Tomorrow the sun will slowly disappear behind grey clouds again and from Saturday on the rain returns until at least next Friday. That's what is predicted up to now at least.
I had taken the day off today so I could profit from the last bits of good conditions before the return of the rain.
My first stop was at Cassepot Roches Oranges where I did my first try in "Plein Ciel (assis)" at 8h45.
The sky was still grey, but the temperature was an enjoyable 17°C.
When looking at the problem, it looked easy, something I would do in at most three tries. I quickly got punished for not being humble as my first try was a disaster.
I fell off quite fast and sprained my ankle a bit when coming down. On top of that I got a cramp in my right leg. The muscles in my leg still hurt from it at this very moment.
It took me quite some tries before I figured out the first moves and when I finally got to the big undercling and slapped for the slopers on the top, I still fell off because of being too eager, too confident about the finish.
After a short pause it went down, but the topout was scary as hell being all alone out there at considerable height, with sketchy holds and a big boulder in the back on the ground.
I'm glad I never have to do that again! This is a hard 7A!
Fontainebleau - Cassepot Roches Oranges - Plein Ciel (assis) 7A
Right next to "Plein Ciel" is a small problem called "Le Logis Ciel".
It was a relief to do something more technical, because I forced my left elbow a bit at the topout of the problem before. Not because I had to pull hard, but because it was scary and I pulled much harder than I actually had to.
Not many moves, but nice ones. No hard pulling, but keeping the balance, while doing each move. Subtle, but still straight forward.
It was a relief to do something more technical, because I forced my left elbow a bit at the topout of the problem before. Not because I had to pull hard, but because it was scary and I pulled much harder than I actually had to.
Not many moves, but nice ones. No hard pulling, but keeping the balance, while doing each move. Subtle, but still straight forward.
Fontainebleau - Cassepot Roches Oranges - Le Logis Ciel 7A
Then it was time to have a look at "Snake Totem" a little higher up the hill.
The first moves from the sitstart up to the two crimps went fine, but then I was stuck.
Even when I tried it starting from the two crimps I couldn't move at all and on top of that, the next hold seemed like miles away.
For me this feels at least 7B as far as I can tell, because I didn't do the problem.
It has only three registered repetitions. Enzo Nahumury, Bart Van Raaij and Jan De Smit. All three tall and very strong guys.
In the meantime Jean-Pierre (Roudneff) had sent me a message to let me know that he was in Cuvier Nord.
My plan was to Cuvier Nord anyway, so I packed up and joined him at "Makhno".
Nearly every day I email with him for my videos and even though we had met already a couple of times in the forest, we had never climbed together.
He was going to do another try in "Makhno (intégral)" a long 7B traverse, an extension of the shorter 7A version.
Tony (Fouchereau) arrived too and we joined him at the boulder of "Tortue Ninja" and "Sentinelle".
While Tony opened yet another really hard problem, I managed to do "Sentinelle" on my second attempt. Mainly because I was receiving plenty of information about where the holds are and what to do with the feet.
Jean-Pierre tried it too, but being shorter, he had to find a different beta.
In the meantime, Tony topped out his project after removing the strap from his fingers and I did a couple of tries in "Tortue Ninja" which I let go because I was loosing too much skin on the very hard slopey mantle.
The first moves from the sitstart up to the two crimps went fine, but then I was stuck.
Even when I tried it starting from the two crimps I couldn't move at all and on top of that, the next hold seemed like miles away.
For me this feels at least 7B as far as I can tell, because I didn't do the problem.
It has only three registered repetitions. Enzo Nahumury, Bart Van Raaij and Jan De Smit. All three tall and very strong guys.
In the meantime Jean-Pierre (Roudneff) had sent me a message to let me know that he was in Cuvier Nord.
My plan was to Cuvier Nord anyway, so I packed up and joined him at "Makhno".
Nearly every day I email with him for my videos and even though we had met already a couple of times in the forest, we had never climbed together.
He was going to do another try in "Makhno (intégral)" a long 7B traverse, an extension of the shorter 7A version.
Tony (Fouchereau) arrived too and we joined him at the boulder of "Tortue Ninja" and "Sentinelle".
While Tony opened yet another really hard problem, I managed to do "Sentinelle" on my second attempt. Mainly because I was receiving plenty of information about where the holds are and what to do with the feet.
Jean-Pierre tried it too, but being shorter, he had to find a different beta.
In the meantime, Tony topped out his project after removing the strap from his fingers and I did a couple of tries in "Tortue Ninja" which I let go because I was loosing too much skin on the very hard slopey mantle.
Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Sentinelle 7A
Next on my list was "Au Royaume des Elfes" and I had to try it today if I wanted to have it dry. It is located more on the North face and also facing North, making it difficult to dry, but on the other hand, it's cooler when it's warm.
Jean-Pierre knows my style by now and he said that I probably would do it quickly. I was even more eager now to try, so I said goodbye and left.
It turned out it was only 50m away ...
It felt good being there in the shade and it was significantly cooler on the North face.
I welcomed the cooler temperature because by now, the sun had come out and started heating everything up. It was indeed a good day!
"Au Royaume des Elfes" can be found on a big impressive boulder and it is the only problem on it that is more or less not expo.
Jean-Pierre was correct. I did it on my second attempt, even though I could have flashed it but I didn't because of bad foot placement.
This felt soft for the grade, but then again, it was indeed completely my style.
Still gotta keep the head cool when doing the topout.
Jean-Pierre knows my style by now and he said that I probably would do it quickly. I was even more eager now to try, so I said goodbye and left.
It turned out it was only 50m away ...
It felt good being there in the shade and it was significantly cooler on the North face.
I welcomed the cooler temperature because by now, the sun had come out and started heating everything up. It was indeed a good day!
"Au Royaume des Elfes" can be found on a big impressive boulder and it is the only problem on it that is more or less not expo.
Jean-Pierre was correct. I did it on my second attempt, even though I could have flashed it but I didn't because of bad foot placement.
This felt soft for the grade, but then again, it was indeed completely my style.
Still gotta keep the head cool when doing the topout.
Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Au Royaume des Elfes 7A+
By now, it was really getting hot and I was getting tired, but I went on to the boulder of "Asphyxie" just a little bit further.
After having seen pictures of it, I wanted to try at least one of the problems on it.
I flashed "Asphyxié" although not without a fight and tried "Asphyxie" a couple of times. The only difference in the name is in the 'e' and the 'é' in the end. Two different problems though.
"Asphyxié" goes as you can see in the video, standing start and without the arete, "Asphyxie" starts with a sitstart low left, and follows the arete to the top on the right. Nearly the same name, but they only share the topout.
After having seen pictures of it, I wanted to try at least one of the problems on it.
I flashed "Asphyxié" although not without a fight and tried "Asphyxie" a couple of times. The only difference in the name is in the 'e' and the 'é' in the end. Two different problems though.
"Asphyxié" goes as you can see in the video, standing start and without the arete, "Asphyxie" starts with a sitstart low left, and follows the arete to the top on the right. Nearly the same name, but they only share the topout.
Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Asphyxié 7A
Now I was really tired and despite that I continued further up the hill to find and briefly try "Vipère Pousette", but I had to give in.
The heat and the climbing earlier today had taken its toll so I packed and left for the car.
Oh yeah, on my way back to the car, I had to pass through Bas Cuvier and couldn't resist trying "La Conque à Doigt".
I had seen a small video of it by coincidence yesterday and I was surprised that I never noticed it before. Especially being right next to "Pif Paf".
It looks really nice, a typical Font style sloper problem.
Maybe it was the heat and the warm slopers, but I still had to give it quite some tries before standing on the top.
I was down and out and needed a short rest before I packed up, so I opened up my green Jupiler (alcohol free beer) and drank it all in one sip.
The heat and the climbing earlier today had taken its toll so I packed and left for the car.
Oh yeah, on my way back to the car, I had to pass through Bas Cuvier and couldn't resist trying "La Conque à Doigt".
I had seen a small video of it by coincidence yesterday and I was surprised that I never noticed it before. Especially being right next to "Pif Paf".
It looks really nice, a typical Font style sloper problem.
Maybe it was the heat and the warm slopers, but I still had to give it quite some tries before standing on the top.
I was down and out and needed a short rest before I packed up, so I opened up my green Jupiler (alcohol free beer) and drank it all in one sip.
Fontainebleau - Bas Cuvier - La Conque à Doigt 7A(6C+)
I couldn't come up with a title for today's post so you go ahead, think of something and <Insert title here>.
Title: Sexy half naked guy doing his thing on the boulders...
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