Last weekend, after a long lay-off from anything remotely resembling trad climbing (chossy quarry bolted routes although not exactly sport, feel a bit less scary) Nick and I elected to do a couple of routes on the Hazards at Freycinet - big bold slabby granite multipitches.

 

The first we did with Gill, (Japhlion 16, 5 pitches, 150-odd metres) and in trying to lead the crux pitch, I realised my head was not quite together this early in the season. Backed off a tough (probably E1 5c-ish) layback crack and let Nick take the honours.

 

We went back for more, with an ascent of Stud City 19, 3 pitches, 120 metres [18,18,19] [in that inconsistent style typical of long routes here this equates to about top-end E3 5c] on which I forced Nick to lead all the pitches, having gotten a bit freaked out by the opressive atmosphere building as the darkness inked in and the wind rose. This turned out to be a mistake - the two hardest pitches had desperate traverses WAY scarier to second than to lead, so I gibbered and whinged my way up getting more and more terrified by the second, with less and less logic. We made it, with Nick taking a baby-whipper, and the loss of a cam which despite all efforts, refused to budge!

 

Yesterday, we hit the Organ Pipes, and I resolved to get my head together with an attempt at Raspberry Jam and Crackers 17 on Northern Buttress. Apart from the rain forcing me to rest on a wire as it turned the top of the pitch into a waterfall, it went well! A fantastic route with beautiful face moves some way above good but small gear giving elegant climbing which feels more like a grade 19 than a 17, and did my head wonders! Today though, it rains....such is the spring. Heading out to Bruny for the weekend for a diving/kayaking combo with Danika and Stuart. Should be fun!!!

 

 

We need a little bit of what we showed against England at Croke Park this year to beat the French tonight! Highlights of that 43-13 victory here

"Come in number 149, your time is up...." Link to a Photo from the winter challenge

Had a great weekend riding with my erstwhile "boss" Nick and his partner at Freycinet and Douglas Apsley....12 hours of Cross Country exploration from firetrail to single track to bushwhack to beach. Backing up two 50-odd km rides on consecutive days off road is hard work, but it is all training for the Wildside stage race in January...have a look at a few photos... (I am trying to get back to using my blog, and get off Facebook, which is taking over the world, and I am over it a bit!)