Pics

Here are some pics of me doing Brad Pit...

Brad Pit

So Friday last week me and a friend went to Stanage, to try Brad Pit. I had wanted to try/do this problem for ages but never felt that I was good enough to try it. Anyway we had about an hour on it, it took me a fair few goes until I was on the slopers, and eventually was hitting the jug, I did get my hand actually on the jug at one point but was kind of swinging off as I hit it. My mate had two bleeding tips so we had to leave, I'm sure I would of done it that session if we had stayed. Me and Brandon went back on the Sunday, after getting warmed up, I then somehow managed to send it first go, which didnt feel real at all, its fair to say that I was abit disorientated about it, escpecially because Brandon joked with someone that we was guna try and flash it for a warm up, so it looked like I had flashed it. I reassured the guy that I had tried it before, and then asked him if he had a camera so he could take some photos and them email them to me, luckily he did. I mainly just wanted a photo on the crux posistion but I ended up doing the problem again without falling. I'm still waiting for him to email me them but I'm sure it will be within the next couple of days, or today. Brandon was still trying it at this point, it was his second session on it as well. Another guy, called James Jacobs came over and tried it with us, I then climbed it again without falling. Which did seem abit, strange, doing it 3 times in a row. so I didnt try it again becuase I didnt want to fall of it! haha. Its technically not very hard at all, its just, all psychological and technical, once you can find this certain position its fine. So yeah Brandon did end up doing it. I'l post the pictures the moment I get them. Oh If anyones wondering why Brandon has done Brass Monkeys and I haven't, its because I haven't tried it yet. And like Ben Moon said

''Brad Pit, I mean its hard but its not that hard, I could certainly climb something alot harder than that''

Next up: More 7C/7C+'s and The Joker

Grit

Me and Brandon went to Stanage yesterday so I could try Brass Monkeys and Brad Pitt, but, it was all wet and damp, and there was no wind, some other stuff dried so I did end up doing a couple of problems, Bens Reverse - Font 7b and for randomness did the The Full Green Traverse - Font 7a+, first go, I have done it before ages ago so obviously its not a flash but yeah, its pumpy for me! I was so psyched for Brass Monkeys though, I've only tried it a couple of times ages ago but its an awesome problem.

Even though the rock was abit glassy and moist I had a couple of go's at The Joker, the almighty joker! I gave it a go by myself with one pad and got about 12cm away from the top, so I asked Brandon to spot me and I commited abit more and ended up getting 6/7cm away from the top, which is big progress for me, its scary though! haha, I felt asif if commtted fully I would like go flying 100mph or something but yeah, awesome, I know that then you have to hold it but still I feel that im getting stronger, my fingers definatly feel alot stronger, I think my campus board is going to help alot as well. So abit more training, at least 2 pads and 2 spotters, and then we will see if we can be tapping/grabbing whos knows even holding the top!

But, if I do think im going to do it, I will definatly be getting it on video...

Chew Valley Developments

So me...from Red Tips Climbing and a guy called Lee Robinson from Beta Guides teamed up and headed to Chew Valley in the Peak District last Sunday to hopefully find some new boulders, we ended up at The Standing Stones. There is a massive pile of boulders below the crag which all looked good, from a distance, most were not as big and some were as good as they looked but just had very bad landings.

Here as some problems that we put up, if you know that they have been done before please email me.

Mine - Popcorn Prow - Font 6a & Dredger Lefthand - Font 7a/7a+ Video at the bottom of the post- That climbs an E2 6b arete, but on the lefthand side instead of the righthand side, this may not seem like much but it does makes a big difference!

Lee's - Red Tips - Font 5+/6a, Pinchy The Lobster - Font 7a & also The Moors Tiger, its around Font 6b is you find the left hand crimp, if you dont and do it the long way which is cupping the arete with your right hand and pressing off with your left its at least Font 6c, maybe 6c+.

ABOVE - Me finishing the second ascent (?) - The Moors Tiger

BELOW - Popcorn Prow

BELOW - Me on the second ascent (?) Red Tips

BELOW - Lee Robinson on Pinchy The Lobster

Below, The Starting moves of Dredger Left Hand

And here is The Video, again, if you know if this has been done before please email me, oh and it was windy as hell so you might wana turn the voulme down a touch!

Anyway, see ya later guys, oh and I have a campus board in my back garden now, I'l take some photos today.

The Terrace

Last week Brandon did The Terrace at Burbage North, I nearly did it, but after figuring out how to do the second to last move, which was the move I kept falling off on' from doing it from the start, I then couldnt do the first move. So yeah I was abit annoyed that I didnt do it. So I said ''right, next week I'm guna go and do it!''.

So yesterday I got up and got the train to Sheffield>Hathersage and then hitched up to Burbage, by myself as Brandon couldn't come, but in a way I wanted to go by myself as I felt it was some unfinished business that just me and The Terrace had. I warmed up and then headed to it, firstly I tried the second-to-last move, and did it first go, so I was feeling confident then that all I had to do was the first slap and it would get sent. But, I couldn't do the first move, its just, burly and precise and just generally tricky, but eventually I stuck it, but I was abit shocked, which made me abit nervous, came to do the second-to-last move and I was feeling to over-confident and basically fell off. I then took big rests and even had a couple of breaks, but I just couldn't re-do the first move, bearing in mind I couldn't brush the holds and they was getting clogged up, and the sun was blazing the shothole, as it was a warm day. But, eventually, I pulled on and hit the hole, I then went into what I would call ''Execution Mode'' where your mind has no negative thoughts, you not thinking about falling off, you just do each move as they come and do them as perfectly as you can, it was kind of like being in a dream or something, didn't really feel real, so I then did all of the moves and slapped to the top, which is an awesome positive jug thing, topping out felt amazing. So yeah, given the conditions I think soft Font7c+ is about right, although some may disagree, god knows, anyway its an awesome problem with good moves, now onto more 7C's/+'s in the peak.....

Chow