I’m not sure why I haven’t blogged more regularly the last couple of weeks. Especially knowing that lots has happened to me these past couple of weeks.
I moved over to the UK at the start of May. After a week of acclimating to my new life in the UK (I love it here), Andy, Martin, Percy flew out to Italy to ‘compete’ in Melloblocco.
I had never been to Melloblocco before and I wasn’t so sure I would enjoy it: trying 6 blocs with a couple of thousand other climbers did not really sound like fun to me. Fortunately I was wrong, Melloblocco was great! Climbing beside and with some of worlds’ best climbers was really inspiring. Everyone (climbers, judges, people of the organisation etc.) was extremely friendly and supportive which created a very relax atmosphere. And of course I went to Italy with the ‘black golden’ team ‘Earl, Percy, and Smith’, which guaranteed that the trip would be a fun.
For me Melloblocco ended in a once in a lifetime experience: ‘on stage next to Adam Ondra and Barbara Zangler’, two of (new) favourite climbers. By doing 4 of the 6 blocs I came in 3rd. The only person missing on the stage was Andy. If it had not rain on the last day Andy would more than likely come in 2nd. But unfortunately the bloc, of which he dropped the top the day before, was wet on the last day. I would of loved to be on stage with him as well.
I moved over to the UK at the start of May. After a week of acclimating to my new life in the UK (I love it here), Andy, Martin, Percy flew out to Italy to ‘compete’ in Melloblocco.
I had never been to Melloblocco before and I wasn’t so sure I would enjoy it: trying 6 blocs with a couple of thousand other climbers did not really sound like fun to me. Fortunately I was wrong, Melloblocco was great! Climbing beside and with some of worlds’ best climbers was really inspiring. Everyone (climbers, judges, people of the organisation etc.) was extremely friendly and supportive which created a very relax atmosphere. And of course I went to Italy with the ‘black golden’ team ‘Earl, Percy, and Smith’, which guaranteed that the trip would be a fun.
For me Melloblocco ended in a once in a lifetime experience: ‘on stage next to Adam Ondra and Barbara Zangler’, two of (new) favourite climbers. By doing 4 of the 6 blocs I came in 3rd. The only person missing on the stage was Andy. If it had not rain on the last day Andy would more than likely come in 2nd. But unfortunately the bloc, of which he dropped the top the day before, was wet on the last day. I would of loved to be on stage with him as well.
After Mello I mainly been working, training, climbing outside when possible, exploring the country and trying the Yorkshireman (at this point ‘trying the Yorkshireman’ falls into another category than ‘climbing and-/ or training). And although I stopped filling in my scorecard at 8a.nu, I did lots of new blocs (some of which were quite hard) in the last couple of weeks.
A few days ago I went back to Holland for a couple of days. In the 4 days I was abroad I visited my brother to see his new baby daughter Iris, I went to my friends wedding, spend 2 days in Fontaine Bleau with Finbarr, Martijn, Isa, Corriette, Pim and Debberah, catched up with my friend Kristel and spend some time with my mum. I really enjoyed being back in Holland (and Font), but also realized that Newcastle really feels like home now.
Yesterday Chris, Darren and I went to a relative unknown area in Northumberland while Andy was working. Andy and Chris had explored this area the weekend before and had seen a couple of nice boulders. One of them was a relatively high bloc (about 8 meters) with probably 4 lines on it that could be climbed. The guys told me that if I was up for it I could open one of the lines. I have never opened a bloc and I have never been really high before, but I couldn’t resist the offer as I felt honoured they offered me a line they found (not sure that makes sense).
After Chris had cleaned two of the lines of the 8 meter high bloc roughly I tried the moves on ‘the left hand line’ on a top rope. No way was I ever going to do this problem without a rope!!! Never ever!!! How could they ever think I would dare such thing? Although none of the moves felt really hard, there is a bit of a tricky move at about 5/6 meters above the ground. As Darren said ‘there is no point spotting you when you get to that height’, meaning: if you get there you should either do it or do it (I would like to call that a ‘Chris-option’, which means that you don’t really have an option).
While I was resting Chris and Darren started to work on the ‘right hand’ line top-up (as it seems to be called when you try the moves without a rope). Their problem was much harder: getting your left feet in a really high ‘pocket’ while holding sloopy holds that are facing the sun looked quite impossible. But after a couple of hours Chris found himself on top of the boulder. A very good effort of him. Inspired by the guys I tried the ‘left hand line’ once again on a toprope. Not sure what made me decide to do it without a rope as well, but somehow I did and ‘Dutch Courage’ was born. Opening a (high) bloc is such incredible experience. So thanks guys for giving me the opportunity, I really enjoyed it a lot.
Darren on 'Dutch Courage'
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