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sawylWith Sunday dog walking arranged for 10am, I was able to take things easy before heading down to meet the others at the river. We walked the usual route along the canal and round the field before heading back. On our return route, C spotted some likely looking windfall and A&I ended up carrying a couple of logs home over our shoulders. I was a little worried we might accidentally clobber a cyclist or fellow dog walker, but no, it was fine and no other park-users were harmed.
I dropped in for morning coffee and somehow ended up staying for lunch. Having failed to bring my climbing gear with me — I'd assumed I'd head home after the dog walk, pick up my kit, and head back to the climbing centre with A — we drove back to my place to pick everything up, and then headed to the climbing centre.
There we put the first results of Project Stretch to the test: I tried to climb a 6b+ route whose crux — a move that involves a wide bridge that A, with her amazing reach, can make with ease and which I really struggle with. My initial attempt wasn't successful, but after repeating yesterday's stretching regime and retrying the route, I was able to make the span without too much trouble. Once past that, I crushed the rest of the route and sent it with ease.
In some ways, I'm sorry that I've finished the route because it's been a fun challenge that both A and I have had to project. The move I've been struggling hasn't troubled her at all, whereas the stuff higher up that I cruise has been a real fight for her; and although she's done all the moves individually, she's still got to link the sequences to send the whole thing — something I'm confident she'll get in the next session or two. And, least we forget, being able to project a 6b+ is pretty good for someone who has only been climbing for three months.
Midway through, we stopped for tea and flapjacks — A had one of Chef Paul's amazing chocolate and ginger tiffins — which I'd been promised as bribe for looking through a personal statement for a job application, although I tried to persuade A that I was bribing her for finishing her application and coming climbing but she wasn't having any of it!
Somewhere around 5ish, A had to leave — she was due to go to a social event in Chudleigh but had serious cold feet about it. Richard arrived at more or less the same time, and, although I'd offered to go with A and divert some of the potential flak for ducking out of the event, I ended up staying and doing some of the easier boulders in the new set.
Eventually I realised that time was running short, said my goodbyes, rushed home, ate, and turned around to head back to meet D&P and C&J and A for an evening of unofficial quizzing — the tiny hounds aren't keen on fireworks, so we stayed in to keep them company. We'd originally planned to play Cards Against Humanity, but C had been called out, so we shelved our plans and did the newspaper quiz instead, whilst sampling some Christmas-influenced crisps (featured flavours: gingerbread, and prosecco!) and soaking up heat from the wood burner.
Walking home in the cold, I was grateful for my down jacket and regretting my decision to wear shorts — which I hadn't changed since climbing — as I realised that today might just have been the perfect start to my staycation...
I dropped in for morning coffee and somehow ended up staying for lunch. Having failed to bring my climbing gear with me — I'd assumed I'd head home after the dog walk, pick up my kit, and head back to the climbing centre with A — we drove back to my place to pick everything up, and then headed to the climbing centre.
There we put the first results of Project Stretch to the test: I tried to climb a 6b+ route whose crux — a move that involves a wide bridge that A, with her amazing reach, can make with ease and which I really struggle with. My initial attempt wasn't successful, but after repeating yesterday's stretching regime and retrying the route, I was able to make the span without too much trouble. Once past that, I crushed the rest of the route and sent it with ease.
In some ways, I'm sorry that I've finished the route because it's been a fun challenge that both A and I have had to project. The move I've been struggling hasn't troubled her at all, whereas the stuff higher up that I cruise has been a real fight for her; and although she's done all the moves individually, she's still got to link the sequences to send the whole thing — something I'm confident she'll get in the next session or two. And, least we forget, being able to project a 6b+ is pretty good for someone who has only been climbing for three months.
Midway through, we stopped for tea and flapjacks — A had one of Chef Paul's amazing chocolate and ginger tiffins — which I'd been promised as bribe for looking through a personal statement for a job application, although I tried to persuade A that I was bribing her for finishing her application and coming climbing but she wasn't having any of it!
Somewhere around 5ish, A had to leave — she was due to go to a social event in Chudleigh but had serious cold feet about it. Richard arrived at more or less the same time, and, although I'd offered to go with A and divert some of the potential flak for ducking out of the event, I ended up staying and doing some of the easier boulders in the new set.
Eventually I realised that time was running short, said my goodbyes, rushed home, ate, and turned around to head back to meet D&P and C&J and A for an evening of unofficial quizzing — the tiny hounds aren't keen on fireworks, so we stayed in to keep them company. We'd originally planned to play Cards Against Humanity, but C had been called out, so we shelved our plans and did the newspaper quiz instead, whilst sampling some Christmas-influenced crisps (featured flavours: gingerbread, and prosecco!) and soaking up heat from the wood burner.
Walking home in the cold, I was grateful for my down jacket and regretting my decision to wear shorts — which I hadn't changed since climbing — as I realised that today might just have been the perfect start to my staycation...
