Rain Stops Play.

Intense burning. Where is the point of failure? Suddenly I'm in space. I hope that cam holds. It does. Another failure on a classic crack line. Oh well, I can't save them all forever. I hung there wondering what went wrong but the cramp in my forearms soon distracted me. I had my answer, still not fit. Bit ridiculous really trying something that hard for myself when my hip had just started playing ball again and I was just getting out consistently. Dunno what I expected but I can always hope. 

About to fail on Ferdinand. Photo: John Burrow.

A few days later my arms feel the same pain. I'm undercutting my way across the roof traverse on Zangorilla, following Will. Its wild, I'm pumped and scared and I'm only following! I shouldn't have agreed to belay. It would have been much easier to follow an easy route in trainers. Once the rope was directly above my head, I sat on it pumped.

The last few weeks have continued in the same general trend. Sneaking in routes after work and climbing on days off. I've been to the Orme a bit. I climbed for the first time on LPT and really enjoyed it. I also got reacquainted with a project from back in March (ish). I managed to get up it in sections so I wasn't doing as badly as I thought.

I climbed Main Wall a few weeks ago. It has to rate as one of the best easy routes I've ever done! For some unknown reason I decided to wear my old B2 mountaineering boots. It made some of the leading interesting, particularly the top slab pitch!

Main Wall in big boots! Photo: Will Hardy.

Some evenings have been spent bouldering, remembering problems that felt easy in March when I was fitter. As my confidence in my hip increased in the last few weeks so has the rate of activity. I went for an amazing morning run with Will, Helena and Sarah the other week. This was followed by a trip to Tremadog with Davey Jones, one of Joe Brown's old climbing partners. The guy is a legend. Amazingly experienced and pretty much a walking guidebook. One of the parts of climbing I love is the history, the old stories and characters and I'm lucky to have access to so much of that. We shared some stories and did Grim Wall and The Plum. Both really good routes. The Plum is so contrasting! 

Descending for the first time in ages. (Felt great). Photo: Sarah Ridgway.

I've been exploring on the bike a bit. Its not been very successful in terms of my riding but its been great to get out. I'm having great fun on the route I first took down through the forest with Gareth and Alex all those months ago. Some of the sections I fell off feel quite easy now. I'm well psyched. On a side note, if you ever want colour scheme tips for a mountain bike just ask google. I've currently got a red and white bike with purple bars, green grips and a blue stem. Apparently it all goes! Just check yahoo answers!

Exploring.

Recent weeks have just been more hectic. There's been many parties. Owen left for a bit, I'll miss him. The pace of life seems to leave little time for rest and its great. Most recently I feel in love with sea cliffs again. I forgot what its like to feel that committed to a situation. A recent trip to North Stack wall reignited feelings I had on that cliff in Mayo with Hugh. Its what climbing for me is all about and I didn't even lead a pitch!

A quick call to Davey last Thursday had him ruled out for the day. He thought the weather looked too bad. I agreed but I just couldn't say no to a fidgety Will so we drove to Gogarth to 'have a look'. We got lost looking for Breakwater quarry and it felt like we were wasting precious time. The weather was holding as we arrived at the top of North Stack wall. With my lack of faith in the weather I hadn't thought to bring the ab rope so we went in on the half ropes and pulled them. The only way out was up. Will lead Blue Peter to warm up. I followed quite easily with the safety of a rope above.

Will Sim having a look on The Cad.

The tide was coming in and the weather was closing in as we abbed in again. We pulled the ropes, scrambled out to the boulders and Will committed to the line of The Cad. With a massive run out Will was static on the crux. I reflaked the ropes for the second time to move them from the encroaching water. My boulder was getting smaller. Time was running out. I spent minutes agonising over whether to say something or not. I was glad I wasn't up there but I wasn't overly psyched about my prospects of staying dry where I was. I noticed Will make a foot and kept my mouth shut. A shout cut through the jumbled 'what if' scenarios running through my head. 'What?' I shouted back. 'Take a picture!' carried down through the increasing wind. 'Hurry the fuck up!' was my reply, I knew he was safe now. 

I started belaying in the middle of the picture, it was dry then!

The ropes came tight and a wave broke over my feet. I jumped onto a boulder and traversed to the base of the route. Water was now periodically sweeping over up to my calves. I got hauled up the route by Will. Just after the crux it started pissing down. We were both grinning at the top. It was totally wild and sometimes you just get away with it. We packed up the gear and headed home. I checked my phone in the van. I had a text off Davey, 'We should have gone out.' 

Happy getting away with it!

The terrible forecast for Sunday allowed me to go surfing for the second time ever with Ruth and Sophie. 6 - 8ft powerful waves, strong wind and stormy seas made it interesting when paired with my complete lack of surfing and swimming ability. There's something quite lonely floating there, tired, cold, trying to paddle, fighting an impossible mass of water trying to make progress. I was scared but more so I felt small and completely at the mercy of something huge. Its really hard to describe the sensation of being level with the sea and then suddenly with a swell of water being 6ft up looking down. I achieved my goal for the day of not drowning. I felt I needed to start with a small target and standing up can come at a later time so long as I'm still alive to do it. 

Ruth, Sophie and myself. Happy getting away with is again!

Rain has set in properly for the first time in weeks allowing me to write this. Hopefully I won't have too much time for writing in the coming weeks.