Cold Fusion Blog

31st August. August really was a wash out! Luckily this gave me lots of time to train and make some gains for the first time in a while. It wasn’t long however before they we’re stripped away from a few missed training sessions and a sore shoulder (that wiped me out for 5 days). Spying a dry(-ish) spell over the last week I made an attempt at visiting Kilnsey to get out.

Malham upper right, a good way to avoid the showers.

I had been meaning to meet up with Richard for ages to get something done on the limestone. Sadly with various changes happening in both our lives we’d left it late. Arriving at Kilnsey it was a no go, still mainly soaking, so we continued on to Malham. Things weren’t much better here but the upper right wall was at least dry if a little on the humid side. I hadn’t done any of the routes up here having had bad experiences in the past but it looked fantastic and I couldn’t wait to try something. Richard got on Herbie 7c+ and made quick work of it. I finally decided to try Main Overhang F8a hoping it was short enough for my poor stamina. I worked my way upwards working out the moves until I hit the stopper on the white shield rocking over of a tiny crimp (6c!). First RP I wasn’t quite happy with the sequence but went for it. Pulling into the crux I rapidly juiced out before getting a hand off to clip. Deciding it was a stupid sequence I worked out a better way getting the LH on the slope press, RH on a tiny sharp press then bumping the RH to the better hold before the crux. This skipped out the stupid mess of crossovers that pumped me out earlier. Happy with the refinement I gave it another go, got the clip but flailed reaching into the crux! Next go I was tiring (but dug deep cos you never know) but made it a far as the crux. What a fantastic PE workout! In a way I’m glad I didn’t do it in a day else I might have stuck with the F7c+ grading (before the crux hold snapped). Its getting frustrating gathering so many F7c/+’s to come back for this summer (five now). On the upside I was definitely feeling psychologically lighter from recent dieting (even though I’m no lighter). It was great to feel the flow of a redpoint sequence, shame its so hard to get at in the UK.