Cleaning another new line at The Goods

It looked like there was a good stein pull below this block!!!!!!

?

A Great Escape

There I was trying to put a team together to make a visit to White Goods and I contacted Martin Poznanski, who has been known to crank out some chalk routes, only to find that he and his girlfriend are taking a 6 month trip biking round Asia.

NEW.......Follow their adventures HERE
And be sure to follow the Picasa link on their blog to see their photos

Wrong choice if you ask me; drytooling in Wales or this .....

"We're planning to leave on May 1 and return some time in October. Starting point will be Poland and from there we're planning to go to: Slovakia - Hungaria - Romania - Ukraine - Russia - Kazachstan - Uzbekistan - Tadjikistan - Kyrgyzstan - Kazachstan - Russia - Mongolia - Russia - Estonia - Latvia - Lithunia - Poland - Germany. Looks like a nice little round trip on the world map - about 25.000km :)

From what I have heard so far the roads in Kazachstan, the other Stans and Mongolia are rather dirt tracks than roads. So it'll be an interesting experiment with Martin not having ridden a motorbike for the last ten years and me having no offroad experience."

I have seen a tiny bit of Azerbaijan (Baku) and wouldn't drive there in anything smaller than a tank!! So I think all of that axe climbing will be good training for hanging on to those handlebars. Have fun.

search my blog for Martin or Baku if you want.

distant memories

A huge thanks to Jo Dotremont for these photos, check his BLOG to see his adventures.



Later on in the Musashi effort I was working moves along a crack that could have done with a bit of ice in it.



This was about were i got to on my best effort. If only the ice was long enough to get a foot hold......

EXCUSES

Kristoffer Szilas does it again

Here are a few photos of Kristoffer Szilas's latest expedition.

Check out his site HERE.

watch this space

more good things should be on the way from White Goods (Pwll Glas)......here is a taster.......



Dave G on the new route; Ready Steady Hook



Simon also on Ready Steady Hook

Back to reality?

I have booked a ferry back to the UK. I have decided to travel early easter monday partly as it is cheaper and partly to avoid any traffic. These are not the sort of decisions i have become used to making in the last three months and I'm not sure I like the prospect of more of the same. I am interested to find out what it will be like going back to work; will i remember what to do? How do i climb more?

Font has been a grin but it has made me realise that bouldering is mainly about the physical side of climbing. Of course there are some of the best moves in the world to be found in the Forest and great people too, but getting gripped and sketching about [with a rope on] and the feeling of big air over your shoulder is not replicated by your average highball boulder problem.

For me this trip has been full of new experiences and minor adventures.
Malc,
I owe you one for inviting me (and going back one more time for Musashi).
Danny,
You will boulder 8a soon if you carry on climbing like you have been this last couple of weeks.

A photo never lies......



This photo was taken by Lohann, my 1 year old nephew! Admittedly he was poking his fingers at the shiny button and tried to lick the lens afterwards but it shows that taking photos is easy. And here is what he thinks of my efforts...............



put the lens cap back on!!!

Bacon saved by Danish

Excellent photo in the previous post, thanks Dave and Duncan.

Over the last week we have managed to climb most days despite the changeable weather. I had forgotten how quickly conditions change here in Fontainebleau compared to tooling where climbing can be done pretty much despite the weather. I have been taking it fairly easy so I don't ruin my delicate fingers but have found that i can still boulder at about the same grade as when i swapped bouldering for toooling 9 months ago (a very average grade! compared to what i have tooled). Bouldering is a good crack but I slightly miss the Russian roulette of figure fouring across a roof on bouncy pick bending pockets !!!!!??? (finding that the tarpaulin covering the campsite has blown away just doesn't have the same thrill)



Opening Dave's van using a life saving length of wire provided by some travelling Danish cimbers. (photo: Sven)



Danny surviving the Carnage (photo: Sven)



Dave on Gravillon (photo: Danny)



Two different problems at Petit Bois.
Two different grades: 6b & 7c.
Similar difficulty depending on your talents???



Me at Roche aux Sabots