Going back on my word

I had previously said I would never solo anything after seeing how fast a person falls, im still not a huge fan of the idea of watching someone solo but everything has its time and place. I soloed my first E5 the other day but I only because I had no doubt in my mind. All part of making a better climber if you can keep your head together then it may help in another situation where you cant afford to freak and loose your bottle. The way i see it is I wasnt soloing, the route is protected by a sky hook, I dont have a sky hook... so i lead it but didnt have the right gear.

Round up

Spent some time at ruthven as usual last week and it eventually came together, just before I lost all of the skin I owned. Did another finish from the jug of dude/dude direct out right and up to a horrible airy mantel, its yet another locals eliminate ofcourse but good all the same as i found it to be a fair bit harder than the original finish. I did it from a jumping start to try and work out the sequence and once i had done it once sat down and tried to work through dude direct into it to make it as awkward as possible, it took me about 10 goes to stick the dyno as it was so muggy but 44 midge bites and an hour later it was done. From catching the dyno match the jug and move right to crimps, high rock over to poor side pull and up again to small flake and then mantel. Like I said its a another locals eliminate but certainly makes dude direct sustained and if you did the dude satrt into it it might make it a grade harder.

Good news for Stewart yesterday as he climbed his first E1 in the sunshine of cummingston, done in fine style with little effort. I got in an E4 at the same time and wer off back again today to work on something a little harder.

V9!

Progress is being made all round on the bouldering front in Inverness, by the time the new season comes round there is the potential for some hard repeats and new lines all round. Back up at Ruthven within 20 hours of the last session so was very conscious of how long my skin would last. The realisation that Lorraine came minus her shoes could have ended the day right there but she managed to put up with a pair of mine for the evening and climbed extremely well considering!

Agonisingly close early on

After a couple of warm up routes got back on Dude Direct V9 after first trying it yesterday, with a few hours rest it seemed more manageable but still hard. Was distraught 15 minutes later after catching the hold and holding the swing all the way to the point where i came back into the wall and sure enough fell off!! A quick lie down in disbelief sorted my head out and next go held it even longer before coming off. Ben and I had the conversation yesterday of the point you reach in your mind that is like a light coming on and you know you will do it next go. I struggle to see how this happens and I suppose nobody really knows why or how it happens or if it really happens at all. You may or may not know what im talking about or you may think im talking rubbish but its a strong force in my eyes. Sure enough next time I held the swing and it felt suprisingly positive as did all the holds to the top, I was still very conscious not to blow it on the top mantle but got there! A happy boy after my first V9 and really pleased to get the second repeat especially after Ben getting the first repeat in the day before.

Crux Dyno(Big thank you to Lorraine for the perfectly timed photo)

Once i came back down i had to prove a point to myself that it wasnt a fluke so after a two minute rest to get rid of the pump got back on it and did it again first go and it felt even better and smoother the second time!!! Awsome day and now psyche is at an all time high, its time to find a project get strong and get even more psyched!!

Boulderers in the mist.

Spent most of yesterday looking at the sky trying to work out which direction to go after the boys finished work, in the end we took the "safe" option and stayed close and went up to Ruthven so I could show them a new roof i had found. True to form it was lashing down as we arrived but we were already there so it was worth a look, long story short it was rubbish and we had spent just over an hour walkin too and from it. Atleast the weather had got better though!

Jeds Traverse

Ruthven is really good as the way its sits it always has something dry after showers which allows you to climb and thankfully yesterday the temperature was quite low aswell which helped with the small holds. Ben had pointed out the "mythical" Jeds traverse V7 last time i was up which looked good, proved to be better than it looked and went 4th go! I did however get so pumped i tried to fall off the top out which is probably only V1 on jugs! Rich also finished it off a few minutes later with alot less pump and flapping about.

Back on Dude direct V9 and it didnt take too long for it to get its 1st repeat(as far as we know) from Ben who looked comfortable all the way.Rich was also agonisingly close to getting it so it looks like it will get done again very soon. Just watching elements to see what its like and then back off up to get on it again as for a split second I thought id held the swing yesterday. Ben on Dude Direct

Update Dude...

Alot has happened in the last month and a half but i havnt been botherd to put anything on.

I totally lost my head for trad after falling and ran scared off a vs, paul climbed his first E4, lorraine her first Vs and Stewart his first HVS, i also learned how to super glur flappers.... the right way, got my head back and found a new project to go at and yet i still have the imprint of whatever it was that was forced into my arse when i hit that ledge. Had 2 weeks off climbing and felt weak from it but got it back, we all got melted in a 33'C tent/sauna at 6 in the morning and thats about all... Now its time for climbing with 2 trips 2 Northumberland in the pipe line as well as a visit to grit to see what all the hype is about. And i cant be botherd keeping an E log either that went out the window a long time ago.

With the Scottish weather the way it is im tending to sway back towards bouldering as roofs dont get wet as fast! Stewart Ben and i headed up to Ruthven the other night since it was dry, and proved to be a really good night I did Dude and Ben came so close to Dude direct within half an hour and also progressed on the project.

Off out west in the morning to do some sport for a change of pace but i think its time to get back in the gym and try and build some muscle as its probably nealy bouldering season again already. lets be honest the summer isnt exactly scorchio...

On a final note this picture is up for the benefit of Ben and all the Glasgow boys. I codnt do the heel hook on dude in my shoes so ben suggested something small and sure enough first go it stuck... so i owe the credit of this V7 to evolve and bens tiny sized feet, time to change shoes im about to order something 2 sizes smaller for bouldering, maybe solutions?? anybody got any views?