November 22, 2015 - Seven sevens.

I had to scratch the ice off the car windows this morning when I left. It was a good sign!
I left pretty early again. The parking of Le Vaudoué was still empty when I drove onto it.
I wanted to go to Rocher Fin again and had to be early because I knew that it would be a popular destination after yesterday's rain, so I wanted to try some stuff before the groups of climbers would arrive.

It was cold and crisp while walking there, and most of the boulders I could see through the trees were perfectly dry, except for some northernly directed faces here and there, but that wouldn't be enough to spoil the fun! It felt and smelled like a "sending day"!
My message to Jean-Pierre R. on the way read: "0°C, un ciel bleu avec un peu de vent et un soleil levant. Rochers en top condition sur la route au Rocher Fin. Monte. Je crois que ça vaut la peine!"

When I arrived at the boulder I wanted to warm up in, it was just past 9 am. The whole area was still deserted and it was peaceful. Just me and a lot of boulders under a clear blue sky with a raising sun. Exactly the way I like it!!
My choice for warming up was "L'Envol du Martinet". A nice 7A dyno and not too hard for the grade.
I always like dyno's to warm up in, as it wakes up my body and builds up some adrenalin, making it ready for action.

Fontainebleau - Rocher Fin - L'Envol du Martinet 7A

Video repeat and warm up.
It always works for me to warm up in a dyno. It wakes up the body when it's still early like it was today and it does indeed warm me up.
Especially when it's still early and 0°C.

I was warmed up now and wanted to quickly try "Mrs du Plus" before the groups of climbers would arrive. It's one of the most popular boulders of the area, and I don't like to stand in line for my turn, so it had to be now.

Prepared the crashpad, tried to figure out as best as I could where the start would be, set off and found myself on top of it after my first try! Ok, it was a struggle, as at a certain point I didn't know what to do anymore so kind of had to improvise on the spot where to grab, while I felt the power fading in my arms. I didn't want to let go anymore, so I fought my way to the top. I was happy, but I lost a lot  of energy in that struggle.

Technically I cannot call it a flash go, because I did do "Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe" 3 years ago, and "Mrs du Plus" only adds 2 or 3 moves up to the start of "Mémoire ..." and finishes in it too.

Therefore, because of the "rules" the "flash" is now "just" a "first go". 

I dare you to all to start a discussion about those "rules" with Jens from 8a.nu. LOL!!

Fontainebleau - Rocher Fin - Mrs du Plus 7B

First attempt!
Technically I can't call it a flash anymore, because I did "Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe" 3 years ago, and it adds actually 2 or 3 moves into that one and finishes in it.
I just checked and apparently I did "Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe" exactly (to the day) 3 years ago, 22-11-2012. Funny coincidence!

After that I felt should let my arms rest a bit, as attempts in "Le Nain Vert Sait" and "Bull Dog" didn't turn out well. I sat in the sitstart of "El Kift", but more than sitting in the sitstart it didn't become.

Moreover, groups of climbers had arrived in the area, and it started to look crowded. That's a sign for me to pack up and move on.

Still made a quick stop at "L'Oreille en Coin assis" for a video repeat and did 2 tries in "Sous-Dur", but I couldn't do the move into the vertical hold anymore. 

Fontainebleau - Rocher Fin - L'Oreille en Coin assis 7A

Quick repeat for the video.
Far last move for this one.

I needed a short rest, and as I don't like to sit around (such a waste of time), I decided that the 15 minute walk to Rocher du Général would serve as a rest.

I wanted to try "Un Ouvreur Peut en Cacher un Autre" again. Last time the conditions were miserable and I was curious how it would be now.

The roof (north bound) was moist as expected, but the holds to come out of the roof looked dry. I was able to make some nice progress, but after a couple of tries, the holds started "sweating" and became greasy. The moist that was still in the rock started coming out. Maybe it's a summer problem ? 

The tries that I did though were pretty good and I can see how it goes now, but my feeling is that this is harder than 7A. Up to now I would even guess hard 7A+.

Time to brush off and move on.

"Boule et Bill" was also on my to-do list, but the starting hold was moist, almost wet. Even though it's a jug, the rest of the holds are not. Slopers! Last thing you want is to climb and topout a sloper problem with wet fingertips.

I didn't immediately knew what else to do there, but I didn't want to leave the area empty handed, so I did a video repeat of "Mal de l'Air".

When I did this in 2011, I was with a group of friends and even then, with some spotters underneath me, I was scared at the topout, so you can imagine how I felt trying it all alone.

The topout is high, mantle on (mossy) slopers that feel uncertain even in the best conditions. Last thing you want is to fall out of that mantle in an uncontrolled fashion. I was glad I made it, even though I did chicken out on my first attempt.

Fontainebleau - Rocher du Général - Mal de l'Air 6C+(7A)

First time I did this was in 2011 and it was with a bunch of people.
It was quite scary back then already with a couple of spotters, so I think you can imagine that it was really scary now alone.
You just don't want to come out of that (mossy) mantle with uncontrolled fall.
6C+(7A), but including the fear factor, it comes closer to 7A for me.

Next stop was Roche aux Oiseaux where I wanted to try the newly opened "Le Flop".

At first sight it doesn't look that nice, at second neither, and after trying it a couple of times, it was even worse.

Anyway, I went there and wanted to do it, so I gave it some more goes until I had succeeded.

It's not a complete flop, but it will never become a popular problem. I will, however, go back to try the sitstart. That looks like having some nice moves up to the stand.

I just don't like the idea of climbing out of a pit in between 2 small boulders that you don't want to hit with your head when falling.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Le Flop 7A+

Just recently opened and they called it "Le Flop" and they're right about it.
OK, it's not a total flop, but let's say that this will never become popular.
I will go back one day to try the sitstart, and I truly hope it will be more interesting than the stand!
Just don't like the idea of climbing out of a pit and topping out with 2 small boulders lying on each side.

I started getting pretty tired but the force was still in me, so I went to the main area where it looked empty. I had my mind set on doing some tries in "Le Mandarin", but of course, the only people in the area were doing tries in it too.

A quick change of plans brought me to "Morphine gauche" that I did first go. First time I did it was in 2011 with Brecht who was there with our good friend Ivan.

We needed some more tries, as it was warmer then and the holds you get are slopers.

Good one for a video repeat.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Morphine gauche 7A

Video repeat.
Did this the first time in 2011, together with Brecht and for the both of us it didn't go down without a fight. Our good friend Ivan was there too.
Now it went first go, probably because of the advantage of the good conditions.
Topout is not a give away and a bit scary!

I was getting out of juice now, but "Uruguay was just around the corner and it's a nice one!

With the powder I still had left, I had to repeat this for the video. It has really nice moves.

Also done in 2012, but I completely forgot about the sequence, so I had to rework this out.

After 16 minutes of non-stop attempts, changing the method here and there, I was glad to bag this in, pack up and go home and call it a day. It was a good one!!

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Uruguay 7A

Video repeat.
First done in 2012, with a small bunch of friends.
Completely forgot about the method, so it took me some tries today.
One of the nicer climbs of the area.