Friday 9 November 2012

Portland and the need for POWER

So the annual Portland trip with the Uni club came and went with a great weekend full of banter and climbing! The weather held out both days as well making a productive trip ticking a few routes and getting shut down on some others.

First day we headed to The Cuttings, a lovely part of Portland which lends itself to a more common inland crag. I say this partly because of the lack of dodgy flinty seams that Portland likes to throw at you and has a bit more character than some of the areas. But hey thats my opinion! After mingling with the freshers and giving out a bit of hints and tips it was time to go and pull hard. Well Ard! A nice 6b was had for a decent warm up, a thin seam with some techy bridging movers was brill and got me in the feel for something at my limit.

Bearing in mind that my summer was hindered by the true "British summer" and the worry of aggravating my elbow my limit has dropped quite considerably. But somehow I still though that I might have a chance of on-sighting a 7b+. I felt good on the bottom few moves, using my feet well and trying not to over grip. Taking my time and making sure I didn't make any mistakes when I got to the hard bit. From the deck it looked pretty blank but started to slab out after the lip. My initial thought was find an edge or "something to get into the slab and then balance my way through this. When I got here with a little bit of pump I found that "edge" I was after. Not going to lie it was thin. Thin by my standards as well. I wacked my thumb right over the top of my knuckles and really pulled hard going for what I though looked like a chalk mark.

Bird Crap

What I though was going to be the come back of the century after having a diet of alcohol and parties hadn't payed off as I sagged onto the rope.

I mean what was I thinking. Even last year when I was on form and climbing the odd 7c I still couldn't onsight 7b let alone with a half grade on top of that. I chuckled to myself and had a closer look a the apparent "slab". After the edge I had found I turns out that Its a massive move to a well poor sloper and then a big burly move to a good side pull. The move looked awesome but I could hold the sloper. Up down up down up down for the best part of 20 minutes trying to figure a way to hold this bladdy intermediate. No dice. It was a real shame as when I tried it french style and pulled past that one move by using the draw the other moves were well out there but do able making me feel like a god. Shame for that one move but I will be back for more action on Sears Tower!

When I got home I had my usually talk to myself about getting some power so that I could make those small moves on routes and FINALLY got round to mounting my Beastmaker. First in the bed (If you know what I mean) and then on the door frame.

I now dread coming back from Uni to find it there staring at me telling me to pull on its hideous holds.

All for a good cause though so hopefully come Christmas, which is forever looming, I'll be back to being a crimping demon and might be able to do some ard stuff and maybe just maybe I might break into a new grade range (Massive sarcastic larff)!

Along with this I have caved into getting TCA membership again but due to my current state of El punter I'm scared to go down with the fear of be burnt off by the taps in the toilet, they look in better shape than I do!

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