Backat The Cave

After half days at work and a mock driving test, on Thursday, me and Brando head to LLandudno, again. Well, we didnt get as far as that, the last train took us to ''Llanduno Junction'', somewhere not too far, after making some decent home made prison style shanks using forks and tin openers, and looking which bush to sleep in, we decided to see how much a taxi would be, but hold on one sec, please dont think i'm a taxi-man, I would never pay for a taxi unless I was next to a council estate and prepared to do whats necessary with a tin opener in Wales. Which, I was, so, we payed 5quid each and she took us right up to the Orme! There was already some people sleeping in the cave, but funny enough it was the same guys from last time. So the next day was pretty awesome because it rained all day and seeped through, but everyone was being tenacious and having a laugh at the same time, which is a nearly impossible combination in sheffield/peak sometimes.

I repeated Ferrino Footless, that Brandon had done the other week, video of Brandon - http://vimeo.com/13433998

I dont think it is Font 8a+, everyone who i've asked there said it was but I would say it is font 8a, again, I can't really say whats 8a and whats not, yet. On the other hand, I do have a campus board in my back garden, and thats really how I train, like when I used to go to the works, I'd spend 2/3 hours footless bouldering, so possibly this thing feels hard for other people? Anyway, soft Font 8a i've given it.

After everyone went home, I had a couple of stella's and got on Lou Ferrino Half Natural, well I just made that name up but its Lou but without the drilled pocket up on the right hand side, apparently its around Font 8A, it was after a full days climbing but it did feel hard, i've worked the beta out anyway for the last rib section and next time I go i'l try and do it.

6 weeks time, New Zealand!

Bowderstone next week...

Moors FA's Pictures

All pics from Lee at Beta Guides, http://betaguides.blogspot.com/2010/07/sleeping-on-boulders.html

Me on Rassassier - Font 7C/7C+

Lee on Nocturnal Font 6B+ , a hard problem which I couldn't do! Effort Lee, still dont know how you did it

Me on Badger SS, another awesome problem at Badger Rock

Doncaster Bouldering..What!?

After a disastrous 2 days trying to find dry rock, me and Brandon thought it was time we headed to Doncaster. We only actually got time to climb 3 new problems, but we had to cut all the overhanging trees/bushes/ivy off, then take anything from the top-outs (alot of mud). Suprisingly it didnt take that long after abit of graft to have the boulders nice and clean, the rock is pretty good quality, to say its limestone, certainly better than the quality of the peak, no grozzles or anything really. I'l need at least another full session to do that, we may have to get Beta Guides in... I know some of the boulders are tiny but man, its in Doncaster! To us from Scunthorpe, will know how it feels to have no rock, tell em Jon!

The Video on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/13626564

For now though, its all for the 'Into The Light' Project, first we cut all the ivy off that we could reach, then Brandon abseiled in to make it clean and brush up the top out. What we are basically trying to do it climb the prow and then break off into the wall. Right now we dont know if its going to be possible, there is a good hold which you use to get a pinch on the wall with your left, then to the crimp with right, then to the top? I guess we'l see..But, at the moment its looking nails so i just guessed the grade range to how it felt, we might not

actually be able to climb the wall section or lock the crimp to the top, i guess thats apart of it though, not knowing.

Brandon on 'Proper Glory' Font 7b

The Line of 'Into The Light', it doesnt keep to the left really,just straight up the wall, its also aot bigger than it looks, and better quality!

Moors Madness

So, the last post could have possibly been an over exaggeration, possibly. We will see about that. However this one will not be. On Friday my man Lee from Beta Guides picked me up to explore the desolate regions of the North Yorkshire Moors. We parked up where the road somehow turned into just a path. Now this trip was certainly the most hardcore searching i've ever done, the terrain was definitely the worst, boggy swampy marshy hills, bracken and bushes came as high as my face, non-vissible streams and rivers...then the sun went down. Luckily, Lee is that much of a psycho that he carried my rucksack for me, as I'm just not hardcore enough! We checked out a few boulders but found nothing worth camping at, until we had to settle somewhere as it got pitch black. That night was, something different. We put the one man tent up, got my cheese and onion pasty and got the beers in! I then explained my how money came to be, how the central banking system was created, and my deep concerns for things like the federal reserve. Whether the agenda's of the bloodline elite are successful or not, there is still going to be some trauma in the process of them trying to achieve globalization/centralization of power. As we learn better when going through great trauma, destroy-offer solution-rebuilld.

Then I found this sick boulder, scrubbed the lichen off, chalked it, and worked it for a couple of hours, it has a hard crux move, the rest is still sustained. Then 'Rassassier' was born, french for 'to satisfy ones hunger' which it did. Sistart round the corner of where I am in the pic, on a jug, then just keep traversing leftwards until you get to some jugs on the lip right round the corner, then you might as well rock up, (its the most logical thing to do) the line speaks for itself though when your there. I'd like some people to repeat it please, it will just take a day to get to! It felt like 7C/7C+, harder than Brad Pit and The Terrace. A larger ape index may possibly dable with the grade, but I still think it would test people. This photo is me going for the crux move, you slap again with your left to that sloper. Big move. It is located on top of a valley above a river, just North of 'Kay Nest'. The rock is amazing sandstone, really nice to touch, good friction but doesn't wreck your skin really quick. Awesome moves on this and some other projects on the boulders near by...have fun if you go!

I Found Something!!

Yesterday... me, my brother, and a driver (who cannot be named for revolutionary purposes) drove to Doncaster, to search for a limestone cave. For a start, we wasn't actually sure if this cave existed, as the only information I had on it, was a few pictures from a local non-climber who for a year now is still un-contactable. The directions to this cave were pretty vague to say the least!

We had this picture....(by the way, I dont actually know any of these people, I just found it on the 'bebo.com' a year ago)

NOW...

LUCKILY.....

At first. We went the total wrong way, we was about 6miles from this place. BUT....

We parked the car at the side of a road, as I though I could see some rock on google maps on my phone, so we headed up this track. About 5 minutes later I looked up into the trees and saw a bulge of rock, as you can imagine, I ran pretty god damn fast up to it, this first piece wasnt the best but good if you are an easy climber. This set me off anyhow. I ran through the woods at about 30mph, then suddenly, I slipped and headed down a hill in the forest. What I then found is amazing. This is like everything I have ever dreamed of, and fantasised about. We had always joked about being in this situation but in Scunthorpe. I found at least 10 perfect over hung limestone boulders, limestone which was completely stable and probably comparable quality to castle hill! Seriously! Brandon then (whilst screaming) found the most amazing line, he pulled tons of ivy and branches away to uncover the sickest over hanging prow in the world! Well, probably.. That prow looks at least V10...This venue may have been found before, but not by any climbers, if they have, they have never climbed any of these boulders in the last 60 years! They are perfect but completely uncovered and in a secret huge pot hole in the forest covered in huge bracken and plants. I then came across a limestone crag, that looked amazing for sport climbing, this rock was different though, with black streaks and real blocky.

After this, we did eventually move on and proceeded to discover the picture above, which is again amazing quality limestone. This place may possibly have been climbed on before, but it is not documented or mentioned anywhere on the internet. However theres no chalk or polish, or any signs of useage. You could maybe some good, quality, hard almost-eliminate problems here, and some decent proper lines.

Doncaster has alot more potential than anyone has ever told me, unfortunately, we didnt take a pad, we had brushes/shoes and chalk but to be honest I was expecting a chalky quarry or something thats falling to bits. Now...I would just kindly offer you the location, but, I've been climbing alot at Raven Tor lately, and for a few weeks now I've been wanting some nice, steep problems. I know that there are secret crags established in the Peak District, people like Dan Varian have formed a small group, kind of like the illuminati of peak district climbing, and I cannot know where these places are, apparently, but I have been teased with pictures of these problems, and the moves look good! Also, for all the people that refused to tell me where Crag X is, ''god knows mate, i've never been''....8a.nu socrecard: Seans Problems - Crag x'

Cheers mate!

So, we are going to develop the whole place, and when we have climbed all the best ones, and made a short film about it, we will offer the location...

Unless however you just email me and say that your an alright guy...

Tumbleweed Video..and thoughts

So here is the video I put together...annnd, yeah, well, thats about it really...

Brandon is going to repeat it this week hopefully, however the sudden change in weather conditions is throwing two problems into the equation, 1. Our job is (extreme) window cleaning, and completely depends on the weather, if it rain tomorrow and Thursday we will not finish for the week, we are already one day down. 2. Raven Tor can be one seeping son of a bitch after confident rain, and the sit-start of Tumbleweed uses slots and pockets which seep, or become damp...not good. I need Brandon to send it, so we can carry on with our other trips in the UK, places we want to go before we head to New Zealand, the first place is Woodwell in the South Lakes, again, this limestone venue could possibly be off-course if rain persists. You know, I'v got places to be blocs to climb and moves to feel!

I assume there may have been some speculation on the grade of this climb, which is why I am psyched to climb some more hard things, mainly because when I touch down in NZ, I'd like to know what boulder grade I am capable of, when it is at my full limit, all guns blazing...so I have a gauge to work with on my first ascents over there, embarrassing it would be to grade a boulder something like 8A, which, on the north island would be fairly significant, and it turns out, after the locals have a slap, it is much easier. I will also be having the last 3 weeks to say goodbye to the Peak District (for now). Saying goodbye to Stanage will be defiantly be an emotional experience, I used to go every Saturday, when I'd only been climbing a few months, and suck in all the goodness, the ferns, trees, the amber rock at sunset, the rock itself and the feel of it, I'd certainly say it is the place I feel most connected to, it is like a person, especially the boulders, problems like Pebble Arete and The Green Traverse are like old friends that I visit. It comforts me that they will always be there for me. Hmmm, Stanage you sexy beast! Also the Burbage Valley is very important, those last three weeks will just be spent climbing the most amazing moves those places have to offer, hopefully with some good friction and nice people.

Tumbleweed

So, once again, we located ourselves at raven tor, with pasta and chalk. This time, I was even more tired from work because after we had finished the window cleaning for the week, we had to scrape paint of this house, and then sand it down, great times that was. That evening was very humid and a bit damp at the tor, but I got warmed up anyway and soon tried Tumbleweed from the start, I got to the last 2 moves and peeled off, as I was horrendously pumped, also I tried some wakced out beta with heel hooks in your face and stuff, which brought it all on my arms, so we left it that night and went to the pub to talk about the illuminati, central banking system and the federal reserve, the new world order and RFID chips ECT and then settled down on the floor for the night. The next day, basically, I got warmed up, tried it a couple of times from the start, got ready, breathed heavily and went light headed to receive sub-atomic help via personal trans-dimensional entities, pulled on and sent it. It was my first Font 8a, not really my style or what I do but it was still decent, wonderful last slap to a jug. I did get a video but I am just going to edit it possibly before I put it on. Anyhow there are a couple of pictures...

I may get the train back out into the peak tomorrow, and climb at toms roof at stoney? or NOT... we can have a look but possibly it is disgusting and depressing....we will see....

Quintesscence?... wohoho lets have a look.

Raven Tor

Me and Brandon went to Raven Tor on Wednesday after work, we climbed Tumbleweed Standstart Font 7C+, and Preverse Reverse-Bashers Footless Font 7C, then on the next morning I tried the sit start to 'the cave problem' , which is also the first 3 moves of Tumbleweed, I did this, its 7C but still tricky with some crazy toe jams in some holes what nobody told me about!!, next week I am going to link those 3/4 moves into the Tumbleweed Standstart, and there you have it, 'Tumbleweed'. I think its a fairly new problem and it may be soft but its given Font 8A. I would like to get on some more 8A's after this, escpecially psyched for Diesel Power and Sub Society in the Pass. I'm hopefully going to film all of Tumbleweed on my phone, as some people get abit touchy.

I think since i've been climbing outside every weekend I am accelerating, and to be fair, these things dont seem thaaat hard, I think after I do Tumbleweed I will start climbing at Rubicon, and try Tsunami, as its more finger power, than power/power endurance. And its just fucking nails, Tsuanam-ish isnt that bad, but matching that sloper is tricky-as. I would like to get my fingers to a good level now, Gaskins has inspired me, haha. In New Zealand I would like to think that next year I could potenially put up some hard lines with some very bad crimps.