Honey, I'm home....

I am back from Font. To save you reading pages of my rambling twaddle I'll start by stating that I DID NOT CLIMB 8A.
Anybody still here? No, didn't think so. Oh well here's a slightly deeper analysis of Fontal going-ons.
First off. I want to move to Font. It's amazing. Great pastries, relaxed pace of life and the best bouldering in the world (OK I can't make that statement from a position of knowledge but god is it good). Anyone under the impression that the Peak, or Yorkshire can compete with Font for bouldering is frankly delusional. So that's a new objective, move to Font in the next five years.

Anyway the climbing. I tried lots, most of it was amazing. The weather was pretty good in the sense that we climbed every day but also pretty poor for harder (for me) problems as it was consistently very warm and quite humid, especially in the early mornings when the slightly lower temperatures were ruined by the fairly persistent morning mists. I didn't get to go everywhere I wanted to, on family holidays you never do. But I went to some new places and also visited a few old favourites and a very good time was had.

Specific problems? Well from my master list of 4 we've got:
1) Fata Morgana - didn't get to this one, I felt it was the least likely to fall to my skill-set. Might try a visit next year...
2) Toit de Greau - went to this one morning in the pouring rain, the starting holds were dry but everything else was soaked and conditions were horrible (hot and humid). I pulled on and could reach the next hold with a bit of umph but it was dripping wet. I'll probably head back next year and try it in the dry.
3) Beaux Quartiers - went to this one evening. Again it was crazy hot and humid and we bailed after half an hour when it started raining. Did the first few moves and the last "hard" move and the easy finish. Couldn't get anywhere on the two middle moves but I think on a crisp cold day I could definitely do this.
4) Noir Desir - Got very close on this but the condition of the top slopy pocket coupled with my fluid leaking tips meant no cigar. I think if I get good conditions on this I'll get it in a couple of attempts. Next year.

And other things
Carnage Assis - first 7C in Font so that's nice. Not a classic, would have much prefered Noir Desir but hey-ho.
Coccinelle - I struggled on exactly the same move as Uncle. Neil showed me the numbers but I just couldn't get the heel or toe hooks to stick for the drop with the left hand into the pocket. The rest of this problem is straightforward. Went back on the last day and sorted the move, I use a similar technique to Unc but as I'm shorter my right foot is further left. After a bit of manning up I was sticking the pocket every time, boom. The problem was the next move is a dynamic slap for a pinch which is pretty steady with your right foot on the obvious take-off hold. However in a wide bridging position with your left foot on the take-off hold the trajectory is all screwed so it's much harder to hit the pinch. It's also (at my height) completely blind. I tried swapping my feet but a lack of sufficient body tension/height rendering this a no-no. I managed to hit the pinch and hold it a couple of times but at this point it was last thing last day with a two year old and a wife who were both ready to go. I was battered so left it for next year (are you spotting the theme here?). Again I think this will go down rapidly when I next try it.

Coccinelle failure from nik jennings on Vimeo.

Magic Bus/Barre Fixe - I flashed/onsighted Barre Fixe and did Magic Bus in three goes. They are not problems at earth shattering grades but it was nice to do problems so quickly that last year I would have been ecstatic to even get close to doing after a siege.

Magic Bus from nik jennings on Vimeo.


Barre Fixe from nik jennings on Vimeo.

So in summary 8A didn't happen. Nothing on my list of 4 was crushed. However I am totally happy. I had a great holiday, it was huge amounts of fun. I had my best ever performance in Font. Could I do 8A in Font? Honestly? Yes, I think so. I am confident that in my current condition I can climb Beaux Quartiers, but I need very good conditions coupled with me feeling fresh, an unlikely combination in Font on a two week Easter trip. Next year I will hopefully be a bit stronger, a bit more flexible, a bit wiser and a bit of a better climber so my margin for error will increase and as such my chance of climbing 8A.

This objective has from the outset had a grade based focus, and as such lots of my posting has had a grade focus. However the thing I have really got out of the last 12 months is a renewed enthusiasm for climbing. No matter how much I put in to climbing I always get more out. The grade chasing is inevitable, but more importat is the passion and the pleasure. Most of this blog is the little grade based side story of the much bigger picture.

Will this blog continue? I honestly don't know. The timeframe is over so is there any point? But then was there ever one? Why don't you pop back in a while and see...