Bleek

Rocklands season is over for me this year.It came to a sudden end the evening before Rockstock.While playing a game of soccer,with only one more goal needed,I managed to stand on the ball rolling all my weight onto my right ankle and in the proccess tearing two of the three ligaments!What a idiot,fuck.Thanks to Clanwilliam hospiatl for misdiagnosing my injury and sending me on my way only to make the path to recovery even longer.Wankers.So I suppose all I can do for quite some time is train my upper body and then I will have to start out sportclimbing to limit tweaking my ankle while bouldering.
Before injuring my ankle I managed to get some strange surface tissue injuries.First off was my left ring finger.While climbing a really crimpy problem I let go with my right hand which resulted in an extra weighting of the left and this caused my finger nail to cut into the top of my finger.It was quite a deep cut and got infected very quickly so it was quite painfull to climb for quite some time due to the nail digging into the infected cut.Next was my ring finger on my right hand.I threw for a large flat sidepull and managed to hit it in a semi crimp position instead of open hand.This caused a huge bloodblister to form right on my finger tip.Both are now fully healed.

About Time

Its clearly been awhile since I posted my last blog.I am now back at home for a few days to catch up on some much needed rest.I have had time to update the blog in Rocklands but it just seems like such an effort.
So lets get to the details of my trip so far.It certainly hasnt turned out the way I intended it to.My 1st day of climbing was at Roadside and I was keen to get on Caroline.It took a little while to figure out the best beta that worked for me and after consistently doing the crux move I began to start linking it.I managed to get past the crux twice only to fall off the last move each time...frustrating to say the least.The next day a couple of us headed out to the Sassies.This was my 1st time going to the area and I was blown away by the quality of the problems there.Arjan managed an impressive onsight of splash of red and watching this guy climb just made me amped to train my ass off once my time in Rocklands comes to an end.To cut a long story short,I didnt climb for the following six days due to fucked up hands(skin/internal tissue).It felt like my hands had been roasted in a fire and simple tasks like zipping open my tent were agonizing.This was a major mental fuck up for me and I ended up gaining some weight those six days.Once I was able to use my hands again I slowly got back into the climbing.My buddy Jay,came down so we would just go and climb easy things to get back into shape.
Here is a list of the problems I have done so far:

Throw Yourself Away 7c+(changed beta and sent)
Sunset Arete 7c (wasnt on the list but went quick)
Shadows of Ourselves 7c (1st go 2nd session)
Scorpion 7c (a fucking cool problem at 8 day rain,quick send with the americans)
The Skink 7b+ (3rd go)
Chateau Rouge 7b+ (3rd go)
Maniac 7b
Roadside Slab 7a+(not my style,balancy small crimps)
Matie 7a
The Fin 7a
Bushel of Dildo's 7a
and lots of easy things

Can do all the moves on Witness the Sickness 8a+(now that a hold broke making it manly again) but it really fucks up my arm so avoid it most of the time.
The Hatchling is also something I wanna get back on when I return,feel pretty good on it.
Well,the scale says I have put on 4kg since being in Rocklands so this rest week is dedicated to running and loosing that weight.
I am highly motivated to train and work on my weaknesses which are easy to spot when climbing all the time.This is my goal for when I settle back down in the Cape...TRAIN FUCKING HARD.
It has also been great hanging out with all the phsyched people up there and Im loving meeting all the different nationalities.So many cool peep.
Its go big time once I get back....amped

Choas and Cruel Angel's Thesis

Chaos


Headed up to Redhill this morning with Choas(8a) being my main objective.I had spent a few sessions on it in summer and really wanted to do it before I left for Rocklands.The funny thing with this problem was that every time I went to try it,I was certain that I would get it.Well,that never happened and I started to hate working it.I often questioned myself as to why I was bothering to go back to it when I wasnt enjoying the actuall climbing.After sending it I still dont know but the feeling of success after so much hard work was good enough.I had figured out "the sequence" in summer and it was just a matter of putting it all together...so I thought.

Before going to Chaos I went up to warm up on the easy problems in the Vajra area.Conditions were amazing.The air was cold and crisp and the rock even colder.I knew today would be the day.
So around 12pm I made my way to Chaos.This was the beginning of the battle which would last 3,5hours in duration.My main problem was getting my left heel perfect and the times when I did get it,I couldnt bounce up to the better crimp.(my method involved bouncing from slopey crimp to better crimp and then flagging right foot under roof to get ready to palm up into the"undercling")
I had stuck that move many a time in isolation on previous trips but just couldnt link it from the start.I was getting seriously frustrated and nearly gave up on numerous occasions.Finally I tried to do the palming move to the undercling from the 1st shit crimp.I had tried this in summer but couldnt do it.I could only do it from the higher crimp.Well today was different and I managed to stick it.This bought some new hope with it and I started trying it from the beginning but kept fucking the heelhook up.A couple of abusive outbreaks later followed by some deep breaths and I did it.Whilst standing on top of the boulder trying to come to terms with what I had just done,I noticed blood pissing out of my right index finger????People familiar with the problem might be wondering how thats possible as there are no sharp holds for the right hand.I also dont know but apon inspection of the boulder it seems it started from the slopers you match on(I didnt match,just went up with left hand from starting hold)??weird

After a cigi break I went on over to Cruel Angel's Thesis(7c).I had briefly tried this once before after a failed Chaos session but strugggled with the move off the crimp to the jug.Feeling strong and still full of adrenaline,I just threw myself at it.After a couple of coccyx breaking dabs/falls,I stuck the jug wrenching my body upwards during the cutloose to avoid dabbing.Its actually a really cool problem despite being so low.

A Happy Easter

Went up to Rocklands over the Easter weekend with Marijus.Woody and a few other Cape boulderers were also up there but I was suprised not to see more.
We arrived on Thursday night,set up camp and then it was time to rest for some bouldering the next day.
Woke up to another warm day in Rocklands so decided it would be best to chill during the day and take advantage of the cooler late afternoon temps.I started out on Weichei which I have a long story to tell about but that will come when I send it on my trip.As usuall, I failed so moped on over to try my luck on Black Velvet.Was a bit worried to try it as I had tried it one evening on my December trip and after a few goes strained my flexor tendon in ring finger.This happened due to the fact that my pinky slipped off the crimp during the dyno motion placing shitloads of force directly onto my ring finger.Wasnt pleasant.
Once I got there I saw Robbie and Duncan trying Minki ext which is just to the left of Black Velvet.I waited for them to have a rest so I could borrow some of there pads and turns out they had a cool video camera so they said they would film my attempts.
I ended up sending and was really happy as this was my 1st 8A and a really good one too.Thanks to all for the video and editing etc.

I also managed to send Jaws 7c up at the Dihedral Boulders the same weekend.Did it 1st go of the day after trying it in far from ideal conditions in December with a fucked finger.So all in all a pretty good weekend.

Weekend Worrior of 2009

As stated in my previous blog I tried to head up to Rocklands every 2nd weekend in 2009.I will comment on the sends I managed to get on video.

Louder Than Bombs 7c
Well this problem, in my opinion, looks shit but the climbing is different and fun.The main problem I had with this was figuring out the beta that worked for me.My first sequence involved cutting loose matched on the jug but this always ended up with me dabbing the tree.As I hate changing sequences,I ended up trying to hold the cutloose harder each time.This never worked.

So one weekend during a dryspell of rain I made quick to the problem which I presumed would be dry as it is in a cave and only the topout juggy holds would be wet which would be alright.Thank god I got to it just in time as it started pissing while I was there.Stubborn old me carried on trying the same sequence I figured on previous attempts until finally I realized it would never go for me like this.So after studying it during a rest I spotted another possible way and which apart from the 1st two moves was completly different moves.I tried my newly studied beta from the 2nd move onwards and managed to do it from there straight away..stoked.It was harder to get into that cutloose position but I knew it would be the only way.It involved cutloosing sideways, with right hand on undercling,left hand on sloper and catching the jug as my foot came off instead of having footlocks under the roof with my right hand on jug,left on sloper and cutting into tree.Anyway,I sent next go from the start.



Powerline 6C+

Ok,Im not too sure of the name or grade of this problem but it is really aesthetic and cool.
I had gone to look at this area(Powerlines) on a rest day as it is a 20 second walk from the car and this problem stood out to me.The area is basically full of great warmups so one weekend I went there and warmed up on this problem.It is quite high and the topout holds look very fragile.As I was on my own with only 1 pad,I had to carefully decide on the best place to position it.I ended up putting it under the fragile topout holds but thank god I flashed it.(I dont believe a boulder can be onsighted,just my opinion)


Hole in One 7c+

After Powerlines I went back to the campsite with my sights set on I Believe I Can Fly 7c up at Arch Valley.This is a cool dyno but due to my lack of crimp strength at that time I could only give it a few goes before my fingers couldnt crimp the holds anymore..times have changed since then...I think
I was then unsure of what I should try and just thought I would go and check out Hole In One around the corner,another dyno problem.I didnt have high expectations but after only a few tries I managed to send.Again with 1 pad and no spotters.The topout isnt hard but should you fall your fucked on a jaggered slab behind you.
I find bouldering alone forces me not to just jump off or chicken out.On problems like this and Powerlines you dont have a choice once you get into a certain position unless you have a spotter.It also makes the send alot more rewarding as adrenalin is pumping more..good stuff

The Beginning

So I have resigned from work and will be heading out to Rocklands on the weekend of 4 June.I will be going for at least a month and having no constraints waiting for me back home I will probably end up staying even longer.My buddy Jay, will be joining me once he gets back from a yacht delivery.Good times ahead.This is something I(and many other boulderers im sure)have been wanting to do ever since my very first trip back in the winter of 2005.My previous longest stay was a mere 12 days in December of 2009.The reason being that with the profession I was in this was the only time I was able to take leave.In the winter of 2009 I made a effort to try go up at least every 2nd weekend but this proved to be expensive(petrol) and the state of depression having to leave every Sunday while I saw all the others enjoying themselves was unbearable.The tables have turned and I am now one of the others.The decission to resign was also due to the fact that if I did not do this trip I would regret it for the rest of my life.It is something that has to be done and I am proud to say that I am not one of these fucking sheep doing what I am told I have to/should do to get by in life.The only downfall to this trip will be an injury that has plagued me since I started bouldering.I have spent thousands of rands on physios and no positive outcome was ever reached.This injury only allows me to climb 1 day with 1 day rest as on my 2nd day of climbing in a row I develop(straight away while warming up)the most horrific pain in my upper arm.My arm looses all its strength and will be in agony for at least 45 minutes after it starts.This is something that has greatly affected my climbing and its sad to imagine what I could be doing had I been able to train properly and climb consecutive days on projects.I was luckily enough to be able to visit Prof. Tim Noakes,a world renowned sports medicine practitioner who gave me some valuable insight into what it could be.He thinks it is some sort of compartment syndrome to my upper arm which is worldwide very rare to occur in the upper arm.Basically what is happening is on climbing my 2nd day in a row, a muscle in my upper arm swells to a state of being bigger the its surrounding fascia therfore constricting nerves,blood vessels and arteries which is the cause of the severe pain and associated weakness.Surgery would be the only positive outcome so after a month I might decide to come back and finally get it seen to.
Well,follow my trip on this site and I will be adding some footage and stories from my trips last year and in easter of this year.