Out and About...

Frank at the Bowderstone.


Self-handicapping is described as an action or choice which prevents a person from being responsible for failure. It was first theorized by Edward E. Jones and Steven Berglas, according to whom self-handicaps are obstacles created, or claimed, by the individual in anticipation of failing performance. Self-handicapping behaviour allows individuals to externalise failures but internalise success; accepting credit for achievements, but allowing excuses for failings. Self-handicapping can be seen as a method of preserving self-esteem but it can also be used for self-enhancement. People may self-handicap to manage the impressions of others, or of themselves.

Says it all really don't think I have ever been to the Bowderstone with a decent nights sleep or without being under the influence. Wonder what it is I am afraid of.



CJD on Slapstick, again at the Bowderstone.

The phrase comes from the battacchio—called the 'slap stick' in English—a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte. When struck, the battacchio produces a loud smacking noise, though little force is transferred from the object to the person being struck. Actors may thus hit one another repeatedly with great audible effect while causing very little actual physical damage. Along with the inflatable bladder (of which the whoopee cushion is a modern variant), it was among the earliest special effects that a person could carry.




CJD and Katz trying Little Women in Kentmere. Looks really good, Chris was obsessing with the dirty crimp, of the original sequence or G'equence as it is referred to. Unfortunately he has eaten too many pies since becoming a real member of society and working in a proper job. Mark was looking good quickly doing all the moves apart from the crux, at one point stopping to inform us that he was a strong little bastard.

I was busy on Tourniquet which I managed to do from 3 moves in to the end in about 30 minute's before failing to redpoint it by consistently forgetting where my feet were supposed to be until I was fucked. Its very good though. Bit too much self handicapping on the way there. Still I do like Rocky, the film obviously.

Katz on The Karma of the Trees, again at Kentmere, again could have should have would have etc.

CJD on Caveman, A nice 7c+ on the top of the Little Orme, well nice if you like that Rubicon type of limestone.

Sub Society at the Cromlech I look particularly un-arsed about pulling on it, didn't like it before I did it now I can justify slagging it off. Its shit.

Jack fertilizing the Orme. A pleasant day at Lower Empire swinging round on jugs, I thought I had got better at climbing above bolts and stuff, then I realised I just hadn't tried anything I couldn't hold on to most of the holds with one hand should I go mad and let go. Still its fun trying, change is as good as a rest and all that. I do hate resting, find it terribly habit forming, generally they are bad habits too.


The Lotus, yes at last. Found this desperate, been on it at least 10 times in the last 10 years, remember being really excited to find a sequence I could do about 5 years ago, its been a visit a year since then pretty much, last time I did it from two moves in on the big jug. That was about November and I promised myself to go up again before I forgot what to do on it. This time it was sent quickly.

James on Jerry's Problem at the sheep pen, now I have done the Lotus I think I will make this my new bastard problem of the hills. Fucking gorgeous up there too warm by far for hard climbing but had a nice time on this and working the end of Kingdom of Pain.

This weeks Skin Report, its CJD and he's skinned his knuckles again.

Why do toads cross the road?

Here is a toad on top of the Great Orme, there were hundreds of them that night everywhere I drove, thousands must have died, why? Apparently they are looking for sex, the poor bugger out on the town at twilight and he ends up getting flashed by me on the way back from the cave. Apart from that all quiet, cleaned up some lines last week, CJD has a leaning wall with a jump to a crimp, so hes excited. Trying not to climb for a week, on day 6 now its hard work.

This Weeks skin report,

mental note stop trying to climb out of holes that are too small.

Weather...

After an extreamly settled and dry couple of mounths, its started to rain quite a bit now. This is to remind us (me mainly) that occasionally it is worth making the effort to brave the ming and go try problems. If Jack hadn't have kept the faith and gone up the pass with 3/4 of an hour of light and rain falling then I not sure I would have sat out the rain the following day before going and doing my project.

Anyway here is a rainy day in Wales:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt9MeP7U5ag

The Hall of the Mountain King...

The Hole.

Over the last few weeks a small hole in the Pass has been the aim. Always keeping back some skin and psyche for the twin lines on the back of a big lump of rhyolite in the Pass. This hole became rather grandly dubbed The hall of the mountain King by a fairly merry CJD during the LLAMF party. All days off were directed towards her, and most days ended with a visit.

To begin at the beginning about 12 years ago I needed a shit and went scrambling round the back of the barrel looking for a hole, instead I scrambled into a big steep cave. Because of the way it had landed (in Wales most of the steep rock seems to need support) you could conceivably climb the full height of about 25 feet with the floor (well another boulder) rising behind you. I enthusiastically tried pulling on in various places, to discover it was a bit crumbly and needed a good clean, I assume this is because it doesn't get the full force of the weather. Over the next few years I scrubbed it a few times and kept chalking up the left hand curving line, the hole kept shedding skin. Over the next few years I showed a few people and told some more, Dyer looked at it with a ladder but didn't get involved. CJD and Hock had a go at pulling on, but were basically pulling holds off faster than they were moving up. Pulling out the big guns I showed the line to Mickey and Leroy one night. They were keen but not here most of the time, looking back thank the lord they were too busy ticking to bother cleaning it up.

This year I caught the project bug badly, old lists of problems and places to check out appeared, I went up and got drunk in the hole, paying my dues and seeking the lines. If the stand up to the corner went then all the lines would work, they could join that to make an exit through the top hole. I spent the day scrubbing again and holds appeared and disappeared, the left line had what looked like a crucial undercut to pull on and reach a sloppy crimp with your left hand. It snapped, bugger, but fortunately a crimp down and right cleaned up and was usable, then the whole sloppy crimp broke leaving a finger jug, I carried on making progress to hold positions and stuff, without really trying the moves while the problem evolved.

At the beginning of February I was a bit stale on The Crest, so decided to take a spotter and try to climb the exit. This went down at about V6 it feels weird to climb as you have to lock in to do the moves or else you lie down on the block behind you, not ideal but it works. Ollie failed getting wigged out whenever a foothold snapped. It is a bit strange you look to your left on some of the moves and you can see the floor miles below and the slab behind you drops away on that side. All I can say is various things have snapped while I was on it and all that ever happened is I was on my arse 6 inches lower.

A couple more cleaning and playing sessions, and I seemed to have it all solid, some of the moves went others didn't. I recruited CJD as I knew I could say "please don't do that one" about the left line and he wouldn't. The other line was now the main focus, I sat back a bit, thinking the top would break him even if he did the bottom section first. After 5 sessions, I was sort of right, he did do the bottom section first and mentioned finishing on the jug. I told him that he could if he wanted to be superseded, next time through the hard start he was scrapping and locking as hard as he could, quite funny and a good effort. He called this line Stoned temple Pilots, and we think its bottom end of 8a+.

The Stoned Temple Pilots 2nd move

In the meantime while losing the showdown with him on that one he had been pushing me through moves and working pieces of the curve line. This one was my major inspiration of the cave. Eventually I had done all the moves in the middle section and started to link through from the finger jug to the throw for a crimp in my right hand. The first 2 moves were done on their own and seemed fine. I went up to the crimps by scrambling down from the top, getting on worried this section would be hard, I pulled through and made it first try to the sanctuary of the easy top. At this point I was regretting the decision to not eat, and felt very strange indeed. After a few red points and cigarettes, I bailed, knowing if I wanted to do it this week, and I really did, then I needed to save my skin and come up fresher.

The next day dawned rainy it had been pissing it down all night, this is where the waiting post yesterday came in. In the end sitting it out was the right call not only was it all dry but it was in very good condition with a good wind blowing in the valley. It took a couple of goes to link but after all the preparation seemed reasonably straightforward. I guess its the law of averages that If you keep trying projects occasionally you get the process right, In total it took 9 sessions of climbing on it in the last 6 weeks, loads more cleaning and looking at it over the last 12 years, and only 9 attempts to red point it. The grade is V12 I think, its very sustained for the first 7 moves then gets easier, its a bit crimpy for me really so maybe I am wrong. Time will tell, I think I am calling it The Tracks.

Moves 1 and 3 on The Tracks

Waiting...

Weather is very on off at the moment, CJD did one of the lines I have had on the go, a fair steal as we had been working it only on days when we could both get up there. It was good to see the line done, even funnier to see him dealing with a strange top out... Its called Stoned temple Pilots, other details are being held back while I try the other line. I am one move from the end of the hard climbing on this, fell there 3 or 4 times did the ending a couple of times, the exit moves were slightly easier than I thought which is handy. Its all set go I will be back for the redpoint ASAP, today was supposed to be good early start and all that, at my folks on Anglesey now weather watching the hills. Back to the wall tomorrow for 4 days so hopeing the weather is breaking a bit, been raining all morning we shall see later. Quite inspired by Jaconbury doing The Sting in adverse weather after work last night, the ascent without a tarp is an ascent without dignity. So there we go I am well keen, now see if the window opens.

Jack and Jim keeping up with the Canes. Kat keeping it dry, not sure anyone was keeping it real. Fighting the good fight on the Sting.

This Week

Mostly been sat in a cave projecting this week, the weather is still holding out and I think its probably been the best sustained period of conditions since I started bouldering. If only Wales had this weather for 2 months every year....

Apart from my projects I have also been trying to re climb a lot of the fingery nasty problems that I avoid. One that falls firmly in this category is the Sting a small but full on wall near the Roadside face. I have only ever done it once before about 9 years ago so I was pleased to do it in a handful of throws.

Short Video of Pass:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrNodder#p/a/u/0/ysTJmGaQkKM

Other than that there is not a lot to say really split a tip on the last throw on my project and went to the Orme to go sport climbing. This was a waste of time too much standing around for me, waiting and watching. I can see how it could be good if you are a keen pair but as a mincer day tagging along with others its pointless.

This weeks skin report:

Grades