After a couple of days however, I started getting a bad pain in my lower back but I didn't give it much attention and continued with the sit-ups.
It turned out to be bad decision because the pain in my lower back was getting worse and certain moves stained me with pain, limiting me in proper flow of movement.
It turned out that the way I was doing my sit-ups were wrong and all I did was to tension up my lower back muscles, stiffening me up.
My dear wife gave me some stretching exercises today and explained what to do instead of sit-ups.
Thanks sweetheart!!
Anyway, this back pain of course serves as a good excuse for not being able to climb to my best abilities, so I didn't set the limit too high today.
I left early this morning so I would be before the crowds. All in all, it is a public holiday in many European countries and lots of people took the advantage of the longer weekend to come to the forest.
My first stop was exactly at 9 AM in Grande Montagne. I wanted to try "Tokamak" again.
The first time I tried it was not long after my operation, more than a year ago, and I wanted to see if I would be able to do it now.
I did it, but apparently with a non conventional start. It seems that the real start is with a crimp right hand in the right face of the boulder.
Either way, it still is a benchmark 7A if you ask me! Besides, I had a good excuse for not doing the conventional start.
Fontainebleau - Grande Montagne - Tokamak 7A
Rocher du Potala is at about 100m from there and as it was still early, I went over to quickly do something before the crowds would arrive.
I have a couple of projects there, but didn't want to try them so I wouldn't force my back, so I tried some easier stuff, but totally worth it. I had a good excuse!
"Vie Sauvage" is not that easy to start, or maybe it was just because of the condition of the starting crimp. It felt a bit damp.
From the crimp you reach for a far mono or bidoigt and once you have that it's over.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Potala - Vie Sauvage 6C
I don't know why, but I had never tried, not even seen "Printemps d'Automne" before. Maybe because it's situated at the edge of the area, a little bit out of sight.
It was a good idea now, because it started getting crowded and the boulder was at a good spot, away from people.
Hard start with the bad sloper for the right hand, going for a far big hold and making an even further move to the top.
It took me a couple of tries before I was able to do the first move, but once I made that, I had it, or at least, I thought I had it. I still fell off the last move because I didn't slap far enough to get over the edge. Little bummer, but I did do it the go after that.
Nice, but really soft for the grade.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Potala - Printemps d'Automne 6C+(7A)
Having done "Printemps d'Automne", I of course had to do "L'Eté Indien (assis)".
It has the same start as "Printemps d'Automne" but exits more to the left.
As I was already familiar with the start, that wasn't a problem anymore, but I was a bit surprised with the move to come around the angle to the left. It required much more balance and subtle movements than I had expected. I actually had to that move for a couple of times before I was able to do a successful ascent.
I honestly found this slightly more difficult, or at least subtle, than "Printemps d'Automne".
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Potala - L'Eté Indien 6C+
To escape from the crowds, I left and went to Boissy Château Renard.
"Double Trouble" has been opened about 5 years ago by our good friends Ivan Moreels and Steven Demets, and even though it was already mentioned in the 'Black Bible' topo, it was only published on bleau.info just recently.
It's an instant classic!!
I had tried it in August or September 2015, but it was in humid conditions.
Now it was all dry but still hard. I really had to go deep to finish this one off.
Once you reach the slopey top, it is in no way over yet and that was bit beyond my expectation.
I almost chickened out again but I hung on for my dear life and went to the end. I was properly relieved standing on top. Scary last couple of moves without a spotter and a crashpad that wasn't directly below me anymore.
Great boulder, superbe problem!!
Fontainebleau - Boissy Château Renard - Double Trouble 7A+
It was a shame to discover that the other boulder with "Chapeau Renard", further up the hill was too mossy again to climb. On a rainy day one day, I will come back with some brushes to rebrush it.
Besides, I had a good excuse anyway.
Given that I was already in Boissy-aux-Cailles, I parked at the graveyard and crossed the football field towards "Water Roof" to find the new boulder further above. The boulder with for instance "Blind Spot".
I found it easily but was disappointed by the size of it. It is a big boulder but not high enough.
To do the traverse of "Blind Spot", you almost have to squeeze yourself between the boulder and some big stones on the ground, trying not to touch them.
I immediately gave up on the traverse due to the fact above and contented myself by doing "Blind Spot (direct)".
Besides, I had a good excuse anyway for not doing "Fin de Siècle". It hurt my back way too much doing the moves in it.
Fontainebleau - Boissy aux Cailles - Blind Spot (direct) 6B+(6C)
I was getting tired but still wanted to do one more thing before going home.
The parkings of the Trois Pignons were not as full as one would expect on such a long weekend, so I risked driving to the parking of Le Croix Saint-Jerôme, and to my surprise I found a spot with ease.
About a year ago, I had done "P'tite Mousse" and maybe I would be able to do the sitstart this time.
OK, it's in 95.2 which is always crowded in the weekends, but the boulder is somewhat isolated just outside the main area. Chances were high that it would be free to climb.
The boulder was indeed deserted, besides the sound of some kids playing in the small valley below.
After one try of the sitstart, I immediately felt that it wasn't going to work anymore today. My fingers felt exhausted and I couldn't hold on anymore to the crimp of the second move.
I then decided to repeat the stand start again for the video as I hadn't recorded my ascent last time.
Besides, I had a good excuse anyway.
I repeated the stand on my first go.
Soft for the grade I think now, even though last year it did give me some trouble.
Fontainebleau - 95.2 - P'tite Mousse 7A(7A+)
My plan still was to do "L'Alchemiste", the famous 8B+(8C) in Apremont, but I didn't feel like it anymore.
Besides, I had a good excuse anyway!
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