highlights being Wall of Prey E5 (so nearly fell off!) Hallowe'en E4 (amazing, cold, pretty close to falling off) Promised Land E4/5 (Amazing, exited the groove to find it was raining, so nearly fell off the arete-y move)
didnt make the burren but ill defo head there in the future!
Tick more extreme rock routes (currently on 22) I have done a couple this year so not all out fail. not overly bovved though
Some grit/more peak E4s. Barely tradded in't peak this year - tried Usurper at Curbar but got well spanked. :spank:
sport:
Red point 7c. Not sure if I'll be able to afford a Spain trip early this year and not sure I can bear uk sport just yet when the trad is so much better. Surprising! More surprising is that despite going to Europe I climbed them all in the UK and am semi converted to UK sport. managed 4: Cordless Madness (tenuous?), Sturgeon in the cupboard (?), Cry of Despair (took me ages (6 sessions) desperate felt all of 7c maybe + to me) and Stone the Loach (in a session felt pretty steady)
also nearly climbed herbie 7c+ in a session but never went back will use it as early season fitness gainer.
Flash 7b more likely in Spain than UK!
Again surprising - managed to onsight two in Gorge du Tarn - both soft though the big corner crack one does get 7b+ in the local guide. also flashed a softie in cheedale.
boulderhogging
Continue highball psyche! Finish off narcissus, do more cool ones! havent been back for Narcissus. wah! have done some cool highballs though - think I did White Wand after posting this before end of t'year?
Climb some 7A+s: help the young at stanage, demon wall roof at almscliff, Red Baron at Shipley? Many more I'm sure.
Haha after posting this I had an ace day at Shipley climbing Parker 7A/+, Phil's Wall 7A+ and Red Baron 7A+ plus did a few more after that. this winter has been a total shit-show for me though
Life-wise 2014 was a bit more all over the place and I didn't achieve what I aimed for (in fact Those two aspects of my life are now gone). This makes it more difficult for me to create meaningful goals.
Try and gain some direction in life apart from climbing. have a salaried job??
Become comfortable in my singledom. flipping wimmin. have achieved this zen state on occasions but also not at times. seeing a girl currently after a bit of a head-stress with another. however current girl goes to Oz in the new year... think Im comfortable enough now that I'll be fine
Be less of a messy bastard in the house. - I cant really comment on this but think I got better plus live somehwere else now
eat more healthily yeah
Be a good person. i hope so!
Here's hoping for a good 2015 for everyone! :beer2:
1. Get a proper training regime which will help to avoid injury, perhaps with a coach (don't get injured) Got a training plan, which I completed, but was repeatedly held back by a dormant bicep tendon injury. Got another training plan which aims to strengthen my antagonist muscles, and I have been sticking to this pretty well.
As I haven't been doing the proper training plan, I've ended up training sporadically, doing a mix of endurance, fingerboarding and power endurance stuff.
2. Onsight more e5s (and e4s) A decent amount of onsights this year, highlights being Right Wall (flash) and Pebble Mill
3. Onsight/do ground up some e6s didn't try
4. Headpoint more e7s Instead of headpointing a bold e7, I headpointed a physically difficult e6 which was probably about 7b sport (around my current limit) - was really pleased with this
5. Climb 7c sport fail... tried one, got all the moves, then someone pulled a crucial hold off. I was keen for this goal, and still am... I need to find more 7cs to try and get on with it
6. Onsight at least 7a+ in Chulilla in feb. onsighted 7b. winner
7. Do a 7b+ in Chulilla poor goal for an onsighting trip!
8. Get back in to bouldering and do more 7bs. did one more 7b.... haven't done much bouldering this year (a win in itself) as I've been on the sharp end so much
9. a 7b+
0. Do lots of grit classics over the winter. (Careless torque, Renegade master, Super bloc, Joker,) flash some more grit 7C
flashed/on-sighted a load in albarracin which is sandstone but not grit so putting it as yellow. still got time this year to do careless torque hopfully
1. climb mecca extension in spring.
ended up just doing as many good routes as possible in the spring to build fitness for this, please to do it though as was a real mental block for falling off.
2. boulder short (less than 10 moves) 8A+ on the lime after doing 1.
fail, but I did do fat lip from a move in which is probably 8A+ so defiantly feeling stronger
3. climb evolution in autumn.
pfft.
4. boulder 8B (Keen Roof)
did zarzaparilla which gets 8B....but its not, its 8A.
5. get on hubble
came really close to completing this goal yesterday but the weather was just to demoralising to get the ropes out, oh well.
6. fix my elbows
Found out just doing fucking loads of push ups and not having massivly big days out makes them not hurt so sort of fixed.
Nice to see someone take the correct grade for zas, that counts as a tick in itself :)0. Do lots of grit classics over the winter. (Careless torque, Renegade master, Super bloc, Joker,) flash some more grit 7C
flashed/on-sighted a load in albarracin which is sandstone but not grit so putting it as yellow. still got time this year to do careless torque hopfully
1. climb mecca extension in spring.
ended up just doing as many good routes as possible in the spring to build fitness for this, please to do it though as was a real mental block for falling off.
2. boulder short (less than 10 moves) 8A+ on the lime after doing 1.
fail, but I did do fat lip from a move in which is probably 8A+ so defiantly feeling stronger
3. climb evolution in autumn.
pfft.
4. boulder 8B (Keen Roof)
did zarzaparilla which gets 8B....but its not, its 8A.
5. get on hubble
came really close to completing this goal yesterday but the weather was just to demoralising to get the ropes out, oh well.
6. fix my elbows
Found out just doing fucking loads of push ups and not having massivly big days out makes them not hurt so sort of fixed.
Looking at the all the red it looks as though I've had a bad year, but its more that I changed my plans and I've actually had an absolute blast of a year, highlights being mecca ext, body snatchers (and learning to drill along with it), and a month of just climbing in Albarracin.
Godzilla, Biblins Cave
Pfft, didnt even try it.
Brean Topping
Had a session, decided it was sharp and about as inspiring as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
ShadowWalker, cheddar
Didnt even get on it.
Get board strong
I guess so. Had a good board season Jan - March and it seemed to pay off in font.
Try and not get injured from sitting at a desk all day
Usual tweaks and twinges but no show stoppers so taking the tick.
Save enough money to live on the road for a year (living meaning something marginally above abject poverty)
Late season car troubles aren't helping, but got a little money saved up.
Mark of the Beast and other cool dws stuff
Technically a fail, but had a really cool DWS season and did lots of other stuff (flash of barrel traverse, some fun splashdowns on Adrenochrome, falling off the last move of Wizard of Oz) so taking the tick.
various party tricks
Nein.
Carry on getting on the trad routes I get psyched for.
Do a real first 7C.
Sort out shoulder/neck ballache.
French 8a - not done/not tried
something inspiring in the mountains/on trad gear - not done/not tried
1. Don't get injured.
2. Old-skool circuiting and easy high circuits I've never done:-
Yellow - Justice de Chambergeot
Yellow/orange - Pignon poteau
Orange - Grande montagne
Orange - Gros sablons
Yellow/orange - Envers d'apremont
Yellow/green/orange - Apremont
Orange - Dame Jouanne
2. Get the biggest, spongiest mat for my birthday
3. A few camping trips in the forest. Very hopefully a visit to the U.K.
Complete my Diamond Project in Summer.
Tick these three classic 7b+'s:
Grand Canyon
Oceon of Emotion
The Wall of Evening Light
Sport Climbing: Redpoint 7c and Onsight more 7a/7a+'s
Bouldering: Tick a 7B and do lot's of 7A's in the mountains.
On-sight an E4 and do more classic trad/mountain routes.
1. V8.Ticked in August. Went on to tick a few more (inc one that still gets V9 in guides) and 2 upper end 8s... :punk:
2. DWS project.:chair: Didn't get to try it much this year. Do still have a couple more days on it this trip though. Hopefully if I can get back to the break (FINALLY FUCKING GOT THERE!) then I have a beast plan to finish it off....
3. Drop weight/get fitter.:punk: Lost about 14kg this year. Helped me float up a load of problems... :) Still got more to lose
4. Spend some decent time in the Grampians.:chair: Didn't get down at all. Had a good Sydney season instead... Friends have just gone down now but I didn't want a summer trip.
3. Drop weight/get fitter.
:punk: Lost about 14kg this year. Helped me float up a load of problems... :) Still got more to lose
Climbing - shifting back to chuffing this year after a 10 year hiatus.
1. To Bolt or Not to Be - 5.14a - FAIL - Didn't even get on it.
2. Climb remaining local 5.13a or harder routes. 7 of 10 currently done. - FAIL - Didn't even get on any of them.
3. Climb 2 out of 5 of my existing sport projects , and 1 of my 2 existing trad projects. - Mostly Fail - Did one of the sport routes in April, worked two more of them and sorted all of the moves, which was a good step forward ad they are harder than I thought they'd be-both in the 8b+/8c range. Gave up on 1 of the trad routes as on return it was unworthy (and total shite gear which means it needs bolts and therefore no longer trad), didn't get to the second one.
4. Bolt and climb four new 8th grade routes in AK. Currently there are only 4. - FAIL - Rebolted an old route that was named and graded at 12b, but is certainly in the 5.14 range instead.
Life:
Full on into business start up. Goal is revenue of 150K for 2015. BIG GOAL... :boxing:
- mostly success - didn't quite hit the 150K, but did quit the day job and am now fully self employed, and have contracts in place for HUGE year next year.
Get some really esoteric niche research published So esoteric, and so niche. Boom.
Multi pitch multi day aid soloing Did do some multi pitch multi day aid though. In the jungle.
Become capable of surfing on the non-frothy bit of a wave Didn't surf nearly as much as I'd have liked. I reckon I'm capable now but still haven't managed to drop in at the right time & place to stay ahead of a wave.
Keep making steps towards being a gnarly ski mountaineer. 1) Ski touring 2) Try winter climbing!
Did a little bit of both but nowhere near as much as I'd have liked.
Suffer. Aspire to gnarliness. Think jungle big wall aid chosseteering just about counted. Especially when we had to boil the digestive fluids of carnivorous plants to make tea.
F8a on trad gear
More cleaning/new routing - learn to bolt. Got some tasty things I want to get stuck into next year though.
Siege a sport route successfully, ideally at Ansteys or Shipwreck. Haven't done anything that's taken more than a day or two, and still not even been to Shipwreck.
Try some things off the bucket list - Quarryman, Point Blank, From Dusk Til Dawn, Infinite Gravity, Totally Free II, Tom et Je Ris, La Piton, Loskot & Two Smoking Barrels, Poema de Roca (to the top), Tabou Zizi, Magic Carpet Ride would all qualify.
Did significantly worse on Loskot than last year, only got 3 days in Buoux before having to come home (planning on returning soon though) but made up for all that on the Quarryman. :o
Finding inspiring and useful goals was surprisingly difficult for me. That in itself tells me something...
Goals for 2015:
1. Trying to redpoint something hard, and not giving up just because it takes more than a few tries.
2. Trying something very long and quite runout (the red-point crux should be at least 55 above ground) (probably in Gorges du Tarn, but Verdon is also OK) that is hard enough so that I take at least a few really long falls. [Not being fazed by the falls would be a BHAG]Tried Tom et Je Ris for one afternoon. Couldn't be bothered to walk back all the way for round two.
Finding inspiring and useful goals was surprisingly difficult for me. That in itself tells me something...
Goals for 2015:
1. Trying to redpoint something hard, and not giving up just because it takes more than a few tries.
12 tries where almost every attempt was a slight improvement hardly qualifies?
Finding inspiring and useful goals was surprisingly difficult for me. That in itself tells me something...
Goals for 2015:
1. Trying to redpoint something hard, and not giving up just because it takes more than a few tries.
12 tries where almost every attempt was a slight improvement hardly qualifies?
Weren't they 12 tries at Oliana? i.e. 4-6 climbing days? That qualifies for at least orange in my opinion.