Peaks and JBBC's

About time that I completed another post.

Back up to the Peaks again for a weekend of fun! I was planning on heading up for a bit longer but holding out due to the weather looking bad while Portland looked pretty good. Decided that morning that I couldn't ditch my friends and headed up pretty early as usual. Hitting The Outside shop for breakfast looking at the forecast saying 40% chance of rain from 1pm-8pm and trying to plan our day accordingly.

Tiger V4 - Burbage South (Photo: Diggs North)

Breakfast finished, we pack up and head to Burbage South to warm up and get on some nicer problems before the weather kicks in hoping that if there is light rain the wind will dry it quickly. Heading through some thick cloud and parking up at the north-side for a long walk in to work on stuff on the way back thinking this was going to suck, the weather finally starts clearing up and looking a bit better. After a quick warm up by the armored car and tank, we pop on a few easy V0/V1's and get the blood pumping.

Staring at 'Tiger' (V4) we all get on it and eventually complete the easiest one-move wonder ever and have a little play, making eliminates, and messing around on a few of the boulders next to it. Eventually getting bored we check the weather again, the 40% chance has moved from 1pm up to 3/4pm. Great! Over to Stanage to work on my project 'Brass Monkeys'.



Lunch By Voyager V13/V14 - Burbage (Photo: YY)

On the way back through Burbage North, we decide to have a gander/lunch at Voyager, the V14 (sit start) Nathan Phillips recently topped. The crimps look like dirt, the feet look pretty poor, would love to try but not soon!

Heading up the Business block (like usual), do some easy climbs again to warm up into it, and then look at Deliverance (V8) as one does because, why the hell not? After trying it over and over like I always do, still no cigar on catching the dyno. Time to move on to "IT"! Scoping it out again and again and after last times failed attempts at the first two moves, this time they feel pretty easy. Still weird but easy. Again piecing out the beta that works for me, I make it to the 3rd/4th move! this time with more pad, We stack them up and try the last section which feels fine! a bit of a battle but it'll go and I think the top section will be fine! Trying over and over, getting tired and with the midges starting to fly in, we plan to pack up, hit tut pub and call it a day.

Brass Monkeys V9 - Stanage (Photo Diggs North)

Looking through the menu craving the Camembert, followed by some steak they tell us they're all out! Gutted, we stop by the shop and grab some as well as ingredients for S'mores and have some fun with Diggs' camera and plan for tomorrow ;)

After a fairly comfortable sleep in the car for a change, getting up at 8am we pack down and head for Brekkie at the Outside shop. Quick sausage butty and another chat about the plan, we decide to go with Robins idea and head to Gardoms (call from the night before).



Marks Roof V8 - Gardoms (Photo Diggs North)

Now Gardoms.... Why have I not known about this place until now?!?! Grit climbing with the mix of some roofs, with only what seems like a few warm up climbs on some low ball roofs, Robin suggests looking at Mark's roof. Mark's roof is a V8 climb that starts off as a fairly easy muggy climb that slowly turns more outdoorsy and slopey. Got to the edge on my 1st try but couldn't work out the hard crux move. After trying with a heel which felt like I was getting close, I call up the big guns in aid for some beta... He says that the heel is way harder ad I should use a toe on the other side, jam my knee into the rock and swim my way up with some added nipple friction to help. With the sun shining brighter and the heat coming in, the grit is getting greasier and greasier. I give the problem a few more attempts this way and getting so close but the left hand slap was soooooo greasy.

In between attempts the other guys have a look at this tricksy V5 crispy route on the left of the roof, very powerful with fairly small crimps. Looking at some of the holds and my fingers where screaming.

Unfortunately I didn't end up getting the problems but am mega keen to go up soon and finish it. It doesn't seem that far off!

Now onto the JBBC's (Junior British Bouldering Champs) at the Manchester Depot. I highly recommend going up there if you're that way and it's raining. Massive centre with tons of problems, big showy holds, cool moves, great shapes and setting! The weekend after the trip to the peaks, myself and only one of the squad members (Luna) made our way up for the comp. Meeting a few friends, we prepare and start warming up and going round having a look at the problems to complete. Only 8 problems to do with 3 attempts each. Doesn't seem so bad really but when they're towards your limit and you've got only a few hours to complete, WITH pressure from other competitors and nerves (which don't help with others falling off) gets x10 harder.

Unluckily for Luna, she's one of the youngest now Youth B also making her one of the shortest. The first problem sherries was fairly straight forward with a biggish move into a pocket to start followed by a clock move; the route then finished with a fairly decent sized move to a crap hold and was fairlly stead from that. She read the whole thing perfectly and we had practiced moves like this in training before but really struggled with the first big move. 2nd try she got all the way out to the last crap hold but just couldn't make it. A little annoyed with her first route she meets up with Ce-Ce so cheer her on and have a little boost.

Onto the 2nd route. I couldn't really see much from this point as it was around the far side of the centre behind the island which spectators weren't allowed to go :/ again no luck with this problem and again moving onto the 3rd. After seeing lots of people drop the move, Luna started to doubt herself. It was a big committing move with a large swing, something she struggles with but she absolutely cruised up it like it was nothing! With a bit more psych and self belief we hit the other problems.

Long story short, it wasn't enough to make it in the finals but we learnt that there was work needed to be done and that she really shouldn't doubt her abilities. Saying that, that's one of the biggest things about a lot of the kids these days, most really seem to doubt yet surprise themselves every time they come up to a challenge.

Staying to test some of the blocks and watch the final, I can truly say that there are some mega strong juniors out there and good on them for doing as well as they have been doing. It only make me with that I started way younger than I did and made different choices than I have made; but, stuff happens and you got to roll with it.