Monday, August 1, 2011

The Funk



The Cave was in appalling condition this evening - everything inside the cave was wet, and the final moves on Caroline's Traverse were manky!!


Paul descended into an anti-psyche and I didn't blame him... I have beta on two and a half lines in the Cave - and they were all wet. With no guide with us, the rest of the lines in the Cave were all off limits - everything there is super beta intensive...



A little while later Kev came along and saved the evening. We all pooled our mats and tarps under The Funk (7b+) and so the projecting began.



The Funk (7B+) - Session 1



:)




The problem - right up to the two finishing moves - was dry and suddenly everyone was energetic and excited about climbing in the Cave tonight!!



Myself, Claire, Paul and Kev all worked the line until we could barely pull on anymore!




Claire on 'The Funk'



The move from the undercut to throw out to the lip is great, and the toe hook move that follows earns major cool points! The toe hook is up high beside the undercut (it's a spike just below... the same hold really) then body weight has to be shifted right towards the lip of the Cave, and suddenly my left hand was free (as long as my toe held) to grab a little pinch.



The crux follows with a throw whilst holding the left hand pinch and the right hand crimp to a spikey sidepull that's a 'go again' with my right hand. Super good when I hit it right - scraped the hand off me when I missed it!!



And I missed it a few times - leaving my skin in ribbons this evening... Sandpaper has been put to good use tonight!



Though The Funk is very much more bouldery than the rest of the lines in the Cave, it's still possible to step on at almost every point - except the end. It's possible to jump start the final moves... I couldn't do it, but Paul and Kev both made it look simple.




Paul demonstrating my 'pad folding to reach' technique!



Disgruntled with my lack of ability to jump at the two holds in question, I creased my rubbish boulder pad (which no longer functions as a boulder pad!) in four folds and was able to reach the final moves from there. I came very close to getting my left hand out on the lip, having made the right hand throw and repositioned my right foot out wide and my left foot into the toe hook, which I didn't quite trust and dropped off the line as a result.






We all took quick attempts at the opening until none of us could pull on or make any sort of good effort at it anymore.



Another 4 hour session in the Cave - and by the time we were finished, Claire and I were delirious with hunger and everyone seemed physically shattered!



Great session in the Cave - thanks to Kev for saving the evening!



AND thanks to Claire for picking myself and Paul up from town and then dropping us back in and then coming back in again to give me back my phone which I left in her car... Hope the roast chicken was nice when you got home... eventually!


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