ZZZZZZZZZ...

Dammit I am tired.

Tired of going to the gym, with its filthy, rubber covered, glassy holds.

Tired of training. Oh, no, sorry. I should say tired from training.

The last two weeks have been very very hard. Even if I'm working on technique, this doesn't mean I don't pull with my arms. So after two four sessions weeks, I am definitely tired.

Anyway, I will take this week a bit easier, given also yesterday's climbing. It was ok, nothing really great, but ok. I nearly repeated Lourdes, 7c+, second try after one year and half without touching it. Being tired, it's not that bad. Then I did some 7a's and 7a+'s including Mandorla, a solid 7a+ put up years ago by Tino, fellow american climber with a wingspan like a motorway.

I wanted to go to Out of Service to clean the low right start that will mean my next nightmare. It's a couple of moves that go round a small bulge to the original starting holds, that rwequire serious lock offs with your shoulders broadly open. We will see, I'm confident.

Anyway we didn't go, mainly because we were a happy bunch, and I wouldn't have let that happiness for anything in the world, it's just to good to climb with your friends, pushing limits.

We were sucked by one old project of mine, that's the right exit of said Mandorla, along a slopey ramp over one big boulder. I hope we have some footage, because it will be very good and very funny, including climbers falling on to the boulder and sliding down to the ground on the pads. The project is hard and committing.

One last thought: I really climb differently on rock. I transform myself, from a whiny bastard that is always complaining about greasy holds of the gym, to a real climber who doesn't give up.

And to finish: PAUL B, if you read this, don't let go. I really feel your anger, but it will come to an end. C'mon!!!