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Dienstag, 22. April 2014

cavemen!


Finally the sun is back and as every climber I`m never happy with the weather. Heat beats up the friction. There`s only on way to avoid this... let`s hide in caves!!!

Last weekend I could climb my project in Ettringen. It`s called "Krieg ich gerne" and graded 8a+/8b (in my opinion really hard 8a+/8b) located in the caves. I worked it last year 1 day, but was way to weak to climb it.
This year I felt better,  had some problems with the weather and some holds that are always wet but thanks to the heat the caves were almost completly dry and I could start some serious attempts.
I always fell at the buzzkill move at the lip due to some wet underclings. I always thought "If I stick it, it`s done." But as always in climbing... it isn`t working like this.

buzzkill

stick it!

the lip

The bouldercrux at the lip is harder if you made it through the whole roof and the last holds are always wet so you need a little bit extra strenght in the last section.

After some frustraiting tries and a really painful knee from a kneebar in the roof and falling of at the lip 3 times because the holds were still wet, I could climb the route on the first day with dry holds at the lip.

green leaves... nice!
Feels good and I`m looking forward to try the original line "Krieg der Sterne" which is harder but in my opinion "the line" in this sector.
Thanks to: Thomas Schermer for the pictures!


Different day! Different country! Different cave!

With Koen I found another caveman and we made it over night to the Kronthal. Honestly we couldn`t climb our projects, but we had a really good time. Drinking coffee, eating, climbing, falling, swearing, sweating, cooking, sleeping, laying around and doing nothing. Hakuna matata!

in green

falling over and over again

civilized caveman
uncivilized caveman

wake up

the roof line

just 1 more try.... please!!!
I hope everybody had a nice easter climbing or bouldering trip to different areas. See you at the rock!

Dienstag, 8. April 2014

gaufres feuilletées a la compote de pommes

start left and finish far out right

Someone told me that Belgium is well known for beer... I can`t tell you a lot about belgium beer, but I go there to climb and to eat some waffles filled with appel and other fruity stuff. Really good! If you are interested in beer you should read Micha Vanhoudt blog :)

The last weeks I climbed a lot in small areas in Belgium and could finish some routes I wanted to climb since the last year or even earlier. Despite small holds and some ascent problem due to rain that filled my chalkbag and kept the holds wet, I could finisch my Bomal session with climbing "Yahoo! sortie L'infinimente Songe".
Earned me a waffle!

In Freyr I could climb "13, boulevard du vol" which seems to be the first 8a in Belgium, or even in Europe climbed by Arnoud 't Kint. 
Earned me a waffle!
 
Last year I left me a project in Modave. I`ve been there to climb the first length of  "Du glucose pour le moineau". The biggst problem there is to climb to route if it´s dry. Last year I failed and this year I came back without big expectations but it felt easy this time. First go I failed in the crux. Climbed it then. Worked out the 8a+ part. Climbed it next try and almost climbed the 8b finish. Really close, but that happens if you are to lazy to work out the last part.
"Du glucose our le moineau" 8a part

Luckily it stayed dry and the next week I had a morning without work. That morning I could climb the route. Really long, overhanging and pumpy for me. 75 moves. What a route!  
pumped?

Earned me a waffle!

I`ll climb for food!