Clinging tenuously by one's fingertips

In which the King of the Crag drones on and on interminably about climbing and bouldering

If you're here, you shouldn't be, because the blog has changed a bit

It's OVER HERE

Great Nutters of History: Maurice Wilson

I first found out about Maurice Wilson, oddly enough, from a wonderful little fictional work called Skepticism Inc, by Bo Fowler. I wasn't sure whether the story was at all accurate or even if it was pure fiction, but it didn't much matter. It was funny, and apposite to the mindset of the book. Then a month or so back, I read an excellent book on the history of Everest mountaineering by George Band, a member of the successful 1955 expedition. The book mentioned Maurice Wilson, confirming, in a completely unexpected manner, that Maurice was real. Here's how Skepticism Inc describes Maurice Wilson: Maurice Wilson...

The bouldering report 7 March 2007

Well, the news is this: I've finally consummated my little on-off relationship with The Blank Wall, V4, at Lindfield. I've been having little cracks at it on recent visits, and it being rated as an absolute classic I've been reticent to stick up a toprope on it. This being the case, it's been a case of ground-up attempts, getting a little bit more solid each time, two or three goes tops per visit. It's an ankle-breaker, even with a mat (three or four mats may be a different story), so there's a certain amount of fear involved in getting up there. The crux...

The Bouldering Report 21 Feb 2007

So we went to Lindfield again. After a bit of a warm-up and an abortive crack at Blank Wall, we had a bit more of a go on the V5 pocket problem left of the Layback Flake (Corals Area). And yes, both myself and Viv have badly tweaked tendons on it. In particular, my left arm now feels like I've got rusty, frayed brake cables running from my ring finger right up to the muscle attachment. There's a very bad pain point right in the palm area, and I'm Nurofen®'d up to the gills right now trying to go about my normal day. This problem is out to get...

Quick Bouldering Report 19 Feb 2007

Quick note, last night I didn't intend to boulder due to sore fingers, but ended up cranking out Problem #9 at the Corals Area, Lindfield. This is my first V5 since 1998, and not bad value. It's safe, with a low, tough crux, and has a V6 variant for next time I'm there. Oh yeah! Viv and I also cranked a little variant on Small Blank Wall which was probably V4+ and more rewarding than the usual sequence, and got some shots for topo guides. Since I'm now custodian of the Lindfield Bouldering Guide on the ACA site, I figure I should do...

The Climbing Report, Feb 17th and 18th 2007

So this weekend's climbing was different, yet productive. Saturday saw my sore fingertips heading out to Earlwood for a  short flying visit with Viv. we both had to be back before sunset, so after limping in on bare feet due to forgotten shoes, we slapped up a toprope on 'C', a 24-graded steep slab which we've played with once before. This time, we were quite a bit stronger, and it took about three attempts to work out quite a neat sequence straight up the middle, and it was time to move on to the 'one push clean toprope'. This duly accomplished,...

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...

Breaking the drought

No, I'm not talking about Morris Iemma's water plan, it's just that it's been a while since my last blog entry, so I figured I'd drop in a quick update on what's been going on. I've got back to climbing full-bore after an ankle injury and a separate tendon injury gained in December, with a trip to The Balkans (specifically The Frontline) this weekend heralding a return to V4+ bouldering territory, knocking off MIssile Silo, soft V4 (again) and Snakebite, V4 along with a whole swathe of V3s and V2s and a good crank on Berlin Blockade V5, which was too hot and greasy by...

I'm joining the ranks of mad dieters

Yes, I'm totally over procrastinating, and with my usual sensible, measured response to everything I'm starting a crash diet. It's not something I've found online, been advised about or had pushed through the door on a leaflet. It's a slightly mad idea of my own choosing. For the next few weeks, my weekdays will be dominated by fruit-juice, water and Miso Soup, and my weekends will consist of pretty much normal eating. To this end, I've stockpiled instant Miso and juice and I'm attempting to steel myself for the coming famine. I'll adjust the parameters if necessary, but the theme is detox...

A nice way to spend an afternoon

So yesterday I chucked an hour or two off work in the afternoon and headed to Pearl Bay with James Taylor. It's a pretty small bouldering area but a lot of fun - despite the fact that it started raining shortly after we arrived and carried on for a good half hour. We got some pretty good stuff done, even though the Block Arete is signposted as 'out of bounds'. There's a lovely little V4 on the main wall though, which is stretchy delicate fun (problem #9 in the book) and a very unusual V3 which the book advocates doing facing out from...

Tendon Injuries; A Fact Of Climbing Life

So after last weekend's strenuous session at SICG has had some longer-term repercussions. i've got rather a nasty bit of tendon pain now. A session bouldering at The Big Pump and The Block in Lane Cove Valley proved the pain, despite getting up a V3 and having a good crack on State Of Origin. I'm now thoroughly taped up and a tad worried about tomorrow's impending session. It's raining though, meaning indoors and potential new injury. So, here's the deal. Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation Rest it. dont pull hard Ice. thin tea-towel with half a tray of ice-cubes. hold it hard. you'll go a little numb,...

Ow, that hurts

So, what did I get up to this Friday night? This night of nights when Sydney comes alive and the drinks flow? I went to the climbing gym and ripped a chunk out of my little finger. No really. Cranking pretty good, if I do say so myself. Managed a bunch of V4s (four of which are given V4+) as well as the usual V3 and below circuit, including a very nice blue and yellow crimpy thing, and a big burly blue thing with a feet-off swing. oh, and a nasty stemming red (try them, they'll be up for a few weeks yet). Close...

Uploaded a whole bunch of photos

I've uploaded a set of photos from our Japan Trip, and a wedge of climbing shots from around Sydney and the Blueys. Enjoy

Bouldering at The Block last evening...

... cranked out Big Artie, V3, on first attempt. Ticked it as on-sight, though I may have had a minor attempt on the start a year or so back. Did Flake to Flake, The Scoop, a variant on Big Artie and had a go on the State of Origin trio (though they're nasty round the lip). Moved up to 29 in the www.8a.nu Australian boulder rankings, which is nice. A few things there are a bit ankle-breaky so a spotter would have made it more productive I think. Bouldering in the Lane Cove Valley is great at this time of year,...

The Blue Mountains

Am developing a bit of a thing for climbing in the Blueys. You can possibly see why if you examine this little lot. The first photo of the set is a climb called Mezzaluna, which is about 16ish. We did it as a warm up on our visit to Mount York not so long ago - I'll be posting some shots here shortly - and it's well worth the three starrs the guide gives it. I was grinning ear to ear after my lead, despite the fact that pretty much the entire route is on (yeuch) carrots. I'll update this post...

Climbing Vids

Crag X Forum has some climbing vids up. One of the routes documented, Goofy Foot at Mount Kuring-Gai, was subject to a James Taylor ascent this weekend as Viv and I were dangling off a 23 (Devil Inside?) to the left. Looks really good. I've been doing a little video myself, and once I've got enough footage I'll be posting some to Aus Climbing. In other climbing news I left a pair of Boreals at Mount K this weekend. They weren't holding edges very well so I swapped them for something stiffer, next thing you know I've left them behind. Bugger. [Update...

Well bugger me; Journos follow-up earlier story

It seems the bolt that crashed through a Five Dock resident's roof earlier this week came from a Singapore Airlines 747-400. Logically, it was an outbound flight - how unlikely would it be for a loose bolt to make it all the way over from Singapore before dropping off a few miles from the airport? In other news, Climbfit can take a running jump, and my internet connectivity is pissing me off royally, dropping out every few minutes.

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