Today's problem: BOBFOC

I've been cycling to work a bit lately, and the slower pace makes you notice the surroundings a bit more. I also go through a popular jogging area (The Iron Cove Bridge), and let me tell you something; Sydney has a BOBFOC problem.

For those of you unfamilar, BOBFOC is an acronym which stands for

Body Off Baywatch, Face Off Crimewatch.

Side note: for those who don't know, Crimewatch is a TV programme in the UK during which timid viewers are terrified by reconstructions of unsolved crimes, usually with stereotypical villains and vulnerable, plain women out walking alone. You know what Baywatch is, though. Don't pretend otherwise.

The slower pace of cycling, in BOBFOC terms, allows for mental dialogues rather like this, as I trundle along at sub-40kph rates:

100m distant: "hmmm.. Elle MacPherson"
10m distant: "aaaaargh! L Ron Hubbard!!"

100m: "hmmm... Chistie Brinkley"
10m "aaaargh! Christy Brown!!"

110m: "hmmm.. Shannon Elizabeth"
10m: "aaargh! Shannon Noll!!"

So I hereby call, in the name of me not falling off my bike when blinded by ugly rays, for a moratorium on munters taking fitness programs. Please, stay at home, eat chips and watch Eddie Maguire, it's for the good of society.

The Bouldering Report, 14th Feb 2007

After work yesterday I cycled over to a fairly busy Lindfield Rocks to hook up with Viv for one of our now-traditional mid-week bouldering sessions. Though initially I wasn't feeling overly strong (having cycled to work and then from there up the big-ass hill to Lindy), I managed to crack a new-tick V4 on Orange Face (steep wall near Corals), after warming up properly, that is.

Memo to self: warming up on V4s not good idea. Warm up on V2s or lower!

After a few little problems in that area (Small Blank Wall, stuff around the Corals area), we headed for Walkdown Wall and First Wall for a crack at a few things. Viv wandered off at around six and I was left to crank out the hard-for-V4 traverse of First Wall, then head over to the highball area One Hold Wall, where I onsighted a direct V4 problem sans-mat. It felt soft for the grade, but I was climbing quite smoothly by this time. This left me with a nice feeling of accomplishment when Esther turned up to whisk us off to the Mona Vale Hotel, to see The Violent Femmes live. Excellent day.

I'm now up to a score of 5330 on 8a.nu, which is as high as I've been since joining. My former life would have put me up in the 8000-ish mark, I suspect, so there's a point to aim for. Green Traverse at Stanage rates about 700 8a points, for instance, and that was a many-ascents benchmark problem in my UK days. Need to get strong. And light. Again. And less pasty (that's coming along at least)

This afternoon, off to Lindfield again, this time with sketchpad and an extra spotter, hopefully to finish my ground-up affair with Blank Wall, which has been going on altogether too long, and if my tips hold up, perhaps a V5 or two. Wish me luck.

Postscript: as a public service, I've started adding Lindfield bouldering to the ACA website. I'm such a great guy, honestly, doing all this work for the benefit of others.

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