Back in the Game!!

So the weekend was approaching and the weather was looking good. I was psyched for some North Wales trad action with Heather. With the clocks going forward and both of us partying on Saturday night i knew Sunday wasn't going to be a good day!

But it didn't turn out too badly, we headed up to Clogwyn Y Grochan and i had SS Special in mind anyways after loosing my psyche BIG time we ended up just puntering round up some easy classics that i had never done; Phantom Rib VS 4c and Nea VS 4b. Both of which were amazing climbing especially Phantom Rib. After realising that both of us were terrible at making descisions we finally decided to head to the slate for some more classics!

Not being super psyched to walk we just went to Bus Stop Quarry, and Heather did Gnat Attack E1 5b my head wasnt feeling up to leading it so i blew the flash and just top roped it, kind of wish i lead it now but ah well. After that i felt a bit more confident and decided to go for the lead on Solstice HVS 5a WOW what a class route, it just flowed really nicelt with gear exactly where you needed it.

So after a successful day of not falling off i felt i had some more confidence and would like to up it a bit more on the Monday. We decided we were going to go Tremadog and get some 'E' points.

I had a few routes in mind but didn't say anything to Heather as we get there she suggested Meshach HVS 5a which was one of the routes i wanted to do. This was good as she let me lead the 5a pitch, some technical climbing on smallish holds but good moves and the hard move is protected nicely by a peg. After topping out we chilled in the sunshine at the top for a while. Abseiled down and had some lunch, Heather then wanted to do Leg Slip which i also had eyed up in the guide that morning! So we got on that she wanted to lead the 5b pitch which i was fine with, but this meant i got an awkward corner/groove/tree 5a pitch, very wierd climbing!! But the second pitch was phenomenal, really wierd climbing well protected but felt exposed.

We had time for one last route and i had eyed up Grim Wall Direct when we abseiled down from Meshach so i got on it, didn't even think about falling, my head totally in the zone, and this was good because i cruised it! Felt really confident on it, steady, calm and composed all the way up it.

So this wrapped up a good two days climbing and i feel i have got alot more confidence now than when we went, psyched for a summer of trad and long routes, pushing the grade slightly to nail that E4!!!

On the way home we called into Plas-y-Brenin to see Katy, this was good because we got some well nice food and had some good banter with the guys there.

This in turn motivated me even more to go get more routes done and get my MIA training nailed!!!!

Falling! Falling! Falling!

So for years now i have always been afraid of falling, even indoors i found it hard to pluck up the courage and take a fall. I would always either grab the clip, grab a jug or down climb! I just couldn't get my head around falling off.

A couple of months ago having read Dave Macleods '9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes' i realised how much of a problem this was, but since reading the book i did very little route climbing as it was bouldering season.

So the issue of falling just fell to the back of my mind. Right up until a couple of weeks ago when i took my first trad fall! Started of having a good day down at Holyhead Mountain got my first trad route of the year boxed off managing Bruvers (HVS 5a) and an excellent route, moves round and i thought why not give the classic King Bee Crack a try, from the ground there only looked to be one tricky little section. So as i goes on with the lead i gets to about a meter above my gear when 'pop' my foot comes off and i was in space! My cam held and i was ok, Heather lowered me down i had a breather and got back on the route and finished it off.

As you can imagine i was gripped and boxed out of my mind at the top of the climb and just releaved to have finished it!

Next trip out climbing we headed up to Scotland for what would be my last winter routes of the year. Heading into Coire An T'Sneachda and my trad fall was not even on my mind i was psyched to be getting back out in and getting more winter stuff done!

Turns out that the fall a few weeks before wasn't going to be my last this year, as half way up my lead on Fluted Buttress Direct my axe popped and i was off again! This time falling onto a hex and having quite an awkward fall trashing both my shins and my left knee, although the cuts and bruises only superficial i think this fall shook me up more than the last as i landed hanging upside down!! George i think was just as shook up as me, luckily i managed to keep my axes and crampons away from my body so was ok to carry on with the route. Again getting back on and finishing it off!

The walk back down from the top was a fairly quiet one, i think mainly the two of us just reflecting on the fall. When down and in the cafe Kris said i looked 'wired' and Roger said im due for my pilots lisence soon! Ha.

That night checking the forecast things didn't look good for the Sunday and i was thinking i was going to finish this winter season on a fall! Start trad season on a fall finish winter on a fall!! Not good.

But luckily for me it wasn't and we managed to get back out and do Red Gully back in Coire An t'Sneachda and i got on a lead another pitch which put my mind at ease.

Looking back at the two falls i cant quite think how they have affected me. Hopefully as Rich said i will only improve as i should now not be afraid of falling and i think he is right because it has put my mind at ease that the two pieces of kit i trusted least have both just saved my life. Back out again this weekend over to Wales for two days with Heather so hopefully no more falling but plenty more crushing!