Been uber busy the last 10 days...

Hit Wilton 1 with Andy last week, never climbed there before, always gone to 2 or 3. Being the cheapskates that we are neither of us own a copy of Lancashire rock... or any guidebook with wilton 1 in! So whenever we climb in Lancashire we just guess at the grade of something and it usually turns out to be ok. After all the winter climbing recently it seems I may be a little out of practice! Arrived and did what I thought looked to be vdiff, a route we later learned was S 4b on the prow. Managed to get up it without too much of a fuss, brought Andy up and then discovered that getting of the 'Prow' was an expedition in itself! Eyed up another quite steep looking line and decided to give it a crack thinking it might be in the HS range, got a few metres up and then got to an off-width crack. Managed to net a size 6 nut in at its base and then moved up, was too big to hanjam so had to pull outwards on either side and work my hands up for about a metre and half. Started to loose strangth from having to keep mu arms fully contracted and realised i'd have to make the move at the top or else I was going to come out... which was a lunge for the top of a block. I knew in my mind that as soon as I went for it I was going to start moving towards the ground unless I got it as my feet were just smearing. Warned Andy and then went for it...

... for a tantilising second my fingers brushed the ledge ebfore I descended very very quickly. Fell past my nut at the bottom and then heard a ping! the no6 nut had come out dislodging part of the wall! thankfully the next piece (no2 nut!) held and I came to a hault about a foot off the floor.... lucky! Turns out the grade was HVS 5b, can see why now. Sacked off climbing for the rest off the day and went to Bolton for Pizza and then got lost in the maze that in bolton/manchester/wherever else we ended up!

Met Lucy and Jenny in Ormskirk that evening to help plan their Summer DofE expedtion i'm tagging along on, few drinks and then home. Cheers to Jenny for the lift.


This last weekend was Netzec, being pretty new to Network and to gain an understanding of how things work I figured it would be a good idea to attend. Was pretty interesting, lernt a lot and met quite a few of the key players i'll be spending some time with and working with over the next 7 years. Lots powerpoint presentations and lectures interspersed with fun stuff as well. product of the weekend was the 'Action Plan' we got together for Ormskirk, it should ensure that things continue as they are and improve even after we loose the older members of the exec in the next few months. Really glad I went, was a lot of fun especially its the first weekend sor a long time where i've not had to pack rope, ice axes or boots! Again cheers to jenny for the lift... see a trend here!

Drinks that night, won quiz... requested IOU for the prize which was a round of shots as there was only me and Bob left by the time it finished! Then back to college on the monday.

Had another gathering for our summer expedition on wednesday, this time in Preston with our new recruit Kelly from netzec. Finalised things and made a good stab at the route cards... then got hungry and went to a dodgy kebeb shop! home sometime near midnight.

Finished college early yesterday so arranged a session with Bob an Andy at Denham. Lovely weather, climbing sans shirt with a refreshing breeze. Did concave and then both the Mohammeds. Then played with Bob's giant catapult firing stones at wet. Top afternoon.