Happiness In Slavery
Stu Brown close to completing So Be It F8b?
While attempting Voodoo last month I kept trying Happiness In Slavery at the end of each session to grind it down. It was slow work (thanks for the belays Stu) but I managed to break down a sequence that worked for me. In fact it was so different it only shares the last move with Dave Macs sequence. On my first full day I was surprised to get shut down on the second move and kept barn dooring off. However, I left with better beta at the end of the day. After a spell away in North Wales I was back and surprised myself by linking the start up to the last hard move and working out even better beta for the top that kept my feet on slapping for the jug. It was on! Next visit passed with another four redpoints up to the final crux without success.
I returned today but was apprehensive of success. The rock around some of the holds was wet and conditions weren’t ideal. I got warmed up and gave it a go. First go I hit the left hand pinch for a second only to rip off it. This gave me the idea that I definitely needed to chalk up. Next go I did just that and latched the hold, got everything else right and clipped the chain. It was great to finish off an old project of mine. Its a shame I didn’t get round to it back in 02.
Just before clipping the chains on Slavery (Nick Duboust)
It would be nice to celebrate with a bonafide UK 8b+ but I don’t think I can just yet. A couple of 8b+ routes I’ve tried in Yorkshire this year have felt good. I’d like to think if crimping was my strength, I’d spent seven sessions on them and trained like hell then I’d have done them? Then there’s the Anvil routes. Slavery weights in at a eight move Font 7c+ comparable to the low start to Rock Attrocity in Parasella’s Cave. Dr Crimp and N. Exposure have Font 7c+ cruxes with fairly hard climbing up to them Fr7b/+. Body Blow is Font 8a then Fr8a+. There’s not enough room in one grade for all of these… Hopefully I’ll get more experience in the coming months.
Here’s a video Craig Henderson put together of my try last session.
Happiness in Slavery from Craig Henderson on Vimeo.
To finish off I got back on Devastation again and made a break through on the crux. I’d been a total donkey and had forgotten the trick to the move from several years ago. Let the war begin!