Visual catchup

Still playing catchup with the last months activity... i'll just plough on redardless :)

I got sick - think it was my first case of the flu! Knocked me for 6! but every cloud has it's silver lining - i found the ultimate cure... look above. Yes, thats right.... lemsip max, plenty of honey, jameson and boiling water! Hmmmmmmm
We decorated the kitchen...

I went to a Welsh medium residential outdoor centre for two days where some of my year 7 pupils were staying for a week doing all sorts of activities - climbing, high-ropes, sailing, rafting hiking etc... On the day i arrived to help out i was asked to accompany a group walking up a hill. Half way in a kid trips up and breaks her ankle - turned out i was the most experienced of the instructors present and they had no plan in place for a situation like this. Luckily i threw my mountain leader First aid kit in my pack before heading off (Don't normally). Managed to strap it up as best as possible then arrange for a jeep to get as close as it could to our position. Despite the centre staff trying all manner of assisted hoping, group lifts etc... nothing worked due to the uneven terrain and the kid was in pain. So i ended up carrying her on my back the 3/4 mile to the jeep. Killed me!The Kid was heavier than me! Good deed for the day done and in the bag :)

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!)

At last!

I've been having broadband issues at home and YouTube is blocked at work so it's taken me this long to finally upload my naff first attempt to string together some of the footage from our fun week - The vid is from one wet day in Pembroke - Lots of Wet holds from the nights rain but the sun came out so we went onsighting! Typically all the best climbs were not caught on film! and i didn't stick in any of the footage from working the Big Issue as none of us got on lead before the rain came... Enjoy and be kind - my first attempt at editing!

Eye Candy 002

Wider bridging above the crux but still nothing like a hold in sight
Nico belaying sean (in my hat) on his oh so almost successful 1st redpoint attempt. Just look at this position, Palming, hangjam-chickenwing, kneebaring, smearing, chimney-ing, face smear!!

Me belaying Nico - taking a deep breath before throwing himself into the groove for his last redpoint attempt!Me starting up Yukon II, E7 6b - damp sandstone! A great feature but not many holds - or trustworthy gear placements!

Eye Candy 001

Some buildering around Chester - Under the bridge, the fist jam traverse

Sean starting up pitch 3 of the Quarryman (E8 7a) with me filming and Nico spotting

Me getting into the groove - we all took turns working this pitch before going for the redpoint - i think i counted 3 holds on this pitch!

A typical, chicken-winging, knee-baring, palming, smearing, chimney manoeuvre from this pitch! Physical!!