Went down to the Diamond today with Mule n Pickles. Signs were good as there was no grease on the approach. Sure enough when we got there the rock was crisp and bone dry. The black rock which soaks up the grease usually, was a lighter colour. A one in 6 day i would say. The crag was looking fairly dry, a few birds were left on the ledges but it felt like Diamond season. I racked up for my proj. Was gonna employ the same tactics as last year, warming up on the easier sections putting the clips in and doing a few small links. I didn't know what to expect really. In my mind i was still falling off the high redpoint crux but i suspected this wouldn't be the current reality. The moves went ok, only felt a little rusty on them. I re-aquainted myself with the redpoint crux and soon remembered why i was so far off doing it last year. Its a long stretch off a sidepull quite high up the route. When your tired the last thing you want is a long move, locking and covering distance is always hard when your sagging. Plus on this move you can't slap, you need to go reasonably static. The next few moves are smaller on positive holds before a very drop-able finish to the jugs. Last year i was locking off a flatty up to a wide pinchy thing which i guppied before laying one to a jug. This move wasn't feeling piss this year and it dawned on me what a drop-able last move it was. I could see myself falling there for days. Today i worked a new sequence for the end which although was more moves felt a bit more secure to me, despite the last move being off a poor sloper. Think i'll stick with this for now as it feels a bit more secure. I was fairly pleased to get to the first crux of the route from the deck climbing through the boulder problem off the ground first go. Mule and Pickles did Rub a Dub Dub 7a and got on Boat People. Like most folk (bar Pete) from last year they went to the first lower off. Pickles fell just shy of the big corner on the onsight then got it on his first redpoint. Mule had a ok flash go but didn't get up it last go as the sea was lapping the bottom off the access corner and we had to go. I must say this route looks very meaty for 7c. I had earmarked it for a potential flash burn but i'm not so sure now. Can't believe that it only gets 7c if you go to the top of the crag. This top section looks tricky in its own right and you've already done what is probably a hard 7c to get there (there is a rest though). It started pissing down and we got soaked getting back to the car. Not good.
Well the route still felt hard, i was happy with how i got on as hadn't been on it since last October. Despite my best efforts to prepare well it was still feeling pretty meaty, but then it is completely at my limit (and beyond) for a power endurance route. Such an amazing style though! Also need to build up my confidence on the route again. Might sound a bit pathetic as it is sport climbing but this is a meaty wall, the likes of which i don't climb on very often. I reckon i'm in for the long haul on this route, need to build the fitness and muscle memory up on it and get up to that redpoint crux ASAP. My biggest concern however is despite being finally able to try the one thing i wanna do i'm not exactly feeling overly psyched. I want to climb but am not feeling the usual fire in my belly. Would be nice to get this back as it would help my cause greatly. Now is not the time for a psyche dip. I feel like i'm going through the motions at the moment, maybe an upturn in form will sort me out. Fingers crossed!
Rub a Dub Dub 7a:
Boat People
Pickles dropping the onsight:
Wet Exit:
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