I didn't have a real hard set goal to do this morning. I just wanted to try a few problems in a small isolated sector of Franchard Raymond, the small sector with "Tectonique des Plaques". Of course it would be nice to top something, but my main goal was to enjoy the forest and try some problems as a form of training. It had rained a bit last night and the conditions were far from good, just like the skin on my hands. After trying a few problems, I took a little break and decided to dedicate the remaining time on "Le Soulèvement Tectonique". Knowing that I definitely wasn't going to flash it, I first tried from the start to determine where the crux is. It was quickly obvious and I focused mainly on that section, trying different methods until I found one that worked for me. I turned on the camera and sent it immediately, even though I had slippery fingers at the end and came very close to slipping off while committing to the last move to the jug. It was with a bit of luck that I stayed on and topped out.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Raymond - Le Soulèvement Tectonique 7B(7A+)
As I was travelling for work from Monday to Thursday, I felt quite exhausted in my head, but my body felt ready to go. As there was a new seemingly interesting problem opened and published last week, it was an easy choice to go to Mont Blanc Est and check out the new "Défense en Ivoire". Besides the new problem, I had also put "La Gogotte" and "L'Autre Droite" on my list. "Défense en Ivoire" indeed looked interesting in real life as well and still has this nice fresh cleaned sandstone friction to it. I took my time warming up trying the separate moves and find a method for the topout. It's the kind of problem that isn't over until it's over and I didn't want to get unexpected surprises at the topout. I was the only person in the area at that time and enjoyed the process of working it out. After I had the second and first worked out, I turned on the camera for some real attempts. On my first one, I got too excited and fell off at the top. As I wrote, this one isn't over until it's over. My second attempt was more focused and controlled, and therefor also successful. One out of three.
Fontainebleau - Mont Blanc Est - Défense en Ivoire 7B+
Even though I had already done the slightly harder "La Gogotte (gauche)" back in 2019, for some reason I had never tried the original easier version of "La Gogotte". This one went very quickly, just as I expected. Two out of three.
Fontainebleau - Mont Blanc Est - La Gogotte 7A(7A+)
"L'Autre Droite" I had already tried once before, but I could barely make any moves. Bad slopers and tiny slopey crimps for going left made it feel impossible and I had quickly given up on it, without keeping it as a project, but today I wanted to give a real chance and dedicate some time on it. The skin on my fingertips had already suffered a bit and had become sweaty. Absolutely not ideal for those bad slopers and tiny crimps, especially on a problem that has no registered repetitions yet, so it felt quite dirty as well at first. As I promised myself, I did stick with and ended up finding a method for the short traverse to the left. I hadn't done the topout yet, but did try the mantle and it did feel like I could make it with the right motivation, in this being having come from the start. After a short break, letting my skin and the slopers dry out a bit, I turned on the camera and only needed two attempts to finish it. Three out of three. I was happy with the productive session.
Fontainebleau - Mont Blanc Est - L'Autre Droite 7B
After having been ill it felt like I had been living in the body of another person. As if I walking next to myself, looking at me doing things on auto pilot, like I wasn't present on Earth. Since a few days ago, that feeling finally went away and I am back on Earth, again being aware of my surroundings and enjoying daily things again. Yesterday I went to Rocher de la Reine Nord with a few things on my list to try, starting with "Allô la Terre, ça Baigne". I thought it would be a relatively simple warmup, but I spent much more time on it than expected. I had troubles at first feeling my body move and I couldn't find the correct body positions until after I took a short break. After that, it suddenly went quite well. I had high hopes for the other problems on my list, but I was already quite worn out, and a light drizzle wasn't making it any better, so I decided to call it a session.
Fontainebleau - Rocher de la Reine Nord - Allô la Terre, ça Baigne 7A
This morning, I didn't want to go too far, but as most of the areas around my house are closed due to the aftermath of the wildfires, my choices were limited. I chose to go to Châteauveau to try "Le Sacre du Printemps (gauche rallongé)", the last problem on this beautiful boulder that I hadn't done yet. So I thought. I had terrible skin though and sweaty fingertips, but my motivation was high. I had already taken peace with probably only ending up with a training session, but after I got more and more confidence in the moves with sweaty fingertips, I took a short break and unexpectedly sent it immediately after. Turns out that I haven't done "Le Sacre du Printemps (droite du fond)" yet neither, but I decided to leave it for another visit.
Fontainebleau - Châteauveau - Le Sacre du Printemps (gauche rallongé) 7B+
I'm still not a 100% after being sick, but I'm starting to raise in percentage slowly. In the mornings I usually feel fine, but it doesn't take a lot to start winding down again, mainly because of being too active and not allowing my body to properly have a rest. I realize that being busy all the time slows down the healing process, but I'm not someone who can sit still and do nothing. There's just too much to do and so little free time. My heel is getting much better and even though I still have to walk slow, I at least managed to walk all the way to Apremont Bizons without feeling pain. When I sat down in "La Couille Lisse", the first move seemed impossible at first, but after some tweaks in body position and foot placement, I started getting closer and closer to sticking it. It wasn't a very quick process, but when I felt really close and turned on the camera, I suddenly stuck the move and topped out. This one is all about that first move and in my humble opinion rather felt like 7B at most.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Bizons - La Couille Lisse 7B+
I had tried "Malfrat" only once, and that was more than fourteen years ago, because I hadn't moved to Noisy-sur-Ecole yet. I can't remember why I wasn't able to do it back then, but now it went quite okay. I could have done it sooner if I wouldn't have dabbed the crashpad on a few attempts, but I liked the process, changing small things to avoid the dab. It was only on my way back that my heel started bothering me again, so I turned down the pace. I'll get there slowly, but steadily.
Besides a few mild colds, I hadn't been sick for at least ten good years, but on Wednesday evening, I suddenly felt feverish. After an almost sleepless night, I got up on Thursday morning with a high fever. Working full-time from home, I didn't skip work, but continued as usual, suffering from the fever. It wore me down completely. It started getting better on Friday, but I felt extremely weak. This morning, no more fever, but still very weak. Despite feeling exhausted, I did go for a climb anyway. Still suffering from my left heel injury and not looking forward to a long walk, I chose "Finger Food" in Apremont Buvette, opened by Nataleigh and Jan (de Smit). Being in not so good shape due to beforementioned circumstances, I didn't set myself any expectations. My main goal was to be in the forest and have some fresh air. I therefor wasn't disappointed about the thought that I would not be able to do "Finger Food" when I touched the small crimps. However, the fact that it only has three hard moves, motivated me to push on. Surprisingly, it didn't take much time before I was able to stick the first move, and the second followed soon after. Knowing that the dynamic move to the lip of the overhang wasn't going to give any trouble, I turned on the camera and was able to finish "Finger Food" soon after. I'm not a so called board climber and don't even really know what it exactly entails, but for for some reason I was thinking that this felt like a perfect short board climb, or maybe it was because I didn't expect to be able to do it that I found this short with only three moves, just beautiful. I liked it that much that I wanted to repeat it over and over, but I refrained myself from doing so, realizing I needed to preserve some energy for the much gardenwork I had waiting for me.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Buvette - Finger Food 7B
Just want to add that today, Jan (de Smit) was able to do "Elephunk" (8B!!). Being in his early 50's, this is extremely impressive! Congrats and big up to Jan!!
It was a last minute decision this evening to go and try the new "Le Dernier Problème (droite direct)" in Buthiers Piscine. Just like a few days ago, I felt the sudden urge to go for a climb, especially knowing that I won't have a lot of chances to go climbing this weekend, as I will be spending it with my sisters in the Belgian Ardennes, where we rented a big gite. Back in 2017 I had done "Le Dernier Problème (droite)" on my second attempt, just failing once on the big right hand move to the right. This time however, even though I immediately did that move, I fell off a few times when releasing the feet or left hand. Nevertheless, quite a quick ascent after all, but just as fun. And no, this will definitely not be the last problem that I'm climbing.
Fontainebleau - Buthiers Piscine - Le Dernier Problème (droite direct) 7A+(7B)
This evening just before dinner, I suddenly felt a big urge to go for a climb after dinner. With my injured heel I had to keep it low though, so I figured that the new "La P'tite Arche (retour)" could be something as the boulder is about as high as I am tall. Upon arrival at the boulder and after briefly inspecting the holds, I honestly thought that it would be a quick deal and possibly even flash it, but the opposite couldn't be more true. It became a 40 minute battle with one attempt after the other, and here and there maybe about a minute rest in between. After half an hour of non-stop attempts and falling at the same move over and over, I almost gave up and already made peace with it being a for another day, but then I had an idea and decided to try something different, using a high toehook and a very far but quite good hold deep under the roof. The first couple of attempts I could barely reach and grab the far hold, making the swing after releasing the toehook, impossible to hold, but I stayed with, stretching myself out more and more until I got it where I wanted and stuck the swing. The topout after was only a formality. Despite the many failures trying this problem, I really enjoyed the process, the attempts and finally doing it after thinking out of the box.
Fontainebleau - Buthiers Piscine - La P'tite Arche (retour) 7B
