Cold Fusion Blog

I was aware on returning to Siurana with Dave MacLeod that the focus of this trip would be different from the last and would focus on the tricky game of hard redpointing. Arriving in the valley we joined an inspiring community of the worlds best sport climbers with similar plans. The gossip at the bar was that Yuji Hirayama, Chris Sharma, Dave Graham and Dani Andrada were here to try amongst other things the La Ramba Extension F9a+. It turned out that we were not the only Scot’s in the valley when we bumped into Blair Fyffe and Murdo Jamieson who were also out for some winter sun. My initial plan was to climb Anabolica F8a early on in the trip and concentrate of harder things, though it would turn out that a number of factors would conspire against that simple plan. Dave’s plan was to try and redpoint L-odi Social F8c+. We would then also be joined later in the week by Dave Brown and Paul Diffley from Hotaches who would be filming material for a new project.

Toni Arbones attempting Kalea Borroka F8b+ on Sector El Pati.

On our first couple of days at Cam Pigipugi we were shocked by how small a window for good conditions we had in between blazing sun out of the shade and early winter darkness. It took me this time to tick Isadora donde estas F7b. On the lead in the sun I felt quite pumped making me wonder if things would go according to plan. On Monday evening after the weekend crowds had passed I got back on Anabolica. The moves up to my previous half way point felt easy enough and I quickly worked out a sequence for the top section. Before dark I had a quick redpoint but failed trying to hit the big pocket. On lowering off I was sure I could return the next day to tick the route.

It turned out that things didn’t pan out that simply on the route leading to a long wait until Saturday morning before I finally felt the relief of clipping the chain of Anabolica (ninth redpoint!). As the week progressed I just couldn’t understand what was wrong. I had ticked a F8a+ 2nd RP on the previous trip. After a months training I was expecting to make good progress on a F8b/+. Why the hell was I taking so long to do this supposedly easy F8a.

Crux sequence 1 of Anabolica (Images courtesy of Hotaches).

The final redpoint was fairly close to the wire. The first redpoint of the day using a new sequence I dreamed up the night before worked taking me higher and within two moves from the rest. My right shoulder had other plans though and it throbbed painfully from the crux move looking to end my trip. After an hours massage the pain had subsided enough for one final fight which lead to the successful ascent. More than anything else I wanted to complete the route to justify the effort I had put in over the week. Giving up didn’t really seem an option but I dreaded the thought of going home after a week having climbed only one route.

Crux sequence 2 of Anabolica (Images courtesy of Hotaches).

I think my poor efforts on the route boil down to not having trained enough endurance before the trip. No amount of power or stamina on the route could save me from fading in the 15-30 move region. This is something I’ll definitely need to address for future trips by doing more interval circuits. I feel that I’ve taken away a lot more psychologically from Anabolica, it really has been an exercise in pride, determination and self belief.

Its been a frustrating couple of weeks not getting outside to climb because of the rain. Lucky for me I’ve been coping through the late nights at work and long traffic jams home in the knowledge another trip to Siurana is not far away! I’d like to say I’ve been training like mad but illness and long days at work have left me only a few sessions. After Sundays trip to Dumbuck was canceled I had a fairly good campus board session attempting 1-4-7 again. This was followed by good form on with the pull ups and laps. Sadly Wednesdays session wasn’t so good and I felt tired quickly probably from insufficient rest (2 days) from the weekend. It was probably good it rained all day keeping me off the campus board.

Hopefully I’ve done enough to go back to Siurana to bag Anabolica F8a (at least) and maybe even an F8b. I’ve also found out about another venue nearby called Santa Linya, a massive overhanging cave which looks amazing. Most of all I’m looking forward to relaxing with some long lie ins, fingers crossed that it’ll be a productive trip on that front at least.

After two weeks my man flu has finally receded enough to do some training. However, lying in bed on Thursday after a long day at work training seemed as unlikely to happen as on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Desire to improve on last weekends poor effort on Voodoo finally kicked me into action for a session. I learnt the next day from the cramp in my arms that a poor warm up before my second go was to blame.

Surprisingly after so much rest warming up wasn’t so bad and likewise in dispatching some easier problems from my circuit. I was glad not to have lost ground after a week of bad diet (the flu’s no excuse) and no exercise. On the campus board a small amount of progress was even made, shoulders holding together long enough in the cold to tick a good set of 1-4-6’s and 2-4-7’s. As good as these felt, a couple of poor attempts at 1-4-7 brought me back down again. Dead hangs and one armers were also poor, explaining why I couldn’t tie the full movement together yet. On the plus side endurance seemed good after I managed 2×4 laps on the wall. Arms felt weird, although tight they didn’t feel pumped, just progressively tired. This is something that can only be good for the next Siurana trip week after next.

Standing in the darkness I felt a little sad looking at the seven year gap in my old training log. Something that has been neglected but not forgotten in my intervening academic years. Although the focus of my problem solving interests tend to drift, I feel like its back on hard climbing again.

On Saturday I returned to Dumbuck with Niall McNair to try Voodoo Magic F8b. This is a route I was very close to doing back in 1999 failing some six times reaching for the lower off chain. I can remember feeling very frustrated about this, then more so in learning of Dave MacLeod’s ascent a few month later using the jugs out left before the chain. Since then the route has seen several repeats and is by far Scotlands most popular F8b.

Reassured that some seven years on I am now stronger I was sure dispatching the route would be a quick process. Working through the moves I was surprised that some felt easier but some harder. I was also surprised to find a couple on new holds, one of which I think has involved foul play. The original route had a hard sequence below the final handrail using a small left had crimp. Next to this hold a better hold now exists which is smeared in grey resin. I suspect that the hold underneath is natural but some in-filling and re-excavation has taken place by parties unknown. I was a little bit saddened by this as the new hold does make the sequence to the rail a little easier, taking something away from Andy Gallager’s original sequence.

After a couple of dogs refreshing the moves I went for the redpoint. Sadly tiredness from illness and work seemed to conspire against me and I suddenly felt really tired, wilting off below the crux. I then managed to fall badly and give myself a dead knee. Niall

was more successful: after getting good links on the dog it was no surprise to see him dispatch Voodoo first redpoint, a great effort. After another redpoint I was done, barely managing to link three moves together. Things weren’t looking good and I decided to call it a day, reassured that it would feel much better on return without the funky tiredness.

Niall McNair happy after sending Voodoo Magic F8b first redpoint.

Negativity aside, I was happy to be back at Dumbuck. I was reflective of so many days spent here trying Devastation in my late teens and early twenties. Looking out over the autumn tree line to Dumbarton both seemed in a state of change. I hoped that like these old trees I too could stand defiant, growing each year and reaching higher.