Common features to this blog...

have mostly been the rain. How can it rain so consistently for so long?
Anyway, I thought I'd do a post just to prove I'm not dead. Recent activity on the climbing front has almost exclusively revolved around the board. It is growing holds at a reasonable rate and the number of problems is on the increase, however I do worry slightly that the new holds I'm making are generally a bit bigger than the holds that I was using when it was a 25. This isn't of itself a big problem as lots of the 25 holds are currently totally unusable by me at 40. But I am aware that I may never find them usable if I just stick to pulling on the new slightly bigger holds, to get to the point where I can use the smaller holds I need to be pushing right at my limit. Time will tell...
Also G-bob visited the board for a session which was excellent, it forces me to try new problems (invariably involving huge spans utilising G-lank) which I'd never think of for myself as I'd just discount them as too far. Training (which is a word that suggests a level of structure and discipline that is entirely lacking from my regime) alone is difficult, motivation is difficult and you almost always end up stuck in a rut of working only one facet of climbing. Maybe I should get a climbing lodger...

Aside from the board I have been out a couple of times, I'm still trying sport and I have found another new project line. I've done all the moves bar one (wet hold prevented an attempt) but I'm thinking the link will be hard work, we'll see.
Also went to West View with G-bob and Ginnster. It's been done up and is a big improvement on what was there before. I don't think the Depot and the Works need to panic but it is a more viable training option now. However the campus board is at the wrong angle and it's textured surface will yield painful tips pretty rapidly IMHO. La-de-da, I had a pretty good session there, managing most stuff I tried, but burning out pretty quickly. I think this may be a bit of post viral lethargy from an ongoing cold/cough/flu/consumption thing I've had. Or maybe I'm just the same old tragically unfit punter I always was.
Also went to the Works at the weekend, I really like it there and had a good time. I had lard in tow and he had the time of his life running round shouting. The trouble is the place is so big that I just throw myself in and get worn out. I'd like it to be nearer, and me to have membership, then I could go regularly and work through the problems, get on the comp wall and flail on the Beast-board. As it is I invariably end up there for an hour or two, generally with lard in tow and just rush at a few things. It's still good fun but I really don't think I get as much out of it as I could, but then that's obvious.
This week looks wet, hopefully next week will be better.

Is it raining, I hadn't noticed...

Bastard weather, bloody bastard weather, bloody bastard twating weather. Arse cakes bum fart pooh.

It is wet, it has been wet, it will always be wet. G helpfully counts the wet and dry days on his blog. Well no need any more just use this:
Wet days - infinite
Dry days - ha-ha-bloody-ha
This is annoying, I have things to do, projects to climb. The list of sport routes was growing at an uncontrollable rate before wet weather put pay to ever ticking anything. Now it's gone into overdrive, I went out with the guru yesterday and everything was wet. I came back with at least 8 new lines I'm desperate to try. That's a whole seasons worth of climbing, and then some. Add in the existing backlog of routes to do and it becomes clear the treadmill is turning significantly faster than I can run.
Frustratingly I have just reached a point where I am confident that the couple of things I am keen to get ticked are now possible for me, of course when they next dry I'll be fat and have no stamina at all (which is an important if small step below practically non-existant stamina, my current level).
Next week looked like it might be promising when I last looked but things are now so very wet I think I may just have to get on the boulders and rekindle my affair with filthy sport next year. Time (and precipitation) will tell.
Anyway all this moisture has meant a session or two on the board. I haven't managed to persuade anyone to come over and play so far and I rapidly become a bit bored of devising problems (I always seem to end up using the same holds just in a slightly different order). Of course this means I end up trying some of the silly party tricks that we climbers are so very fond of.
Last night I managed 3 one-armers on the right and 2 on the left, which is nice.
I also managed to lock a mono (feet on, other hand off, 40 degree board) which I was pleased with. In fact I made some monos and two finger pockets last week and I really enjoy (failing to) pull on them. It's a very different hand position to an edge and feels totally weird (and injury causing) to start with. But now I'm feeling the love (until the injuries start...).

Oh well, I've got to go and stir my lovely homemade soup (sweet potato, carrot and roasted peppers since you asked) a sure sign that winter is coming.

A merry bonfire night to you all.