Or it' original title: Climbing with new people, part 2: Ramshaw
Due mainly to life getting in the way of getting out climbing, I ended up driving to the train station on a wednesday morning to pick up someone I'd never climbed with before, and only really spoken to once or twice. We'd both ended up being cancelled on by the people we were supposed to be climbing with and numbers had been passed on. I'm going to be honest and tell you I was worried I was going to hold this guy back. His names Dan, he's built like a tank and climbs with Dave Macloed when he's studying in Scotland. To me thats a pretty big thing.
Due mainly to life getting in the way of getting out climbing, I ended up driving to the train station on a wednesday morning to pick up someone I'd never climbed with before, and only really spoken to once or twice. We'd both ended up being cancelled on by the people we were supposed to be climbing with and numbers had been passed on. I'm going to be honest and tell you I was worried I was going to hold this guy back. His names Dan, he's built like a tank and climbs with Dave Macloed when he's studying in Scotland. To me thats a pretty big thing.
With a climbing partner like this for the day we headed to Ramshaw to have a go at Tierdrop, sans ropes. Ropes wouldn't have made any difference anyway because there is bugger all gear on Tierdrop. Instead we had one pad that wasn't even supposed to be in the car (I was taking it from one house to another for a friend) and didn't belong to either of us. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for climbing with Dan.
I've had 2 "sessions" (for want of a better word) at Tierdrop with Dan. Neither of us have managed it either. The first session we spent working out all the moves, some of which seemed impossible at first go. Needless to say, we persevered and managed to each link the short but powerful sequence to the chipped rain, and thus 2ft below the final hold. Like I said, on our first trip neither of us got it.
And we didn't get it on the second trip either! This time we went armed with a better pad, and a Bekki for support (which turned out to be quite a good thing in the end). Immediatly Dan jumped on it and made every move to the rail first go! It was nice to see him climbing so well and amazing that the body just remembers all the moves. I think he was pretty suprised to actually reach the rail and he came off from there. Then It was my turn.
I too was pretty surprised to reach the rail but all the moves had seemed pretty simple. Even the sharp holds weren't too bad on my sore finger tips and I soon found myself hanging on the same rail. Would I try the next move? Would I have to stones. Alas no, I came down also but happy in the knowledge that I'd made it there first move. We both had a few more goes, each getting to the rail but only me trying to make the next move. I missed it by a cm first time! Pretty frustrating so on my next attempt I tried to shuffle my hands up the rail to it's highest point giving me a little more reach. Sadly the rail wasn't that great higher up and I end up pitching off backwards. We figured that I would have hit my neck if Dan hadn't spotted my top half but, and due to nothing but shear dumb luck, I cracked the back of my head off his knee.
Fuck it hurt.
I rolled around on the floor for a spell till I tried to stand up. My vision was pretty blurry and I started feeling sick but instead of doing the sensible thing and jetting off to hospital I just went and sat on a rock and drank some water. I perked up after a big and had another 2 attempts on the problem. I made it to the rail (vision bending) but couldn't bring myself to make another attempt first time. Second was easier but I still missed the final hold, and came clattering back to the floor defeated. It's a shame I didn't managed it but at the same time I'm enjoying having a project, something at the back of my mind that I can work on.
We left after that last attempt as the midges descended and the rain started. My fingers were ragged anyway, bloody ramshaw grit. As we left Dan, who seems to be normally quite quiet just started rocking out to "Rainwizard" by Black Stone Cherry. Now Everytime it rains I just have this image of him rocking out at Ramshaw. It was a good day.
And we didn't get it on the second trip either! This time we went armed with a better pad, and a Bekki for support (which turned out to be quite a good thing in the end). Immediatly Dan jumped on it and made every move to the rail first go! It was nice to see him climbing so well and amazing that the body just remembers all the moves. I think he was pretty suprised to actually reach the rail and he came off from there. Then It was my turn.
I too was pretty surprised to reach the rail but all the moves had seemed pretty simple. Even the sharp holds weren't too bad on my sore finger tips and I soon found myself hanging on the same rail. Would I try the next move? Would I have to stones. Alas no, I came down also but happy in the knowledge that I'd made it there first move. We both had a few more goes, each getting to the rail but only me trying to make the next move. I missed it by a cm first time! Pretty frustrating so on my next attempt I tried to shuffle my hands up the rail to it's highest point giving me a little more reach. Sadly the rail wasn't that great higher up and I end up pitching off backwards. We figured that I would have hit my neck if Dan hadn't spotted my top half but, and due to nothing but shear dumb luck, I cracked the back of my head off his knee.
Fuck it hurt.
I rolled around on the floor for a spell till I tried to stand up. My vision was pretty blurry and I started feeling sick but instead of doing the sensible thing and jetting off to hospital I just went and sat on a rock and drank some water. I perked up after a big and had another 2 attempts on the problem. I made it to the rail (vision bending) but couldn't bring myself to make another attempt first time. Second was easier but I still missed the final hold, and came clattering back to the floor defeated. It's a shame I didn't managed it but at the same time I'm enjoying having a project, something at the back of my mind that I can work on.
We left after that last attempt as the midges descended and the rain started. My fingers were ragged anyway, bloody ramshaw grit. As we left Dan, who seems to be normally quite quiet just started rocking out to "Rainwizard" by Black Stone Cherry. Now Everytime it rains I just have this image of him rocking out at Ramshaw. It was a good day.
Oh, and I ended up with consussion and Bekki had to drive us home. Good thing she came really!
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