NEW TREASURES

So yesterday I went again to Amiata top to climb. I did the routine warmup, not feeling particularly good: a bit too much alcohol and food the night before didn't make me feel 100%, plus I was on my own again, and this usually means business, no talking, no smiling, no resting. I did again "Il Motorino di Mario" just to make sure it's a static move now. It is. Then I went to try "Il Traverso del Cinghiale" (The Boar Traverse), which I sent, but at a much lower difficulty than expected and hoped, a long move out of a sloper cut off some tricky bits, and made for a quick send. Then I did one new problem that Luca and Filippo, two other Projectzero sponsored, cleaned a few weeks ago: I left the ground for the flash, but it wasn't to be, it took me four or five tries just to figure out the right sequence, then I did it, with painful holds and precarious moves, but very beautiful despite the dirty last holds and the lack of topout. Being alone means that you can thrash yourself without hearing voices suggesting you to take it easy, so I did thrashed myself, going again to do "Donnie Darko" a sharp 7b on a slightly overhanging wall with one painful hold and a long dyno. This will always be a dyno, blimey. Anyway, with my fingers already screaming I decided to try another sequence that I had tried to use on this problem some time ago, and surprisingly two tries later "Donnie Darko right hand" was born.

Just another new problem on the way to the van and it was time to go.

Ok, these were the facts.

The feelings now.

I'm happy, I don't think I managed anything hard but I managed a few new problems in good style. The place is amazing. There's an enormous potential that calls for a bouldering/cleaning meeting.

Oh, I almost forgot: I didn't try my project, but found two new ones. Imagine a big boulder with a steep face that has only just a few holds, and that bulges out into a slab with long moves between bad holds. Then on the right hand side there's an arete with good holds (for what I could see) and a very bad landing. One thing you don't want to fall from: I need some proper padding for that then I'll have to flash it. I will try it only because I think it should be easy. Anyway, this new project is absoultely stunning: unlike the other one I have there, that's intriguing just because plain hard, this one is also very beautiful. I am very very happy, can't wait to get there again and try it. Spotting and padding required here as well.

So it's not very common to climb three or four new problems in one afternoon at your local area, and discover two new lines, and that's why I'm very satisfied.

It seems that my wrist is slowly but steadily healing despite all the (at times very serious) beating I give it. May the god of wrists reward it for its duties.

Ciao.