Kitten Mittens Project

Kitten Mittens Project

Sunday, November 27, 2011

A good weekend

The weather in the mountains over the last week has been real horror show. From last weekend until Saturday morning I don’t think we had more then 20min where the rain eased up. The usual Bluies fog roles in and you just sit tight. A trip to the co-op for a spot of training helps with the itches, but it’s only a temporary fix. Maybe two days. As the weekend grew closer however, the prediction for a clear Saturday afternoon and Sunday began to look promising. Waking on Saturday morning to see blue skies chasing away the dark clouds was a welcome sight. Amanda and I headed out to Boronia that afternoon thinking we would be fighting the usual circus crowds. It was empty. There was a good breeze blowing and, in the shade, it was actually quite chilly. Although there was some run off from the top of the cliff, most routes only had wet victory jugs. It had been kind enough to venture no further down. After her success on Lyptus (23) last week Amanda changed her sights to Grape Hour, the classic 25 next door. After a couple laps up it she had almost all the moves. Pretty good considering its one of the hardest routes she’s been on. I don’t think it’ll take her long to start going for the redpoint burns. I jumped on Tripe, which I had had one go at the previous weekend. I got to the top and was pretty happy to have done it. The climbing on that top wall is so good. Just wish it were more continuous. Rick ended up showing after finishing work and had a lap up Green Eggs & Ham, his new proj. This was the only route to be properly affected by the rain. Between the last draw and anchors was soaked. He got all the moves leading up to it though, so with a little bit of route fitness I think he’ll put it to bed soon enough. We walked out to stunning sunset to finish a beautiful day.

On Sunday a group of us headed to Bardens. Here, we found the circus. Managing to score the last park in the car park we walked in and found the crowds. After a few warm-ups on the slabs I went around the corner to jump back on Bloodline. I’d had a few goes on it before and still had all my draws dangling from the roof to the anchors. First go I got up to just under the prow, had a quick shake and tried to bust out the last few moves. As I pulled into the undercling I melted. I growled though and tried to slap up to the good edge. I missed fell. I wasn’t the nicest fall I’ve ever had. If you have fragile eyes you may want to skip the next sentence. It was a big enough fall, maybe 6ish meters, but really nothing to worry about unless you have your right nut caught under your leg loop. God damn it hurt!!! Rick had a go at Pleasures, but still had trouble holding the move through the roof. Jay got the batman of Way of all Flesh, clocking in his first 26! After some rest I got back on Bloodline for another crack. Pulled through the roof and hung at the last good rest before the final power endurance crux. As a started into the final bit I had this weird feeling come over me. I wasn’t feeling pumped like every other time and all the holds felt twice as big. I kept on climbing and hit the anchors feeling pretty good. Stripped the draws and the job was done. Took seven goes in total. Starting to feel some good fitness. I’m not sure whether I’m happier to have my draws back or that I did the route. Walking around with six draws for 2 weeks is definitely not enough for the mountains.

As for the grade, I think 31. There's enough rests and the holds are all too positive, I think, for it to be in the 32 range. I heard the FA and a few proceeding ascents were done differently to the sequence I used, but I saw the sequence and it seems bizarre. Skipping a bunch of holds right next to and below 2 draws to make it hard seems contrived. Climb the line. It shouldn't be about eliminating to get a grade. This is all second maybe third hand info I got though so I don't want to tread on toes. It was what I was told and thats my opinion on it. Straighten me out if what I've been told is trash.

Later that day Sammy onsighted his first 18 and followed it up by flashing his first 19 since starting climbing again 6 weeks ago after many years of the wagon. Cool to see some good progress and I don’t think it’ll be long before he starts knocking of 20+ routes just as quickly.

Todays a rest day before heading back out again tomorrow. Job hunting has been a project for 3 weeks now and still to no avail. Going to have another crack at the title today. If anyone knows of any work going I’m keen. Happy to waiter, do retail or be a labourer (I have experience)!!

Peace out and stay posted for some new stuff. Hopefully buy a camera soon so the posts will have some colour YAY.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Headed south

Long time coming but better late then never I guess. I’ve just been lazy lately. So lets play catch up. After I got back form Rocklands I took a very long overdue rest for 5 weeks. My fingers were fucked. Climbing a ladder at work hurt them. When I came back it sucked. I’d lost a lot of strength but it felt damn good to be climbing again, feeling the movement. Best of all the digits were feeling much better too. Still not 100% but I was going to take the win. After very slowly getting back into it for a month I started to feel good on the wall again. Two and a bit months later they are still tender and I don’t feel I’m back to 100% but I’m loving climbing. If you get injured, take a week off when you first feel a twinge. Not a month off because you can no longer climb, then deal with rehab for the next 6. IT SUCKS!!!

Over in Rocklands I met a few lads from the Bluies who finely swayed me to migrate south. I’d always wanted to but it seemed too hard. It really wasn’t. After three months of drilling holes at Parliament House I saved enough money to pack the car and head down. I’ve moved in with Amanda, her awesome kids and Thom in a massive house at Medlow Bath. It backs out onto a spectacular view of the Gross Valley and in the backyard is the crazy and disorientating roofing climbing of the Underworld.

The weather has been pretty kind in the last 3 weeks. Done some fun climbing around the joint whilst trying to not over do it and refuck my fingers. I’d never done much multipitching before but recently did Wally’s World and I was a teenager for the CIA with Rick and loved them. I didn’t real do I was a teenager, but tried the variant finish, Davis Hicks Memorial. I got through it all and 2m before the top took a wrong turn and tried to head out right into moss and chossy rock and soon had a footer break and I came tumbling off. For some reason I thought the topo said head right at the end. I tried doing that for 10 minutes then gave up and bailed out left and up. When I rechecked to topo and saw that out left was in fact the way to go it was pretty annoying. But it just means I get to get back on and try again. It was a stellar bit of climbing. Also on the Teen angst wall was an ultra classic route called Beautiful but Limp. A 50m pitch, climbing the full length of the wall right up the guts. It was insanely good. Might be easier then the proposed 27, but to be honest it really doesn’t matter. Being able to just keep climbing and climbing in one long hit, for me, is what it’s all about. Getting in a good headspace and just flowing up a wall is one of the best feelings I think. One day I’d love to climb something that’s that long and at my limit.

I’ve also joined up to the boulder co-op in Blackheath. It’s insane. Back in Brisbane training consisted of myself and the boys playing pranks on each other, talking trash, playing soccer in the car park, hacky sack, handball and most recently building forts out of the cardboard boxes we found in the bins outside the gym. Although this was tons of fun it really didn’t help with climbing. I’ve been to the co-op three times now and have had three good sessions. Pretty psyched to actually start doing some proper training.

So basically that’s a quick overview of the last 3 months. Now I’ve settled down and got everything sorted I’ll pull my finger out and start updating more regularly, so stay tuned. All I need to do now is find some work =s.