Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Contact update

So I've had a couple of very close session's on contact v12 over the past week. I was hoping to send just in the nick of time before I start another block of training but the dream was not to be. On my best shot I manage to link through the hard bottom moves and fall just short of the top : (

I'll be back though and I know it will go down sooner or later.

Rest now for a few weeks and back into training mode.
I might post up my plans for this training block soon

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Contact and the Dead Mans Thumb


Belted my thumb with my hammer which I haven't done in years, cold morning, good times! This week and next week was suppose to be an assault on Contact at the villas but now I can't even tie my laces. Hopefully It will feel OK to have some shots next week before I'm due for a rest and start training for Switzerland.

Fingers crossed

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Back in the Capital

An old photo of me on the top out of the Phone Sex Extension. Photo by Tor
Ren @ North Black night session


Blasted back down to Canberra last Saturday after work. Arrived Corrin Dam at the Glitz boulder late in the arvo to get back on Cerebro v11. I've been super keen to get back on this fantastic line since last trip. I'd worked all the moves on some previous trips and was hoping I'd be able to link it all together. I managed an early high point sticking the last hard move but I celebrated too early! my foot popped and I was back on the mat quicker than I could say idiot!
I thought it was all over but after a few failed attempts I pulled my shit together and sent just on dark. I was super excited as I'd been training over the past few months with sending this as one of my goals, so it was nice to feel it had all been worth it.

I raced back over to Black Range to meet up with Ren and Stu, who were still boulder at 9.00pm when I arrived for their 3rd sess that day! I was impressed.

After a nice camp out at Black Range the boys were keen to head over to Corrin the next day to try phone sex v8. Ren was so close sticking the jug at the end of the business but unable to match. I thought it was a great effort considering all the climbing they had done the day before. I managed to do Duncan Brown's extension to Phone sex which traverses right and tops out up a scary slab to finish. Very excellent and definitely worth a lash if you have already done phone sex.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Making hay while the sun shines

Project no more, I finally completed the Dug out link up last night to produce 'Bases Loaded v10'. Like all things when it all goes well it felt not too bad on the send and I'm really physced to finish it up. This little cave has some classic lines now and has something at every grade from V5 to V10.

It gets really bad in that little cave when it's wet not because it seeps but because there is a natural water coarse that runs over the lip of the cave making the slopey top out impossible for weeks after rain. The conditions have been perfect there recently, probably some of the best I'd ever seen it in, so the pressure was really on to finish it before the rain comes again.

Happy Days

The coast now has 3 V10's and a slew of problems V8 or harder.

Bases Loaded v10
The dug out cave link up at the road house 15move horizontal roof into v9 exit

Deep Brain Trauma v10
The full brown room pergola link 25+ moves of roof lip with an added hard v8 sit start

Bullet and a Target v10
Wagstaffe top cave powerful upside down gaston and underclinging to tricky head wall


I also took a walk out to the Happy Place at Dark Forrest and found a nice new access that avoids the long walk/scramble/trespass access. So now it's a nice stroll to the top of the cliff to enjoy the view then duck down into the cave and it won't disturb any neighbours which is great! I'll update some access details in the guides soon.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Gramps Update

Me on Flesh Bar v9
Simon on Monkey Bars V8


So we're back from our quick little jaunt, it was a good little trip and great to get away. Couldn't say we did heaps of climbing but we were all pretty tuckered out and just enjoyed getting away for a rest as much as anything. After a big week at work me and Chris ended up staying up for a few beers on Friday night before the flight and jumped in bed around 2.00am before getting back up at 4.00am to race to the airport for our flight, oops. Simon had been up late too setting for the climb fit boulder series so when we hit the Mt Zero cabins Sat arvo we all crashed out.

Sunday was a nice day with a little rain still around we headed up to the Kindy. We bumped into the Melbourne crew and tried grip master v10 with them. Alister Robertson was crushing this tuff classic only to fall at the very end on several shots, he was looking so close so I'm sure it won't be long till it goes down. Me and Simon made a bit of progress on the moves but otherwise got spanked!

Later that arvo Simon sorted all the moves on Monkey Bars v8 and fell just before the end. I managed Flash Gordon v8 which was really nice and climbed beautifully, another Gramps classic. Chris worked the cut and waste traverse in between shots and made some nice links all the way to the end.

Monday the weather crapped out so it was back to the Kindy. Simon just missed out on the Monkey Bars which I thought was very unlucky cause he was looking so solid. It's in the bag for next time. I kept up my string of reversals by starting at the end of Flash Gordon and climbing back to finish on the handle bar of monkey bars. I called this Flesh Bar and proposed V9 as it felt harder for me and is worthwhile for the very different climbing. The idea was to finish up monkey bars but i fell halfway through so it will be one to come back for.

So a pretty quick trip but I feel 100% better having had a bit of time off work and lots of sleep.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Gramps, Gramps, Gramps

As the title implies I'm off to the Gramps in the morning with my good Mate Chris Ritchie and Simon Stevens and I can't wait! Work has been full on shit for the past month so a few days of uninterrupted cranking is just what the doctor ordered. I was looking forward to getting out with Philby too while we were down there but unfortunately he's exploded his knee doing some wild maneuvers in the gym :( bummer. Hope your better soon and keep crushing that hang board mate.

I'll report of the goings on of the trip next week.

Happy trails