May 18, 2023 - Productivi-time.

I decided to go to Apremont Hauts des Gorges to try some boulders near the one with "Véga". Mainly because it is a quiet spot, but also because there is still a lot that I wanted to do and I didn't want to spend a whole session one something too hard. I rather wanted to go for some quantity. I was quite early and didn't have any problems parking right next to the buvette, which I knew wouldn't last for very long.
I had tried "Véga" briefly a couple of times right after it was published, but I never committed on the dyno because the topout kind of scared me a bit. Today, I wanted to start with it and go full on for the dyno. I was still fresh, but still surprised that I stuck the dyno quite fast. I chickened out on the topout and 'biscuited' my way up by going more to the right. A version that I call "Véga Biscuit".

Fontainebleau - Apremont Hauts des Gorges - Véga Biscuit 7B(7A+)

Now that I had seen the top of the boulder, I could better imagine what to do for the straight topout and thought that it would be a quick deal now that I could do the dyno. That was a huge overstatement though because I had to try much more and longer to be able to stick it again. Once I did though, I topped out straight up.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Hauts des Gorges - Véga 7B

Not far from there, I wanted to try "Lepraria". I didn't have any phone reception there so couldn't watch Bart's (Van Raaij) video again, but I remembered most of it as soon as I analyzed the problem. The move to the two finger pocket in the crack was hard to get at first because I couldn't see where it was and had to go blind. Slowly, after each attempt, I got the right coordination and topped out.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Hauts des Gorges - Lepraria 7A+

With the muscle memory still there, I was able to "Lepraria (gauche)" quickly as well. Going left didn't add a lot of difficulty, but I found the mantle much harder.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Hauts des Gorges - Lepraria (gauche) 7B

Last but not least, I tackled "Folie". The very bad slopey pinch right hand had been warming up in the sun though and didn't expect to top this one out. It was a nice surprise when I did, because I was about to let it go.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Hauts des Gorges - Folie 7B(7A+)

It was a short, but quite productive session. Satisfied, I went back home to finish some work in my barn and wasn't surprised that the road from the buvette to Barbizon was fully packed with cars parked on both sides.
Oh yeah, I got my first tick of the season, and I surely hope it will be the last, but I doubt it.