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Gym Rats Grampians Adventure

GG

29-Apr-2003
1:46:24 PM

Well, Peter and I (Gym Rats) decided to take my shiny rack on a little adventure to the remote location known as Summerday Valley. This was my fourth outdoor session and the third time with my rack (I've only managed to trad lead two climbs before grade Deblanc 12 and Ox Sox 16 at Camels Hump). This was Peters 2nd outdoor run. The sad thing is we've been climbing indoors for the last couple of years and have become top-rope legends in our own minds!

First lead attempt was Deblanc (12) - No problem there.....

Then round the back to the main wall for a little Waxman(11) - You know at around 25m, it gets a little tiring for those of us who's climbing finishes at around 15m. Nice climb for the grade.

Then back around to Deblanc for Peters first lead - No problem there.

Someone had a top-rope set up on Tootsie (19) so Pete and I jumped on that for a laugh. A one move wonder, but a tricky move at that! - No problem there.

We though we would have a run at a top rope of Soweto(21). By the time we got our flabby backsides to the top of The Wall Of Fools, we found another team had just beaten us. So I decided to lead the Flake Of Fear (15) - 25m. Hard start, followed by a easy 'less than vertical' 3/4 till it goes vert up and over the flake. Not too much fear as the climb has good pro and is not technical in the least. The flake does not present much of a challenge.

That was it for the day so we headed to Chinamans Lodge. For those of you who don't know this place is run by a pair of alcoholics. It consists of a Barn with a Bar and some unit style accomodation. It was a wild night to say the least!!! I'm not going to write what happened for fear of incriminating myself. Needless to say I thought a stay in the country would be sedate, not total drunken debauchery!!!

Day2.

Back out to Summerday. Peter decided that he would try and kill himself and planned to have run at Texas Radio and the Big Beat (17). That was until he saw it. Cracks - Yuck....They don't have them in a gym. Sooo I suggested we climb Changeling (16). It is about 5 meters left of TRBB.

Peter racked up but found the start a little hard for his 2nd lead. There were no foot holds. It required a thrash to walk up the wall and take a lunge with the left hand to quite a high hold. A miss would mean you would deck it from a couple of meters. Pete decided to give the lead a miss and so handed it over to me (pride wouldn't let me walk away). Nailed the first move (ha ha). The next trick bit was about 5m up where you had to climb up onto the flake. However wrer no holds above the flake - just a small crack head height which was just enought to take a small piece. The climb then traverses left for about 3m until you run out of flake (still without hands holds). A big stretch out to the left and around the corner gains another hold. Another walkup with no feet to a body position that has your hands on the hold at about waist height. There are no holds above it. Traverse left for about a meter or so on tiny edges till there is another nice hold for the left. Then up and over. Took me about 15minutes to try and shake the adrenalin. Had to sit down and try and calm myself. When Peter came up for the second, all a could hear was f$%k,f$%k,f$%k. Funny how outdoor climbing is nothing like the gym (er DER). Changeling gets no stars in the book. I think it is an excellent climb, something different that is guaranteed to get the juices flowing.

Pete led Waxman easily. At this point our hangovers got the better of us and we decided to "Put on a dress and Jump in the Lifeboat".

Can't wait to get outdoors again.

-Gareth

Paulie

9-May-2003
10:02:14 AM

LOL...ahhh, that made me laugh...Texas Radio is an awesome route you should definately do it! Wicked pro and you mostly stem it anyway.

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