July 31, 2018 - A different solution.

I'm having back trouble from overdoing it again the past few days, but yesterday evening, I went to see a chiropractor in my village.
He cracked a lot out of me, but this morning I felt soar and I needed some time to get my body going.
It was already hot early in the morning in Apremont, so "Le Triangle de Penrose (droite)" was a good option. Nicely in the shade, literally overshadowed by the bigger boulders around it.

The start on the arete isn't quite my style, having to keep all that balance, so it took me a while to master it, but after that it's not very difficult anymore.
It did wake up my body though.

Fontainebleau - Apremont - Le Triangle de Penrose (droite) 7A

One of the recent opening from again Tony (Fouchereau), got my attention when I saw a picture of it. A small, but beautiful little prow with those typical Bleau slopers.
The way Tony presumably had opened "Futura Santé" seemed like a too morpho method for me though, so I started looking for different options.

It took me almost an hour to make it to the top, and even though the start and finish are as good as the same, the method I used was in no way the same as originally intended. Moreover, as I suspect that the arete on the left next to the tree should not be used, I proposed another variation named "Solution Sportive", referring to Tony's "Futura Santé".
The grade I propose is 7B(7B+) depending on your height, but is subject to be downgraded in Winter and when the boulder is less covered with grainy pollen.
Lost a lot of skin on this one!

Fontainebleau - Apremont - Solution Sportive 7B(7B+)

July 27, 2018 - More soup.

It was around the same time as yesterday when I arrived at the boulder of "La Soupe Cosmique" again.
This time I wanted to try its extended version, "La Soupe Cosmique (droite-gauche)", but first I had to clean the left part of the boulder again. Something that I didn't feel like doing anymore yesterday.
Besides, with the weather announced to be even more hot, I wanted to have something close to home for this morning.

Even though "La Soupe Cosmique (droite-gauche)" goes around half of the boulder, it doesn't feel like doing a traverse, as your feet stay at nearly the same spot during most of the climb.
Yet another fun little problem with some more moves this time, and even though it could do without the extra '+', it's definitely not to be underestimated!
Good Summer sloper training.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots - La Soupe Cosmique (droite-gauche) 7B+

July 26, 2018 - Space soup.

Not much climbing today, besides ten minutes this morning at 8h30 in Roche aux Sabots.
As the description of "La Soupe Cosmique" mentioned that it's a slow drying problem, you can be guaranteed that it will be in the shade.
Tony (Fouchereau) just keeps on opening small unnoticed boulders like this everywhere, hidden in plain sight and this time right outside the centre of the very popular Roche aux Sabots.
True, the area does have a lot more to offer than this little dirty boulder, but nevertheless, it was a fun problem to do.

It already went down on my second attempt, so the climbing was short, but it was already too hot anyway.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots - La Soupe Cosmique 7A

July 25, 2018 - Into space.

Even though it was still early in the morning when I was walking towards Mont Aigu today, the temperature rose already way above 20°C. It promised to be another extremely hot day, but I was hoping to have some advantage from the relative coolness of the morning.
I had only one goal for today, and it was "Cosmos", a beautiful overhang with a hard mantle to finish.
At least three sessions I had already spent on it, but each time it was in the Winter time. The East facing overhang doesn't get any direct sun in that season, so the slow drying holds always felt damp.

Last session, I was about to finish it, but Bram (Honorez) watched me losing balance while almost completely standing up, and I fell out. I couldn't find enough strength anymore to give it another go back then, but I was determined to finish it on my next session, being today.

It was the first time that the starting holds and those under the overhang were perfectly dry, and I immediately knew that a successful attempt would be for any time, as long as I kept calm and wouldn't be overwhelmed with so called 'sending stress'.
On my second attempt today, I again fell off while almost standing up, but remained focussed on the next and finally sent this beautiful gem.

Fontainebleau - Mont Aigu - Cosmos 7B

It was already getting too warm, but I still managed to do the North faced "Supernova" as a bonus.
The face of that boulder is now completely brushed but I'm not sure that this is the reason why it felt like a 7B at most.
A fun dyno, but quite a weird position to jump from and an uncommon move.

Fontainebleau - Mont Aigu - Supernova 7B+

July 24, 2018 - Off the list.

At 9h this morning, it felt already as hot as the hottest moment on the previous days.
The heat wave, 'canicule' as they call it here in France, has officially started and will last for a few more days at least.
The plan was to find some morning shade in Rocher des Demoiselles, and I had prepared a small list of problems that I wanted to try. Some more than others, but all on the list.
The problem in my case with such a list is that I sometimes don't put enough effort in a particular problem, but rather give up quickly as soon as I'm stuck somewhere so I could see and try the next problem on the list. In the worst case though, it gives me an idea of what try and what not on my next visit in the area.
Already when walking towards the first problems, I figured that today would be rather be one of trying a lot on many different problems in a short time. A time that was rapidly decreasing with the fast increase of burning heat.

Strangely enough, I had forgotten to put "Karaté Kid" on the list, but on the other hand, it was not a problem that I didn't try before. My last session on it was in January 2017, but it ended abruptly with a bad fall. Not from high, but one that did give a slight headache for a moment. The video below starts with the fall I made back then.
This time though, the crimps under the roof were finally completely dry and in actual good climbing condition as opposed to all previous times I tried it, and it turned out to be what I needed.
Finally finished off this beauty with some great moves!

Fontainebleau - Rocher des Demoiselles - Karaté Kid 7A+(7B)

It had become way too hot by now, but on my way down the hill towards the path, I had a look at "Le Plat du Chef (assis)", a small overhang that is oriented towards the North and so slow drying that I had never seen it dry.
It apparently takes quite a long period of drought, because for the very first time, I found also this one to be completely dry.
"Le Plat du Chef (assis)" wasn't on my list neither, but the fact that the overhang provided some cooling shadow convinced me to unpack and take my chances on it.

My first attempts were miserable. Only two moves, but a damn hard first one.
After some persistence, I managed tick this one off my list too, even though it wasn't on it in the first place.
Nicer problem than it seems!

Fontainebleau - Rocher des Demoiselles - Le Plat du Chef (assis) 7A+

While walking back to the car, I used some sticks to try and catch some flies, but even though I had just done "Karaté Kid", I definitely am not one, because not a single fly was caught.

July 22, 2018 - Can't complain.

My back was stiff and my muscles felt soar from the fall yesterday when I woke up this morning, but it was okay, I had planned to take it easy today. A lazy Sunday as commonly referred to.
My only climbing goal for today was "Complainte de Vallée (droite)" in the beautiful Vallée Chaude.
The idea was to walk slowly to the boulder, of which I knew was going to be in the shade nearly all day long. Another perfect boulder for a hot day like today, if you're willing to make the not so long, but hot walk down the little valley on a day like this.

It was already feeling quite hot when I walked down the Vallée Chaude at 10h45, but as mentioned earlier, I took it easy, walked slowly and got astonished once again by the beauty of this unspoiled area.
Each time that I passed here before, in every possible season, I couldn't resist to take a picture, just like today. But each time also, I am slightly disappointed how a flat picture can do injustice to the true beauty out there in real life.

La Vallée (très) Chaude.

I had done the easier left exit, "Complainte de Vallée (gauche)", in October 2017 and watched my video of it this morning to remind myself of the beta that I used, as the first part is the same as for "Complainte de Vallée (droite)", the harder exit on the right.

The first part went fine from the first attempt, until I arrived at the crux going to the right.

I took my time to work out the crux and the remaining moves, changed my method a couple of times and found one that suited me more than the two videos that I had seen from it.

I messed up my attempt from the start because of a bad foot placement that I couldn't correct anymore, but was able to send it the attempt after.

Fontainebleau - Vallée Chaude - Complainte de Vallée (droite) 7B+(7C)

I stayed a while longer and relaxed in the shade before I started the walk through the valley in the sun.

It was even more hot than before, it was uphill and the crashpad felt heavy, but no, there was no reason to complain.

July 21, 2018 - There's no place like home.

On Tuesday morning, I left with my oldest son, Anthony, for a surfing trip in Carcans next to Lacanau, not very far from Bordeaux.
The idea was that we were going to stay there until today and come back home in two days to make it really easy.
The weather was perfect, the waves were there, the surfing was good, the environment beautiful, but despite all of that, I missed the beautiful forest of Bleau and I hated all that sand everywhere, except when it comes into the form of the soft sandstone like at home. I even missed the weight of my crashpad when walking around.
On top of that, I was having difficulty to recover when spending the night in a sleeping bag on not so sandy ground, but rather rooted from the pine tree forest that we were in.
I honestly felt relieved when Anthony shared the same feelings, so we decided to pack up, left yesterday morning, drove straight home and arrived in the evening.

This morning, when I woke up after a heavenly good night sleep, I was motivated like crazy to go for a climb.
It was going to be hot in the afternoon, so as usual, I left immediately after my morning ritual. I couldn't wait to lose some skin on the sandstone and get my hands dirty.
After a long period of drought, I figured that maybe, finally, all the holds of "Katioushka" in Bois du Rocher, would be dry. It's a perfect boulder to try on hot days as the beautiful steep overhanging prow is faced North and it starts in a sort of pit. However, I had never seen the boulder with all the holds dry, so I was never able to try it before.
I enjoyed the short walk in complete solitude and found the boulder pitch dry. Every hold was dry and the boulder protected the line from warming up in the sun. It was perfect.

Almost at "Katioushka". There's no place like home!

I gave it a test try to see where the first crux would be and from where I should start working out the moves. As the prow comes out of a pit, it's easy to start anywhere and work out each move separately.

As soon as I had done every move, and linked some, I set up the camera and pressed record for some tries from the start.

I went through the first crux better than expected, but made a mistake on the next move, which turned out to be a better method than I had worked out. For a fraction of a second, it had taken me out of my flow, but I decided to continue and go for the next move which I made just in time while slipping off the key left crimp. Luckily it stuck and even though completely surprised that it did, I climbed on, made it through the next crux and almost miraculously didn't fall off until the end.

I had just done "Katioushka" and almost couldn't believe it!

Fontainebleau - Bois du Rocher - Katioushka 7B+

Of course, after a short break, I had to also try the easier left variation, "Katioushka (gauche)".
Pretty much the same start, but going left with a far move and finish with the left arete.
The far move to the left is the hardest as the position out of which you have to push sideways is far from good and the move is not always certain.
Also, minipad placement (if you have one) is important, as I placed it wrong and fell with my back directly on the small boulder under the start. Not from high, but nevertheless quite painful.
I made it soon after.

Fontainebleau - Bois du Rocher - Katioushka (gauche) 7A+(7A)

I had already pack up again, but stayed and enjoyed the surroundings for a while, when I noticed another line on the boulder, "Le Flanc de Katioushka", which starts far left and ends into "Katioushka (gauche)".
This one I "flashed" quite easily, but it turned out to be very much nicer than I had expected. Maybe I made it a bit harder on myself, but the moves felt great to execute.

Fontainebleau - Bois du Rocher - Le Flanc de Katioushka 7A

My back hurts from the low fall, my legs and arms are bruised and scratched, but I know why and I love it!

There's definitely no place like home!

July 11, 2018 - Let it go!

What I had hoped would be a calm week at work, the last week before my holiday, turned out to be extremely hectic for reasons I am not allowed to elaborate about.
The stress combined with the heat in the evening, made me tired and it was difficult to find the right motivation to go for a real climb. The work buzz just kept spinning around in my head.
This evening, I couldn't take it anymore and on my way home, I called to say that I would be late for dinner because had to go climbing first. I had to let work go and disconnect at least this evening.

I went to 95.2 Ouest, the newly named sector with the well known boulders of "Retour aux Sources", "Rudeboy" and "Symbiose".
It was more precisely on the "Symbiose" boulder that I wanted to try some recently opened problems.
The first one was the easiest, "Saint Bio / Bob l'Éponge (assis)", even though, the mantle was a bit of a surprise.

Fontainebleau - 95.2 Ouest - Saint Bio / Bob l'Éponge (assis) 7A

Next up was a variation of it traversing to the right, to top out near the exit of "Symbiose".
Even though the slightly higher proposed grade, I did this on my first attempt.

Fontainebleau - 95.2 Ouest - Bob l'Éponge (droite assis) 7A+(7A)

By this time, I could feel how my mind calmed down and slowly disconnected from work.
It felt like a huge relief, but I still wanted more, so I walked on to try "P'tite Mousse (assis)" on the other side of the hill.
Even though I always seemed to have trouble holding on to that sloper left hand, it only took me few tries to successfully top it out.

Fontainebleau - 95.2 - P'tite Mousse (assis) 7A+(7B)

While walking back to the car, it struck me how there was no sign of stress anymore at all.

It feels great!

July 01, 2018 - Perfect conditions.

After a hot night where temperature didn't go below 20°C, I left early to the Coquibus, hoping that the temperature wouldn't rise that fast in the dense forest.
My idea to try the crux move of "Djembé" in Côtes de Courances at 8h in the morning wasn't the best one, because I immediately felt that I was not going to get that bidoigt pocket while feeling still so stiff.
The motivation was there, but I wisely moved on to Montrouget to try "Grottesque" instead, knowing that it is facing North-West. One of the reasons why I never found the holds under the cave in dry condition.
I tried "Grottesque" nearly every time I visited the small area, but by the time it started to become difficult, my fingers felt as slippery as after eating a salami barehanded in hot weather.

It might sound strange, but this morning at 9h15 with already 27°C, the conditions in the cave were near perfect. Those for the crux moves coming up the wall were not though.
I took a couple of hard falls, but finally, at 9h45 and 28°C in the shade, topped it out.

Fontainebleau - Montrouget - Grottesque 7A+

By the time I arrived back at the car, it was already 30°C and the worst was still to come.

Perfect conditions for staying inside, do some cleaning and take a refreshing dip in the river in Grez-sur-Loing afterwards.