June 23, 2024 - Embracing the heat.

I had tried "La Coquine" in Montrouget once about a year ago and remember that it was hot there and I could barely do any of the moves. I'm quite sure it wasn't necessarily because of the heat, but rather because it really felt hard. After a week with a lot of rain, I figured it would be a good idea to go back "La Coquine", knowing it would dry quick there on the South face of the hill. As expected, it was all perfectly dry, and hot, but this time I embraced the heat as we hadn't noticed much of the Summer so far.
I warmed up trying the last moves of the topout, but when I looked at what seemed like the crux move, the one from the sloper to the three finger crimp right hand under the roof, it looked impossible. To be able to get more into the session, I turned to "La Coquinette" first, which I hadn't tried last time. It went down quickly on my third attempt.

Fontainebleau - Montrouget - La Coquinette 7A+

No more reasons to be possible distracted by something else, I was now forced to focus on "La Coquine", but I had a hard time to work out the crux move. It still didn't seem like it was possible, so instead I kept on trying the first moves up to the sloper, just to make sure that I was able to get there every time, but always failing on that crux. Then suddenly, after a short break without ever expecting it, I was able to do the crux move when coming from the start. It turned out to be possible. It gave me hope and confidence, but I still needed quite some tries to be able to stick it again, but this time I fell on the last move. I was able to finish it off on my next attempt though. 
This is a true beauty!

Fontainebleau - Montrouget - La Coquine 7B+(7B)

June 16, 2024 - A long day.

I met Victor (Burger) and his son yesterday around in noon in Rocher Saint-Germain with the intention to go and try "Anicroche". I chose this one from Victor's list because it was a relatively easy walk when taking the Route de Luxembourg, and the boulder isn't too high. My ankle is still swollen and I still don't want to jump or fall off too high yet and also don't want to weaken it by walking too long, or on sketchy paths.

Victor was able to climb it very fast, within a small handful of attempts and repeated it again so I could make a video of him doing it. 
I apparently needed more time and many more attempts and Victor decided to already leave to try another boulder on the way back. I didn't mind being left alone and continue trying "Anicroche". The crux of "Anicroche" is definitely the first move and trying it many times in a row really bites in the energy levels. After I finally stuck the move, but still fell off where I didn't expect to fall off anymore, I took a break and finished it soon after.

Fontainebleau - Rocher Saint-Germain Centre - Anicroche 7C

Arriving back at my car around 15h, I noticed that Victor's car was still there, but I left anyway as I had told him before that I wanted to leave around 15h, 15h30 the latest.
Driving home through Arbonne-la(Forêt, Victor called, but the reason why sounded terrifying. He fell off "Morpholoubli" and suspected that he broke his heel bone. As he wasn't able to walk at all, I told him I would continue to my house to pick up crutches, pain killers and water and then come straight back to help him out. Arriving at the scene, he was in lots of pain, but was able to walk with the crutches while his son and I took all the gear. We went straight to the hospital and I stayed with them to translate and keep them company during the many hours of waiting. The X-ray unfortunately confirmed what Victor suspected. His heel bone is severely fractured. It didn't look good. Waiting for the verdict, operation or not, took another couple of hours, but luckily we got the news that an operation wasn't needed. 
Bart (Van Raaij) who arrived in the area in the evening, had come over to help with the logistics part (thanks Bart!!). While he drove with Victor's car to bring Vctor and his son to their house in Nemours, I followed with mine so I, in turn, could bring Bart back to his car in Fontainebleau. It was 22h30 when I finally arrived back home.

June 12, 2024 - Five sessions of reflection.

Five sessions and many hours. I spent a long time trying a new left variant of "Liaison Dangereuse" in Coquibus Auvergne. Located on top of the hill right across the parking, the first boulder of the area. A low roof, ideal for not falling from high on a sprained ankle. It was a perfect problem to try. I needed two sessions to work out and do all the moves separately, and then three more to link it all together.
The first session it felt nearly impossible, but when I did all the moves separately in the second session, I started to slowly believe in it. Linking them was hard, and it felt like one of the hardest problems that I wanted to spend time on, besides a handful others. 
Falling off the last move many times during the third and fourth session, but feeling stronger on it every time, the moves started to feel less hard, but I knew I had gotten stronger in them and muscle memory helped a lot. Nevertheless, the moves still felt hard, but my confidence grew. I knew that a minor detail could make the difference and lead to success. I only had to find that detail. 
It appears that I only found it this evening, during my fifth session, and I only thought of it when I one again got to the point of the last move. I had the three finger pocket right hand, a mono for the left, pulled up, missed the last and only good hold, but didn't fall. It was only at that moment that I realized I could and should briefly rest in that position instead of immediately going for it again, which most likely would have led to another fail. I didn't let it happen, I rested for what seemed like an eternity, which allowed me to refocus and in that short time also think about the move itself instead of wanting to finish the problem. It may sound strange to some, but it helped and I finally stuck that last hard move. I had the good hold and I knew that I wouldn't let go of it anymore until I had the jug right hand, crossing over the left. I did it.
Grade wise, I decided to stick with 7C+, even though it might be less hard for those with long legs as it might be possible for them to skip one hard move in the middle part. Grades are subjective and personal for everyone individually. 7C+ is what it felt for me, at least.

Fontainebleau - Coquibus Auvergne - Liaison Dangereuse (gauche) 7C+(7C)

June 08, 2024 - Léon.

I had a first experience with "Léon" in Recloses last week, but as the top was wet, I could only try the first part, which helped to get a good first impression and realizing that it is way harder than I expected it to be for the grade. Looking at the grades given by the handful of registered of repeaters, it was obvious that they thought similar and three out of five gave it 7B+, one even 7C and only one 7B.
As my youngest son Noah is having his late birthday party in the forest this afternoon, I didn't have very much time for climbing and I could only hope to finish "Léon" during this morning's short session.
The boulder was completely dry now, and my first few attempts were promising. There was a slow but steady progress with nearly each attempt, only to discover that it wasn't getting easier the higher I got. Even a climber from the generation of Jacky Godoffe who walked by and with whom I short but nice talk, said that this one is under quoted.
After a short break, I had a new highpoint and it was the first time that I actually believed that "Léon" could go down this session. Another couple of attempts and very short breaks later, I made my way up, standing my ground on the grade being no less than 7B+. Hard, but beautiful.

Fontainebleau - Recloses - Léon 7B+(7B)

June 06, 2024 - For fun's sake.

Yesterday evening I had another really good session in the low roof that I have been trying for a while. Despite falling off the last move again a few times, it felt like an improvement, because thanks to the muscle memory, I was able to flow through the first part much better. The moves are still hard, but I almost executed them automatically. 
This evening, I wanted to go for another short climb, but realizing that I felt too tired from yesterday to spend another session in the roof today, I decided to go for something close and most likely a quick deal. Having done the sitstart of "Le Hérisson" back in October 2015, almost nine years ago, I thought it would be a quick win to do the standstart, which apparently has its own page on bleau.info now. 
As expected, it was a quick deal and I did it on my second attempt. Finding the boulder back again had taken longer than unpacking and actually doing the problem. Just for fun's sake, I did it again immediately, but slightly different. Just for fun's sake.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Le Hérisson (debout) 7B(7A+)