That's why I went there before meeting up with Bram and Ruuth.
Most climbers know the part of Apremont Envers where "L'Apparemment" and "Welcome to Tijuana" are, but don't go deeper into the area towards the tavern.
The last year, a lot of new problems have been opened there and I felt like strolling around and discovering new projects.
Especially "Bang Supersonique" was something I wanted to see, so I went straight for that one and would orientate further from there.
Since it is on the same boulder of red n°27, I found it quickly, but I wanted to warm up in something easier.
I left my stuff there, wandered around a little bit and saw that there's indeed a lot to do. The openers did have their work.
"Poseidon" looks really nice and doable so I decided to warm up in that one.
I had seen some videos of it and I remembered the beta pretty good. On top of that, despite the pain on my right shoulder blade, I felt in shape.
Probably that's why I flashed it with ease, except for the mantle on top, that was with less ease ...
Fontainebleau - Apremont Envers - Poseidon 7A(7A+)
Having done that so quickly, I took a minute rest by replacing the camera to have a better view for the sitstart.
Technically I can't call that one a flash as I did the standstart already, but the sitstart went on my first go.
Yeah well, the sitstart honestly doesn't add that much more difficulty. Sit, pull on jugs, grab the next jug and you're there where the standstart begins.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Envers - Poseidon (assis) 7A+
The morale was really high after that but gradually went down again when I noticed the pain in my shoulder blade rising while trying some other problems here and there.
I had to let it rest and went back to the parking to meet Bram and Ruuth who were having breakfast at 13h. Go figure!
They arrived just when I got back on the parking. What a timing.
It was a pleasant surprise to hear from them that Pieter and Alberto were also in Apremont.
They were in Apremont Butte aux Dames and we also went there to meet them before maybe continuing on to the main area of Apremont.
We found them at the boulder of "À Gil", the same boulder where the black circuit starts. They wanted to the complete black circuit. Believe me, that's a real challenge.
There are 40 problems on that black circuit, all around the 5th and the 6th grade.
The moment we arrived, they were busy on black n°6.
The moment we arrived, they were busy on black n°6.
Black n°6, "Le Trajet de la Limace" is a 6B that starts off really easy, but has a mantle near the top at considerable height. It's a mental 6B, but a really nice one!
I was the first of us who finished the problem and Bram and Pieter followed right after.
The mental aspect fades a lot once you have seen someone actually doing the problem.
I was the first of us who finished the problem and Bram and Pieter followed right after.
The mental aspect fades a lot once you have seen someone actually doing the problem.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Butte aux Dames - Le Trajet de la Limace 6B (Black n°6)
Being with a small group means more crashpads and also some spotters so I decided to do the sitstart of "À Gil".
When I did the original standstart, I was alone with Anthony, and I was so relieved to have gotten up there without breaking my neck that I didn't even think about doing the sitstart anymore.
I tried the few moves of the sitstart and noticed that they are not that difficult.
As I still had the moves from the standstart in my head, I set off for an attempt.
In the end I did it on my second go because my foot slipped on my first try.
I rode up there ... again ...
I'm truly glad that I never have to do that again, but the morale was high again!!
Fontainebleau - Apremont Butte aux Dames - À Gil (assis) 7B
Fifteen minutes later Bram also did "À Gil (assis)" and I could see on the look of his face that he was really relieved having done it and to be still alive.
This topout has a point of no return, or better said, a point of no safe return.
Bram was still a little shaky when he was back down and said he would never have tried that if it wasn't because of me.
He wanted to try "Game One" now.
If someone would ask me what climbing in Fontainebleau is like, I could show a picture of "Game One" and say, "This is Fontainebleau climbing!".
You know, the one in which I hurt my shoulder blade really bad and I still suffer from it when doing compression moves.
So, at first, I passed on trying it too as I didn't want to make it worse.
I wrote 'at first', because after touching the slopers, I couldn't resist trying, especially when seeing someone else trying it.
Squeezing in compression went surprisingly good and without too much pain, but just the thought of doing the dynamic move right hand to the top sloper already hurt the muscles on my shoulder blade.
The weird thing however, was that with each try the pain slowly went away up to the point of almost non existing.
When I was able to hold the top sloper again and turn my left hand, I knew it was possible and took out the camera.
Two tries later I screamed from excitement standing on top of "Game One"!!
It was a surreal feeling, coming from not wanting or daring to try the problem to standing on top of it, having done it, a mere fifteen minutes later.
This really came unexpected!!
Still now, even though I can still feel that my shoulder blade is not yet healed, the pain is much much less. It's as if I needed to heal my pain with what caused it.
This topout has a point of no return, or better said, a point of no safe return.
Bram was still a little shaky when he was back down and said he would never have tried that if it wasn't because of me.
He wanted to try "Game One" now.
If someone would ask me what climbing in Fontainebleau is like, I could show a picture of "Game One" and say, "This is Fontainebleau climbing!".
You know, the one in which I hurt my shoulder blade really bad and I still suffer from it when doing compression moves.
So, at first, I passed on trying it too as I didn't want to make it worse.
I wrote 'at first', because after touching the slopers, I couldn't resist trying, especially when seeing someone else trying it.
Squeezing in compression went surprisingly good and without too much pain, but just the thought of doing the dynamic move right hand to the top sloper already hurt the muscles on my shoulder blade.
The weird thing however, was that with each try the pain slowly went away up to the point of almost non existing.
When I was able to hold the top sloper again and turn my left hand, I knew it was possible and took out the camera.
Two tries later I screamed from excitement standing on top of "Game One"!!
It was a surreal feeling, coming from not wanting or daring to try the problem to standing on top of it, having done it, a mere fifteen minutes later.
This really came unexpected!!
Still now, even though I can still feel that my shoulder blade is not yet healed, the pain is much much less. It's as if I needed to heal my pain with what caused it.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Butte aux Dames - Game One 7B+(7B)
Not even ten minutes later, Pieter had also done it.
In the meantime, Alberto and I also finished off "La Vicieuse (Black n°10)".
Like the name says it, a vicious 6B slab with small and razor sharp crimps.
Tomorrow I will know if Bram was also still able to finish "Game One". He does have some disadvantage there with his height.
No comments:
Post a Comment