December at t' Cliff

December for me seems to have been spent at Almscliff, partly because  the weather as we all know has been gash and secondly because i happened to get stuck into a problem which required a few visits and some skin.

So the rain has been falling and the wind has been mental but first trip of the month was with Huw, I had a short time frame as my first xmas dinner of the season was happening later but i found myself in the wind under si's arete a pretty unassuming looking problem that starts sat down with heel on a large hold and fingers crimping on something very small. A couple of slaps and you transfer heel into  a toe and go for the break before manning up for a big move to the finishing holds. Its sort of old school grab and pull meets new school sit down micro shenanigans. I found i could pull on which was a first and made rapid progress going for the break repeatedly before ripping a chunk out of my finger. The next week was spent trying to heel the wound and i headed out with Andy and Julie for more of the same. This time it was sopping in most places and really really windy.. the wind channels past si's and my mat was trying to blow away - the conditions were cold very cold but m fingers were like glass and i ripped a chunk out in no time. I managed to salvage a few things whilst Julie made progress on Dolphin Belly slap which i couldn't touch I managed to retro flash crucifix traverse which felt good!

The next week i put some car into my fingers i sanded them i moisturised them much to the amusement of those at work and went back the following saturday in thankfully not windy conditions where you could take a down jacket off for an attempt and managed to send it pretty convincingly even if i do say so myself - i'm really pleased as it's my 1st new 7 for a while. I then got on Syrett's roof and almost retro flashed it but dropped off from a long way and my guns stopped firing after that so sacked it off.

Ali visited from spain the next week and after a failed trip to Brimham in the rain we  ended up at Almscliff where Ali crushed al the old classics, i couldn't quite do DWR but should go back and repeat it but managed to cruise crucifix traverse again for the crowds.

Big Dog Kennedy with wrong sequence on crucifix traverse (see video below)

It was horrifically windy though so we went back for curry and medals (I was buying as tash climbed sport 7b before me :(   ). Next stop will be Brimham saw plenty of bits i fancy working on so with the new guide for inspiration that'll be hopefully 1st 7 of 2013.

 

 

Korma too hot for big dog!

The happy 7b climbers!