Well, It has been over a week since I was last on here blogging. It hasn’t been due to doing nothing to blog about. In fact it is quite the opposite. I have instead been bogged down with too much stuff and trying to find time to write here has been hard.
First off I have been very busy with a guidebook for Rockfax, and have spent much of the rainy days tapping away at a keyboard. This has meant that I have not really wanted to sit in front of a computor in the evening and blog, or instead I have been working on the guide in the the evening because I have been climbing or working during the day.
Those climbing and working have included training and assessing ML candidates, and Teaching people to climb. The last two days were a challenge as I had two severe climbers who wanted to push on through teh grades and check that they are doing everything right. The first day it rained so much it was more like vertical swimming but the second day was awesome as the sun came out and Tremadog. So I had them lead Christmas Curry with the micah finish and the Top two pitches of One Step….
For my own climbing I have been on the Slate a fair bit (Railtrack Slab was a good after work hit, were we climbed about 5 rotues up to E4) and down the Lleyn. Where I climbed Friendless. Which although given E1 feels more like E2 given the rotten nature of the rock on the top third. I have also managed to sneak in some indoor training when it was too bad to go outside.
Last saturday I went out bouldering with Dave Simmonite to get pictures for an article on a bouldering destination and at the same time arranged to write an article on some climbing in North Wales for Climber. So there are three pieces by me coming up soon. One called the Fear Test which is out in July, another on bouldering and then another on routes. All of which have required more time in front of a computor. Further taking up blogging time.
After the photoshoot I headed to the fantastic Tremadog festival, and hooked up with Tom Livingstone who climbed/aided/cleaned Void. I kind of knew he would probably fail but didn’t say anything. As he made the pod look desperate, as he had to layback it! The boy can’t jam!
Finally I have been in the throws of possibly the most stressful time of my life. As I have all but brought a house. Surveys are done, searches completed and I am just waiting for a leak to be fixed before we complete, as the solicitor already has all the cash in place to send at a moments notice. It is exciting and gripping at the same time, although when I move in I probably have around 2 years of DIY to turn the place into a really nice home. First job is mould removal, as it hasn’t been lived in for 3 years and is rather damp.
To add further complexities I receive the penultimate chapter back from my editor for my Science, History, Technology and Culture of Rock Climbing and Mountaineering Book. This one was on why people engage in risky pastimes like climbing. Reading it back after a few months. Even I was riveted by this chapter.
So I am full steam ahead with work, life and climbing. If you want to come and join me on for some coaching as the summer arrives and help me pay off my house. Then please visit Snowdonia Mountain Guides.