Day 21

Dry rock makes for dry smiles. I waited around until 3pm today hoping that the wind would keep blowing and drying all that wonderful sandstone. I drove out to Cuvier because I figured Rempart would be dry and there is so much quality up there that I couldn't go wrong. I arrived at the car park to find that Bas Cuvier was quite populated with climbers which meant dry rock! WOO HOO! I headed straight for the Carnage area and did some 6's to warm up, which included that 6C slab to the right of Cortomaltese. It took me about 6 goes but I was happy to get up it without pulling too hard... warming up the toes is nearly as important as warming the fingers up! I won't charge you for that secret knowledge... use it wisely. Then I moved over to Carnage where there were some people in-situ trying la berezina. I did Carnage and actually did it quite a fun eliminate way (does this make me a bleausard?). You get the crimp right hand, then up with left hand to the good hold but then instead of matching with your right hand on the sloper/crimp you just jump straight through to the boss. It's fun and serves as a good warm up. Then I did La Berezina after 3 goes, but with a twist. The first time I did it I used the toehook out right (where some heelhook) but this time I did without the shenanigans. I pulled on and just jumped up with the right hand then whilst hanging put my right foot on. It felt like a more powerful sequence and a bit cooler in my opinion. Worth noting that I did not jump off the ground! Maybe THEN I would be a real bleausard. I was pretty warmed up now, and decided to try Apotheose. Conditions weren't great, and things were feeling a little greasy but I was just so happy to be climbing on (near enough) dry rock that I forged ahead. Apotheose is hard in my opinion. Considering it's on the same block as a few other 7C+/8A problems it barely gets any ascents. A quick browse of bleau.info and 8a.nu will confirm this. I had 3 tries and on the third my left hand was only 1cm away from the hold. It might be failure, but I was so psyched to be that close. Anyway, I didn't want to waste any more skin so I prepared to leave. However, I was feeling alright and there was one problem I'd never tried on that block, Berezina-Carnage, 7C+ (soft) so I thought I'd have a burn. 1st go I failed on the very first move of Berezina, then 2nd go I was at the top. It's pretty cool climbing. I realise I've said that about all these problems but it's because it's true! I think that these problems are not just popular because they are in an area that has a 30 second walk in, or because they're at the most famous crag in font. I think it's because they are genuinely great problems. They're not aesthetically perfect, but they climb really well. Anyway, next time, Apotheose, and you'll be shocked when you see the video.

After this I walked up to Rempart to get on Kheops. Unfortunately the right hand hold on the stand up was just too greasy (or rather, I'm not good enough to do it with a black hold!) but I persevered and ended up doing the moves on the assis (bar the first) because those holds were drier. The moves are amazing, so f-ing excellent. I'm really psyched for Kheops because the move up the sloper with the right hand intrigues me so much. I want to do that move because I just can't imagine the balance point at the moment, but I want to find it. I'll go back as soon as I can and hopefully make some progress.

Since rain is forecast for tomorrow I figured I should get a load in today and went up to Atresie/Big Golden. I got on well with both of them, doing the cut loose move on Big Golden, and falling off going up with the right hand. I ripped off on my next go and rapped my knuckles quite hard so I didn't have another go. I guess, it was just that little bit of dampness that caused it. I then jumped on Atresie. I think I tried it once about 4/5 years ago, but I can't remember. Some Spaniards showed me their idea of a sequence, but when I pulled on it just flowed. I was reaching up for the right hand crimp when my slight kneescum slipped off but I was really happy with the progress. I'm absolutely sure I can do it. I had another couple of goes but I was starting to get tired and my body was sagging so I couldn't get the kneescum to work properly. Another one to go back to. I love Rempart. There are so many amazing, classic, and hard problems up there.

I really felt like I was climbing well today. I felt like my movement on the rock was good and my awareness of body positions was just flowing really well. I wish I knew why so I could make sure it happened every session. I felt like sequences were unfurling in front of me as I was climbing. It's hard to describe, but imagine a red carpet beneath your feet that is only ever 1 metre ahead of you whilst you run at top speed... kind of like that. It felt nice, really nice actually. The weather looks bad for tomorrow so perhaps it will be another day of studying/building/tea drinking with perhaps a short fingerboard session (if I get them mounted and up!). We've started work on Stage 3 of the climbing wall... It's huge! Pics to come once it's finished.

BOOST People!

Day 16, 17, 18

Bad weather makes for bad conditions, which makes for bad climbing, which makes for bad blogging. This is why I have been too lazy to update. I apologise that I have taken out my rage by denying you, the reader, these short, sweet, humourous, and well written updates in my life.

After spending a few days in Belgium, in order to service the trusty chariot, and to pick Sara up I returned to font thinking that after a few days of rest I would be like an enraged Bruce Banner. Unfortunately fate would have a different plan in store. The weather had been bad so things were looking a bit wet at most crags, so we opted to go to Cul de Chien and 91.1. I wasn't too fussed about trying something hard and wanted to make sure that Sara got some climbing done. I was impressed to find that 91.1 was almost completely dry and there were a whole heap of people there. I'd never climbed there before, because I'm elitist, and there is nothing hard up there but I was impressed by some of the lines. Sara and I got started doing some warm up problems and then we moved on to the red circuit. She crushed some slabs, showed great persistence on a particular arete, and then topped it off with an incredible ascent of Le Cure Dents, 6A. It's a highball wall/arete with a slopey topout and I was very glad when Sara finally rolled over the top. For a few seconds I actually thought she was going to roll off backwards! After she was finished we went down to l'autre toit and I was a bit disappointed to find the entire roof wet. A lot of the holds were dry enough to climb, but the roof was covered in a layer of moistness so the footholds were wet and soon enough the handholds were turning dark. I did all the moves on The Maxx, 7C+, and thought I'd be able to do it quickly but I guess the moistness of the holds only got worse and I had to give up. I think when I do go back and crush it into oblivion I might claim 8A because it's pretty hard (unless I find out that I was doing it incorrectly and there is an easier sequence). I'm not impartial to upgrading problems. Only dickheads downgrade and never upgrade. I don't wish to be a dickhead. We left with me feeling a bit pissed because I wanted to do the Maxx but I was too weak to do it in bad conditions. Cry me a river.

Saturday we went to Cuisiniere earlyish to find the car park totally empty! I even double checked it was Saturday because I couldn't believe we were the first people there at 10am. In all likelihood it was because most people had decided it would be too damp but I was eager and foolish. We got up there and things looked a rather wet shade of green but I figured a bit of chalk would dry the holds on Karma and I'd be alright. I warmed up on some red problems, then some 7's, but when I got to Karma I just had to BOOST! I felt weak, lackadaisical, and rather jaded. Eventually I felt a bit better and got my right hand to the crimp a couple of tries but it was just too damp to have a serious effort. We left with me feeling like a total failure and a complete under achiever. Sara assured me it wasn't so, but girls are all sugar aren't they.

Sunday we were determined to find dry rock! Rocher de la Reine/Petite Reine was the choice venue but upon arrival at Petite Reine I found that my luck was still running low. Papillon, 8A, had chalk on (from the previous day) but I soon realised it was deceptive. I could only do 1 move at a time, and then as soon as I'd let go/fall off/slide off/grease off my hands were green and the rock was black. It just wasn't happening and I gave up with a deep feeling of dissatisfaction. We trekked over to Rocher de la Reine and the place was busy with people, bathing in glorious sunshine, climbing on completely dry rock. On top of the crag there is a long ridge and from it there is such a nice vista (only spoiled by the sound of the motorway!) so I was happy to be basking in sunshine again. Sara got busy ticking problems and I went to seek out Makhnovtchina, 7C. It's a crazy roof feature but from the chalk that was there, and the description I was sure it started from the obvious place. How wrong I was. I climbed it from the obvious sit start, thinking it might be possible to start lower, but ridiculous because it would be too hard to keep your bum off the ground. Turns out I climbed a 7B called Voyage au Centre de la Terre, and the 7C did start somewhere deep in the recesses of the cave. The moves look cool but the ground is way too close for it to be great. At least I was finally climbing on dry rock! After this I went to find Sara and spotted her on some 6's. The day ended with a nice sunset, but a sad goodbye.

Today there was rain, and it shall be the same tomorrow. Hopefully I'll find dry rock again soon. I miss it deeply.

Day 12

After yesterday's early start to get James to the crag and back before 11am I was feeling super tired this morning. Tiredness was pressing me into the mattress but psyche was picking me up. Luckily, I think, psyche won out and I arose at 8am with the intent of going to Cuisinier to try Karma. Once we got there it was clear things were not as rosy as I'd hoped. It was certainly cold, but there was some mist in the air and normally that means an end to everything. The rock is just too porous and any moisture in the air translates to black holds which are very difficult to grip.

I began the warm up, trying various problems and was surprised to find that I couldn't do a particular 7B. I was doing the moves all right (as I'd hope), but as soon as I did more than 2 moves I would grease off straight away. I was a bit pissed because I'd gotten out of bed with the desire for crushing and it was looking unlikely. But, the ability to constantly evolve, adapt, and continue is what separates the great from the mediocre. As I once read in an ancient philosophy text written in ancient Sanskrit (but translated here for you folks) "he who shoots the AK into the crowd-sure, he gets glory, but he doesn't know who he slayed, and so he is unfulfilled. True glory is to cut a man at close range, in combat, with a blade". That sums up what I mean and that is what I did.

Some of the Flems were down from Belgium, so I was enticed into trying something with them. It is an easy looking, slightly overhanging wall, which looked like it would be an easyish flash. Am I getting too big for my boots? It's name is Rencard and it is graded 7C. You can see a video of how easy it should be on bleau.info. I got stuck in, soon realising I was getting nowhere. It's only 2 moves the way I did it (man moves) but I was failing miserably. After more power sapping goes it blessed me with some new beta. It was simply a matter of putting your fingers in the exact (to within 3mm) place. Once I found that I was doing the first move most goes. Then I had the second move to do, which also required a bit of unlocking. I soon found a way, and within a few more goes I latched the top. I did it in a very different style than the video on bleau, and it felt quite hard, but the moves were great. By this point conditions had improves as the sun had burned off most of the mist/fog but I was feeling jaded. Rencard required a strange form of narrow compression and afterwards I could feel it in the tops of my shoulders. I'll definitely be doing those rotator cuff stretches tonight. Unfortunately I was out of time at Cuisinier as I had to meet Kevin at Puiselet for another session on Welcome to Jamrock. I said goodbye to Karma and hit the road!

I got down to Puiselet to find everything brushed, ticked, and ready to be climbed (perfect timing I'd say). I wasn't feeling too strong but I really wanted to try Jamrock again so I got locked and loaded to have some burns. I found some new beta for the left leg which probably looked totally ridiculous because my legs were dropped, bent, and positioned in a ridiculous way, but it worked (pics next time!). I was managing to get to within 2-3cm of the next hold, which might not sound very impressive but my short arms were getting as close as the pterodactyl wingspan of Lopata. Unfortunately I couldn't muster up that last 2cm but progress is progress. As Kevin said "8B in the forest is not just 1 or 2 days of tries!", and he's right (for me anyway!). I didn't have too many goes before having to give up but I left feeling like it was possible to do the first easy move. God knows what will happen when I can actually do that move... I suppose I'll have to deal with the crux move, MAMMA MIA!

Sorry for the lack of multimedia, but my video camera battery died and Neil didn't bring the DSLR. Another day climbing tomorrow and then off to Belgium for 2 days.

Day 11

After the carnage that occured to my fingers trying La Coccinelle I was ready for 2 days of rest, but that plan changed when I was faced with incredibly good conditions. I couldn't pass up the opportunity so decided I should try something hard with slopers on it. Two things sprang to mind; Karma or Kheops. Both started with a K, so does my name, and K is the 11th letter of the alphabet, which is the same number as the day of this blog post. Surely this wasn't simply coincidence, and I was fated for something so incredible that no man would believe me (but that's what HD footage is for isn't it?). It turns out this was all a fantasy. I made a choice and went to Karma in the late afternoon. Warming up everything felt greasy which was a real surprise, but I kept on going. I did le Mur Cordier, 7A using a stupid and very difficult sequence, but I guess that only served to warm me up more thoroughly. However, much later, that mistake led me to cogitate about something kind of revealing.

I went over to Karma and there were a couple of French gentleman trying it. I manned up to have a go and first go wasn't a total disaster which was good. A couple more French gents came round the corner and joined the party. It was quite a group at one point, with about 15 people watching and only 2 or 3 trying. Anyway, among the newcomers was one Olivier Lebreton. After telling the other French guy how to do it, then brushing all the holds, I guess he couldn't hold back any longer. He put his shoes on, walked up to it, and C-R-U-S-H-E-D it. I was very impressed, not just that he did it 1st go, but how he climbed it. His body positions were totally different to everyone else. It actually taught me a lot about what I should be doing on it. I had some more goes and was doing better and better. It's hard to see the hold you have to bump to, so it's somewhat of a blind slap. However, I was feeling pretty good, and was actually able to hold on to nothing below the small dish/crimp/chip that you want. A few goes I got my hand on to the crimp/dish thing but didn't have it well enough to get my heel on. I was boosted on and tried the next move with the heel in. It only served to confirm that the bump move is by far the hardest for me. Karma is such a great problem and I can't wait to get on it again (monday morning!). I think there are a few problems that you have to do to become a font beast, and Karma is definitely one of them. Unfortunately, I think it isn't going to be the most difficult of the group... But I have time, psyche, and persistence on my side.

Walking down from Karma in the dark the moon was so bright that it was casting a strong shadow on the ground. It was quite special actually. I walked down with the moon on my back and the next time I go it will be with the sun rising on my face. Great days.

Day 9

A short report today because I spent the entire day in front of 1 small piece of rock desperately trying to get from the beginning to end. Some people say a change is as good as a rest so today I opted to do something I don't normally do, a traverse! Shocking I know, but La Coccinelle, 7C+/8A, is a famous traverse, opened by JP Bouvier in 1988, and a pretty obvious looking challenge. I thought I could probably flash it so felt like it would either be a 1 or 2 go affair. How wrong I was. It's basically 2 moves into a strange move that is probably 7B+ on it's own, then into a 6C traverse. Sounds easy, but it wasn't. I spent ages trying a bogus heelhook/toehook sequence which sapped a load of skin and then I reverted to my original (and more powerful) drop knee method. The crux involved a move into a pocket then doing a move off it. Once through that you're sorted. The slash grade is because there are 2 versions, of which the 8A is a higher exit which I was doing. It's just this one damn pocket move. I wrecked my skin slipping out the pocket, ended up bleeding from 3 fingers, but was still determined to do it. In the end my body shut down. I climbed it from the pocket to the end (so missing out the hard move into the pocket) 5 times in a row so I know it's easy. I just have to do the drop down move into the pocket on the link. Neil got some decent photos (I think he's moving into photography, he even brought a ladder to the crag!);



I think I'll go back and despatch it in a couple of days. Even though it's a traverse I'm still psyched for it. It must have pedigree if it made it into the best traverses in font supplementary page in the new 7+8 guide. The advantage of trying something like this is that I'm sure I'm increasing my technical knowledge of moving on the rock. More awareness of using my feet, more awareness of body positions, and ultimately these will help with my big projects. I feel like I'm doing a couple of weeks apprenticeship in the forest simply by avoiding hard things (nothing over 8A), but re-learning the rock. I just want to get intimate with it again...

Also worth pointing out is that I chose to spend valentines day hugging a rock rather than my girlfriend. Luckily I know Sara won't mind because she is amazing, but I still felt kind of dirty!

Day 7

One week down, another great day to report. I'm just loving every day at the moment. I wake up to blue skies and cruise to amazing crags to climb amazing problems. Today, Neil and I headed out to find Coup De Patte, 7C/+. I saw the video of it last night and decided I had to go out to get on it. I think Coup de Patte means "leg flick" or something like that, which makes sense when you watch the video! It looked like an outdoor (and mirrored) version of Pego at the school, so I thought it should be fairly steady. The walk in was a bit of an epic because the directions weren't rather vague, but when we did find it we were impressed. Unfortunately we couldn't find anything else so the warm up circuit was restricted to doing pull ups on the finishing holds. The blood was already pumping from the walk so it wasn't too bad, but far from ideal. It took 2 goes to figure out exactly where to grab and which part of the foothold to use, then another couple of goes to actually do it. I think it's definitely a great problem, and deserves more attention. That probably won't happen since it's rather isolated and a 15 minute walk in, which doesn't sound much for most folk, but here you have 5 star areas less than 1 minute from the car. I've got video footage, but I'll save that for a long video of the forest that I'm planning on compiling.

Also worth mentioning is that Coup de Patte is located deep within Boar Nation the likes of which my dear readers will probably be unfamiliar with. I must have seen 50 boar nests today, with plenty of fresh foraging, warm shits, and underground caverns where they no doubt train with military equipment. I had the fear at some points and so did Neil, but the only difference was that he had a hunting knife in hand. I predict that if he does ever see a boar with that in his hand he'll either drop it or stab himself. Perhaps on a rest day I shall go and sit in a tree to spy on Boars. You know what they say, keep your allies close, but your enemies closer.

Today's boulder problem highlighted something that I mentioned yesterday, the process of figuring out boulder problems. Sometimes it's easy to see what you do, and when this is the case the problems tends to be called basic. Then you have problems that are intensely complicated, with many footholds to choose from, and hand sequences that aren't obvious. These tend to be called technical. I love both styles, but I think there is a 3rd style which is something in between. Problems where the moves tend to be fairly basic, but positions of things like hips, shoulders, legs, all make a difference to the move, and change impossible to possible. I love subtle moves like this, where a few cm's difference in hip position make a move possible. I don't love going to a boulder problem and having to figure out which holds are in, which aren't, which footholds you use, which you don't. I would much rather be told the basics like it's these holds and that's all you've got to work with. From there I'm happy. I think people underestimate the subtleties associated with climbing hard problems on steep walls. I also think I like to test my climbing ability, not necessarily my ability to figure out which holds to use. Perhaps that's why I've never been into FA's and I prefer to see a video to get beta and then go out and CRUSH!

I think I'll have to rest for a day or maybe even two which is a bummer. I'm psyched to do so much, and I know that in the next two months I will. Until the next...

Day 6

If you have something amazing every day does it cease to remain amazing? It doesn't seem to be! Today I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was blue skies with the occasional vapour trail cutting across it. I was feeling rather tired for some reason but psyche is flowing through my veins at the moment so I threw together some porridge and headed out to Dame Jouanne with Neil. Olivier Lebreton did a new 7B+/C up there called XXX a couple of weeks ago so I thought it might be worth a look. I have great respect for him, since he has crushed nearly everything in the forest, but also done plenty of new lines. We got up there to find that the problem had no chalk on and looked rather sorry for itself. I was quite disappointed because I'd expected it to be rather good. We brushed it up, chalked all the holds, and suddenly it looked pretty cool. Neil had a few goes but the beta was eluding him. I tried and soon found that I was getting nowhere. I had found a sequence but it involved hideous moves and was in no way correct. I was getting a bit vexed because I simply wanted to climb the thing, not fag about trying to find the method (more on this later). I was just about ready to give up but saw what seemed like one more method. Within a couple of minutes I'd refined it and had a way planned to the top. It still felt hard and a million miles away from 7B+, but it was a cool way, and the only way I had been able to find. I had found a solution, but I don't think it resembled Olivier's. Anyway, I sat down and blasted to the top with power, grace, poise, guile, and general greatness. You can see it all for yourself in the pics and video;




video is at Vimeo.

ok, ok. I had none of those things, but I made it to the top. :)

We moved on to Puiselet le Paradis to try a newish problem called Welcome to Jamrock, 8B, with Kevin. It's not a typical font problem in many ways. Firstly, it's at the end of a LARGE crag which has got to be about 12m tall at it's highest.

The sandstone is completely horrific in some parts and falling apart in many places, including the starting footholds on welcome to jamrock. The rock above is alright though, and the moves are amazing. It's essentially a 2 move problem, the first being hard, and the second being harder. Unfortunately I can't vouch for that since I didn't even manage the first move! It's a huge move, as you can kind of see;




It's a really technical move too, involving huge amounts of strength, co-ordination, balance, everything really. I think I'd like to have another go on it, but perhaps after I've ticked some of my other goals.

By this point I was feeling rather shattered so Kevin and I went to look at some other projects and nearby problems. We went to Sablibum to see Demonia, 7C+, which is mega highball with the crux at the top. This photo doesn't really give an idea of scale, but that first spikey thing is at 2m. Word on the street is that the King of the Forest himself, Jacky Godoffe, flashed it on a top rope. Beast!



Also in the same area is a mega, mega, mega project. It's really incredible. In fact, just look at this picture (phone camera pic - sorry).



Once again the crux is at the top. I would guess it will be something around 7C+/8A but with a fall from 8/9m looming. It's atleast E9 or maybe E10. I'm going to get a rope on it and then I'll report back with numbers.

That was that. Another amazing day out in the forest, capped off with a fun drive on empty roads to the backdrop of a setting sun. Will it ever cease to be amazing?