Stepping out from the Dug out with the Bases Loaded

It's a great feeling to come back to something that felt impossible for you and to have it feel possible. It's a good reminder of your progress and how quickly you improve when you really work at it.

I have a long standing project at the Road House in the Dug out cave that I went back to try again today for the first time in maybe a year or so. It's basically a link up of two problems I established about 2 or 3 years ago.' The extended line ' which is a long 15 move v7 into the crux of 'fast ball v9' which originally was a very low percentage double dyno move from two horrible holds to the sloping lip of the cave. At the time it was the only way I could see of doing it and basically threw myself at it for weeks on end until i finally stuck it. Then I started to work the link which for about 100 shots went like this;

Cruise through the fifteen or so moves that i had wired only to fall off slapping the finish hold. Arrggh the frustration! until finally i cracked it and left it alone until now.

So i was very happy when i worked out a different finish today. It wasn't that i had missed the holds or anything I just think at the time I wasn't strong enough to use them. It kind of consists of crossing under your body to a poor undercling then punching out to this little arete on the lip of the roof and slapping out that until you gain the lip. It's not easier by any means just more probable for me and now there are two ways to do fast ball to suit your taste.

I'm really excited to get back and finish the whole link off now and see it through to the finish. It is definitely the longest FA project i've had on the coast and would be awesome to realize that little dream.

All this project talk got me thinking about some of the hard unclimbed projects about the coast. They're out there ripe for the taking, just waiting for someone to come along a nab them.

Here's a few that come to mind
(I've pre-named them in my head, fucking sad I know)

The Window, The fort woy woy
Starts from a big hole then gain a slopey pinch, match a battle a desperate top out.

Sparrow, Blackwall Mt
Below the Kit Kat wall on Mt Blackwall is one of the best v7's on the coast, The Crow established by Gary Hamilton many years ago. To the left of this is it's angry little brother, come out the little roof on a variety of ok holds till you round the bulging face using a heel hook on a spike and two nasty nasty crimpers.

Pit Brick boulder Arete proper, Lara street
This has to be one of the best and hardest undone lines. Start as for the excellent mick's arete but instead of escaping right to the face, blast directly up the steep slopey arete.Will be v11 and up.

Mega pinch project, Lara Street
Also on the pit brick boulder, slightly over hanging face climbed via various bad pinches. The desperate top out has been done by Jas Piper as 12 monkeys V4 and is hard in it's own right.

Eldorado, Golden section
From the right of the cave climb into the finish of Goldie Horn via some crazy roof moves

Challenger Right, The cape
Similar to the classic v4 challenger left but start from the right side of the arete, has proven much harder.

Old man river proj, River bed
Then finish of the established traverse 'river of dreams v5' which finishing on a slot below the lip of a roof. Make a big move to the slopey lip then some how gain the better holds higher up on the face to to out. Will be classic!

Riot Act, Pearl Jam Cave
The link up of the hard v8 'dissident' then traverse left and finish up the dyno 'yield v5'

Road Side boulder, Wagstaffe
The obvious hard line on the first boulder you pass on the walk in right next to the road cutting. From the back of the black cave traverse out the right side to gain the big slopey break then punch the top without falling on the road.

Bases Loaded, Road House
Hopefully soon to be completed link up of 'Extended line' v7 and 'Fast Ball' V9

So many more too! My brain hurts, I'm going to bed.