Yes Yes Fucking Yes

As seen in the revious post myself, Wig, and Little Tom headed up to the cave on thursday to show it some love. After a bit of a delay my motorway virginity was swiftly taken from me as we headed towards shiny llandudno, conditions were looking o.k (motorway driving is boring).

On arriving for the first time ever every single hold in the cave was dry (not sticky, but you can't have everything!). Tommy had a looksie at pilgrim, and the v12 start to rockatrocity, Danny was reacquainting himself with trigger cut, and the resulting hole it makes in his knee. I warmed up a little and pulled onto Lou Ferrino, which wasn't feeling grippy, but wasn't wet at all! It felt similar to last time, falling off at the same point, I took a quick breather, to have a look at Tom working the bridge move of pilgrim (yeesh), and give Danny a spot on the ever so horizontal crux of TC. Post rest I had another go at Lou, getting the furthest I've ever got, being the first pocket, but my fingers, which are a pretty tight fit due to their sausageness anyway just weren't right. Given that this is the furthest I've ever got I decided to take a big old rest, have a bit of chocolate and give it another go in a while, and watched/spotted t'others for a bit again, getting a couple of snaps of Tom.

Next go Lou Ferrino went! Best problem I've ever done, and my first V10, I think the hours I've been putting in on the board have made a difference, as did actually resting, bloody chuffed with it I sat around with a grin like a gimp for about an hour, and then jumped on the ever so swingy 'We've a beaver' which to my great surprise I managed to send.

At this point cave legends dave Noden and Chris Davies had turned up, giving Danny some wicked beta on TC, which helped him all but send the bastard, if he hadn't been trying it for so long already I reckon it would've gone. God knows what disgusting stuff they were trying, but they both looked pretty strong, and being thoroughly nice guys chatted to us for ages about magic wood, giving us a load of helpful tipbits. Tommy meanwhile was looking pretty solid on the low low rockatrocity start, and having showed me just how easy rockatrocity can look I don't doubt he'll be dispatching the problem some time in the next couple of trips.

All in all a cracking trip, first V10, good times and good company, win all round! That's it for now, I've managed to get 6hours of ever so needed work at the pool I worked at the last couple of summers, going away next week also, possibly to get some grit done :O.

Over and out.

Training Hard + Jobless

Well, if the legends of old are to be believed then I should be a beast in no time, I'm beginning to become one of the oldest climbing clichés, just without the skills to boot! I was meant to be getting a call for an interview at a nicely located local place, but to no avail, so I began training for switzerland in earnest, having arrived at the realisation that if I do get a job, and they only offer me something full time I'm not going to be able to do things entirely according to my own chosen routine. I am going to make the most of this!

The board is looking pretty beautiful at the moment, Bob has purchased a set of the bleaustone 30degree pockets, and a system set for it, no issues with them whatsoever, in fact they're bloody amazing, I've always found that a lot of thought's gone in to everything bleaustone make, and these're no exception. I'm trying to track down some of the pinches (harder than you'd think). We've also put some good ol' broom handle on the top, meaning we could take down a few jugs to make room, and there's more home made woodies than ever, I'll get a pic up soon.

Since I last updated not much real climbing has been done considering; I've been away to visit some very rickety grandparents with the family, but managed to get a little trip to the ever-dependable cave done avec the solid that is JK, meeting Northern Ben there late one evening, where we lit up the cave with headlights, and james made a supersexy ascent of left wall, in the best frictioned conditions I've ever seen in the cave, just a shame the shadows made it impossible for him to see footholds close to ground level!

(as is traditional James made the ascent in boxers, this however didn't work for me on Lou Ferrino)

A fair few problems went down over the course of the trip some of which I'll probably have forgotten- Ben Dispatched dust kick low, I did Parisellas Roof and Lipped out (high!), James did right wall reverse into Bust Lip and Beaver Right Hand, also putting in some time whilst far from fresh on left wall high, which he and Danny both looked pretty strong on.

Heading to the cave again today with Little Tom, Danny, and Gav, not climbed with any of them in ages and looking forward to it. No idea how conditions are going to be, but it'll be good to get outdoors! I am going to take the camera, and even remember the tripod, so hopefully I'll be able to get a couple of good photos, Danny's been getting closer on trigger cut, which looks stiff as can be, so some high up horizontal gurning will be on the cards for sure :)

2 weeks of lovely 'Meta Errors' +more!

No idea why this website keeps throwing them up for me, technology I guess :S

Anyone know what I'm doing to make this happen?

It's been 2 weeks since my last (attempt at a) post and many things have happened, this is going to be epic, if you plan on reading to the end I suggest making a cuppa to accompany.

firstly there's the above (21st July):

...Win!

With the help of Gav's expertise, Bob's maths and all of our labouring I now have this little beauty on my house (my parents are pretty amazing for allowing it :))

Some time around the 13th

Shortly before this we took a little trip to the lakes(ish), to trowbarrow and woodwell, I got close on The Pit Problem, (7b+) and Not Bad Dave (7c, absolutely classy as well) but had climbed in wales the 2 days previously and was pretty tired, I felt that I'd put in enough effort to get the moves wired, and would be able to do them if we returned with a bit of luck. Gav and Bob also had a good go on both of them, all of us getting close, and danny got the sequence nailed on the unmercifully shouldery 'Wheelbarrow' (v10) (Danny also saw of not bad dave pretty fast, and with a glove protecting the hold on the lip from the now torrential rain we were sheltering under the problem from)

21st July: Does that mean he has to get naked?...'Yeah right now; we'll turn the video camera off first'

Return to Lancashire, this time with the whole krew, 2 cars, and enough mats to save me bruising my arse taking falls on the pit problem like last time - Myself, Bob, Danny, Gav, and Little Tom.

Danny smegged all over wheelbarrow on his 2nd attempt despite the temperature, must've been about 27, Tommy quickly worked out his own beta and joined suit, then to my great happyness (probably due to the wonder of rest days) I got the pit problem. Bob sorted his foot beta after a bunch of goes, but was too tired to make it (prob something to do with the horrific heat), and Gav got perilously close, screwing the pooch on the top-out. Check out Danny's Blog for more.

I then stripped down to my boxers and managed to get the pit low start, my first 7c! Really glad I got it on a problem with a top out, as I got to sit up there all happy for 5 mins, after Wig had claimed me and taken a picture of my all triumphant at the top (sans clothing).

We headed over to woodwell where I got Not Bad Dave, screwing the very last move by catching the muddy side of the last jug once before managing to get it next go (despite a friendly wasp which landed on my face as soon as I had pulled up on the lip, there was no way I was letting getting stung on the nose take a problem this good from me!).

First 2 v9s, pretty chuffed!

The video of the pit problem SS was 2.4mb over the 100mb limit for the site.. fail, so here's a facebook link

28th-30th July: Last but not least!

Time to introduce another couple of climbing companions to the blog, the honourable Mr Kay aka James/Special/JK and Alex Dexter aka Sir Lanksalot, both friends from Brum uni who I met via the climbing club. These 2 picked me up en route to the Wales around mid day Wed for a budget 3 day trip to the cave of justice and surrounding wonderness. Apologies if I miss anything out, we climbed at least 20hours each over 3 days and there's a lot of stuff to be remembered!

Day 1

Arrived @ the aforementioned cave of wonderment, sent the sit to clever cleaver (soft 7c) as my warm up, win! (I've spent a lot of time on all of the parts of it to be fair). James despatched the looooong right wall reverse into parisellas roof, really showing his sport climber's stamina.

Dexter also jumped on this problem, (having never tried it from the normal start, ballsy) but had difficulties working out beta whilst pumped out of his mind.

I also managed the low start (best low start everrrr!) to beaver cleaver(7b+), and Mr Kay sent it from the stand.

Day 2

Woke up nice and early in the cave, bumbled around with our morning ablutions, and walked down to pill box wall, which was FREEZING, by the time I arrived (I had been reading on the toilet) JK had already done Pill Box Original (v6/7) and was looking at the greek, which surprisingly I managed to flash, and he did shortly after: looking at home as ever on crimps. Due to it being pretty bloody baltic we headed back to the cave. I played on Lou Ferrino, and got to the rail for the first time, then spent the next 3 hours dozing on mats in the sun whilst James and Dexter grabbed a bunch of routes just upstairs of the cave (a video would follow, but it's nearly half a gig, sorry James!) That evening James did the low start to right wall, and I slaughtered myself trying lou ferrino again, to no avail, just too tired/not quite clear on beta.

James on Pill Box Original v6/7

Just before we bedded down the 2 strangers turned up in the dark, what could've been a bit dodgy ended up sweet as a bishop, as they turned out to be the powerhouses of campusing/horrific crimps which are the Copleys, we had a chat, then went to sleep in readiness for a day of abuse on Friday (I slept 'til 9:30, winner!)

Day 3: 10 Hours of steep powerful overhangs please.

We had promised to well and truly burn ourselves out on the final day, I was keen for Louey, but was just too tired from the previous days didn't stop me getting to the first pocket a fair few times (I wish I had skinny fingers), got my beta sorted out now though, dexter and JK didn't stop, despite the rain, perhaps most ridiculously James tried Rockatrocity over 8hours in and nearly did it (I've been telling him it'd suit him for ages, glad he jumped on) getting to the rail just under the drilled pocket. Despite the problem being far from over at this point I don't doubt that he'll crush it at some point in the near future, very impressive first 7c it'd be and all.

Apologies for the length (lol) as sad as it may be I do actually miss writing essays having spent 3 years solid bashing them out at Uni :S

Team Brum will be returning to Wales, weather permitting late next week hopefully, this time with the legendary Northern Ben, who I lived with last year at Uni, who's been on a pretty solid peak traverse crushing mission for the past month, can't see him not being spoilt for choice at the cave :)

Jumping on the bandwagon

As the title says everyone else seems to be doing this and it seems like a good rest day activity so I'm jumping on the bandwagon; would've made a lot more sense if I started this a couple of months back but what the hell.

Who?

The chances are that if you're reading this then you know me, but if you don't I'm Byron and I like to climb. I've just finished uni in Biringham, moved back with the 'rents and am living in good old (flat but very well situated) Cheshire: Northwich to be exact. - The closer parts of Wales, The Peaks, and The Lakes are pretty much all an hour away, it's not exactly a bikeride down the road, but there's more variety, choice and quality an hours drive away than you can shake a stick at.

What?

Bouldering, and lots of it! My first and true love, ostly with local heros Daniel Boocock (Bob) and Danny Mills (Wig), occasionally with the beast of lock-off which is Gav Nixon also. Hopefully a bit of sport (I am in serious need of some endurance, and mixing things up is always a good thing). I may even venture into the wonderful world of trad this winter, we shall see, although I am recovering from one horrific sprained ankle which I did 3 months ago (still cannot run, despite physio + exercises), which wouldn't be the best thing to fall on.

That's enough of that, for now I'll copy in my aims for 2010 from my old climbing club (UBMC) forum and say where I'm at.

Boulder 7c - Not done, hopefully this'll go soon, I'll be ambitious and say I'd like to do 7c+

Highball E1/E2 - (with pads, I'm no lunatic) Did finger distance at curbar (amazing), unfortunately got unlucky with a rock under a pad and a dodgy spot trying the direct version, which is what tore every ligament going in my right ankle. Thanks to this unfortunately there's not going to be much more highballing for at least 6 months, my foot doesn't bend very well, and won't really do slabs.

Weigh 10.7 - Done

Get out to more venues - Done, recently went to the lakes for the first time, especially impressed by the quality.

Get better at 1 armers - Done, can nearly do 3 from d-hang on each arm.

That really is it for now, hopefully more updates to follow, well done if you reached the end, I'm good at rambling :)