Lightning Strikes, Relativity and the SSP

After a session with Robin not too long ago, he invites me to come with him outdoors, probably Portland along with Matt Phillips (One-armed Matt) - you may have seen him on the "Yes I Can" superhumans advert climbing at Whitespider. After discussing about heading up to the peak and contemplating what to do, eventually we decide to go Portland to do some pebble dancing followed by a little bit of Deep Water Soloing (DWS), then if we're not too tired, some rope action - was keen to get back on 'Sign of the Vulcan'

I've never really done any proper bouldering over that way as I mainly go down for the routes and a little bit of DWS. Surprisingly a not too early start for me, I head over to Robins, pack up his car, pick up Matt and head down. I never really enjoy driving to Portland due to the amount of traffic I always get stuck in, which is exactly what happened. Luckily, Robin knows that area pretty well so we take a few shortcuts and gets us over to The Cuttings boulder-field.

With a prickly overgrown treck in, we make it to the warm up blocks and all of us smash out the easy V0-V2's. It was interesting watching Matt climb and see how he processes and works out problems. after all of this we head over towards Lightning Strike and Relativity a V7 and V6, both starting with this juggy mini roof section into this crimpy section. After going over the moves with Robin, both Matt and I give it a go.


With Matt making his way through the juggy section, he gets to the lip and can't quite get the right holds with his arm. Another person was trying the same problems to and managed to show us a completely different way that Robin had explained. His way looked much harder but unlocked a little bit for Matt. I give it a go, get through the jugs, get to the pinch, throw the heel up and into the next crimp, from here I'm meant to get a toe hook and bump my left hand to this undercut crimp but can't stick it as I'm a little off the move. Matt gives it a few more goes with the new beta but doesn't quite stick it but can get to the smooth slopey arête.

With a few more goes and slight adjustment, I manage to get to the little ear crimp, and get to the higher guppy with the right hand, from here there feet are a little awkward to find but you've got good crimpy jugs and the rest is fine. Pretty happy I managed a V7 in 4 goes! Especially in Portland where I'm not keen on limestone or crimpy problems. With Matt struggling to get the sequence for him, we look at Relativity just next to Lightning.


Again with Robin going over the beta, Matt gets on it and does incredibly well but there's one big span move that he can't quite do with his arm. Again, we re-arrange the beta for it to work with him and with every time he gets closer and closer.

My turn on it, easy jug section, sort out the feet, right hand into a meh intermediate then a big bump to a really good crimp. Sort out the feet, big lock into another crimp to steady then another bump into a good crimp. From here, it's bumping into a crimp and a jug, sorting out the feet and topping out. DONE! V6 FLASH! The only hard part was the big span. But even that didn't feel that hard. I think if you really didn't know good beta then it may have felt V6 but after topping it, personally I would've given it a V4 or maybe V5.

 

With Matt having a few more goes and getting pretty close, we decide to go for lunch and head to Portland Bill for Matt to try DWS for the first time. Parking up and a quick ice cream, we journey over to the rusty ladder where there are cliff jumpers diving in from the top out of this climb. Down the ladder and get set up on the ledge. For me, I didn't bring my old shoes, towel or spare kit as we decided DWS on the way down. I've tried this area before and wasn't keen to do DWS on the day so decided to became camera man. With Matt and Robin having fun, they also try the cliff jumping and the rope swing. 'Twas a bit dodgy as Matt kept letting go at the wrong point and nearly knocking him self out on the way back in and Robin hitting the roof when swinging in.

 

After a great day, we hit the pub for some poorly cooked steak and a pint. We then headed back and called it a day only for me to decide to stay at Robins to join him for Squad the next day.

8:30 start, bit of of a weighted fingerboard session with Robin. Max hangs on the Beastmaker 2000 which is set up between 4-8 degrees overhanging (depending on how much weight is added) and each of us showing our strengths. With Robin trashing me at pockets and slopers and me beating him at the crimp - surprising for me, we chill out for a bit before squad.

I haven't seen another team train before but jeeze these kids are strong and committed. With a warm up of ultimate frisbee, with myself and Robin joining, was a great warm up but my knees were destroyed afterwards - I haven't had a run in about a year and a half since being told I've got Osteoarthritis, my fitness was just as bad.

 

Heading inside the guys do their dynamic stretches, get kitted up and ready to test out the new route. With all age categories eventually getting up to the 7a mark with some pushing through to 7b+, it was ridiculous to see. These kids were committed, were dropping, and just really focussed on climbing rather than the other distractions. I wish I was able to focus like that without the fear of falling/landing. Was interesting also to see Matt again working on some indoor projects that looked hard for him. Right at the end he was working on a 7a and got most of the moves in his own way, he just needed to link it up and send it. To finish off the kids went for a bit of core and we all headed home.

Great to see the Surrey guys climb and get an insight to their training, especially as they seem more roped focussed. Was also good to get some climbing time with Robin as he always busy. Hopefully should be heading to Llanberis towards the end of the month with him and a few others - got our eyes on Bus Stop, Lizard king and Jerry's Roof.