catch up

After two days of climbing, myself and Andrew are particularly tired today.  We've made a plan for the next few days, climbing tomorrow, this will be our last day climbing in the Gorge, we plan on taking one of the canoe / kayak trips down the river on Monday before driving into Spain on Tuesday and down to Rodellar to meet up with Dawid (at some ungodly hour).

View from Naivre

We climbed for two days in Naivre, it has to be one of my favourite crags in the Gorge, however, there are only a few easier graded routes.  The first day we did a 6a and an extremely powerful 6b+ which I managed to somehow hang on and flash.  It was a route that I had down years ago, so was happy to manage to hang on.  The number of days climbing at this point is taking its tool as after both routes, we were exhausted.

The next day we went back up and warmed up again on the same 6a and had our eye on a 6c.  Andrew got up with only a few rests, the crux is committing and run out but the route is amazing.  I had three top rope attempts.  I've most of the moves worked out - but hanging on is hard.  It is a route that has been in the back of mind for a long while, trying it on both previous trip to the Tarn and to date no success on it... one day you will be mine.

Unfortunately, being just two its hard to get photos of us on routes, however, Naivre just crys out for you to take photos.. with its stepped appearance, there is always a good angle.  The bottom two images are of Christian working a 7a+.  The top two are unknown climbers (the first on a 6b, the second on a 7b/c). 

On the last rest day we went searching for a good spot to take a photo of the impressive Millau Viaduc.....  I haven't found the ideal spot, but at least these photos give and indication of the size and scale of the bridge.  It is amazing. 

Sports Climbing Harness??

So I've got a question for anyone out there reading this with an opinion on it.  I want to buy a light weight sports climbing harness and trying to figure out which one to get. 

The choices are

• Black Diamond Aura

• Petzl Hirundos

• Arc'teryx S240a

 There are pros and cons of each. 

1. The current Petzl harness (Andrew's old one) that I'm using is terribly uncomfortable - the hirundos is similar shape / style so I wonder would it have the same discomfort.  Pros however, it is priced very reasonably and two friend are currently using them are very happy with it (I think). 
2. I've yet to see the Black Diamond one in a shop to try on but I love my old trad climbing one.  The aura is a similar shape to my old one, but in a lighter weight material.  I didn't know one existed until it was mentioned to me a week or so ago.  Price wise more expensive than the Petzl. 
3. I've only come across the mens version this in shops so far (a320) of the Arc'teryx so far and it doesn't fit quite right, legs loops are not adjustable to save weight are slightly too small for me, it fits, but for comfort I'd rather it to be a little more roomy.  The waist fits fine, a bigger size and the then the waist is swimming on me.  So the mens one isn't a runner.  Price wise about the same as Black Diamond.  Recommendations, so far 3 of my friends have them and are happy with it.   

So my questions are:  are they any other lightweight harness people think I should consider and has anyone experience with the black diamond aura (or men's equivalent)??

(image credits:  taken from the black diamond, petzl and arc'teryx websites)

learning curve

 The beautiful Gorge Du Tarn...

Gorge Du Tarn from Rocher de la Muse.

No Don't Jump

It was a mileage day yesterday!   We thought we'd start on  what looked like a sweet little 5a. What a bad decision, it was sweet, easy in fact, though in direct sunlight all the way, to the last move when you had to scramble from a ledge over a bulge trending leftward away from the last bolt.... I can categorically say that this is not the style of climbing I enjoy.  Looking down at Andrew I plead with him to let me down.... I am annoyed but I hate that kind of route.  I go up it again on top rope and run up it.... without issue.  Arrghhh.  So we move on to lovely vertical technical routes and tick 6a+, 6a, 6a+ all in short succession.  In the end it was a good day !!

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of either myself or Andrew climbing yet, will have to try and sort that out!!

Christian and Andrea climbing in sector Figuel... in Gorge du Tarn

We found the perfect campsite desert... toasted marshmallows over a camping stove... one word YUM :D

See smiley happy climbers!!

All this of course while listening to a little live music!!

A short session by the legendary Mr Andrew Speer

mixed bag...

Yesterday's climbing was a mixed bag of fruit... it certainly pointed out some weaknesses of mine.   An easy 6a with a one move wonder over a roof completely stumped me, then onto a very similar style 6b+ and completely stumped at the same point.   I don't have any pull up strength, something I need to work on.   However, we moved on to an unknown route, which probably felt 6a+ with a 6b crux but this was vertical and although it took two attempts, it was all about the feet and fingers and I was so much more comfortable on it - great route...

Andrew on the other hand was cruising yesterday, a slow start, a tweak in one of his fingers taking a while to warm up, but once warm hoped on a 7a+ cruised it to the chains ( so so close to the onsight and yet so far :( )  but fumbled there and ended up grabbing the chains and not taking the fall.... he made the route look so easy to that point that i questioned whether we were at the right one ( but it was ).  We'll definitely be back to that, the tick has to be in the bag.

its all about routine, isn't it ?!?

We're gradually formulating a routine.  The sun comes up and Carole wakes, Andrew sleeps.... Carole gets up for a run, Andrew sleeps, Carole stretches, Andrew sleeps, Carole starts to read her book in the morning sunshine, Andrew stirs..... Carole reads a little more, Andrew goes to the shop, Carole and Andrew have breakfast...the day begins...the slack line goes up, the books come out - leisurely lunch and finally we go to the crag...  (mind you before I get in trouble its a short run and its long before Andrew gets up :D )

Rest days of course require more resting so instead of my short run and 5 or 6 climbs we go for a 2 hour hike up into the hills, hmmm, something a miss here, however, it was a stunning walk, next time we'll bring twice as much water that was our only downfall. 

This is who you walk....... carole style

Our camp has two perfectly placed trees crying out for the slack line to be used.   Its like re-learning to walk, you are so thrilled when you get more than two steps... I think my max is three so its still a learning curve.

Self Portrait of Me Slack lining, set up two external flashes, one camera left behind me and one camera right in front of me, I put the camera on a trip and used the self timer.  Unfortunately my remote release battery ran out that would certainly have been an easier option. 

Andrea, Christian and Andrew showing me how its done!!

 

Even all the animals had a go......


Climbing wise small steps, Andrew onsighted his first 6b of the trip and I redpointed it.  Took me three attempts over 2 days and my first lead fall, so overall it was a success.  Hopefully the fall will do wonders for confidence.

sad to say goodbye, but happy for next new adventures to begin

We were sad to say goodbye to Ceuse and climbing with Dave, Caroline, Neal, Naomi and Kevin.  It had been a great 2 weeks, but with all good things they must come to an end for new adventures to emerge.

We have a sort of half hatched plan!!  Numbers and letters in the back of our minds, but the real aim of the trip to climb and love the climb and the grades and numbers and will take care of themselves.  Things are slowly coming together for both of us and we started to realise this in Orpierre on Monday.  I onsighted my first 6a+ of the trip and almost onsighted a 6b (so close and yet so far).  Although a little dissappointed I'm happy that I'm making progress.  Whilst I was on the 6b Andrew was on the 7a next to me and although he did not get it clean, he lead it all the way to the chains and got all the moves.  It is only stamina (not strength) that is letting him down.

We said goodbye to Kevin on monday night and when we all got up on tuesday morning we were 6, soon to by 4 as Neal and Naomi were busy packing their belongings as we got ready for the short (ha ha) drive to Aillefroide.  Under the impression it was a mere 50 minute drive, close to 2 hours later we pull into one of the car parks in Aillefroide.  Almost immediately we bumped into Howard, Brigid and Niamh.  Our bouldering buddies for the day.  I always love meeting people on trips but when its random or unexpected its even better.  We'd a lovely afternoon amongst the boulders in the valley of Aillefroide, each of us knowing if we'd anticipated the actual length of the journey we probably would have thought twice about going.  We were so glad we did - what an amazing picturesque rock filled paradise.   Yes, I must go back and actually do some of the spectacular routes.

On wednesday morning before embarking on dismantling our little home and packing it into the car Andrew and I hiked up Petit Ceuse which gives way to fantastic views of Ceuse and the surrounds valleys and mountains.  After a leisurely breakfast and more goodbyes  we were on our way to Gorge
Du Tarn. 

 We thought we knew best - we looked at a map and plotted the shortest route and off we trot.  2 hours later and less than 60 miles travelled we decided maybe the satnav was right and we should have taken the motorway.  What we thought was going to be a 2/3 hour drive finally took us 6 hours, but we rolled into Le Rozier to meet up with Christian and Andrea who'd kindly saved us shady number 38, the plot for our new home :D

a little of where we

I'm missing my daily 20+ KM cycle however, I'm loving the active lifestyle we are living at the moment.  Ceuse for those who don't know it is one of the peaks near Gap.  It sits at approximately 1900 m and we're camping at 1250, so our daily walk to the crag is 750 m rise over 2.5 miles, good to get the blood moving, about 45 - 60 minutes uphill.  Coming back down is fun, point the feet down and run....

A view of Ceuse from the campsite:

Looking out from the campsite towards Gap.

The impending storm.

Camp Irish

sun, shine, rock and rain ...

After 7 climbing days and 3 rest days we are slowly getting into the swing of things.  I'm back on-sighting 6a (3 ticks), have red-pointed a 6a+ (more nerves than anything else here, I decided to top rope it before leading it.... come on head you can do it) and starting to work a few harder routes more to remember what hard moves are like, a lovely crux-y 6c that is definitely within reach at some point.  Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to go back to it.

Andrew red-pointed his first 6c in style. After he flashed it on a top rope, he was not allowed away from the crag without getting on the sharp end of the rope.  He then top roped a sharp boulder-y 7a, made the crux look like a 6a+ and fell on the easy finish.... with a wee bit of stamina he'll be cruising the 7a and and looking for harder stuff...

We both are lacking in confidence, but that is slowly coming back, I'm lacking strength and Andrew's lacking stamina, but both will come...

We were very thankful of our real-estate move (into our giant tent) yesterday when torrential rain hit.  The thoughts of crawling into our little tadpole came with a shiver, however the rain did make for an eventful fun run down from the crag, about 2 and a half mile single track rocky, root-y mudslide off the hill, woooo heeeee, some of the more sensible people chose to walk, but not I, though I didn't come off unscathed, my bag rubbed my back raw....

Still stuck on the photo front... anyone know of a good FREE raw converter that can be used on the old powerbook G4 (not an intel based machine - so most of the latest PS edition won't run on it)??? But here's a couple I took on jpg... hopefully more to follow soon!!

resurrect the blog .....

..... and keep all you good folk up to date with our travels.  We've arrived safely in the south of France.  We are based in the South of France at the of Ceuse.   1060 miles of driving, 2 ferries, a night catching up with Al and Aoife, a night asleep on the motorway and we finally drove up the long windy road to the campsite. 

after 2 nights in our little north face tapole (2 man, minute tent), we found a great deal on some real estate and have upgraded to a very nice large 4 man tent with a stand-up-able-in front...sweet....  3 days climbing in Orpierre as a re-introduction to rock, today we are heading up the long slog to ceuse, a bit apprehensive about what's in store for us up there.  We'll be whipped, but who cares so long as we're having fun.

Photos to follow when I finally manage to get a raw converter on my laptop.  one of the many things I should have sorted before we left.