Snap, Snap

So we're all following Trish then...

John announced I'd be leading the troop around the warm up circuit I usually do when Tim comes out bouldering.

It's great because there's 12 or 13 problems and even if I don't get anything else sent all day, at least I know, I've done lots and lots of bouldering!!

Funnily enough though, it didn't really seem to work out too well with 6 or 7 of us going around the circuit. Psyche ran out by 'The Rails' and we moved on to 'B.B.E.' and 'Superswingers'.

John Sending the sitter to B.B.E.

Seamus on B.B.E.

Tom on B.B.E.

In hindsight I should have grabbed my pad and finished the circuit, but I was excited to see the sitter to Superswingers being done. Dave was eager and my curiosity was fraught with apprehension as I sat and watched him, having heard stories in the past, of the ankle snapping nature of the line. Dave's feet were jammed into a crack and he quickly moved his hands to a sort of compression position and slipped off, unjamming his feet with lightening quick reaction.

He got back on the line and sent it second go. It was impressive to watch, no doubt. I tried the opening move, and can't say I didn't have the span... I just didn't have the mindset.

I'm fond of my ankles and was safe in the knowledge that this was not my sort of climbing. Who knows, maybe next year... but not right now. As I stepped away from the line, and as I walked across the boulder pads we all heard...

Snap, snap!

Tom jumped down onto the pads and grabbed his chalk bucket out from beneath them... As I stepped across the pads, I had managed to decapitate BOTH of his posh Lapis Brushes which were in the side pocket of his chalk bucket which had been left under the pads... They were no doubt purchased in Spain or France... A purple one and a yellow one...

May they rest in peace.

We moved on up to Chillax. I was feeling strong (if a little cold after sitting out the BBE session) and was psyched to re-send Chillax. Paul and Darragh arrived along midway through our session and the banter turned extreme as we all tore shreds off each other for the slightest mistakes...

No encouragement like it!!

Dave Giving John options on Chillax Left

I managed to send the line and John did the lower start and sent it. Dave demoed a more direct exit but his heel slipped as he was topping out and we were all of us, giving him a good dose of Irish Spotting. He plummeted to the ground and looked to grate his back of a block below.

'You looked solid man... didn't think you were coming off that at all'... and so on ;)

No harm done.

Seamus on Chillax

Tom worked away on the line and finally sent it for the first time. It so satisfying to watch people catch that jug and not dab... I don't think there was anyone not listening for a brush of the mats or a contact with a rock below and when all one hears is silence as the boulderer in question swings through the air... there's a slight pause in the noise and then everyone starts willing and driving the person to send the line!!

Savage effort.

Chuppa Chop was next on the list and John retro-flashed it. The crimp was greasy as it could be today and by the time Dave made what is surely a crucial suggestion about what to do with my feet, there was little skin left on my fingertips and I knew it was time to call it a day.

I'm psyched to get back and try that beta out though.

Eoin, Katie and John were walking out and I bailed with them, leaving Seamus, Dave and Tom to head up to the lines in behind Wonderland...

Which apparently are NOT highball!

Ehhh...

Retroness back in the carpark