Monday 30 June 2008

Past it's sell by date - Eye Candy 003

Right - i know this is getting old so heres the last few pics from the week off - Jean Lou asked if he could take some shots of me going for my first E7 ... heres what came out Ignore the crap ropework... was more concerned with staying on!
Again, not lookin the most steady... Placing the definition of Mental protection - the smallest Black Diamond Cam - placed in a flared sandstone mini-crack. I tested this on abseil and it ripped straight out...pointless!
Ready for launch - all set up on the smears and tiny edges before the crux dyno for a rounded break - i hadn't got this move first go on a toprope ever before, so without any warmup i was all too aware i was gonna fly off at this point. Ripping the crap Cam and (hopefully) stopping above the ground providing the old Peg below me held
I caught it! Now pumped and with the prospect of making it the climbing keeps comming - the groove tapers, getting narrower and narrower, every move feels at least Brittish Tech 6a...
The climbing style changes into something more like face climbing before...
the groove totally tapers out and theres a sequence of Monos on poorish footholds before you reach the top break (Ha, ha! Break! On lead, right below the top and about 10 ft higher than this picture, with no more gear, a handhold ripped off while i was about to top out sending me into one of those wavey armed barndoors!! i just managed to hold on!)

7 comments:

robinb said...

A great set of photos.... stole one for TGU ;-)

Stephen Mc Gowan said...

Na, it's not getting old yet....great to see you're bloggin again.

I cleaned up Crime In The City and lead it tonight...a fun route. Next plan is to clean up a direct finish (looks hard) and Mysta Junction

Unknown said...

Cheers Robin.... and nice one Steve! you mean a direct finish above the jungle ledge? thin, crumbly crack to a tree? and go for mysta Junction.... would like a go on that if it was clean :)

Stephen Mc Gowan said...

Well that crumbly crack will go as well, I gave it a quick brush, but no here's a direct finish on the lower section that might go. Follow Crime In The City through the two pegs then straight up to the top(instead of going right). There's two grips up there....then a lot of blank.

I'll let you know once Ive cleaned up Mysta Junction.

Unknown said...

Hmmmm... may have played on that direct finist meself... ;) Go for 'em all! ROCK!!

Ian Mulvany said...

Hey dave,

Just wanted to day congrats on the send. It's been inspiring me to stay focussed!

- Ian

Wasatch Girl said...

These pictures are so amazing I have to steal a couple for my blog... hope you don't mind. You hardcore Irish people never cease to amaze me!!!