Sunday 15 November 2009

MOVING SIDEWAYS

Today I stole a few hours on rock. Despite the cloudy sky, I drove and got the reward, in terms of a very good afternoon of pulling on small, nasty holds at a small area in the Amiata range.
I only did traverses!
After a brief warmup that involved two problems that I seriously doubt pass the 6a mark, I saw a couple of holds under the moss, that could have been a nice exit for an already existing traverse. After some dirt scrubbing, other two holds appeared and I was ready for a go. One go was all I needed: I got to the mantle pumped (25 ish moves...) but I topped out, happy to be alone again in a red, yellow, green, brown wood. It's incredible how noisy can the falling leaves be. It's incredible how little I need to feel happy.
Full of glory for this new link, that I have obviously dubbed "The Full Monty", I decided I would give a go to a problem I did many years ago. Well, I didn't leave the ground. Given that the problem involves just one move, I failed miserably. Ah! I wonder how I managed to do it that day! That's brilliant and one of the hardest moves I've ever done. Maybe I failed because it wasn't a traverse.
Last but not least I worked the hard hard exit of yet another traverse that I have sent during the summer on holds that would make Keith scream in terror just by looking at them: edges that we call "dog's teeth". 'nuff said.
Anyway this traverse is BRILLIANT. There is a very very hard move, to get a poor edge far right, then somehow you have to stay there, bring the left foot high up and then somehow gain the lip. It's amazing. I am so happy. I still haven't done the last two moves, but I have done all the rest and am confident to do it in the next ten years ;-).
My fingers are eaten, my body is worked and my mind is free.
Beastie Boys live.

1 comment:

uptown said...

Shuffles in a red, yellow, green, brown wood. I love it!