June 24, 2021 - Hail to the King, baby.

Yesterday while climbing, maybe due to the high stress levels, I felt in shape and I kept on thinking that maybe I should have gone back to "King" instead. This evening, when I shut down my work laptop, the stress was at a high level again, and this time I decided to go for it.

"King" felt different this time. Maybe because of the stress, but maybe also because I was there in the evening instead of spending a morning session as I usually do in the weekend.
The previous two sessions I managed to climb passed the crux numerous times, only to fall off on the last easier moves. Somehow, this evening I couldn't make it passed the crux for some reason and I kept on falling on it over and over. I had already taken my peace with probably not doing "King" this session, but I enjoyed trying it and moving through the roof. 
I was about to give a few last tries, when suddenly, I made it through the crux, kept calm, took a deep breathe and managed to climb on to last good hold and on to the top. A shout of relief and contentment escaped and just for a moment, I felt like a King when standing on top of this beautiful boulder. The first thing I told myself when I got down, was 'Hail to the King, baby', just in the way that Bruce Campbell spoke those words in Army of Darkness.
A true magnificent King line! I will miss this beautiful isolated boulder in this magical and quiet part of the forest.

Fontainebleau - Boissy aux Cailles - King 8A