It was barely a few weeks ago when I spent a good session on "Aeroheart", and was at inches from topping out so many times. The conditions were terrible and I decided to wait for better before trying it again.
It had finally rained a lot and quite hard at times, yesterday, which gave the boulders a good rinse and let the dust settle. The temperature also dropped a bit and there was some wind, so I was hoping for the best.
Looking at the weather forecast, I only had one good opportunity, which was today, a Monday. Luckily, my oldest son Anthony has piano lessons on Monday evening, which leaves me with some free time after work before heading to Milly-la-Forêt to pick him up.
Knowing that after today, it will be rainy for at least a week, made me nervous and was about to give me sweaty hands, but the right mindset calmed me down and I calmly started my attempts.
Keeping calm is exactly what is needed to top this one out. Acting too quickly or making a slightly wrong move can immediately make the difference between falling off or topping out. Something I had noticed quite a few times before I finally did the latter. Still, I owe it to the rain.
Last Sunday when I did "Les Abdominables" in Rocher du Guetteur, I also tried the direct version, but only briefly. However, it had gotten my interest, and being so close to home, I was determined to go back for it soon. Which I did today after work.
I don't know what I did wrong on Sunday, but today it went like a charm. Feeling fresh, and the toehook and compression on slopers being completely my style, I only needed a handful of attempts.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Guetteur - Les Abdominables (direct) 7B+
Frustration, sarcasm, mocking, swearing and cursing, it's all part of the fun for me while climbing, or attempting to do so. This was no different when I tried "Mauvais Esprits" last Monday evening. I had to give up due to time constraints, but for the first time, I knew that the hard crux move was possible.
This evening, I had some spare time after work and stopped at Drei Zinnen, determined to finish "Mauvais Esprits".
The skin on the fingertips of my right hand was completely wrecked, but I didn't give up and finally managed to top this very short, but powerful problem.
One of my five beloved sisters was in the neighbourhood with her boyfriend and his family and they came around for a nice two hour walk in the forest.
It was already hot and very crowded when they left back home, but I figured that Rocher du Guetteur would do for a short climb.
The parking lots that I passed on my way were completely full, but I was all alone, overshadowed by the huge boulder of Rocher du Guetteur.
There are many problems on this boulder, some quite exposed and high, some I had already done, but I was there only for "Les Abdominables" this time.
An easy start with jugs, traversing to the right with a very hard shoulder move to end on an okay pillar with compression moves.
Had a lot of fun with it!
I couldn't find a method for the direct version, which sitstarts under the pillar, but it's something I will gladly go back for.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Guetteur - Les Abdominables 7B(7A+)
Yesterday afternoon, I wandered around the Cuvier area and ended up trying "Aeroheart" and got shut down on it. I lost count on the amount of times I couldn't find any friction on the very last sloper until loosing balance and falling off.
The warm rock surface combined with countless layers of magnesia on greasy-like slopers and bad skin weren't exactly good conditions, but nevertheless, it felt frustrating. The forest is in a desperate need of some longer hard rain to wash the boulders clean.
After having spent yesterday afternoon in the crowd of Cuvier, I was in need of some solitude this morning, so I headed toward Côtes de Courances, deep in the Coquibus. As some might know by now, one of my favourite parts of the forest, if not the one.
Manuel (Marquès) has opened quite a few new problems in the area, where the boulders are scattered around, but despite the vague location description, I had an idea where to be.
Almost all the boulders are quite a far walk there, but the as the forest is so beautiful, all I do is enjoy it.
I found "Un Quart de Cercle" more or less where I had expected it to be, right next to "Pas Normal Celui-Là", but the latter has such a bad landing that I didn't even think for a second trying, so I started with the first.
I don't know many times I hurt my leg trying to get that right toehook on the good spot, but the bruises and black spots show that it's a lot. I didn't count them though.
Quite a nice problem this one.
Fontainebleau - Côtes de Courances - Un Quart de Cercle 7B(7B+)
Further up the steep hill, just below the viewpoint, Manuel opened some problems on a nice low roof, luckily I was able to reach it easily, something that isn't always for granted in the chaos of the sector.
Make sure that if you happen to be around, to go up to viewpoint and enjoy the magnificent view over this valley in the Coquibus.
One of the breathtaking viewpoints of Côtes de Courances.
The only problem that I was interested in for now, on the small roof, was "La Mémoire du Futur (direct)".
Don't be fooled by the good looking rail under the roof, it is very slopey and not very convenient to keep a grip on. Very fun problem though!
Fontainebleau - Côtes de Courances - La Mémoire du Futur (direct) 7A+
It struck me this week, that I apparently already have almost 1200 videos on my YouTube channel, with nearly 400 000 views, a little over 220 subscribers, have done almost 1100 7A and above in Bleau and turned 40 yesterday. But hey, who's counting?
Despite having climbed quite hard yesterday, Pieter had a remarkably good second day, which we spent in the beautiful and calm area of La Fontaine Saint-Bernard.
Not very much problems there, but Olivier Joanon yesterday mentioned some new lines, such as "Banzaï!" that he opened there and from what I had seen on his video, it definitely looked like it merited a visit.
We warmed up in "Joie (assis)" and "Joie (droite assis)", respectively 7A and 7A+, which I both repeated on my first try and even though Pieter needed some more attempts and work out a different method, he also was able to top both relatively quick.
Jean-Pierre (Roudneff) had joined us for a short while in the meantime, also on the lookout for "Banzaï!" that he published on bleau.info yesterday. He was able to give us some good indications so we more or less walked straight to it.
It's a small boulder hidden between others, the boulder of "Banzaï!", but that nose covered with typical Bleau-like features, just begs to climbed on.
It didn't take me very long and it felt more towards 7B to me, but my long arms definitely were in my advantage here. Also toehook skills are required, something that Pieter had to find out the hard way again today. He couldn't work his way through.
Fontainebleau - La Fontaine Saint-Bernard - Banzaï! 7B+
On the same boulder, same start but staying left at the start, Olivier also opened "Ce Nez, ce Cap...", a nice little 7A that I did on my second attempt, followed by Pieter not long after.
Fontainebleau - La Fontaine Saint-Bernard - Ce Nez, ce Cap... 7A
Nearing the end of the session, we spent the time locating some of the other boulders and decided to finish with "Le Régaliste". A problem where a toehook and flexibility are key to success, which are exactly Pieter's weaknesses.
Even though I had to pull quite hard, I made it on my second attempt without too much problems.
Pieter on the other hand, used the occasion to train his weaknesses and I would lie if I would say that he didn't make any progress.
Fontainebleau - La Fontaine Saint-Bernard - Le Régaliste 7A
