Something New

Well time may be running out here now, as there are less than two weeks to go and then everything depends on finding new work, in a market flooded with Freescale cast offs. Net result? - got to make the most of what's on offer now.

So today I let Peter talk me into climbing. Yes, as someone who's petrified of heights, I went climbing. I went once before in Marple, and it's not as mad or dangerous as I thought it would be. In the Marple indoor centre I went to the practice wall, and after a brief induction, then climbed straight to the top on my first attempt. Feeling more than a bit flushed with pride as I absailed down, I was greeted with a new rule - you are only allowed to use one set of coloured pegs. ie red. Or green. Or blue, etc. You are not to use any and everything that you can see. I thought that first ascent had seemed a little easy.

Anyway, here in Toulouse, I tried to do it propery. I used only the correct colours, and started with a 4b, which is pretty easy really, given how things progress, and did another 4b, then another. I also tried a 5, but by now I was rembering just what it is about climbing that makes it difficult. It's bloody hard work! Gravity is older and wiser and very much top dog. For the untrained/unskilled there seem to be two problems: (1) you're not likely to be using your legs enough, or getting the balance right, and this is going to lead to you using your arms too much (2) your arms are not likely to be strong enough, mainly for gripping rather than outright lifting, but that too occasionaly, and it can be hard on the forearms. I enjoyed it though, and will definitely go again. There is something quite attractive about clambering up things, especially when you are not responsible for getting yourself down again, and generally it's only the threat of immediate death that puts me off the idea of outdoor climbing in general; but indoor climbing, or sport climbing as Peter calls it, is safe enough. Even if you tumble off the wall, you don't fall any distance, because the ropes are effectively anchored above you and the slack is taken up by your buddy.

I also got quite a kick out of watching some of the experts do it. There were people clambering about under overhangs and leaping from pillar to post to complete some of the harder routes. I doubt they'd be so cavalier without a rope mind you, but being completely unattached to the wall for brief periods does look bloody spectacular. There was one wall that was actually a ceiling, and yes, people were expected to 'climb' the ceiling ie to crawl along an upside down floor. I've seen people do this in the Climbing World Championships, so I know it happens, though no one here was trying it today. That really does look spooky, and no doubt takes a lot of strength too, as well as good technique. It will be a while no doubt before I have a crack at that.

There will be more of this.