July 05, 2016 - Eternal youth.

After work, I made a short stop at Bois Rond to go and try "Les Envahisseurs (assis)".
Having done the stand only a couple of days ago, I still had the moves in my head and fingers.
I didn't try the sitstart then because the crack that you have to use to start was still wet, now after a couple of days of good weather, it was dry.

It doesn't happen a lot when I find a sitstart to have such an added value to the beauty of a climb, but it happened here.
Mostly I have the impression that problems with an original standstart, a sitstart is added just to get a higher grade without really adding beauty or really nice moves to it. But that's of course just my opinion and I must admit that I sometimes do an extra sitstart just for the grade. Most recent example of this is yesterday's "Gorétatov", where the beauty certainly doesn't come from the sitstart.

But ... anyway ... I did "Les Envahisseurs (assis)" quite quick, but I did feel the difference of 8°C warmer than a couple of days ago on the slopers. I did have to dig slightly deeper to stick it all.

Fontainebleau - Bois Rond - Les Envahisseurs (assis) 7B

On the parking I had seen his car already. 

My friend, one of the living legends of the forest, Jo Montchaussée, was here too. I found him near the back of the area and we briefly had a pleasant chat.

Those who don't know should Google him.

He's in his 70's already (Jo, correct me if I'm wrong), but still young at heart and body. He still climbs many traverses and straight-ups in the 7th grade, and he's still stronger than the average boulderer. 

It's someone I look up to, and I hope to be able to get older the way he is doing.
That man almost is the definition of eternal youth.

After dinner, I went to have a quick look at Gorge aux Châts Est, and I was amazed by what I found there. 

Words cannot describe it, but I took some pictures ...

Beautiful view to which the picture doesn't do justice!

Milly-la-Forêt can (barely) be seen on the horizon.

Taking a little fall due to sliding off a dusty crimp while trying "Je n'ai Jamais Pleuré". And no, I didn't cry!