Spent a short part of the day up at Bus Stop, climbing Equinox or s0litice (who knows which is which?), and Gnat attack E1 and Massambula E2. All of which I led. I also threw a rope down Forsinain Motspur a F7c, again I quickly managed all the moves, although failed to link the whole route on a top-rope. Although I think that I should be able to redpoint the route within a few sessions.
My friends came up with a small collection of kids, to which I gave them a great example of how not to top-rope a route, by falling off a lot. I certainly didn’t make it look too fun, although I manged not to swear when I shinned myself on a small overlap.
I have to say that having climbed massambula first something like 15 years ago. I have notice changes over the years, imparticular the drainage line is gradually encroaching on the route making it necessary to climb a more direct line if you want to stay off the wet holds. Giving the route a rather surprising sting in the tail, which got me wondering whether it should be graded E3? What do you think?
Today also made me realise that many people seem to ‘waste’ there time on the newer easy ‘sport’ and the great classics of yesterday, of which Gnat Attack and Massambula where two of them. Now they have started to go back to nature, if we don’t keep climbing them and cleaning the moss and dirt off the holds that are used then I am sure the crag will look like the parts of the rippled slab that aren’t climbed on.
Hopefully the whole easy sport surge will lead in a year or so to a surge in the routes that made me start to love and push myself in the quarries. Rather than just people returning to Dali’s Hole trip after trip.