Thursday 31 January 2013

Punks

The last month in Natimuk has flown by in a blur. It could be because I'm getting older and 31 days doesn't seem in a relative sense that long anymore. Most likely because of NYE and the following couple of weeks with a rotating crew of people from Melbourne and the Blue Mountains hanging out in Lake Ave. Time flies when having fun right?

Good Conditions!!?
In my last musings I mentioned that I'd had a quick play on Punks in the Gym, on Uncle Charlies. This route doesn't need an introduction from me. It's even more well known than Bert Newton. It is a route that I first heard about when this crazy young dude from the Blue Mountains was down living in the Pines. He sent it "like a bitch on heat", I didn't even know who Ben Cossey was until that point. The route since then was something that I wanted to do, but it was always put to the back of my mind. Several reasons existed for this, the main one being I was intimidated. Intimidated by both the style of the route, technical with some smearing, and the route's history. I probably didn't want to fail on a route so famous. When people overseas had found out I was from Australia they asked if I had done Punks....my ego probably found it easier to say "I hadn't been on it yet" rather than "no I can't do it". Whatever the reason I had avoided it for when I was stronger or something. In November last, when I played on it, I found that one small section near the end gave me a heap of trouble. I couldn't find a comfortable way to get through the last technical section. My plan then involved walking away for a time, learn some Araps skills, and then come back to it at Easter when it cooled down. 

New Plan - Sleep until sunset
This plan lasted all of 3 weeks into the new year. Gordon Poultney got psyched and easily convinced me to have a play on a cool 37 degree day. 'The moves are only going to feel easier in the future' was the moto of the day. Funnily enough the moves felt more straight forward than several months earlier. The weather for the rest of the week remained in high 30s which meant that I had one or two shots just before sunset one day then waited until the weekend when Saturday cooled off dramatically down to the mid 20s. Perfect summer conditions. 


Hitting the Bird Bath







Redpointing for me in the past has been a real battle. Normally I would try something, work out the moves or think I do, then just go for it from the ground. This would usually end up with doing something within a few shots or turn into massive epic which would only end when I'd given up all together and had gone through a minimum of three belayers. These sends would be more a relief rather than satisfaction - not exactly the feeling that I am looking for. After pulling off my best Charlie Sheen impersonation at Little Hands after falling off at the chains my project there for the fourth time, I devised a plan for 2013. Make sure I can do all the moves, can do overlapped sections, and visualise the entire route - then go for it from the ground. Sounds simple and basic but it has taken years for me to realise I hadn't been doing this. While frustratingly obvious now, it is why climbing is so good, I can always learn something. Punks was the first route I tried this new plan out on.......and it made a huge difference. I put no pressure on myself regarding number of attempts or time (now that I'm living in Nati there is heaps of time) and the difference was massive. I still did my usual fall from the last move but I didn't lose my shit, just accepted that I wasn't ready to do it. Slight modification of the move and the next time I got there I sent. Satisfaction! 

Organ Pipes - Mt Wellington


Well now I have some time off work and hanging around down in Hobart. Not sure exactly what I am going to do but pretty keen to have a crack at Gary Phillips' new route While Powder 31/32 at Bare Rock. It would also be cool to learn how to climb cracks at Mt Wellington so that I have some confidence to go do something bigger. As it is, I had to bail off a grade 19 hand crack cause I didn't have enough gear the right size and it scared the shit out of me. Ah rock climbing, one day you can be as high as a kite, then next eating humble pie. So much to learn!






- Grosey

1 comment:

  1. Nice catch-up Grosey, and congrats on sending one of the great routes. And also on the state of Zen you've achieved ;)

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