Si's Birthday and the Pneumatic Arm

It's been a great last week just gone, with a trip up to Northumberland for Si's birthday followed by some plastic and grit action.

Fatneck's B'day bash - Fri 11th

Despite the weather we managed to achieve the act of touching dry rock on all 3 days.

Friday was a small affair as myself and Sean accompanied Andy, Bex and Si to Heckley. It's probably not everyones idea of a fallback option but there were a couple of hidden gems amongst the choss.

The dyno problems on the far right were good fun as was the low prow to the left which had numerous links and eliminates.

The arete and direct version were superb and the thin ribline on the far left of the crag had a great sequence of moves to hit the jug up top.

The evening was a lively event with a lot of booze consumed and another 10 or so Miserysiders joining us.

Sat 12th

We awoke to some sketchy low mist so took the opportunity to have a long lie in and a leisurely breakfast only for Owen to announce everyone was going and me, Sean and Psyche were still in a state of undress making cereal.

We were rushed out of the gite and all bombed it down to Back Bowden to find it a bit minging with a lot of water pools below the roof action.

The plan was changed for Kyloe In and we all got there eventually, some of us meeting a camoflaged sniper in the woods en route to the crag!

There was a lot of dry rock balanced out by damp holds and humid conditions. Me and John puntered up the Yorkshireman stab to the slot a few times sliding off the right undercut and I also nearly severed a few fingertips on the 2nd to last move of Crouching Tiger so sacked it off.

Me and John did manage to get Jocks done, which climbs really well and was unfinished business from 4 years ago!

Pete and John did Hitchikers and there were a few ascents of Monty Python's Direct.

Sun 13th

I felt a lot better after only having 1 beer the night before and with epic rain on it's way we got out early and straight to Back Bowden where we did a furious warmup on a boulder before the skies opened.

We fled under the Harry potter roof and myself, John and Sean worked on Severus Snape and Harry P. With a monumental effort and power scream I managed to get Severus Snape climbed but Harry Potter felt about 2 grades harder again (I assume something has broken off or it is the worlds hardest 7a+ alongside Talons Aiguilles at Franchard Sablons!).

Pete, myself and John all managed to climb something under a roof in bitterly cold wind and rain called Low and Hard, then everyone gave up and went to the Depot in Leeds.

Tues 15th

Lorenzo was over in Merseyside to crush some culture as well as rock. After climbing Rockatrocity on Sunday on his 8th day on, he had a well deserved rest day around the City Centre on Monday.

I was going to take us over to the cave or S Lakes on Tuesday but the weather wasn't too promising, so we ended up down the Hangar having a long circuit session on the reds/yellows/blacks/whites before heading to the wood.

Lorenzo went from looking a bit tired on the plastic to an absolute machine on the BM2k, dispatching a +30 seconds 45 sloper hang to 1 arming the slopers and the small edge as if it were a warmup routine!

Having just witnessed all of this, me and Tom had to make an effort, so we managed to hang the 45's for a respectable time and I campussed the 1-4.5 distance off the 45's to the rung above on both arms. We stopped the clock after an easy 4 hour session.

In the evening we destroyed a lot of food between the 3 of us:

Starter = prunes wrapped in Bacon with red wine
Main = Fillet Steak with broccoli, carrots and potato wedges roasted with red onions and garlic and more wine
Pudding = A 2000 calorie cake for 6 shared between 3, that had the same density as dark matter

Wed 16th

Considering yesterday's session me and Lore didn't feel too bad and headed out on the grit with Merseyside's strongest double act (the silver hustler and Preston's greatest exporter of guns).

We drove into thick cloud and dampness at Burbage and turned straight back to Hathersage for a coffee whilst the skies opened up to glorious sunshine and a bit of a breeze.

We warmed up on Banana Finger and the Direct which took me several attempts and then another 3 to do the Banana Reverse whilst my dodgy shoulders took a while to get going.

There was an appointment with the Terrace.

Dave had climbed it quite recently so we had fresh strongman beta. John had almost climbed it a couple weeks back but had kept puntering the move to the slot. I had tried it 3+ years ago and not been able to do a single move. Lorenzo had just come along to destroy.

After realising I could do all the moves in about 10 mins it was time to achieve.

We watched John breeze up it and then Lore glide up it, before totally overpowering the slot move with a dismayingly strong pneumatic lock!

Whilst the others stood about getting cold I climbed several times to the move into the big slot only to miss it or slip off! I battled on, failed on 1 try after getting my fingers in the slot only to inexplicably take my hand back out, then split my left index. There was 1 more decent try climbing it on my middle 2 before I gave up and vowed to return.

I was really happy for the others to get it done especially lore with the holiday trip pressure and a bit gutted I couldn't complete the team ascent.

The others had a play on Blind Fig as it went a bit dark and damp and we headed into Sheff for a swift pint before dropping off Lore and heading back to Liverpool.

It was great to get out a lot last week and not have too much shoulder trouble. I think they just need nursing along until Switzerland with lots of volume sessions and hopefully I'll be able to try the same problems as Owen and Sean..etc without hearing more crunching and being in massive pain!