Today it rained.
We knew it would.
I think it will rain tomorrow as well, but the next few days from Friday should be clear and warm :)
Natures way of making us rest.
Miha, Rok and I went into Lliria on the outskirts of Valencia today for a little shopping, and I scoped out a sim card for the phone. You need a passport apparently.... Who knew?
Yesterday after a lazy morning Nic and I climbed at the crag below the car park and I for one had a pleasant surprise. Being so close to the cars the easier routes were, as expected, a little polished, but the extensions to the 2 central routes were brilliant pitches and well worth the effort to climb the first pitches, which were actually pretty good value in themselves once you learn to trust the footwork and believe they will not slip. The 7a extension was a brilliant piece of climbing and to me felt a bit harder then 7a, but my God it was good. So good in fact I'd happily do it again. I found myself beginning to flow today, and cranked out the moves on a technical 7a+ without feeling too shaky or nervous, and the muscles all seemed to be working as directed.
Turned out to be a good day, I enjoyed Nic's company, and Keiran, a fellow Scot, plus a couple of French guys, and a poorly Nicole made for some nice chat between routes, and a few non bum shot photo's for a change. Later Nic Gerd Tobias and I gathered in Nic's van and chatted for a while. One of the things I've enjoyed very much over the last couple of years since making the leap into solo travelling has been meeting the different people along the way, the multi national banter and they way we all discuss our national idiosyncrasies after we've got used to each others company a little. In Kalymnos, I know many people moan a little about the crowded crags, but most of the time I like the laughter, the smiles, the happy faces of people of a like mind enjoying the wonderful climbing and unique location that Kalymnos offers. Here it's similar, without the beach, but a fine vibe floats around the car park....
And some very fine vans. I've become super interested in what people have done to their vans. Keiran's is very cool and all done with his own fair hand. Brilliant. One or two simply sleep in cars. 20's some-things.... They can put up with that :) Right now my 'van' is the only purpose built home on wheels... I'm slightly jealous of the smaller vans and there simplicity and useful size. Then I get into mine, put the heating on and crawl into my bed and I'm happy enough having to go slowly and avoid low bridges. Part of me does wish for a Nic style conversion, or a T5... Oh for a sexy T5.
Most of the visitors I've noticed here are 20 some-things, as expected, but scattered among them are people like me. Late 40's, early 50's, and a surprisingly large scattering at that... 20 percent of those here are probably the older variation. I look at them and wander what their story is.... Why are they here? Is it a climbing vacation (turns out for Tobias it is indeed that)? What brings you here? Maybe over the days and weeks we'll chat and discover our life stories. Or maybe it's nobody's business but there's. Me, as many of you know.... I'm an open book and if you ask I will usually explain, or offer a reason, especially if I see you as open too. I am more guarded these days and like to get to know a little about people if I don't pick up that nice vibe straight away...
Tuesday was spent climbing with Gerd and Rok again over at sector sexhop. I still felt a little clunky though enjoyed La Diagonal a lot. A wonderful climb with a very trad Scottish feel to it. I was even forced to hand jam. Twice! I tried a cool long 7a+ a while after though took a rest and a 7b next, which I should have done clean but bottled it on one feckin move... I knew then that things were beginning to feel right and I hope to get the chance to go and do these routes clean. Next to the 7a+ is a fine looking 7c that I fancy doing.
One thing I am missing is a guide book. I'm at the mercy of internet topo's as the locla guide is sold out, and out of print. Its massively out of date anyway but would have been nice to read through and get a feel for the area as a whole. But I feel pretty relaxed about it and I'm happy for now to go along woth those in the know and find out about the place over the next few days and discover where I like, who I like, and where the best routes are.
All in all the feeling is relaxed and the atmosphere very nice indeed. I like it here. I like everyone I've met here. Once I can get a little more communication organised then things will be better and the the topo's more readily available. My memory for routes and names is poor at the best of times, so an evening crammed with interweb route names is pretty soon forgotten I'm afraid.
Tomorrow will be sim card take 2. A trip in Sparky the van and maybe a slightly different space in the car park as a large puddle has appeared right by the door since the rain began, and I think perhaps I'm a little too close to the path really... It will be good to take him for a drive again, if he starts. It'll help charge up the batteries and I might also be able to find somewhere safe to empty the waste water tanks, maybe even the loo cassette. Topping up with water would be good too but I've easily adapted to, how to put this..... a less scrupulously clean lifestyle than is usual in a normal house. It seems to have come quite naturally!!!!
Water conservation, battery conservation, laundry prevention.
These things have become more of a priority now. Make do and mend. Smell with everyone else. never look in a mirror.
Wonderful :)
We knew it would.
I think it will rain tomorrow as well, but the next few days from Friday should be clear and warm :)
Natures way of making us rest.
Miha, Rok and I went into Lliria on the outskirts of Valencia today for a little shopping, and I scoped out a sim card for the phone. You need a passport apparently.... Who knew?
Yesterday after a lazy morning Nic and I climbed at the crag below the car park and I for one had a pleasant surprise. Being so close to the cars the easier routes were, as expected, a little polished, but the extensions to the 2 central routes were brilliant pitches and well worth the effort to climb the first pitches, which were actually pretty good value in themselves once you learn to trust the footwork and believe they will not slip. The 7a extension was a brilliant piece of climbing and to me felt a bit harder then 7a, but my God it was good. So good in fact I'd happily do it again. I found myself beginning to flow today, and cranked out the moves on a technical 7a+ without feeling too shaky or nervous, and the muscles all seemed to be working as directed.
Turned out to be a good day, I enjoyed Nic's company, and Keiran, a fellow Scot, plus a couple of French guys, and a poorly Nicole made for some nice chat between routes, and a few non bum shot photo's for a change. Later Nic Gerd Tobias and I gathered in Nic's van and chatted for a while. One of the things I've enjoyed very much over the last couple of years since making the leap into solo travelling has been meeting the different people along the way, the multi national banter and they way we all discuss our national idiosyncrasies after we've got used to each others company a little. In Kalymnos, I know many people moan a little about the crowded crags, but most of the time I like the laughter, the smiles, the happy faces of people of a like mind enjoying the wonderful climbing and unique location that Kalymnos offers. Here it's similar, without the beach, but a fine vibe floats around the car park....
And some very fine vans. I've become super interested in what people have done to their vans. Keiran's is very cool and all done with his own fair hand. Brilliant. One or two simply sleep in cars. 20's some-things.... They can put up with that :) Right now my 'van' is the only purpose built home on wheels... I'm slightly jealous of the smaller vans and there simplicity and useful size. Then I get into mine, put the heating on and crawl into my bed and I'm happy enough having to go slowly and avoid low bridges. Part of me does wish for a Nic style conversion, or a T5... Oh for a sexy T5.
Most of the visitors I've noticed here are 20 some-things, as expected, but scattered among them are people like me. Late 40's, early 50's, and a surprisingly large scattering at that... 20 percent of those here are probably the older variation. I look at them and wander what their story is.... Why are they here? Is it a climbing vacation (turns out for Tobias it is indeed that)? What brings you here? Maybe over the days and weeks we'll chat and discover our life stories. Or maybe it's nobody's business but there's. Me, as many of you know.... I'm an open book and if you ask I will usually explain, or offer a reason, especially if I see you as open too. I am more guarded these days and like to get to know a little about people if I don't pick up that nice vibe straight away...
Tuesday was spent climbing with Gerd and Rok again over at sector sexhop. I still felt a little clunky though enjoyed La Diagonal a lot. A wonderful climb with a very trad Scottish feel to it. I was even forced to hand jam. Twice! I tried a cool long 7a+ a while after though took a rest and a 7b next, which I should have done clean but bottled it on one feckin move... I knew then that things were beginning to feel right and I hope to get the chance to go and do these routes clean. Next to the 7a+ is a fine looking 7c that I fancy doing.
One thing I am missing is a guide book. I'm at the mercy of internet topo's as the locla guide is sold out, and out of print. Its massively out of date anyway but would have been nice to read through and get a feel for the area as a whole. But I feel pretty relaxed about it and I'm happy for now to go along woth those in the know and find out about the place over the next few days and discover where I like, who I like, and where the best routes are.
All in all the feeling is relaxed and the atmosphere very nice indeed. I like it here. I like everyone I've met here. Once I can get a little more communication organised then things will be better and the the topo's more readily available. My memory for routes and names is poor at the best of times, so an evening crammed with interweb route names is pretty soon forgotten I'm afraid.
Tomorrow will be sim card take 2. A trip in Sparky the van and maybe a slightly different space in the car park as a large puddle has appeared right by the door since the rain began, and I think perhaps I'm a little too close to the path really... It will be good to take him for a drive again, if he starts. It'll help charge up the batteries and I might also be able to find somewhere safe to empty the waste water tanks, maybe even the loo cassette. Topping up with water would be good too but I've easily adapted to, how to put this..... a less scrupulously clean lifestyle than is usual in a normal house. It seems to have come quite naturally!!!!
Water conservation, battery conservation, laundry prevention.
These things have become more of a priority now. Make do and mend. Smell with everyone else. never look in a mirror.
Wonderful :)
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