It has been beautiful for the last few days. We are enjoying each day one at a time, no thought to the next day. But as our days begin to close in on us, we are pressed to try, really hard, and send the problems that we have seen and think are worth our time. Over the last few weeks we have been exploring as much of rocklands as we can, we are getting out and climbing new places all the time, even on rest days we are still looking for boulder problems that we would want to do, or at least try. So with the days dwindeling I have been setting a few goals and have made an effort to try really hard and send some beautiful problems before my stay in South Africa is up. The crux move on black widow V9 roadside.

that thing i'm reach for is actualy just a really

glassy piece of quartz the hold i'm going for is

the one with the long tick.

The search continues, always on the other side of the boulder, maybe a line, maybe enough holds to get up the thing. but hopefuly not too much feature as to make it un interesting and easy. This seems to be the trend around rocklands. You head out searching for problems, its raining you are soaked, pants soaked, I think 'why didn't I bring rain paints? who fucking needs a rain jacket, when your walking through waist high bushes more drenched with water than the sky. Its a constant battle you spot an over hanging face up on the cliff line, maybe a series of holds aesthetic enough to climb. then you look down. Ok I gotta jump from this boulder skirt this bush, and hop to the next sand stone slab. Thus avoiding the massive drop or un passable barrier of bushes. You get there and if you were any where but rocklands, you would have just found the best problem ever. Except for your in rocklands and there are endless boulder problems out there. Always around the next corner. and the drive to find the next king line is always pressing you on to the next boulder. Skipping thousands of potentialy excellent problems that if you were to stop and put your pad down and give it a few goes, turns out you just climbed a worth while problem, by any standards.
Its been raining alot so when the clouds broke just for an afternoon two days ago we made a little trip to the Sassie Boulders. I sent this problem 'Ghosts in the darkness. V10' that I had already put two days of work into. Its an awesome roof problem, one of the longer roof problems in rocklands. It climbs for about 20 feet out a horizontal arch, on large flat holds. The first move starts with a hand jam in a splitter crack above your head. Then you press out to a flat hold throw a toe into the crack next to your hand let the hand go move your hands out onto slightly better blocks. still holding the foot you wedge the toe shoe into the crack take the other foot out and walk it over alowing you to move your right foot. anyway after a few more throws while holding some shitty heel hooks you dyno back wards cutting the entire body and holding a huge swing at the same time you swing you have to grab the other hold further out the roof and its done. Sickly complicated beta. Props to ANdy Raether for getting the first ascent.

These are pictures of bushman paintings that are splattered all over the surrounding areas. If you are in a low flat area with a water source and cliff line, then there is a pretty good chance there are bushman paintings in the cliff line's sheltered areas.

This is a archer figure that is about 10 inches tall. He was marching across the white plains of a a bullet smooth quartzite wall. In the same shelter was many other figures from 2 feet tall to 2 inches tall, as well as quaga (zebra) and elephant figures.

Stress free, & good food.

Every meal we cook we end up sitting around the table unable to move stuffed with ostrich meat, mashed potatoes and fresh greens. This is not exactly ideal for sending hard. But it is great for rebuilding the fuel reserves that we need when climbing non stop. Basicly we climb two days on and then rest a day. But we have done some three days on, which can be a bit taxing on the body. So we eat.

I have been in the rocklands for about a 3 weeks and I have seen a lot of the developed areas. I have said in a previous post that the rocklands is so big that you are constantly looking for the perfect line. Well this is true and what I said before alo remains true. But this line at the Road Crew area called Cedar Spine really is the pefect line. It climbs this nover hanging arete with big long moves on eaither side of the arete, and to top it all off it has a big throw for the last move.

SO I was saying I have been here for three weeks and I have seen alot of the developed areas and looked out over the never ending boulders longing to climb them all. I have been looking for the perfect hard line that I want to invest some time in sending. When I arrived I was feeling really strong fresh from plastic and Yosemite's stiff grading system. I did this 8a route that I didn't think was really v11 but now that I have sampled some other v10s that were simular style roof problems with big holds and compression moves. I think that no late tenders could be 8a and i was just not used to the grading or climbing around here. SO i am psyched that I did an 8a. that was my goal for South Africa. I just didn't think I would get it done that fast. But I should of known better, Because I had the best chance of sending something hard fresh from plastic. Its not that suprising because I did my first v10 in bishop shortly after moving there.

this is exciting and i am still psyched to see what other hard route I can send in my month left.

Rope climbing is good training for real climbing

'Factor 15, 13a'
Above some of the most classic
boulders in rocklands, is a beautiful
tall cliff line with many bolten routes

Sometimes its hard to do things that your not as good at, and sometimes you suprise yourself. This morning after a few days of rain I woke up and the sun was shining, beautiful day for some excelent bouldering. It was very cold and crisp. But we are supposed to go route climbing today. Man don't want to. I really want to go and work on Cedar Spine, which I feel like we have been putting off ever since we went to road crew the first day. So I went along feeling a bit sour. Trying not to affect everyone else. I warmed up on the awesome juggy Orange Plasma wall, I sat trying to get into the state I would be in for sending hard boulder problems, don't think about anythng. Clear the mind of all expectations, think only of the next move. I jumped on Factor 15 Bouldered up to the ledge clipped the first two clips and sat breathing thinking of nothing. This route was set off feeling good rested and doing every move with as little effort as possible. Before I knew it i was through all the moves and make this big reach for the crux. Just a little further and my fingers had raped around the good edge, match and its more or less over. Except for the topping out. After you slap all the way up the atete you actauly have to top the route out. it slabs out and you have to do a sort of high step scary mantle. a little jittery and a bit scared but confident that I would send. Yes my first real 5.13.

sending hard in the rain

the super classic highball 'Creaky heights v4'

Sent a v10 called 'no late tenders'. ALso did my first V8 flash 'dirty lies'. and another v8 seocnd go called maniac. This place is just stacked with the best line. You can climb all day on the best problems. The only down fall around here seems to be the weather. Its been a bit rainy here and there and you just got to jump out on the boulders when the sun shows up. SOme times it will rain and rain all morning and then all of sudden it will be sunny and everything is dry and you can go out bouldering. So we have been getting a lot of bouldering in including some sport climbing. Went and worked on a Todd Skinner route 'factor 15' 13a. The thing is amazing i'll have some photos next time i post. It climbs this beautiful over hanging arete way up high on a kloof (as the say here) over looking the wild rocklands landscape. just awesome. But the rain, well i've been resting a lot and climbing hard when I can. Tony Lamiche and Isa showed up a few days ago, they are staying in the farm house down the road. Soon some more american will arive and stay in the farm house. Daniel and Lisa and Wills. I'm not sure who else is coming. With all these guys crushing hopefuly some of it will rub off on me. Well i bet diner is ready. Peace.
w