A quick blast at Servoz after work was the order of the day. Chris and I met up in Les Houches and drove down to the crag with the express intention of doing a swift few pitches then returning to the farmhouse for a spot of dinner. I'd managed to grab a few bits for a pasta/meat/vegetable festival earlier in the day so we could come straight back after climbing and get some nosh on.
There were only 3 ropes (6 people) on the entire crag (including us) and so we had plenty of room to do an easy warm-up pitch that Chris nicely led ("Sur prise", 4b) that led us up to the first anchor. We sorted out the rope from our ledge then I led up the second pitch, another (shorter) 4b up to the second anchor. We were both moving nice and fluidly by this point. After belaying Chris up to join me on the second anchor, we organised ourselves again and I led up the final pitch through a very slightly overhanging airy chimney and up to the top of the crag. Aside from getting my pack caught entering the chimney via the base corner I was really happy to lead the final 5b pitch and felt surprisingly solid the whole way.
The abseil down definately promoted a more heightened atmosphere. With the tip of a flake of rock down the side of the chmney the only purchase and a large overhang on the other side, I felt my pulse quicken a bit but took it slow and easy and came down to our first anchor point nice and safely. Unfortunately Chris' foot slipped on the wet rock soon after he started to come down and he banged intot he rock to get a rather nasty looking graze on his left wrist. This obviously affected him a bit as he then had another slip and banged his elbow. Nothing too serious but I felt sorry for him as it obviously stung!
The last abseil went without any hitches and we had a look around for another pitch or two that would interest us. Chris fancied an interesting 6a pitch that we've done a couple of times before - a vertical start leading to an overhang that requires a bit of strength to get over. He sailed up the vertical then heaved over the overhang, clipped into the anchor then came down. I top-roped the pitch and was really pleased (and slightly amazed) to get over the overhang with such ease and with no fuss. Really solid technique - thanks to Lousie and Brian for their info and guidance on previous trips!
For the last pitch I suggested we did our first ever pitch we did together at Servoz ("Le diedre du facteur", 5b). When we first attempted it neither of us could get past the overhang that a small tree sits on right below the anchor point. I led and felt I was climbing smoothly and fluidly and took one look at the overhang and then rather gracefully (if I do say so myself!) climbed over and past it to clip in. I came down then belayed Chris who top-roped it and did likewise. It really hit home just how much better we are climbing these days. The pitch wasn't even a minor stretch today but I remember not so long ago sweating profusely and fighting with all my strength just to fail! It felt extremely good (with my new climbing shoes) to move fluidly up and over the crux of the pitch.
We found it interesting that Chris and I compliment each other greatly with the climbing. We're both strong at totally different types of climbing which means you get to lead where you're best and when we're on the rock I don't mind sorting out ropes and anchors and whatnot standing on a ledge but don't care for it much at the bottom. Chris is the the opposite not minding to sort out the rope at the bottom but not particularly enjoying it half-way up!
So after a climb and a spot of dinner washed down with squash (aside from a party the other night at Louise's am still not drinking) it's time to settle down in this quiet farmhouse to watch a dvd with alpine cow bells tinkling away in the background.
Friday, 29 June 2007
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Le Singe Blonde
Me 10 years ago.
Apologies for the swollen eye, I remember having taken a wee tumble on a wakeboard a day or two before the photo was taken (no change there then!). It's a bit strange looking at the old photo - I mean I know that's me, but it looks like someone else. Maybe it's from not really looking through old photos and seeing yourself in the mirror every morning so your idea of what you look like (and always have done) is the way you currently look.
Thought I'd post this photo up for me Mum really tho - she likes things like that. Hi Mum!
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Contracts and climbing
Got a new contract! Woohoo! And it's a rockingly perfect one too. Good money. I'll be on call quite a bit over the weekend but hey - it's all good. It means that I'll be earning consistently and have enough money to save and live a happy life as well as having enough time to go climbing and snowboarding and also be flexible enough to work when I want to.
I'm so, so stoked.
I've been climbing at the indoor wall in Les Houches a few times with Chris, Crampons, Brian (who I still believe got bitten by a radioactive spider sometime in his youth judging by what he can climb!), Louise, Abi and many others. It's getting much better there and am finding it's a great place to train for specific areas of weakness as well as strnegth and technique.
Last Sunday Chris and I went out for our adventure and ended up going to Le Joux (The Wood in Savoyarde - the local dialect). The rock was a slippery technical variety of gneiss and we had a great time monkeying around it with the company of Lousie showing us some new stuff to do. I had an absolute blast and am starting to get the hang of the different holds and techniques to use when and where and really enjoying climbing the different pitches.
It's really good to be feeling like I'm getting better technically, and also finding what type of climbing I'm better at (strength climbing - overhangs, starting to use hand/fist jams properly, heel hooks, etc) whereas not as strong at friction and delicate balance climbing. Luckily Chris is almost entirely the opposite so we compliment each other very well - he can go up the fiddly balancy stuff which he breezes up, and I'll do the bits where you hang around upside down by one hand. Perfect!
Wardo's parents pitched up in the valley today too so we've had a frantic period of cleaning this morning. The house looks mint now too. Unfortunately the cooker was a bit beyond us and we were a bit nervy until we realised it had a flip-top hood. Good mojo - flip the lid and hey presto! a perfectly clean cooker to all appearances.
At least the house is looking and smelling nice now.
I'm so, so stoked.
I've been climbing at the indoor wall in Les Houches a few times with Chris, Crampons, Brian (who I still believe got bitten by a radioactive spider sometime in his youth judging by what he can climb!), Louise, Abi and many others. It's getting much better there and am finding it's a great place to train for specific areas of weakness as well as strnegth and technique.
Last Sunday Chris and I went out for our adventure and ended up going to Le Joux (The Wood in Savoyarde - the local dialect). The rock was a slippery technical variety of gneiss and we had a great time monkeying around it with the company of Lousie showing us some new stuff to do. I had an absolute blast and am starting to get the hang of the different holds and techniques to use when and where and really enjoying climbing the different pitches.
It's really good to be feeling like I'm getting better technically, and also finding what type of climbing I'm better at (strength climbing - overhangs, starting to use hand/fist jams properly, heel hooks, etc) whereas not as strong at friction and delicate balance climbing. Luckily Chris is almost entirely the opposite so we compliment each other very well - he can go up the fiddly balancy stuff which he breezes up, and I'll do the bits where you hang around upside down by one hand. Perfect!
Wardo's parents pitched up in the valley today too so we've had a frantic period of cleaning this morning. The house looks mint now too. Unfortunately the cooker was a bit beyond us and we were a bit nervy until we realised it had a flip-top hood. Good mojo - flip the lid and hey presto! a perfectly clean cooker to all appearances.
At least the house is looking and smelling nice now.
Saturday, 23 June 2007
Running up to the Col Mont Lachat
Just ran up to under the Col Mont Lachat (roughly translates as the Pass of Mount Lachat). The height's around 2077m (6,814 feet) and took around an hour. Pretty pleased with it. Digby the dog ran circles around me the whole way and on some of the steep sections where I was walking rather than running he looked enquiringly as to why I should be holding him up so much!
I'll take my camera next time out as the views are just staggering. It's much closer to Mont Blanc and its subsidiary peaks up there and it's noticably cooler. We stopped before it get too high though and turned around and scampered back down the mountain descending quickly through the forest and back to the farm.
At one point going up a view opened up to the valley below and the unmistakable thump-thump of a rescue helicopter could be heard flying down the valley. Digby and I watched it fly a few hundred vertical metres below us towards Chamonix and then continued our push upwards. Trippy experience having helicopters flying around below you! On our descent I bumped into two climbers walking up towards the Dome de Goûter high up in the Mont Blanc massif at 4,304m (14,121 feet) as the route Digby and I had taken is part of one of the ways to get up and down Mont Blanc. We stopped and had a bit of a natter in French whilst they played with Digby and everyone caught their breath. They were the only people we saw the whole run - apart from the helicopter pilot!
The legs don't ache now and I'm feeling rosy all over. Time for a shower and a zip down into Les Houches to buy some bread for a snack of hot chocolate and baguette with butter - very French!
Just speaking to Chris on Skype he's up for another dimanche aventure. The weather looks good so maybe a trip to the crag at Vallorcine (Google Maps) for somewhere new and exciting!
I'll take my camera next time out as the views are just staggering. It's much closer to Mont Blanc and its subsidiary peaks up there and it's noticably cooler. We stopped before it get too high though and turned around and scampered back down the mountain descending quickly through the forest and back to the farm.
At one point going up a view opened up to the valley below and the unmistakable thump-thump of a rescue helicopter could be heard flying down the valley. Digby and I watched it fly a few hundred vertical metres below us towards Chamonix and then continued our push upwards. Trippy experience having helicopters flying around below you! On our descent I bumped into two climbers walking up towards the Dome de Goûter high up in the Mont Blanc massif at 4,304m (14,121 feet) as the route Digby and I had taken is part of one of the ways to get up and down Mont Blanc. We stopped and had a bit of a natter in French whilst they played with Digby and everyone caught their breath. They were the only people we saw the whole run - apart from the helicopter pilot!
The legs don't ache now and I'm feeling rosy all over. Time for a shower and a zip down into Les Houches to buy some bread for a snack of hot chocolate and baguette with butter - very French!
Just speaking to Chris on Skype he's up for another dimanche aventure. The weather looks good so maybe a trip to the crag at Vallorcine (Google Maps) for somewhere new and exciting!
Indoor climbing at Les Houches
Last night Crampons and I nipped down to the indoor climbing wall at Les Houches last night to see what it was like and to have a bit of a practice and do some training. We must have worked our bodies pretty hard because my muscles ache today and they never normally do - or at least not this much.
One of the walls
We went down at just after 5pm and returned around 8:30pm after having done a series of pitches. The wall itself isn't flat - there's various grades of varying overhang and with corners, traverses and all sorts. The whole place looked extremely strange - kind of like being in some sort of futuristic cave from a film or something. The concept is that you pick out a pitch (there's loads of routes all with a little tag at the bottom telling you what colour holds to use and what grade it is) then climb it clipping the rope into the quick draws that are already anchored into the wall. At the top there's a double anchor to clip into and abseil down from.
I really struggled with three things:
1) Figuring out the hand and hold sequences (and hence sticking to the proper route).
2) Actually using the holds - lots just felt fiddly to use.
3) Clipping the thick rope into the quick draws. Just took several attempts - not like crag climbing where it just goes straight in.
Essentially I had problems with everything but still really enjoyed it. Plus it was pretty warm in there so got a real sweat on and felt like we'd had a good workout. But I really, really struggled. There were grades of pitches that I simply couldn't do that I normally could on rock (I decked out from about 18 feet on an overhang that I'd normally go over on a crag - straight onto padding tho so no probs). Crampons was saying that it's harder because the whole route is of the difficulty of the grade suggested whereas on rock the grade is just based on the most difficult move of the whole pitch.
Going to chalk the whole thing up to experience - I felt completely ill-at-ease the first time climbing at Gaillands (the crag closest to Chamonix) and now absolutely love it. Also over the winter time it's going to be a great place to go, but in the mean time there's a couple of pitches there that I'm determined to do. One is the overhang I fell on - I felt I could do it, just needed to organise my hand/foot sequence better. Ironically, climbed an equally hard pitch immediately after and fairly breezed up it. That had a rather sketchy traverse on small holds with a bit of overhang and a corner. I can feel that indoor climbing is something that will grow on me.
NB: I'm not stiff anymore, only a couple of hours after writing this blog post - I'm thinking that it was the running that caused me to be stiff, not the climbing!
One of the walls
We went down at just after 5pm and returned around 8:30pm after having done a series of pitches. The wall itself isn't flat - there's various grades of varying overhang and with corners, traverses and all sorts. The whole place looked extremely strange - kind of like being in some sort of futuristic cave from a film or something. The concept is that you pick out a pitch (there's loads of routes all with a little tag at the bottom telling you what colour holds to use and what grade it is) then climb it clipping the rope into the quick draws that are already anchored into the wall. At the top there's a double anchor to clip into and abseil down from.
I really struggled with three things:
1) Figuring out the hand and hold sequences (and hence sticking to the proper route).
2) Actually using the holds - lots just felt fiddly to use.
3) Clipping the thick rope into the quick draws. Just took several attempts - not like crag climbing where it just goes straight in.
Essentially I had problems with everything but still really enjoyed it. Plus it was pretty warm in there so got a real sweat on and felt like we'd had a good workout. But I really, really struggled. There were grades of pitches that I simply couldn't do that I normally could on rock (I decked out from about 18 feet on an overhang that I'd normally go over on a crag - straight onto padding tho so no probs). Crampons was saying that it's harder because the whole route is of the difficulty of the grade suggested whereas on rock the grade is just based on the most difficult move of the whole pitch.
Going to chalk the whole thing up to experience - I felt completely ill-at-ease the first time climbing at Gaillands (the crag closest to Chamonix) and now absolutely love it. Also over the winter time it's going to be a great place to go, but in the mean time there's a couple of pitches there that I'm determined to do. One is the overhang I fell on - I felt I could do it, just needed to organise my hand/foot sequence better. Ironically, climbed an equally hard pitch immediately after and fairly breezed up it. That had a rather sketchy traverse on small holds with a bit of overhang and a corner. I can feel that indoor climbing is something that will grow on me.
NB: I'm not stiff anymore, only a couple of hours after writing this blog post - I'm thinking that it was the running that caused me to be stiff, not the climbing!
Friday, 22 June 2007
Overhangs at Le Fayet, running, sleeping and the Fête de la Musique
Lots to report!
Firstly - a funky pic of one of the storms we've been having lots of recently clearing up over Servoz (taken from our balcony).
A couple of days ago I chipped off with Brian for some evening climbing to Le Fayet just down the valley near Saint Gervais. Basically the whole crag was overhanging. We (and by we I mean Brian) did two piches. He led both, but I only managed to get up a few sections of the first pitch and one on the second.
I actually scampered up the first two parts of the pitch noting that my technique for overhangs could do with some work. The first section went surprisingly well hauling myself over a small ledge jutting out and then breezed up the second section that was a small pillar. The third section looked do-able standing on my little protected shelf but I just couldn't quite get the hand-jamming technique exactly right at the crux point of the move. It was incredibly frustrating but realised what was going wrong after Brian explained it fully. I'm determined to get the knack of that type of hold and am looking forward to going back after a month and getting over that section. Had a wee tumble when my hand slipped out of jam rather unexpectedly but didn't hit anything (the beauty of climbing overhangs - always fall into fresh air!) - the thing that annoyed was having to climb back up to have another go! I scrambled up the first section of the second pitch but to be honest it felt like someone had administered an epidural from the neck down after the rigours of the first pitch and after a brief mental argument felt the accompanying dangers of fatigue were too great to continue - retreat!
The upper whole crag at Le Fayet overhangs by about 30 feet so it's pretty daunting to look at. Brian reckoned that there's been an earthquake or some sort of geological shift gone on in the past ten years or so that's made the rock lean over more as the pitch grades given in his book were WAY out of synch with how the pitches actually are (much harder than the book says). If you've found this blog posting via a search engine and are planning to climb Le Fayet then prepare to shit yourself. Take two pairs of undies. Actually better make it three as the walk to the crag through the forest is hot and sweaty and you don't want to be uncomfortable on the rock now do you?
It took two days to recover from that little trip and there's still some residual aching in the arms and hands. But my god I feel fit. This fitness thing has been heightened by the procurement of a brand spanking new pair of bling-bling trainers whilst in the UK last weekend. They duly got buffed up and the shiny bits shined and the laces tied just so in readiness for the first run in them yesterday. Huge fun as it happens - donned the traditional knee-length surfing shorts and ipod and took the dogs along boshing directly up the mountain we live on. Running around the mountains is incredible and exhausting. Continual steep slopes and beautiful views really feel like you're being pushed for a good reason. I've found a little course to run - around 4 miles or so all in (2 miles uphill, 2 miles downhill, no flat bits!) and the intention is to do this a few times a week with Digby the dog accompanying as moral support. Because it's light til late these days, it's a perfect alternative to do anything non-activity related in the evening such as watching Scrubs on the pooter or going to Le Delice and getting pissed.
Storm clearing over the Aiguillette des Houches
Unsurprisingly with all this activity of an evening and having stopped drinking temporarily (switched to mango juice) it's meant some seriously good sleeping. Always been a problem over the years but for the past week have been up early rising fresh and happy regardless of whatever time I go to bed with not much dreaming. We've been woken up for the past few days with amazing thunderstorms and yesterday we even had a hailstorm roll in at 6.30am to greet the arrival of the day. I got up and took some photos and then stayed up checking emails and writing content for a website happy in the simple side of life living up high.
Large hailstones on the balcony
I chipped down to Le Delice last night for the Fête de la Musique - a musical festival that takes place on the 21st July each year that encourages amateur musicians to take to the streets and perform in public. I kept thinking how much my Dad would have enjoyed it - he's a wicked guitarist and it'd have been cool to see him up on stage again throwing a few songs out. Katy and Fred had a really good acoustic guitarist (Mark from Canada) in there strumming away whilst people were eating and drinking. Katy was hugely impressive having a whirl with the microphone and has a really nice voice - Norah Jones styley - and opted for some classic tunes like Son of a Preacher Man and Pink Floyd's The Wall. Fred made an appearance on the guitar and showed some class and style with a couple of soulful numbers. I've got to say the hairs stood up on my neck when the pair of them did a song together - it really was amazing and the bar was in awe as they did a duet with much whooping and cheering when they finished. All in all a really good night. I was talking to Abi, one of the Les Houches crew all night and we spent the entire night laughing which was great. Also, we realised that Fred makes his "sex face" when playing the guitar. This snippet of information will be filed and brought out in future!
All in all a really good day - a run in the evening, then cooked coq au vin with rosti potatoes for Andy and myself, a bit of chocolate then down to Le Delice for a mango juice and to watch your friends show some hidden talents all the time having a good giggle. Awesome.
Firstly - a funky pic of one of the storms we've been having lots of recently clearing up over Servoz (taken from our balcony).
A couple of days ago I chipped off with Brian for some evening climbing to Le Fayet just down the valley near Saint Gervais. Basically the whole crag was overhanging. We (and by we I mean Brian) did two piches. He led both, but I only managed to get up a few sections of the first pitch and one on the second.
I actually scampered up the first two parts of the pitch noting that my technique for overhangs could do with some work. The first section went surprisingly well hauling myself over a small ledge jutting out and then breezed up the second section that was a small pillar. The third section looked do-able standing on my little protected shelf but I just couldn't quite get the hand-jamming technique exactly right at the crux point of the move. It was incredibly frustrating but realised what was going wrong after Brian explained it fully. I'm determined to get the knack of that type of hold and am looking forward to going back after a month and getting over that section. Had a wee tumble when my hand slipped out of jam rather unexpectedly but didn't hit anything (the beauty of climbing overhangs - always fall into fresh air!) - the thing that annoyed was having to climb back up to have another go! I scrambled up the first section of the second pitch but to be honest it felt like someone had administered an epidural from the neck down after the rigours of the first pitch and after a brief mental argument felt the accompanying dangers of fatigue were too great to continue - retreat!
The upper whole crag at Le Fayet overhangs by about 30 feet so it's pretty daunting to look at. Brian reckoned that there's been an earthquake or some sort of geological shift gone on in the past ten years or so that's made the rock lean over more as the pitch grades given in his book were WAY out of synch with how the pitches actually are (much harder than the book says). If you've found this blog posting via a search engine and are planning to climb Le Fayet then prepare to shit yourself. Take two pairs of undies. Actually better make it three as the walk to the crag through the forest is hot and sweaty and you don't want to be uncomfortable on the rock now do you?
It took two days to recover from that little trip and there's still some residual aching in the arms and hands. But my god I feel fit. This fitness thing has been heightened by the procurement of a brand spanking new pair of bling-bling trainers whilst in the UK last weekend. They duly got buffed up and the shiny bits shined and the laces tied just so in readiness for the first run in them yesterday. Huge fun as it happens - donned the traditional knee-length surfing shorts and ipod and took the dogs along boshing directly up the mountain we live on. Running around the mountains is incredible and exhausting. Continual steep slopes and beautiful views really feel like you're being pushed for a good reason. I've found a little course to run - around 4 miles or so all in (2 miles uphill, 2 miles downhill, no flat bits!) and the intention is to do this a few times a week with Digby the dog accompanying as moral support. Because it's light til late these days, it's a perfect alternative to do anything non-activity related in the evening such as watching Scrubs on the pooter or going to Le Delice and getting pissed.
Storm clearing over the Aiguillette des Houches
Unsurprisingly with all this activity of an evening and having stopped drinking temporarily (switched to mango juice) it's meant some seriously good sleeping. Always been a problem over the years but for the past week have been up early rising fresh and happy regardless of whatever time I go to bed with not much dreaming. We've been woken up for the past few days with amazing thunderstorms and yesterday we even had a hailstorm roll in at 6.30am to greet the arrival of the day. I got up and took some photos and then stayed up checking emails and writing content for a website happy in the simple side of life living up high.
Large hailstones on the balcony
I chipped down to Le Delice last night for the Fête de la Musique - a musical festival that takes place on the 21st July each year that encourages amateur musicians to take to the streets and perform in public. I kept thinking how much my Dad would have enjoyed it - he's a wicked guitarist and it'd have been cool to see him up on stage again throwing a few songs out. Katy and Fred had a really good acoustic guitarist (Mark from Canada) in there strumming away whilst people were eating and drinking. Katy was hugely impressive having a whirl with the microphone and has a really nice voice - Norah Jones styley - and opted for some classic tunes like Son of a Preacher Man and Pink Floyd's The Wall. Fred made an appearance on the guitar and showed some class and style with a couple of soulful numbers. I've got to say the hairs stood up on my neck when the pair of them did a song together - it really was amazing and the bar was in awe as they did a duet with much whooping and cheering when they finished. All in all a really good night. I was talking to Abi, one of the Les Houches crew all night and we spent the entire night laughing which was great. Also, we realised that Fred makes his "sex face" when playing the guitar. This snippet of information will be filed and brought out in future!
All in all a really good day - a run in the evening, then cooked coq au vin with rosti potatoes for Andy and myself, a bit of chocolate then down to Le Delice for a mango juice and to watch your friends show some hidden talents all the time having a good giggle. Awesome.
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
Now Wash Your Hands (NWYH)
I feel really sorry for Chris at the moment - client interfacing can be difficult at the best of times and his relationship with his current ones - Now Wash Your Hands (a new media company, here's their website) - has turned really sour. He's written about it on his blog about them not paying him for the work done.
I've got to say - I really like the Eastenders game that is the contract, it plays well and looks very cool. It's written using Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Flash and Flash Server with XML and all sorts of other natty technologies. It has a lot of streaming video, functional animation, scoring and all sorts. I think it's very cool and would slot into the Eastenders section of the BBC website very nicely indeed. Obviously there's a lot of stuff behind the scenes that I don't (and don't need to) know about but the whole thing looks pretty sketchy to me.
I hope it gets resolved soon, the situation's not doing either NWYH or Chris any favours as Chris is out of pocket with the months of work and Now Wash Your Hands are looking like one of the really bad, unreliable new media companies that's only held together by spin and bullshit.
Sounds like everyone needs to feel the love a little more.
I've got to say - I really like the Eastenders game that is the contract, it plays well and looks very cool. It's written using Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Flash and Flash Server with XML and all sorts of other natty technologies. It has a lot of streaming video, functional animation, scoring and all sorts. I think it's very cool and would slot into the Eastenders section of the BBC website very nicely indeed. Obviously there's a lot of stuff behind the scenes that I don't (and don't need to) know about but the whole thing looks pretty sketchy to me.
I hope it gets resolved soon, the situation's not doing either NWYH or Chris any favours as Chris is out of pocket with the months of work and Now Wash Your Hands are looking like one of the really bad, unreliable new media companies that's only held together by spin and bullshit.
Sounds like everyone needs to feel the love a little more.
A hot climb at Servoz
So Hana and I met up yesterday and went for a climb at Servoz - one of the currently favoured climbing venues. I've led pretty much everything in the lower half of the crag so I was pretty happy with just picking interesting pitches out of the book and leading them for Hana to second. It was unbelievably hot, I'd guess around 32°C or 34°C and we both caught the sun despite wearing sun cream.
Hana tying in at the bottom of a pitch.
I climbed pretty well apart from one pitch I wasn't overly happy with, but I also managed to do 5 consecutive single pitches - the most I've done so far. I was pretty happy with that and it shows that I'm getting fitter. Hana climbed really well - she's only been a couple of times before - figuring out the various puzzles that the rock throws at you and managing to get up everything put before her. We had a lemonade break half-way through at the bistro opposite and sat down and nattered away which was nice =)
Hana at the top of the third pitch.
We even managed to take a little walk through the woods at the side of the crag to a waterfall and have a cool down in the clear mountain water. Very romantic!
The waterfall in the woods.
Hana tying in at the bottom of a pitch.
I climbed pretty well apart from one pitch I wasn't overly happy with, but I also managed to do 5 consecutive single pitches - the most I've done so far. I was pretty happy with that and it shows that I'm getting fitter. Hana climbed really well - she's only been a couple of times before - figuring out the various puzzles that the rock throws at you and managing to get up everything put before her. We had a lemonade break half-way through at the bistro opposite and sat down and nattered away which was nice =)
Hana at the top of the third pitch.
We even managed to take a little walk through the woods at the side of the crag to a waterfall and have a cool down in the clear mountain water. Very romantic!
The waterfall in the woods.
Weekend in Blighty
So spent the weekend back in Lancashire seeing my parents, and my wicked nephew and sister and brother-in-law. Was really, really good to catch up with everyone and see the little lad and generally be with the family.
I've got to say, I had a really nice time eating Mum's home-made food and going to the Lake District, going for a long walk with my Dad and talking the whole way, playing endlessly with Dusty and seeing my sister and also going out for a few beers with my brother in law. It really did make me feel a twinge of sadness coming back to Cham, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. Bizarrely I was actually missing the mountains virtually all the time I was there.
Funnily enough, it also helped clear my mind a lot from talking with the family and also making me realise that I really do want to be here in Chamonix. I came back on Monday to the cracking email of a new contract - awesome.
I've got to say, I had a really nice time eating Mum's home-made food and going to the Lake District, going for a long walk with my Dad and talking the whole way, playing endlessly with Dusty and seeing my sister and also going out for a few beers with my brother in law. It really did make me feel a twinge of sadness coming back to Cham, but I knew that it was the right thing to do. Bizarrely I was actually missing the mountains virtually all the time I was there.
Funnily enough, it also helped clear my mind a lot from talking with the family and also making me realise that I really do want to be here in Chamonix. I came back on Monday to the cracking email of a new contract - awesome.
Friday, 15 June 2007
Time to go
Alarm woke me up a few minutes ago to prompt me to drag my ass out of bed to go to Geneva airport. Trying to drink as much juice as possible to wake up and get in the car. There's cloud swirling around the valley below and it's been raining overnight. Time to go to the UK. Woohoo!
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