Finger Failure

Finally managed to break out of the north for a weekend after finishing the first two modules for the first semester last week (distinction in the essay.......get in!) . Headed down to Dublin for the first round of the IBL. Dropped in to UCD for a quick wall session on friday to limber up for the comp and found out that UCD have finally disabled my university computer account. Thats one of my last few ties with the place severed *sniff*. Crashed with Jerome and Annie in very salubrious surroundings. Fanciest placed I've stayed in quite a while, cheers guys! We all headed into DCU for the comp on saturday morning, the earliest I've ever arrived at an IBL. Comp was good and very well set by Michael, Kev and Big Ron. Just the right level of difficulty to seperate out the pack, apart from Harry who is on another level and crushed everything in sight! Jerome nabbed a comfortable second place......not bad for a guy with an 11 week old baby, and consequently no sleep! :-P

I came 29th, which frankly isn't good enough. Goes to show how little of a well-rounded climber I am that I got 20 points on a basic 6c on crimps and failed miserably on a 5a corner bridging problem and all the slabs! Also managed to knacker my right ring finger which made Paul not a happy camper. Not too badly done in, but bad enough that I probably can't boulder properly for about 3 weeks and am confined to 1 arm stuff on the beastraper. What makes matters worse is that I fell back on an old habit and had a couple of commiseratory cigarettes afterwards. Result: Instant head-cold. Twat. Just about recovered now and will set to the gym and running laps of campus with renewed vigour next week. Its a good opportunity to try and bring my left hand up to the level of my right on the beastfaker too. Every cloud......

Got a lift back up with Richie on sunday evening with plans to hit the surf (first time for me) on monday. Stupid cold buggered that up. Entirely own fault. Did see some interesting stuff at White Rocks outside Portrush though. Chalk overhangs, caves and arches and the like. Spot of tooling anyone? Possible bouldering too. Anyone ever bouldered on chalk before? Seemed solid enough.

Picked up Lance Armstrong's autobiography today for a bit of inspiration/psyche and I'm already half way through! That is one hell of a motivated mo fo. Like the Rich Simpson of cycling. Definitely one of my biggest sporting inspirations, even if he was a bit of a dick (not a cancer joke). Sure he may have had a bit of an ego, but has anyone ever heard of Jerry Moffatt?! :-P

Whats at the end of your leg? A leg-end. Much like this one. WAD

James McHaffie climbing Mission Impossible E9 7a from UKClimbing.com TV on Vimeo.

Might try and get out doing easy routes at the weekend, weather depending. Or dick around on the internet talking shite. It will almost certainly be the latter, as usual! :-)

Peace out

p.s. this post has taken about an hour to write because the girl sitting across from me has the most amazing blue eyes. I love college.

Rain? What rain?

Miserable day yesterday. Went to belfast for the first time and hit the Ozone wall. When you're mediocre at the best of times hitting a new wall isn't usually the most ego massaging of experiences, but it was good fun. Good wall and not too bad to get to. I forsee many wet weekends being spent there in the future.

Was chucking down at Murlough Bay today, but still managed to get in a good session trying what I like to think of as the "Jerry's Roof project". Traversing out left under the massive roof on the "Brought to you by the letter M" boulder.

Big Boulder

Kev getting the "Eye of the Tiger" on the move to the crimp

Dayle giving it socks

Me giving it a punt

Now show me moody....

The bouldering potential up here really is massive. Literally hundreds of boulders that have probably never been looked at. All you need is a few pads, a bit of enthusiasm and a lot of mindless optimism! :-)

Peace

Photo credits, Jeremy Colandairaj

This settles it, Carreg-y-Barcud shall feature much more prominently on the next Pembroke trip!

Surprised myself yesterday by doing Eat It Left at Murlough Bay. First 7a, well chuffed! Don't have time for the usualy self-adulatory sprayathon, as theres college work to be done (bloody priorities). But I do reckon the gym and the running has been paying off. Also got to within 3 or 4 inches of the crimp from the sitter, and that was with barely being able to pull on. A bit more shoulder and core oomph and it could well be possible.....PSYCHE!

Anyway, back to work. Later.

The beast has ARRIVED

After literally three hours ceaseless labour, behold.....


And from the side......


Mid construction...

(I'm sure the college authorities would love to see the use their property is being put to :-)

The aftermath.......

So finally the fingerboard mounting saga has come to an end. Now the easy part begins.....Getting psyched to train on it!

(not exactly the typical IYM look of Syke I'll admit, but sitting on the ground for three hours sawing bits of wood can do funny things to the mind!)

Verdict: Badass

This board is truly the dog's nether regions. I can hang the deep 4 finger slot, deep 3 finger slot and the 20deg sloper one-armed. The 35deg slopers are things of beauty, and I can't even touch the 45's.....fookin desperate! The edges and the big pockets are fine (back 2 feel a bit strain-y though, best ease into those bad boys) and I can just about hang the shallow pockets and both sets of monos. The slopey pockets are taking the piss though! I mean seriously, what the fuck?!? I heard Keith Bradbury transfered from the slopey pockets to the 45's. WAD. Thats now my ultimate aim on this board. This is so cool, finally something climbing-specific to get my teeth into. I reckon with this, the gym, the running, the cycling and the skipping I might actually get properly fit for the first time since I used to swim competitively about 8 or 9 years ago. PSYCH!!

Looks like I'm going to get the train to Belfast in the morning for a wall sesh (unless Ciaran comes through that is, he is officially the busiest dude I have ever met!). Also looks like I'm going to be able to make it to the DCU IBL (so yes Ailish I can go dancing for your birthday. Only cos its your birthday mind you! :-P ). Until then I shall be punishing my tendons to, what I hope will be, just short of destruction.

Peace Out tendon rapers everywhere

p.s. Got this today, which was almost as exciting as opening the box of the beastfaker......Is it just me, or does the "And" look a bit like "Anal"? Answers on a postcard.

What do you want to do when you grow up?

I want to do stuff like this.....

Leg-end

I just re-watched, for what seems like the hundredth time, the most palm-sweat-inducing piece of climbing footage I've ever seen. Dave MacLeod sketching and falling from the top of The Hurting in Coire an tSneachta. Closely rivalled by Tim Emmett and Ian Parnell on the F.A. of Pic 'n Mix in HardXS. I've only spent 3 or 4 days winter climbing in my life, but they were easily some of the best. Very psyched to get back to scotland this year or early next. And my mate Jock has been on to me about some possible short-notice trips to Donegal next Jan-Feb in search of the elusive beast that is Irish winter climbing. Heres hoping next February is like the last one! :-)

Edit: T.K. Maxx rock the casbaah! Really nice Patagonia baselayer for £16. Must keep an eye out for decent winter jackets, mine is little more than a raincoat. Pants too, my old waterproofs got shredded in the line of duty last March! :-P