Back to the Beach

Today i made a long awaited return to LPT. My plan was to thrash around on Liquid and try and work a different sequence in the middle. I have no fitness so this would be more worthwhile for me than getting 3 bolts up an 8a (sounds strange i know). Anyway it was my 8th day on so didn't expect too much, indeed i lacked the edge needed on such a hard route. I sacked it off and contemplated my future trying this route. I want to do it but at my current level this would mean committing far too much time to one route. Its as hard as 8c gets after all! Liquid isn't going anywhere but there are projects dotted about which i would rather get psyched for at this stage of the game. Between Liquid Ambar and Big Bang i have spied a line that i think is climbable. It is a very featured piece of rock, i have checked out some of the holds from LA and it really is excellent. It has a headwall similar to Big Bang but this one looks easier to me, scooping in so it looks like you can get on your feet a bit more. I think its all there, even the start looks good. Obviously this line is in sector hard of LPT surrounded by 8c+,8c,9a,8c so i expect it will be at least 8c covering the ground that it does. I've always said to myself that if i ever climb 8c or thereabouts i will bolt it up and give it a go. Even if it's far too hard there will be an amazing project for someone. In my mind the line is known as The Big Crunch. As The Big Bang marked the genesis of the universe The Big Crunch is where it will all end and this will probably turn out to be the last significant route on LPT. Exciting stuff! After Liquid i joined Choo on Melancholie, i never felt that good on this since i did it as a skinny youth in 2004. Today i managed the moves though they felt hard. I am psyched to try and get this wired again as i have a couple of link ups to aim for. Most significantly the much talked about Melancholie/Pas de Deux link up, the counter diagonal to Bad boy is an obvious challenge. I have basically done this in two bits having done Pas De Deux last year. Linking it should prove very tricky being hard 8b into font 7b+/c sequence albeit with a rest between the two, hardcore crimping endurance needed. More inspiration for me (like i need any more living round here!) anyway even if nothing comes of it. This was the first time i'd tried the top of Melancholie since i did it, very crimpy. I finished off with Bad Boy. With my fitness being so shit i wasn't sure i had it in me, so i climbed like Pete Robins and Adam Ondra in a speed climbing final. Ironically i got less pumped than when i am fit, i was so quick.
Defo getting down with the speed vibe on steep ground!
LPT topo i nicked from the Wiki, pic by Pete Harrison:


Neil Dyer seeing what the fuss is about on the Angel project: