so was down on portland on the weekend, spent a hour on Saturday morning huddled under the bouldering tarp, weird weather, walked down in bright sunshine and just as we where turning off to go down to the tank boulder (just got Christopher Columbus to do - done the reverse, don't know why I tried them that way round...) and it absolutely pissed it down... so just sat it out and then headed back to doze 'til it all dried....
afternoon was fine, went down and flashed flowers on the razor wire (6c) after some effort and a nice long rest at the final break.. then went over to work tipping the scales (7a) and got very close but split a tip.... Sian worked phat traverse (V2) for a good long while, sorted the start before I did too, and managed every move but couldn't link it.... Sunday morning was fine so went down again to try and redpoint tipping the scales but the tip opened up on my first try, got to the crux but it was too painful, hadn't warmed up my fingers properly either so a bit of a waste of time really.... went and flashed space manoeuvres (V4), well flashedish... the top just exploded out in my hand on the flash attempt and a bit more came off with me 2nd go so I think it was third time lucky.. screwed my right sacroiliac joint a bit falling, need to watch what high balling I do in future and make sure I'm able to reverse atleast a few moves if it's a jumper...
and I read all of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yesterday....
another reason for posting was I was started thinking by one of Dom's Rock On ad's which finished with the question "who has inspired you and why?"
Inspired - to inspire - verb, fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially do something creative. Firstly it brings up the very good point that climbing is a creative experience - just think about the brain racking that goes on when you're trying to dream up a sequence, and not just any sequence - a sequence that works for you, with your strengths and weaknesses - equally when you're trying to help a friend with sequence and having to adapt it to theirs.... but that's off the point, inspired, who... well lets get rid of the obvious watching the modern "heroes" of the sport doesn't fit the bill, sometimes I'm in awe of what the do and how they do it but it doesn't inspire me, I don't have that talent, I'm never gonna get a V12 in twenty minutes like Ty or climb a 9a DWS like Sharma or do any of the amazing things the stick called Dave Graham can do... sure I'll watch them amazed (and often do when it's time for a rest but I still need a fix.. actually more often when I'm injured!) but it's not in the spirit of how I define inspired.... actually maybe it should be who (and/or what) has inspired you blah etc.... the what is easy to think of and hard to put into words, for me it's a line of obvious natural beauty, example I remember the first time I ever saw not to be taken away in the flesh (or stone I guess), saw it from the road and it struck me, saw it up close and I had to do it... couldn't... way too hard for me back then but it was in the back of my mind for ages, then finally go on it and was at the top in three goes.... couldn't climb again for at least an hour the buzz of the realisation was that much... same with pete's rib at the neddyfields, saw it the first time down there and couldn't touch it but a few months later with more understanding and a couple of sessions under the belt it went... so back to the who, easy really it's people I've actually climbed with... not just seen climbing either on DVD or even in the flesh... not people I've climbed in the same places as but people I've climbed with, people who've had my back when I've need a spot, people who've got a problem before me and my ego's forced me to get back on for one last go so as not to be out done, people who haven't got a problem before I have which spurs me on to get it first, people who've given me beta, people I've given beta to, people I've belayed and who've belayed me... you get the picture the people who've really inspired me to climb are the same people who I like to think of as my friends and if that sounds soppy to you I don't give a flying monkey's whatsit because that's just the way it is.... (one last thing there is an inspiration I have in common with Dom....I had the oppertunity a while back to climb with Sam Whittaker for a day and he is without doubt the man... sponsored hero maybe but such a down to earth and enthusiastic bloke as you'd ever meet so not a friend but a guy I've climbed with and certainly a force of nature.....)
oh and 'cause I found it on the hard-drive this is a very cool picture taken by a mate of mine when he worked out in Saudi....
and I read all of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yesterday....
another reason for posting was I was started thinking by one of Dom's Rock On ad's which finished with the question "who has inspired you and why?"
Inspired - to inspire - verb, fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially do something creative. Firstly it brings up the very good point that climbing is a creative experience - just think about the brain racking that goes on when you're trying to dream up a sequence, and not just any sequence - a sequence that works for you, with your strengths and weaknesses - equally when you're trying to help a friend with sequence and having to adapt it to theirs.... but that's off the point, inspired, who... well lets get rid of the obvious watching the modern "heroes" of the sport doesn't fit the bill, sometimes I'm in awe of what the do and how they do it but it doesn't inspire me, I don't have that talent, I'm never gonna get a V12 in twenty minutes like Ty or climb a 9a DWS like Sharma or do any of the amazing things the stick called Dave Graham can do... sure I'll watch them amazed (and often do when it's time for a rest but I still need a fix.. actually more often when I'm injured!) but it's not in the spirit of how I define inspired.... actually maybe it should be who (and/or what) has inspired you blah etc.... the what is easy to think of and hard to put into words, for me it's a line of obvious natural beauty, example I remember the first time I ever saw not to be taken away in the flesh (or stone I guess), saw it from the road and it struck me, saw it up close and I had to do it... couldn't... way too hard for me back then but it was in the back of my mind for ages, then finally go on it and was at the top in three goes.... couldn't climb again for at least an hour the buzz of the realisation was that much... same with pete's rib at the neddyfields, saw it the first time down there and couldn't touch it but a few months later with more understanding and a couple of sessions under the belt it went... so back to the who, easy really it's people I've actually climbed with... not just seen climbing either on DVD or even in the flesh... not people I've climbed in the same places as but people I've climbed with, people who've had my back when I've need a spot, people who've got a problem before me and my ego's forced me to get back on for one last go so as not to be out done, people who haven't got a problem before I have which spurs me on to get it first, people who've given me beta, people I've given beta to, people I've belayed and who've belayed me... you get the picture the people who've really inspired me to climb are the same people who I like to think of as my friends and if that sounds soppy to you I don't give a flying monkey's whatsit because that's just the way it is.... (one last thing there is an inspiration I have in common with Dom....I had the oppertunity a while back to climb with Sam Whittaker for a day and he is without doubt the man... sponsored hero maybe but such a down to earth and enthusiastic bloke as you'd ever meet so not a friend but a guy I've climbed with and certainly a force of nature.....)
oh and 'cause I found it on the hard-drive this is a very cool picture taken by a mate of mine when he worked out in Saudi....
