Suns out, guns out....

The hottest day of the  year so far and Natalie, myself, Robin, Rowland and Marcus headed to cheddar gorge for some bolt clipping.

The journey was made more luxurious by having a Land Rover Discovery; a car I’m really impressed with, the perfect vehicle for an adventure athlete.

My training has been going really well of late and I was in search of another push of grade and wanting to try a spicy 7b+ called ‘Insatiable’ (a wave classic).

After a warm up on ‘Toxic Shock’ 6b, Rowland and I started to look at our project for the day. Rowland worked it move by move, breaking it down and it looked like a fun climb.

My turn came and I pieced the first part together with no problem. In the middle of the root you reach for a two finger side pocket and you really have to be accurate with the placement and from here it was great climbing to the top.

Now all the moves were dialled, it was time to try and send it. The big move to the pocket was our hurdle, time and time again it tripped us up. Just not hitting it right.

I’m thinking of the next visit when this will go and I’m really excited to get back down there and climb it.

Robin and his father were on an 8a, called ‘Sweet Tufa’. ! Apart from the line being wet,  it looks like it will get the tick when it’s not leaking water!

Natalie had a lovely day in the sun, grazing all day and taking some great pics. Thank you babe ; )

Red Point Project

With a good weather forecast, myself, Robin and his father Marcus, headed to Cheddar Gorge. 

We headed straight for the Landslip Quarry, where a few weeks ago I lead my first 7a ‘Raw Deal’  on the ‘Wave’.

I warmed up on ‘Dead on Arrival’ 6a+ and then repeated ‘Raw Deal’ 7a twice, before moving to ‘The Remnant’ crag where I would start a red point project on a 7b called ‘Skullduggery’.

The route guide summarises the line as ‘fast start; brain-teasing finish straight up groove to jug above belay’. I found the first few moves tough, powerful and bouldery, with not great feet. I made things harder for myself with terrible foot placement unable to move confidently, but clip by clip I pieced the route together and topped out. 

I seem to have all the moves, just not the strength endurance to stick it all together. The thing about red pointing is it’s a project outside your comfort zone, so it’s beyond your limit and something to work towards, although at the time it feels like your getting nothing but fall practice and frustration management. The muscle movement and memory that is developed during a session like this, means the sequence training will only put me in good shape for a lead attempt next visit, which I’m confident I can achieve.

I remember watching Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra on ‘La Dura Dura’ and these dudes tried this project over 125 times, before sending it. With perseverance, practice and patience, oh and power you can push your limits.  

Robin and Marcus were on ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ 8a. They were working together to suss out the route. It was great to watch the father and son duo on this project, inspiring stuff. Marcus has a lot of experience in the mountains and on vertical faces. His knowledge and experience was encouraging and motivating. 

So, we need the weather to come good for a return trip to the Gorge in the coming days/weeks, but for now it’s back to the training wall for some hard sessions. Fun times ahead working hard to tick this project and hopefully many others.