Siurana Real Rock fun in the sun!!!!!!

Well, Sunday saw Lynne and I team up with Neil McGeachy (geek) and take team Scotland for a day out in the mega sport climbing venue of Siurana. A big shout has to go out to Team Scotland, who were all awesome. I must say that I'm really impressed with the kids that are coming through from Scotland, they've got great determination and truck loads of energy to boot!!

The sun was out and it was really hot but that didn't stop anyone all of the kids crushing atleast 7 routes in the day!!

I think what Geek is doing with the MCofS is really great for furthering Scottish climbing, they are getting kids out onto the rock were they are gaining invaluable climbing experience from a really young age. Which, when you look to Mr Ondra, is definately needed by todays elite!

Montsant Magic

Yesterday ,with my project under my belt, I decided to go and do some onsighting-destination Montsant. I had only ever been to Montsant once before, 3 years ago, but had seen the stunning line of L mens 8b+. I remember standing at the bottom of it too intimidated to get on it.

Well 3 years on and there I was tying in, getting psyched up for the onsight go.

This time I had decided that I was going to approach it differently, in the past I have approached routes onsight too psyched up, jittery, full of nerves and have blown them on some subtle foot move or pumped out over gripping.

The route went really well, I had to battle and there was definately a couple of moves were it felt really close, but I managed to stay relaxed and keep my head together right until the chains, keep those thoughts of "I'm going to do it" at bay.

Soo pleased to do this route am really psyched to get back into onsighting.

All aboard the sending train!!

So, after warming up at the football pitch waiting for the horrible fog to leave the cave . We arrived with an hour to spare before having to get off to work. On arrival Alex Barrows started what was to be a crazy day of sending with a fine ascent of Rollito sharma 8b+ ( his first of the grade)!! Two Japanese guys managed to simultaneously crank out a red point of there 7b project on the last day of there trip receiving an awesome applaud from the busy crag. The atmosphere was great. Up next was me, I managed to do Ciudad del dios 9a/+!!! Next, Danilo busted out Rollito Extension and just as I was running around stuffing my things into my bag trying to leave for work Rob Lamey fought his way up Ruta del sol 8b. Possibly the best 20 minutes of sending ever?

Ciudad del dios is the first route that has made me question whether I could really do it or not. I knew I could do all the moves and I could do it in two sections , putting it all together however just seemed both mentally and physically too much.

The first section of the route is a five bolt 8c+ which is really bouldery, with two main deadpoint moves. The second part is longer and requires you to switch over quickly into endurance mode. I found this transfer from really bouldery to resistance climbing mentally very taxing. I knew that to do the route I had to remain calm, something that seems so easy to do until you are actually there.

Well, climbing is so hard to determine what you did differently, what let you snake your way up when every other time you got spanked and shut down. Is it physical? Some of it must be. Is it mental? Definately, when I was actually climbing the route I felt more relaxed than ever before, I felt confident and without any nerves of falling or about doing the route. The demons that so frequently dash all redpoint hopes just weren't there. Maybe for me a once in a year moment of mental focus like this is how Ondra or Sharma rock up to the crag every other climbing day ?

The cave

Well here we are living in Santa Linya!! Walking from our house to the crag, the cave!

Climbing in Santa linya is probably one of the most surreal places, when your in the village you feel like you are on the edge of the world this is a place where donkeys and packs of wild dogs rule the rutted and mostly dirt streets and where the average age is at a youthly 72.

On arrival at the cave, however, you will probably be greeted by an array of very expensive vans, large groups of people speaking in more languages than you thought existed and nearly all of them queueing up to get on some 9b or another.

Every winter the cave fills up and we spectate watching the climbing elite come from all corners of the world to test themselves on the amazing hard routes that are to be had. Just over the last few weeks there has been an impressive show from team Japan each of the four members climbing 8c+. I think that you can learn so much just from watching the different climbing styles and different approaches to routes. The Japanese guys try to onsight everything even if it is at there redpoint limit. This positive mentality and approach is maybe something we could all bring to our climbing. When was the last time you thought oh yeh this route is as hard as the hardest route I've ever done , I'll just get on it and onsight it?

Well anyway as for me, I have been trying a route called Ciudad del dios 9a/+, having fallen near the top and struggling with flappers and heel slips and numb hands and any other excuse I could think of for falling rather than I just fell, I decided to have a shot on blomu 8c+.

Blomu is an awesome route it breaks dow into three parts 7c, 8b, 8c+ the first is quite short and burly the second is crimpy with two dynamic throws and the third part consists of delicate heel hooks, tenuous body tension foot swaps and a pretty spicy run out, the whole thing is a truly brilliant route. Very psyched to do it but it just isn't my project, which, I am more motivated than ever to get back on, hopefully I can squeeze a couple more cositas out of the tank to top off what has been my best year of climbing to date.

8a Que Barry!!!

The last couple of weeks have been pretty eventful, with the prime event being Lynne crushing her first 8a Thai dream!! Awesome effort!!!

The scot youngster Ross Kirkland also managed to do his first 8a in fine style, managing a flash ascent and a shout goes out to Ally Swinton who also grabbed his first 8a!!

I aso squeezed out the classic Fabela 8c+ down at the cave.

Well with rising temps ( slightly unbearable) we firstly went over to Rodellar, where the team bagged some good ticks, Alan crushed gemenis 8b+ second go and Neil despatched Gladiator 8a+, Ross onsighted Ironman 7b+ and I managed to get a quick ascent of Welcome to tijuana 8c just before the clouds opened and drenched the valley rendering the crags unclimbable.

So off to Margalef.....
Now Margalef is somewhere I have climbed before but hadn't really appreciated how amazing this climbing area really is, the new route possibilities are absoloutely endless, the scenery is superb and the variety of styles of climbing is mind blowing!!
Yesterday i managed to get Aitzol 8c in 3 redpoints, well psyched. I am very keen to try more routes down here and see what they have to offer.

Open your mind direct R1 9a

Well arriving at the crag on what was meant to be a rest day due to sore skin, back etc Alan and I sat around heckling and soaking up the sun; well as I said I wasn't going to climb but with the motivational energy flowing from what is "team scotland" and the young Jonny Stocking crushing Rollito Sharma 8b+, I was psyched up for my own proyecto!


After a couple of familiar boulder problems at the base of the crag to warm up, and waiting for the good conditions to arrive I found myself clipping the chains. Looking up at the extension shaking out I wanted to continue but looking at the soaking tufa holds I knew that it would have to wait for another day.Lowering off pumped but not completely destroyed I am even more determined than ever to push myself on to the next level. When it drys out i'll be going for the 9a+ chains.

Clipcicles, Open your mind and Margalef

Here are a few pics depicting the last months episode, mal tiempo y buen tiempo.

So it started with clipicicles and snow AGAIN, climbing down at the cave in down jackets, hats and thermals. Doesn't sound like what you would expect from Spain in march, does it??!!!

Well anyway, I had a great start to the month, managed to do the super classic open your mind 8c+ and then the following day El ball de triceps 8b at margalef which was my first 8b flash, thanks to Alan for the well needed beta.

Lynne had a pretty good couple of weeks making short work of airline 7b+ and la gorra 7b+ at margalef.

Alan crushed Rollito extension 8c (his third now) before a brief return to the motherland!!

Anyway we are all now on to the next set of projects, but are all waiting for some sun to dry the slimey tufas a bit!

THE NEXT LEVEL

Alan is attacking open your mind 8c+ and making fast progress with this power endurance test piece. Lynne is getting closer to the trio ternura 8a, but the crappy conditions of the last month have left crucial holds disgustingly wet .And i'm trying to push myself on to the next level , Open your mind direct , its amazing how easily your lifetime goals change!