Multi-pitch experience

So today was my first day off since last Thursday. Been working my arse off, but it will all be worth it when i get a van!!

After last Thursday being a wash out and only managing an indoor session i really keen to get out and get on some real rock. I had arranged with Helen to take her over to North Wales to go do some multi-pitch as she had never done any before.

I took a while thinking of a venue because i thought it would be a good challenge for me to pick correct routes for somebody to gain the confidence in climbing multi-pitch.

I remember a while ago i heard a friend telling me about Crackstone Rib on Carreg Wastad being a straight forward climb but with a really exposed feeling, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to see if Helen's head was in it.

Wow what a classic climb, the climbing was fantastic, good holds all the way up and really good gear. I lead the first pitch to show Helen how to set up a belay, although having done her SPA she lacked a little bit of confidence so i thought this was the correct thing to do. Good choice as she picked it up fine and could get a lead on the second pitch.

Next up on the list was Skylon a HS but it looked nice and clean and fairly straight forward. She had a little bit of a leg wobble midway up the pitch but managed to keep it together to crush the route. I was made up for her and was a brilliant climb to second up as well.

As we topped out we felt some speckles of rain and then the heavens opened on us.

This only meant one thing....Coffee time as V12 in Llanberis :)

I was slightly gutted as i was really keen to get on Over Lapping wall... Ahh well next time ey!!

Just to ruin the day though we got back to Helen's to discover a parking ticket on my car for parking in the visitor car park :s yeah i was really confused but turns out you have to get a visitors pass.. But none of them knew.

Well I'm pretty sure i won't be paying that after Helen has finished with them on the phone!!

Time for something new

So days are passing by and i feel stuck in a rut, i've heard plenty of people say "life's to short!"
What next i keep asking myself, I am enjoying work at the wall but the simple fact is i don't want to be here for the rest of my life! Looking at what other people have done since finishing university makes me think why aren't i off doing that? There is people in Canada, Fiji, Nepal... people have been working the UAE. And here is me still in Liverpool.
Before this gets on to a rant i'm going to stop myself and get to the point of the post.
The job i was hoping to apply for at Plas y Brenin came up on their vacancies the other day and i read through it and decided that i haven't got the relevant experience at this time, so i called up a few friends who are in similar positions but with a bit more experience and they suggested applying for the Nightwatch scheme at Glenmore Lodge, so i looked into this and it sounds perfect.
I mean being based in Scotland for a full year (a full winter) i got super psyched and downloaded the application form and started to fill it out, turns out when i think about it i've got quite a lot of climbing under my belt. Pretty varied as well from bouldering font 7b+ to leading winter grade V. One vital thing i think is missing from my CV is my D1 so i got on to sorting it all out.. more complex than i thought it would be have to apply for a provisional, and get a medical from the GP at £80!! Well i know it will be worth it when i get it as it is like another NGB award in itself.
I feel I am actually making a concious effort now to move on and get the experience i require, also my finger is feeling better so gently started to train on it again indoors over the past week and it feels good, now to get fit for Fontainbleau in November!!
Even feeling slightly down i realised it wasn't just me who was feeling like this after reading Owens blog (Raw Edge Days) i realised the psyche level in Liverpool is pretty low. Lets hope the weather picks up and people get more motivated!!