Cold Fusion Blog

Saturday 21st June. I’d hoped to get stuck into some training this week but the familiar pattern of daily exhasution creeped over me. I’d planned to train on Thursday but a 15 minute nap turned into a 4 hour sleep. I chose to avoid another 11pm training session and decided some lifestyle changes definitely need to be made before I psycologically past the point of no return. After last weeks success I decided to take a break from the limestone and visit some crags in Scotland. So a rough plan was made to visit the Tunnel Wall in Glencoe to work on stamina before heading to Ceuse.

The Tunnel Wall, Glen Coe (Richie Betts).

In the end we had a team of six climbers, Fiona and Robbie from Edinburgh and Riche, Andy and Nick from Inverness. It was great to see everyone hyped with ropes and chalk all over the Tunnel Wall. Having travelled more over the years the wall didn’t look or feel as intimidating as it had done to me in the past. My plan for the day was to try and do Fated Path F7c+ a route I’d heard many people speak about but I’d never got around to trying myself. Having done no real stamina training in the last few weeks I wasn’t expecting much from the day other than todo some links and get very, very pumped.

I dodged up Fated Path slowly working out all the moves. The first crux at bolt three moving right was harder than I expected off some small sharp edges. Moving right the holds were all positive but with no rest until a bucket under bolt six. I had expect to find a crux off two pinches at this point that folks spoke off but instead found some very small crimps moving into the first break. Moving on the moves to the second break all felt fine. The rest here however was poor, two good crimps needed to be used to avoid using the sloping break. The next crux had me stumped. The holds were very small quarter joint crimps. VERY small to be using 20m up the wall after a poor rest. I worked out a better sequence after 5 minutes but wasn’t convinced I get passed it. Moving on the climbing didn’t get any easier and I needed another 15 minutes to work out a decent sequence through to the lower off. After taking so long to work it out I was amazed at the number of onsights the route has received. Although each crux was hard I suppose the wall wasn’t that steep and those with stamina might actually be able to rest pretty well.

Robbie trying Fated Path F7c+, Glen Coe.

In the meantime Nick inched higher on Admission F7c+ (It looked hard low down), Robbie made a quick ascent of Railway Children F7c and everyone else worked away on Uncertain Emotions F7b+. I thought I better get climbing to get warmed up again from the cold wind.

Causually I got geared up with no expectations. Looking up at the 30m wall I didn’t expect to get very far before lactic acid paralysis struck. I inched up slowly to the third bolt trying to warm my fingers. I already felt the pump starting. I scrapped through the small crimps off the first crux before scurrying along the handrail towards the second. The crimps weren’t very forgiving to rest on so I pushed on through the next crux to the good jug. My arms felt like jelly for the first few seconds before I felt like I was getting something back. After a few minutes rest I lanuched through the next crux, the small edges feeling surprisingly good. As I rested I looked up towards the crux thinking I definitely wanted to get there just to be in with a chance. After a few minutes rest I was off again motoring towards the second break. The jelly arms stuck again and I really didn’t think I get anything back. However as the clock ticked on I was still hanging in there. The hot rock lizard mode took over, switching hands shaking above, then below trying to flush the muscles, breathing hard to oxygenate blood. Judging thats as much I was going to get back I rattled on. Grabbing the first very small edge my forearm immediately jellied, somehow I rocked over grabed the small ear with my right, stood up I threw and caught the jug.

Serious bit of elbow work as my heart pumps battery acid (Richie Betts).

The rope felt heavy and I fumbled around trying to clip it. The batwings were out again and I fought to get it back. In my mind was the fact that I didn’t want to and probably couldn’t do all this again, so I was resolute to rest as long as it took to get me between the remaining rests. To minimise pressure on my arms I tried to drag the skin on my fingers into the side of the holds. I mused over a visit to church the next day if I could somehow pull this off. I wasn’t quite sure who or what had control over the situation but I was still stuck 25m up this wall and after more than 30 min I wasn’t going to give up. I contined pressing into the groove, another crimp, the horriffic sloper, pocket and undercut. I battled to get my feet untanged as my elbow popped out. I slapped at the next jug and luckily held it. As fingers uncurled rolling off the jug I tried to clip the rope but was too pumped to feel the caribiner and dropped the rope. Again somehow I avoided the flash pump boundary and got something back before clipping. Rested after another few minutes I battled on to the next handlebar. Staring at the lower off I promised myself not to make a mistake and finish it. A few minutes later I was there at the top of the tunnel wall having succeeded to climb the route first redpoint with an absolutely appauling level of stamina. Somehow the massive effort over 45 minutes felt like a real personal achievement. I’d battled the whole dam way and for once won!

Saturday 20 October. I wasn’t sure when I get back on my Camel project again, luckily a text from Michael secured another weekend visit. Determined to finish the job I got stuck into my midweek power endurance and fitness training. Mid week I was shocked to find I’d gained a bit of excess weight over my average, surprising given all my long walks out to the Anvil. I had been trying to make changes to my diet since March, but the sugary lunchtime cakes have proved overpowering. Frustrated I finally went cold turkey opting instead for humble salad leaves and an apple during the working day.

Keen to gauge my performance I headed back to the Camel on Saturday with Michael. Driving north the weather was noticeably good for late autumn with warm sunshine breaking through the clouds. A good day to be out climbing. I was still worried that after midweek frost the temperature in the shade of the Camel would be too chilly for long routes. Warming up the temperature seemed comfortable after some initial hot aches. After placing the clips on the project and a bit of practice I got redpointing. On my first go I meant only down climb from a clip but ended up pushing onwards complete with thermals. Feeling anxious about overheating and the extra weight I lost concentration before the crux edge. Next go stripped down and psyched I pulled through the crux to the rest in a series of aggressive grunts. I felt apprehensive on the rest, would I still blow it, would I pump off the next section or would a pebble snap. I pushed on.

The first crux sequence of Ubuntu at the Camel (pics Mike Tweedley).

After making the next clip I flicked my arms quickly before firing on through the endurance crux with some energy to spare for once. I moved steadily to the lower off careful not to pump off or snap anything. It felt like a hell of a ride hanging onto the big cobbles and looking down the face from where I’d come. I clipped the lower off feeling uplifted, I’d put enough work in for it to mean a lot to me, but not too much for once that It’d become too stressful. After taking some photos we finished the day by doing some laps on Inverarnie Schwarzenegger F7a. Michael decided todo some alpine training with his duvet and rucksac on, I declined and got just as pumped in the falling darkness.

The second crux sequence of Ubuntu at the Camel (pics Mike Tweedley).

I’ve called the new line Ubuntu, after the South African ideal of which one meaning is “I am because you are”. Such an ideal seems to represent my own life lately. As inspiring lines capture my imagination they shape my life, taking me to different places, interacting with friends old and new and always motivating me to improve. I’ve graded the route F8a given the fair effort its took over the last month. I’ll leave it to others to seen if they can find an easier sequence and adjust the grade if necessary. Big thanks to Michael for coming along and taking the snaps, I’ll be working you hard on those crux’s when its my turn on photo duty. Time to step up a gear for the next project.

Steep caves are on the horizon.

Saturday 14th,15th. I had planned a visit to Griunard with Ian Moody this weekend but the weather put a dampener on affairs. Instead I decided to check out some new sport crags planning on equipping a couple of F7c’s ready for Sunday. Sadly things didn’t go as expected and I ran into loose wet rock and diagonal lines that were too difficult to equip. Without having placed a single bolt I called Iain with a change of plan before heading back to the B&B.

The next day I headed south to met up with Iain to check out some Inverness conglomerate. The crag actually turned out to be much better than I expected. It was good to see Iain climbing well again, as various things seemed to be bothering him earlier in the summer. I felt I was climbing crap I decided it was time to get training again and get stuck into some proper power endurance training for my projects.

It was nice to find some future projects to try, but I’ve decided to put them on hold for now and concentrate on the Burley Shadow routes. Its looking like my travel budget will be limited over the next few months pending referral of my speeding offence to the procurator fiscal. Don’t be fooled by those empty A9 roads on a Sunday night, the police radars are out there!