Funny how things go sometimes.

Funny how things go sometimes. You can spend ages trying to get fit again, trying and always falling off stuff and feeling like you're not getting anywhere. Then one day everything clicks into place; you know you're on form and the climbs suddenly feel easy when you do them.

That's what's been happening since taking up what my old mate Phil Davidson was doing 30 years ago! Yes, I've stopped eating any old rubbish, ie. no processed food, no sugar and low on the carbs. This has meant oat bran and natural yoghurt for breakfast, plenty of fruit and ryvita style biscuits during the day and salad without bread in the evening and definitely no beer. In just 4 weeks I've lost 6kg and I'm feeling great!

Anyway, in the last 3 days I managed several 7a/b's, 2 7b+ onsights, almost a bouldery 7c onsight (so 1st go redpoint) and redpointed 2 8a's. Brilliant!

We've also been going down to Art'Bloc on Wednesday afternoons, as the days are too short to get out after work now. There are so many great problems to do. Just as well, as we'll be spending more time there as the forecast is not good for the rest of the week. Let's see what Thursday and the weekend bring.

Sponge Bob Square Pants and the Monsoon.

Earlier this year, I met up with a couple of great mates (from my previous life back in cold, wet Britain) at Ceuse. As usual, I had to make sure I had my thick skin on, as Ewan and Steve both have a wicked sense of humour. Anyway, Steve very quickly spotted the cheap jeans that I was climbing in and proceeded to hurl abuse my way. (At 6 euros a pair from Carrefour they are great value and they're brilliant for kneebars; they don't get holes first time the knee goes behind a tufa and you don't need to faff about with kneepads either.) As the banter developed, he dealt the killer punch line (after I had let slip that they were 30" waist and 30" leg). Since then, I have had to get used to the nickname of "Sponge Bob Square Pants"!!!

Erm, changing the subject quickly. Since the last entry, we have had an awful lot of rain down here. So much that most of the crags are now very wet and will take a long time to dry. The rain came in earnest during the 1/2 term holiday of course and at the weekends as well. How typical is that? So, Fatman and Robin haven't been back to Peillon, which will definitely be dripping. Crags in the Gorges du Loup are also very wet too.

We did get to Italy for a couple of nice days as well as to "Alcatraz". Alcatraz is a fairly new crag (equipped by the mega keen Olivier Germain) which has some classic routes, that don't seep much, overlooking Monaco. It was really encouraging to do the brilliant "Mont Fantasme" (7c+) in a day. 

Changing the subject again. Elaine is now climbing again. We've been to the local bouldering walls a couple of times. She is taking it easy of course, but her finger seems to be getting better. Great news indeed.

Another positive: Liverpool have just equalised against Chelsea. Come on the Reds, lets get 3 points! (It'll make a nice change!!!)