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!!!)

I am basically pretty lazy. I have always tended to take easier options in life. Take, for example, the choice between getting flattened on the rugby field at school or going "cross country running" (and having a smoke) instead. There you go, easy decision, you can't blame me. My friend Snapper (alias Tim Hatch) made me complete one of BA's middle management questionnaires once (ok, we were waiting for the rain to stop, before getting out of the car, at Kilnsey c.1993). He concluded, that I was "very good at avoiding responsibility". A conclusion somewhat less surprising than (perhaps) the sun, having disappeared over the horizon tonight, meaning it will reappear again tomorrow! Still, the truth can sometimes be rather dis-arming to say the least.

A few years ago (as I headed way too quickly towards the big 5 0) I made a big effort to get fit. I was really chuffed to do some ace routes down here, that were comparable to stuff I did in the UK and Spain in '93. However, to go up a level proved (at the time) impossible. (The same happened in the UK in '94/'95 when I failed to complete either Cry Freedom or Bat Route.) I spent most of 2006 falling off either Soul Sacrifice or Souffle du Vizir. These 2 routes really killed my desire to spend a long time trying the same thing over and over again. The problem is, not only am I fundamentally lazy, but I also get bored very easily (how ironic is it that I'm a teacher and have to put up with little darlings who have problems with concentration?).

Anyway, to cut a long story short (even I'm getting bored by now!), Fatman and Robin went to Peillon last Thursday. Both of us had already redpointed "A bout du Souffle" (a fantastic soft-touch 8b, which is the 1st part of the 8b+ "Souffle du vizir"). I did it over 7 years ago and Robin did it earlier this year. We both had a couple of runs to remind ourselves of the moves and we did ok. The sticking point was the tufa, after the 2 finger pocket (already mentioned in a previous blog).

Souffle du Vizir will be my winter project again, though this time I'm not going to get obsessed. However, I have cut out the beer completely and I've been doing some sit ups. So, we'll see how quickly I get bored. At the moment the crag is really quiet, so I can't use the excuse of too many people trying the same start, and so on.... At least I'm not feeling lazy (though it is only October). Could this be "The Dark Knight Rises Again"?

Some photos of A bout du Souffle (which means "breathless") from last Thursday (taken by Robin's partner Ghislaine).

The weekend was spent climbing in the Gorges du Loup. Saturday: Deverse en haut falling off Godzilla and blowing the 7c+ with my hand on the finishing jug. Sunday: another mileage day at Jurassic Park

Crags are all bone dry, so we'll just have to go out again tomorrow after a morning at school. C'est belle la vie!

Some pics from the Gorges.

Got some feed back today. Tansy, one of the coolest gals from Manchester, said she had some probs finding this blog, she said she kept getting stuff for some footballer. Said footballer used to be my hero (you've seen me wearing the shirt) until he left Liverpool FC. His ultimate fall from grace, as far as I was concerned, was when he signed for Man Utd and spent a lot of time sat on the bench, because even Fergie thought he was rubbish! I am the real Michael Owen! (as said by ace DJ Rob Harrison on 106.5.) Mind you, I don't know if Tansy did finally manage to read anything other than flippin' football! (Even I can't stand watching over-paid w...... this season.)

Anyway, not much to report on really. Didn't make it to Cineplex and try my project there, as the weather was a bit iffy and it was easier to stay in bed a bit longer, instead of making the 2 hour drive. So, we climbed just a couple of kms behind our house this weekend. How great is it, when you go out to your local crags and do some new routes one day and do 3 of your favourite hard routes (an 8a+ and two 7c+'s) the next day for a work out? That's what I ask myself most days here: am I glad I left St Helens and climbing at Malham/Kilnsey for this beautiful place? Absolutely no contest there!

Some pics from La Piscine on Saturday:

Julien on "Piercing" 6c.

 Yannick on "Soleil Rasta", 7b and Marie-Jo on "Bouge tes fesses", 6c.

Actually, today has been a bit stressful. Full day at school and Scamp has had the trots, big time (Steady Eddy's favourite saying) last night and when we got home! Perfect time to open an excellent bottle of the red nectar, which was given as a bday present in June, by the best History T in the world: the most modest Mr Bill Griffin. Cheers mate!

Alex on "La tour de Pise" (impersonating Patrick Edlinger), 6c.

Francois Hollande et sa chemise. More adventures of Fatman and Robin.

Fatman and Robin made it out together today after a 2 week break. We met up at the parking spot for le Palais. Conditions weren't promising as there was way too much humidity and the cloud layer was very low. Still, we set off for Petit Palais as planned.

 Franco and Flaviano were already there. Flaviano was wearing a really bright orange shirt (chemise) and I mentioned that he was making a statement by wearing it. We discussed the possibility of an equivalent French word for "statement" and it seems there is no such word. I tried to explain it was rather like Francois Hollande stating that he would have a clean and straight government. So, Robin tried his best to get his head round this revelation, but in the end he said he couldn't really see the link between Francois Hollande and Flaviano's shirt! Erm, you had to be there really ....

We had a great day, despite poor conditions. Robin made short work of "Le Retour de Mo", a very powerful 7c/7c+ and I managed a 1st redpoint of "Quel trip te guette?", a fantastic 7c+ that I'd had my eye on for a couple of years. An early finish for 2 very happy crag rats.

Flaviano climbing "Ideal Pouf", 7b

Robin climbing "Le Retour de Mo", 7c/7c+

Chuffed to do the new 7c at Mesa Verde yesterday, too. Looking good for Cineplex this weekend.

Pocket power (or the lack of)

I'm a very, very slow climber. Always have been and always will be. I'm even slower than Tony Mitchell (but nowhere near as stylish). I imagine watching me climb is completely different from the fast, action-packed movement of Chris Sharma and even less interesting than watching paint dry. That's because I started climbing on nuts and I didn't dare fall off. By necessity, climbing was like a war of attrition; you took your time and hung on by the grit of your teeth. Old habits die hard. The result is that I really struggle with anything that comes near to a hard move, due to a complete lack of what Ben and Jerry called "power". Just like the late, great Jim Jewel, I can't pull on the smallest holds, but those I can pull on, I can pull on all day. At Art'bloc I struggle on the warm ups, but put me on a long route with good holds and I'm in heaven.

Yesterday, after a very sweaty Saturday at Cineplex (getting closer on my project there) we went to Mesa Verde. There is a new 7c there, which Big Ben said was really good. However, he failed to mention that the crux involves a mono. (Ok, even I can manage the odd mono move.) But this mono was very painful indeed and it was impossible to bear the pain. I actually got past the mono on redpoint but my finger was in agony. So, I need to go back and do it properly without the rest. Maybe on Wednesday.

Pockets have always been hard work. This mono can be added to the list that also includes the bi-doigt on Au Bout du Souffle (left hand 1st and 2nd fingers), the bi-doigt on Barjorland (middle 2 fingers on right hand) and the bi-doigt on Soul Sacrifice (middle 2 fingers, right hand again). At least I managed the first two but never completed SS, despite it being a stones throw from home.

Pulling on the 2 finger pocket on Au Bout du Souffle, in 2005

Elaine has got a small broken bone in her left hand from a few weeks back, whilst belaying me. And today, she had a synovial fluid injection in her problem middle finger on her right hand. Hopefully, that should see her on the mend and she can get back to normal soon.

Parents evening tomorrow, arrrgggghhhhh!!!

Je suis un lion tres amicable qui s'appelle "Parsley". Further adventures of Fatman and Robin.

I do the shopping now. It is something I try hard to fit in between working and climbing (remember, I now work part time, ok?). I like doing the weekly shop. I get to buy nice wine and there is always beer in the house now. Anyway, I slipped up a few weeks ago, when re-stocking the camper van. I bought a jar of ciboulette (chives) instead of basil. Otherwise, my track record is doing well.

Tonight we ate early (after a quick session at Jurassic Park) as the Boss had to go for a scan on her left hand (she slammed into the rock whilst belaying me when I fell off somewhere recently and it's been hurting since). We haven't had as much fun over tomates et mozzarelle for a long time! Reason: we got talking about the ciboulet and that prompted us to remember the 60's children's tv series called "The Herbs". It was quite worrying how quickly we trawled through over 40 years of memories and we were soon excitedly trying to remember the characters. However, I puffed my chest out when I remembered Parsley and then threw the ace when I sang the first line of his signature tune: "I'm a very friendly lion called Parsley". Get in!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herbs

Check it out dudes.

Here's a couple of shots of Elaine climbing at Jurassic Park.

Tomorrow: Fatman and Robin go to secteur Jacob at la Turbie. That'll wipe the smile of my face, as there's nothing easy (below 8a) left for me to do there! Maybe, I'll get a good project as that's what I need..... Watch this space!