Saving it for the onsight!

 Me run out on Monument crack. there is loads of gear in the crack where my hands are but i had none that fit. Failing on the rock over here would have been messy 

End of day solo of Presidents slab - tricky for the grade

I wasn't going to climb on Friday but Dom was keen to get out for some after work grit followed by a bbq in Long Preston - sounds too good to be true! Looking at my 3* list  slightly bias me towards crags that a. I needed to lead stuff and b. there is plenty for Dom to play on too. We headed up to Rylstone for an attempt on Monument crack (E1) which i had seconded Jim on in 2003 and Presidents slab a Hard-Diff which I had only ever seconded also following Kavanagh, despite climbing the other routes thereabouts including a one move wonder E1 called the Hotline. Soft-touch  if anybody wants a go. Having left Leeds at about 4:10 I was pleased to be at the crag for about 5:30 although we were sweating a lot as it was scorchio. No warm up straight to the main event. First problem was realising that i had remembered the spare harness for Dom but hadn't brought ANY belay devices except a gri-gri which didn't work on my skinny twins. Thankfully ML man Dom to the rescue we sorted a couple of Italian Hitches out. Great!! Next problem I had forgotten my large blue Camalot, this didn't seem a major issue until later!

So i started up the easy slab, slotted a cam in and then launched into an overhanging offensive, moving my large cam higher i slotted some jams in and battled to gain a high break. Phew - i stepped into a semi-resting position in the niche with good foot holds and good hand holds. Slotted in a couple of small cams and then realised my predicament. I had another 3m or so of traverse followed by a rock over with only big crack.. great! Unable to reverse to the large cam I proceeded to sort my self out, de-pump, recover ready for a proper go. It was pretty hot and sweaty and so when i eventually reached the end of the traverse i was grateful for a deep jam in the crack - i was fully committed run out, and this was it - I did it or i reversed and slumped on gear / fell of spectacularly probably hitting the slab below which would have been some relief to Dom as he was nursing the friction burns from belaying with an Italian hitch. I went for it, high feet , massive rock over - i remember squeezing on a none existent hold on the slab thinking this has to stick as the fall would have been horrendous, I held it together stood up and after a few minutes sorting my head out made it to the top and the giant cross that was to be the belay.

I have ran things out before, usually because the route is a slab and has no gear or because I am petrified pumped and can't place gear - this felt stupid I could have made it so safe if I had picked up the blue cam on the floor in front of me now. Maybe it wouldn't have been so memorable but one things for sure its done now and thats that!

I walked over with Dom to Presidents slab soloed it enjoying the beautiful line and rock, wondering why it gets such a tight grade like Hard-Diff when it would imho give the heebyjeebies up any beginner but that was that - Rylstone finished and back to Long Preston for beers, bbq and medals! Cheers Dom for belaying me - i owe you one!

The title of this post is about the often over-used by me and the guys line of "i'm saving it for the onsight" - usually used to chicken out of seconding Ali on something hard but originally in order to maintain the pure style of ascent of these classics - many moons ago i ditched that and realised that I couldn't make my mate abseil his route just because i wanted to be some ethical purist but this is where its is leaving me - lots of previously seconded routes which need leading for the 3* challenge to be complete. annoyingly Dom reminded me of Penyghent and a 3* route i had seconded not on my list so plans were laid down for Saturday and a revisit to Yorkshire's highest gritstone. Incidently i still use the phrase "saving it for the onsight" in any situation involving following Ali up anything harder than E2.

Photos to follow!