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another pointless thread about hippies and bad tas 2-Dec-2003 At 1:57:37 PM richie cunningham

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I awoke saturday morning at 8pm to one druken housemate and two unknown people passed out on the sofa dressed only in shorts and a black and white spotted womens bathrobe. Ah memories from my past bendigonian life.... anyhow jono, neil, cathy and I headed for a spot of climbing in the grampians.

First stop was at weathered wall, overlooking hall's gap. It's amazing that these routes were bolted in the first place as they are in direct sight of the ranger’s office. Neil, Jono and I rapped into the cliff. It's practically right next to the tourist lookout so it was a covert operation. Jono and I tried our luck on 'it's raining men (22)'. I held off my ongoing issues with slopes just enough to snatch the onsight. Jono also ticked in impeccable style. He then went about attempting to downgrade this route. Not likely, my friend !!! After our quick ascent's, the master of all things static rushed in for the quick send. With his unmistakeable footwork and conservative style, neil cruised up this subtle line. We all agreed that it dripped with radness and would definitely recommend it.

Neil then began to rap down and "tick" some holds on 'rammed (25)' for a later redpoint attempt. His ticking however, as I would later find, was about as common as mike b’s free weekends these days. "Tourists were watching me” was his defence... but that just didn't hold up for one sh#t scared gym bunny on the sharp end. I then proceeded to quiver my way up… and down, this sloper infested grey wall on these ‘ticks’. A few falls, one lively spaz at a belayer, two sore ankles later I emerged at the top of 'it's raining men'…………. backing off the last very “out there” moves of ‘rammed’. Oh well... might headpoint the thing next time around !! Jono, obviously inspired by my amazing boldness, seconded in good style….. taking only a wee dog or too. He's definitely going to be a force to reckon with, when he learns that "take" doesn't equal 3m of slack !!!

We then packed up and headed for the vic ranges. Neil, headed for the ‘major’ outcrop of possum rocks. Jono joined him to pioneer a route, dubbed ‘one more line’(14). Jono was most disappointed he didn’t score the lead on this ‘absolute mega classic’. Don’t worry mate, u still get your name in the guidebook on this super line!!!!

Next day sore us trudge up to ‘the tower’ with our crack guru’s in tow. Gareth and two super star American crack climbers were keen to free the line that saw our fearless leader/neil crash into the deck. Neil however was keen to polish off his latest project ‘terror of the sea’. With superglued finger pads and optimum conditions, ie no sun, neil took several whips while placing the draws. The crux match looked very desperate. Expecting another imminent failure, neil tied back in for more punishment. To his disbelief he powered through both crux’s lickedy split and ticked. I shortly repeated this route and was amazed by it’s quality. Jono also had a bash but couldn’t quite nail the utterly desperate crux match. He climbed very well though through the next 23/24 moves to finally finish up the amazing easy 17/18 pocketed finish. What a climb !

I then sandbagged myself onto iron arms (24). A line cruelly stolen by a hungover monteith. After several dogs/hissy fits I reached the chains. Jono had a stab but failed to link it all in one go. On his best efforts, the big fella fell once at the crux. A mighty effort compared to my failing attempts. Consoling myself with rice cream, I finally nailed the beyond slippery undercling move and grovelled to the chains. Ahh good ol pre placed trad and the power of rice cream !

At this stage we could hear the grunts around the corner.. Gareth was just above neil’s high point on the desperately thin crack… He topped out after many grunts and several dogs. Shaggy (what a nickname ! ) then had a crack on the pre placed gear, but was sent packing on the incredibly weird/powerful double gaston crux, not to mention the huge dyno above a number 1 rp ahead!!!!. Garrath then had another burl, but looked exhausted from placing all that wiggly crap and took a few dogs. After neil seconded the route, I came to the ugly realisation that the hardest route on the cliff would be FRIGGIN trad !!

Nothing a few well placed rusted aid bolts couldn't take care of !