Kaly and the Send Train!

Feels like it's been ages since I wrote my last blog and been away climbing, so I thought it was about time.

Robin had invited me to join him and the Rocup gang ages ago but only began to think about it fairly recently. With lack of funding, I didn't even think this would be a possibility. But parents were begging me to join them on a holiday but with my nature, I can't sit and relax like they can, so instead they offered to pay for my holiday. For anyone who doesn't know where Kalymnos is, it's a Greek island, not too far from Kos that hosts some of the most amazing tufa lines and limestone sport climbing the world has to offer. I'm not really a fan of tufas and pinches but I think I'm beginning to be converted after this trip and was a little sceptical of how well I'd climb.

With last minute bookings meaning I couldn't join Robin or others with their travel/flights I ended up flying out to Rhodes which worked out a little cheaper, spending the night there, then getting a morning ferry to head over. Upon arrival into Kalymnos, I had no idea where I was going or anything about the island, hailed a taxi and travelled to the hotel. During the drive to Masouri, you come down this winding road only to reveal the island of Telendos just chilling in the bluest sea you have ever seen. Absolutely stunning! First day, I didn't climb but Robin, Danny, Cailean and Ben were already out and had a fairly decent start. When they got back, had a little chill on the beach, grabbed my transport - a meaty ATV quad, then headed over to Telendos for some dinner... Only to be swarmed by cats! Reasons for the quad: I'm bad on 2 wheels, easier to drive, can fit more gear on there.

Claire Berdick

Next morning, 7am start, head for breakfast, marvel at the sun coming onto Telendos, get packed up then track over to Odyssey. With a warm up of this 6a which felt hard, mainly because I was new to the rock and haven't lead outdoors in a while so was probably holding on for dear life. That and getting pumped from being a boulderer and only able to do 12 moves max. After, I think we tried a 6b (I can't remember) and then moved onto 'Feta' (6c). This beautiful line with these massive tufas and a low down crux. The plan was to go for an onsite, but again due to fear, got way too pumped out getting into the first knee bar rest and just couldn't recover for the life of me. After finishing the route, I came down to repeat it clean which felt so much better now knowing the moves and being able to focus on that rather than thinking about falling. the other guys tried this 7a+ next to it that I forget the name. Robin then looks at this 7c+ over left that looks insane. He leads it and I try and top rope it but it's just nails.  We end the day, head back and grab some food only for the rest of the Rocup climbers to join us.

The first real Rocup day. The team gather for breakfast and we head to Arginonta. A short little trek, we get the fresh Petzl kit out, get paired up and start climbing. I was paired with Ian for the first part. We started up this 5c, quickly moving onto 6a, 6b then this 6b+/6c called 'Anna-Maria'. A fairly juggy start into some slightly balanced moves, ending in some big power moves and sharp crimps. Mega fun line that I cut the back of my wrist on and still have a fairly deep scratch mark 10 days after.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

Now to try some harder bits. We headed towards the left side of the crag to have a look at this 7a called 'Electra'. This looked like a fairly juggy route with a good crack line up and then some harder moves at the top, still fairly do-able looking. Ian goes bolt to bolt and seems to do alright but this top section looks HARD. Claire and Hazel then get on and also make it looks pretty stiff, even with Robins beta. My turn to get on it and it seemed fine up until that crux point. Then it kicked in. The way Robin was saying was to go from this left hand side pull to this dirt spike, flip the left hand then bump the right into this decent crimp, adjust the feet then into the side pull jug. I tried it this way and it just felt way too spanned. After a few attempts at the move, I decide to spin things around a bit and go straight into the undercut left hand, clip, go right hand to the spike, adjust the feet then go right hand again. This saved so much more energy and felt smooth on the extra try on the way down.

With the sun approaching fast, everyone else has a good go at it but all seem to drop at this crux and no one manages it. I try and give it another go to claim it clean but the route is completely in the sun now. I get up to the crux, into the undercut, clip, get the feet good, lock into position only to slap up and keep searching around for the holds that were way further right... The chalk marks just blended into the rock and I completely lost the holds. Everyone was shouting right but I was so in the zone that I was ignoring them. I was even asking/shouting where it was and still blanked them! Dropped. With everyone now tired, we headed back, had an analysis, grabbed some dinner and a well earned kip.

Day 2 began the same but with a slightly earlier start. This time to head out to the Grande Grotta/Panorama. A 10min drive and a steep 30min walk, we approach this massive cave with giant stalactites all through the roof that looked incredible! We split off into teams and began our warm ups. I was paired with Roland (Robins brother) and started up 'Uncle Bert' (I think), this, what felt like a long tufa line with hard to read holds and movement as there were so many holds that looked good and that people chalked. We both topped and then moved onto 'Cyclops' (6c).

Photo: Liam Lonsdale



Photo: Claire Berdick

Rolo was the first up 'Cyclops' with these cool tufa lines to a sit down rest he moves across the next tufas into this giant undercut hole. With a quick rest and some hard moves he unfortunately drops it and can't quite get the move. With a little bit of battling, he makes the moves onto this good rest. At this point Robins shouting about some knee bar rest that just doesn't seem to work. The holds are decent enough to get a rest but not hands free. The next part is definitely the hardest bit though, it's a move up into this 2 finger left hand pocket, right hand to a crimp then bumps to a sloper, left foot on this not so good tufa foothold and push to the what looks like a flat crimp. On my turn I get to this point and keep moving back and forth from this down to the rest and back up as I'm not committed to trusting the foot. After wasting time and not getting anywhere I shout to Liam (the photographer) asking if the hold was a jug... Which he laughs at me. I go for the hold and its huge! I don't know why I just didn't commit but I know that if I did earlier, everything would've felt 10x easier.

Example photo from Google

We pack up and head for the main attraction, the Grotta. Many of you may have seen photos of it before but may not have known where it was. We headed over to this route called 'Ivi' which Robin believes I can flash - this used to get 7b last year but has been downgraded to 7a+. Last year Alex Megos campussed this. After watching Rolo go bolt to bolt, I pluck up the courage and give it a whirl. With some very juggy tufas which I struggle to find I make my way to the crux section. Megos made a campus rollover last year and I try the feet on version but doesn't seem to feel so great, so I bump instead, match, then knee bar. A quick shake then move up into the no hands rest. Moving on quickly into the next juggy line, I come up to this section with harder to find holds, getting fairly pumped. With my breathing getting heavier I come into the final knee bar and clip the chains! My first 7a+ flash outdoors!

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

With some rest and the sun gaining and everyone trying 'DNA' just to the left of 'Ivi', it's my turn to strip it and do it quick. I decide to second this instead just to make it easier in the roof. Being the idiot that I am, I smother myself in sun cream so now my hands are greasy, and as I go up taking the draws out making myself heavier. I get into the good no hand rest, shake and move onto to the bridging/back rest. Now, as far as excuses go, this is bad, but as soon as I put my back against the tufa, it just doesn't want to stick, I can feel my greasy sun creamed back just sliding out and decide that I have just just go for it. Which was a fairly big mistake as I drop it about 2 clips from the end. I'm not that pumped at this point but just get straight back on, I come up to this good tufa, get my right foot high and begin to rock over. My bad knee begins to lock and I can feel it as it compresses. Moving off the knee I feel (and hear) the massive pop as pain shoots all the way through my knee, get the last hold and clip the chains. Coming down I feel the release of pain and chill out for a bit. This has happened before climbing and the pain changes every so often. Sometimes it'll lock and pop and I'll be on the floor for 30mins in pain or it'll be super painful at first and feel nothing afterwards - My doctor says osteoarthritis from snowboarding whereas my physio says cartilage damage. In a way it was kind of lucky that the pain went quick but I didn't want to push it. Especially on the steep decent. Back home, analyse, dinner, all to prepare for the rest day.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

 

Rest day, the coaches went off to climb, the other guys go off to Sikati cave to explore whereas myself and Claire decide to head to Telendos for a bit of a relaxing explore and sunbathe. All the way across we can see the Grotta from the island as well as all the giant caves on Telendos that look incredibly inviting. With both myself and Claire being mainly boulderers, we discover some little boulders that don't look particularly hard, never been touched and have a play about. Fairly sharp and nothing that interesting, we chill out along a pier... All for my stupid flip flop to be blown into the sea :( we head back for dinner and to meet this years pro climber. Alex Megos. I didn't know what I was expecting but he has some great banter, he's really funny/witty, and was way shorter than I was expecting - and this guy is good at everything.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

Wednesday was the day for 2 areas and onsights. We started off in Arhi where I was with Mo and Victoria. I climbed a 6a slab warm up then moved onto a 6b slab. I don't know what it was but I really struggled with this. The holds were good (but sharp), the feet where good but I just broke down. I just couldn't do it. I spent ages on one section trying to move across and it just wasn't happening. Moved through that and onto the next where again, I just couldn't. I pulled in on the rope and just completely lost it. I have never in my life had that moment where I've been brought to tears just because I couldn't do this one move. I couldn't stop thinking that "this is a 6b, why can't I do this". The other times I had flashed 7's and other 6's that were harder but I just couldn't move. After a long break on the wall, I finish, strip the route, come down and have another meltdown. I was just so annoyed at myself and just couldn't get this thought out of my head.

With everyone being really supportive, Robin suggests I should try this 7a called 'Kastor' where the other guys were. To make it up to him I say I'm going to fully onsite it, no beta, no watching anyone else, just me, and that's it. Before this, Robin insists that I get my head back in and try 'Thetis', this 6b bridging problem, left of this massive tufa. I race up that and get my moves set out for 'Kastor'.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

'Kastor' looked perfect for me. Big powerful boulderey moves with good rests in between. I start up the slab and onto the the route, working my way up these juggy tufas into this big crux move to these huecos. I didn't realise there was a jug the far side and got so narrow minded, hit the sloper got my heel on the tufa and pulled into the crimp. This felt pretty easy, no harder than a V2/3 move. Pulled into the undercut then into the compressed knee bar rest. I was mega worried that my knee would lock again but it felt good throughout. Carried on through the next tufa section and to the chain! Psyched! I was back onto with my highest onsight. From complete breakdown to PB outdoors. We packed up and headed over to Odyssey for everyone to get used to this sector and pick out their climbs for projecting.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

On arrival, Robin suggests I should attempt to flash 'Lucky Luca' (7a+). Megos gets up and puts the draws in, all with the challenge of doing it in flip flops. Makes it look like nothing. Robin talks me and Ian through the beta and Ian goes bolt to bolt. From my view the route looks hard but what I didn't realise was that there are massive rests all the way up. 2 moves, rest, 2 moves rest, etc. Once Ian had enough, it was my turn. The first 2 clips, easy jugs then into this hard V4 sequence, right hand out to this octopus looking pinch, flick the feet over (heel), left hand to this shallow slot, right hand to this dirt punch, bump up to a slightly better pinch, left foot high, left hand out to what looks like a juggy pinch and this is where I clipped but should've done the next move as it was a massive juggy pinch then clipped. From here it's then 2 moves into a great frogging rest.

Next comes good undercut, giant feet, cross through to another undercut, left hand to a pinch, right hand to an undercut slotted tufa then big flake, clip and rest. Big undercut pocket, height feet, work up the right hand pinch then left hand out to this big shoulder flake with a massive rest (giant feet). After its just working up this tufa which is all fairly juggy to the top which a lot of people tend to drop it as the last hold is a slopey jug. I clamped my feet around the tufa while Robin was shouting for my to get a knee bar which, 1 couldn't see and 2, didn't feel I needed. Again back to the hotel, analyse and dinner. Robin and I discuss the meltdown and he says that after that I climbed great and just need to twist more which is due to being square when bouldering, but otherwise my tech is spot on.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

Thursday was a pretty good day for me. Again 7am start, breakfast, view Telendos, pack and head out to Odyssey again for working projects. I warmed up on 'Feta', this felt mega easy this time as I raced up it and only gaining mild pump.. I then move on to looking at 'Sirene'. Danny and Hazel were both eyeing up this 35m 7c. Both of them looked strong on it yesterday and I though I'd bolt to bolt it and see if I can smash it. The first section didn't feel that bad up until the rest, then it got progresively harder. Into some fairly bouldery moves, where the others go left hand into this pinch, right hand into a slot, left hand out into a positive but small side pull, then roll over to sloper with feet going back and forth. I try this but it doesn't feel right and decide to go left hand to the pinch, right to the slot, left to the crimp, right hand into the pinch which is by your chest, then left hand to the sloper, match and then jug. This is more of a power way of doing it but there's less faff off the feet. After its then into some good holds with mega big moves that you have to full commit to then into some crimps to finish. With 35m of climbing and the crux being at the top, I decide to sack it off as I know I'm going to be super pumped by then and unable to do it. I come down and join Claire who had just completed 'Amphora' this shorter 7b next to it for which she talks me through the beta.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

With Megos also showing me the beta and being happy with the moves, I step up to the route aiming to flash. I can feel my heart literally pick up the pace as soon as I clip the first draw! Luckily you can clip from the first move and chill out with no hands. I continue to proceed on the route, using my rests wisely as the last moves are easily droppable with pump. I come to the last rest which isn't amazing, right hand on a jug, left on a slopey pocket. My left hand was recovering but didn't have enough time for my right to recover. I spent about 2mins trying to get something back but it wasn't getting any better (nor worse) and just thought I'd go for it. Right hand goes out to juggy side pull, left hand out into the crimp rail and this pump just comes out of nowhere! I can feel my elbow raising super high, I bring my hand hand in to this dirty offset pocket and through to the top hold. ITS A JUG! I mis-hit it though and in my pumped state just manage to creep over the top and claim it! 7b FLASH!!!!! New PB's this trip. I decide I didn't want to try anything else and end on a high, belaying everyone else for the day and giving beta to 'Lucky Luca'. Again we head back, discuss and review the videos and you can see how high my elbow goes at the top! I have no idea how I managed to stick that. Food time and sleep ready for more sends the next day.

With everyone now having chosen their projects to smash out on these last two days, this was unfortunately my last day as I had to head back to Rhodes. Robin then gave me the task to keep the flashes high, aiming to Onsight 'Kulturistika' (7b), Flash 'Daphne'(7b) and get 'Alfredo Alfredo' (7b+) on my second go.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

 

Feeling pretty psyched, I warmed up on 'Feta' with Claire as she aims for an onsight (Roland belayed). We call over Megos to stick the draws in 'Kulturistika', with my back turned and covering my ears, he makes light work of the 7b. My go. I plan out my moves and explain to Robin what I plan on doing and make light work of the lower crux section - big undercut jug with a fairly big move to this sloping crimp rail, wide feet into the grim pinch, match hands, clip, move up the pinch then out another undercut, match and move into to the next pinch. I sort my feet out and make the next clip. From here, some asshat had ticked the outside of this foothold. From below it looks like a good spiked crimp. I move up to it and become so narrow minded that this is my next hold and end up dropping the onsight. Robin then tells me to go for the high we pinch with even higher feet and the rest is mega easy. At this point I'm so annoyed. Megos then says for me not to worry about dropping onsighs. People drop onsights 90% of the time. It's that 10% when everything goes perfect. At least I didn't have to wait year round for the perfect conditions or train ridiculously hard for specific moves. Claire then gave it a try but kindly insists that I get back on it as we haven't got much time until I have to leave.

I get back on it and make light work of the whole thing. So much so that the 7b feels like 6b. At this point I'm even more annoyed at myself for dropping it as it felt so easy. But I have to move on as time is pressing on. We both move onto to 'Daphne' where Danny is making his way up his flash attempt. He gets to the crux up in the top section making it look easy! He makes his way through the crux flicking to the last holds where his whole body comes away from the wall but he still just manages to hold on! He makes the last holds and clips the chains! We now go through the beta and it's now down to me to try to flash it.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

The first section feels fairly easy with a lot of good holds and rest with a few little spicy holds thrown in. I make it to the no hands rest where I stay for a while. The next section is fairly decent then out to this jug but with poor feet, right before the crux. At this point I'm quite pumped and just try to recover on this jug which isn't quite happening. I eventually decide to make a break for it. Into the pinch, clip, fumble around and go back down to the rest. I go again feeling fairly shaky and hit the side pull after the pinch near the last draw, adjust the feet and hit the last jugs in a completely different sequence than Danny, clipping the chains! Another 7b flash! Now to move onto 'Alfredo Alfredo' while Claire tries 'Daphne'.

Taking Megos with me, he puts in the draws and talks me through the moves while I watch everything he does in full detail. Again he makes light work of this 7b+. I attempt to go for the flash following ever one of Megos' moves but unfortunately drop it on this big power move to this pocket. I try again and fail. On the 3rd attempt I notice this intermediate and press on. The next section feels fairly easy and with a bit of pump get to the crozzily last part. I hit these 2 small crimps and throw for the last hold dragging my knuckles up the rock and slicing my fingers. The move felt easy but I missed the catch because of it. I come down, have a rest and give it another go.

Photo: Liam Lonsdale

Feeling fairly powered out, I get to the same section as I did before with the big move to the pocket. I hit the pocket but didn't quite catch it right. Again I work up the last parts feeling pretty tired. I get to these crimps and have to rest. The last move feels easy still though. There is a choice of another small crimp before the final jug but I didn't think I could hold it while fairly boxed. This was unfortunately my last go as I had to run back to the hotel, pack up everything and start my treck home.

The journey home was the biggest pain in the ass ever! I get to the ferry port where they tell me that my ferry has been cancelled and that there is nothing to Rhodes that day. Instead, they stick me on another ferry out to Kos that sets off 2 hours later in hope to catch a Kos to Rhodes ferry the following morning. With no Wifi and Eurotraveller not wanting to work I have to spend a ton of money cancelling my Rhodes hotel and booking one in Kos. Spend most of the evening frantically wondering about getting food and finding this hotel and spending a nice relaxing evening chilling and preparing for the annoying day to follow. Up early to catch the 7am ferry, I meet up with this random guy from Lituainia and his friends and we get chatting. We arrive in Rhodes and spend most of the day in the town before heading off to the airport for this guy to catch his earlier flight. I'm now left for 4 hours awaiting my flight alone when an hour later, Will from the Rocup group rolls into the airport on his newly acquired wheelchair - Will unfortunately damaged his ankle on the first day in Arginonta which then swelled up for the week. We get chatting and it turns out his (and a few others') flight to Athens was cancelled! He managed to grab the last seat on this flight from Rhodes (which flies a little bit after mine) and managed to get a flight from Kaly to Kos and from Kos to Rhodes. Apparently he was the only one on the flight to Rhodes. We get checked in, grab some food and await for the gates. Will doesn't seem to be having much luck as his flight was delayed! But it was time for me to head off back home. Getting back into the UK was mega easy and get home excited for my own bed!

Thanks to the Rocup crew for having me and the coaching. Massive thanks to Liam Lonsdale for the amazing shots as well as the banter. Cheers to the Meg-dog for being the quick-draw monkey, showing us the way and leaving our jaws permenantly on the floor. Thanks to the guys taking part, being mega friendly, belaying and be super cool to chill out with. I hope everyone got back safely and without too much hassle. Finally a big thanks to ClimbSkin for keeping my fingers going throughout the holiday and Tenaya for keeping my feet stuck on! Now currently awaiting a squad trip to Font and a trip to Siurana!

Left row to the right: Robin O'Leary, Hazel, Liv, Ian, Alex Megos, Ben West, Randy, Claire, Will, Me, Victoria, Mo, Cailean Harker, Danny, Gareth, Roland - Photo: Liam Lonsdale