September 26, 2020 - Amazed.

Jan (Gorrebeeck) and his wife Gina, owners of the City Lizard bouldering hall in Belgium, are here for a holiday since a few weeks and when Jan visited me on Wednesday evening, we agreed to go climbing together on Saturday. The weather forecast didn't look very good, and even though it rained quite a bit on Friday, I kept hoping for good weather.
Waking up this morning, I was pleased to see the sun against a clear blue sky. The weather had turned apparently, and the day was going to be dry until late in the evening. On top of the blue sunny sky, it was cold, there was a promising wind and the humidity in the air turned out to be only 44%. Good signs for excellent conditions.
As it did rain a lot and the streets looked were humid here and there, Jan and Gina agreed to join me to Rocher de Milly Est. It's a long walk, but the scenery is beautiful and when walking towards the quick drying boulder of "Toundra", one can imagine what other continents look like. Bleau never ceases to amaze.

The boulder of "Toundra" was in stunningly good conditions and seemed like the perfect choice to spend some time. Seeing a big deer running through the ferns at only 50m from us, trying to escape out of view, felt like the icing on the cake. There are countless deer in the forest, but as they are so shy and good in hiding, it always feels like a privilege to actually see one. Again, Bleau never ceases to amaze.

Jan didn't even have his climbing shoes on yet, when I topped "Steppe" with relative ease on my second attempt. I jumped off on my first attempt, because I realized that I was going to flash and didn't have the camera on yet. It ruined the flash, but as I don't quite care about such things, it didn't feel like it ruined anything. It's a nice line.

Fontainebleau - Rocher de Milly Est - Steppe 7B

I needed more time and attempts for the left exit, "Toundra", but even though it was sketchy, I was able to fight my way through within half an hour after we arrived. Great problem that compared to "Steppe" definitely deserves a '+' to the grade. Jan, who needed more time and attempts, and different but more aesthetic methods, topped them both too, and will most likely confirm that statement.

Fontainebleau - Rocher de Milly Est - Toundra 7B+(7B)

We had fun working out the sitstart of both above, but there are two moves in the sequence that really suck the energy out of the body so we will have to come back for those. I did make it past the standing start a couple of times, so next time, when the energy levels are still charged, it should be possible.
Jan and Gina have the heart on the right place, and I always enjoy being in their company. The long walk back felt like only a little stroll around.

September 18, 2020 - Fer Forgé.

I didn't have a load of time for climbing after work, but enough to go the nearby Bois des Hauts de Milly with the idea to try the recently opened "Abriroc (direct) / Punchline" by Olivier Lebreton and Arthur Plaut.
There was another car parked, and not on the side of "Vandale", so I figured that if it is another climber, chances were high that he, she or they would be around the "Abriroc" boulder. I still had the choice between going to the "Vandale" boulder or take my chances and go to "Abriroc" anyway. It was more due to time constraints, that I chose the latter, realizing that there was also still "Fer Forgé" that I hadn't done yet.
As I approached the "Abriroc" boulder, I noticed that indeed someone else was already trying something on that boulder. To save myself from loosing time having to possible have a conversation, and also simply because I enjoy being alone in the forest, I continued on towards "Fer Forgé". 

I saw "Fer Forgé" for the first time back in May 2015, but as I remember it being too scary then, I didn't even try it. When I saw it again last July after having done "L'Anti-Moustique", I regretted having no skin anymore, because it didn't look as scary at all as I remembered. So I wasn't disappointed in having to change my initial plan.
Very nice and not so dangerous problem. Maybe a little bit morpho though.

Fontainebleau - Bois des Hauts de Milly - Fer Forgé 7A+(7A)

September 16, 2020 - Finding a rhythm.

Now that the kids are back to school after so many months, it's back to finding the rhythm, but luckily it doesn't that much opposed to before the corona hectic started. Wednesday evenings after work for example, is again an ideal time for going for a mid week climb in the forest.
This evening, I went to Justice de Noisy to try and finish some business that I started on previous visits, starting with "Jouant les Pins", that I tried last Sunday. It was extremely hot, but the big pine trees luckily keep that part of the boulder in the shade for most of the day. Unfortunately they make it a bit harder to get the problem good on camera, but at least I tried to give an impression of one of the nicest pinches in the forest that I can think of.
I was too tired to finish it last Sunday, but having recovered for a couple of days, it went not too bad today.
Not yet published, but opened by Tony Fouchereau, Thierry Vasseur, "Valentin" and "Gautier". Sorry for not knowing the complete names of the last two, but this is what is written on Tony's notes. If anyone knows, please let me know and I make the corrections.

Fontainebleau - Justice de Noisy - Jouant les Pins 7B

Surprised that I had finished "Jouant les Pins" so quickly, I moved over to the nearby "Flash OFNI", also a not yet published boulder, but on Tony's notes and opened by him.

I had tried "Flash OFNI" the first time a couple of weeks ago when Maarten and Svenneke were visiting and even though I deemed it impossible at first for someone from my size, I did seem to have found a method that day, however, too tired, and maybe also distracted, to try it for long.
Now I was alone though and I took my time. Even though I was seemingly frustrated at times, I truly enjoyed trying this and making it to the end finally. Great moves!

Hopefully every Wednesday evening can be like this. I could live with such a rhythm.

Fontainebleau - Justice de Noisy - Flash OFNI 7B+

September 12, 2020 - Final battle.

The past few weeks, I have been working on a small project for work, and today was the go live, the final battle, so to speak.
It was a total, but funny coincidence that I ended up doing the standing and sitstart of "La Lutte Finale" in a remote part of Buthiers Canard. It's so remote that it actually took me at least half an hour to find it, not knowing that it is at a few hundred meters of the main area, towards the traffic lights going to Malesherbes.

The skin felt a little bit better, but it was a good thing that I did the stand already on my second attempt.

Fontainebleau - Buthiers Canard - La Lutte Finale 7A(6C+)

The sitstart also went on my second attempt, even though I can't really call it a 'second attempt', as I had already done the standing start, which covers over half of the problem.
Nice isolated boulder with still a few other problems to try.

Fontainebleau - Buthiers Canard - La Lutte Finale (assis) 7B(7B+)

September 11, 2020 - Slip 'n slide.

 I had taken a day off work today, and was eager and motivated to for a climb. As Barbizon and the surrounding Apremont areas tend to be very crowded during warm late Summer weekends, I took the occasion going there today, on Friday.
It was still quite early when I arrived and there was no-one else in sight. The air still felt a bit humid from the night, but the sun was out and started peaking over the hill and through the trees. That humidity wasn't going to last for much longer.

There were quite some boulders that I had in mind to try, but not long after I started trying "Chasse aux Pervers", my fingertips started sweating. I had bad skin and I knew that it was going to be for the rest of the day. I tried a couple of the other boulders that I had in mind, but gave up pretty quickly after seeing dark smears appearing on the holds, making it all slippery.
I almost gave up on "Für Alina (assis)" also, but in this one, I felt that the hard crux at the start could be done despite my skin condition. It wasn't without a fight and I had to take some good falls, but I knew that it was either giving it all, or going back home with nothing but yet another few projects on the list and having done a nice walk in the forest.
I must admit that my knees were a bit shaky after a good fall at considerable height and trying that move again with again sweaty fingers.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Buvette - Für Alina (assis) 7C(7B+)

September 06, 2020 - One of the other options.

One of the other options I chose from yesterday, was "Flanelle" in Franchard Basses Plaines. Despite having a bit soar muscles, the temperature dropped to below 20°C and my skin didn't feel too bad; at least, better than last time that I tried "Flanelle". That was at the start of the Summer though, and I remember it being quite hot.
I took my time to practice the separate moves again, and rest enough in between attempts. As soon as I got the hang of it again, it didn't take very long before sending this beauty.
Definitely the nicest boulder in that small chaos of boulders. Felt more like a good 7B+.

Fontainebleau - Franchard Basses Plaines - Flanelle 7B(7B+)

September 05, 2020 - Finger friendly.

I was doubting between several options this morning, but the weather looked uncertain and after a few short light rain showers, not enough to make everything wet, but enough to decide to play safe and stick to the nearby Gorge aux Châts Est.
My left index finger feels somewhat injured  and even though I initially aimed for something finger friendly, the problem that I started with, wasn't quite so. It's just that "Arque Toi" looks so nice.

"Arque Toi" doesn't allow the usage of the right wall under the roof, but the problem is quite logical on its own and hanging on toehooks is something that I do quite well. The vertical part in the wall though required quite some effort to find a working method.

Fontainebleau - Gorge aux Châts Est - Arque Toi 7B

"Sans Toit" on the other hand, allows the usage of the wall under the roof, making it much easier at the start, but because of the same hard vertical part, I found this hard for the grade.

Fontainebleau - Gorge aux Châts Est - Sans Toit 7A

September 04, 2020 - Steam off.

I've been working on a big project at work the past few weeks and with the going live next Saturday and this week having been the first of week of school for the kids, it has been a week that wore me down and I was in a desperate need to let some steam off this evening.
I stayed close to home and went to Gorge aux Châts Est to try "La Cigale" and have a look at the recently published "La Cachette". Being too exposed, that's all what I did too; have a look at "La Cachette".

I did, however, get away with "La Cigale (assis)", a sitstart version that starts with and allows usage of the pedestal.

Fontainebleau - Gorge aux Châts Est - La Cigale (assis) 7A

"La Cigale (du sol)" however starts without and doesn't allow usage of the pedestal. I found the nicest one of both.

Fontainebleau - Gorge aux Châts Est - La Cigale (du sol) 7B