Wow.... Where to begin?
It's been a while, a whole month. I left you back in Spain, climbing with Ciaron and visiting Pablo and Marina in Margalef...
The blog has been accused of being all about me me me, and selfish... As far as I know, its kinda meant to be, it's my blog, it IS about me!! At the end of the day its just like TV, if you don't like it, don't watch it.
Right now, I'm sat on A Brittany Ferry from Caen to Portsmouth contemplating the last few days and weeks, and just where May went!
Ok, so you all know I went back to Kalymnos.
After discussing the idea of driving back to the UK over a couple of months with Themi, once I'd got back to Spain that all went to pot. After 8 days I was reversing the journey to Parking de Caravans, St Vicence (still with my dodgy wheeled suitcase in tow), Sants, El Prat, Athens, and Kos to eventually get ferried once again to Kalymnos.
It was an interesting few days. We chatted. We fell out. We broke up. We got back again......
An emotional roller-coaster with occasional climbing. You won't see that in the holiday brochure!
I totally accept that a lot of our issues are mine, not all, but most. It felt to me that whatever I did or said was wrong for a while, but I tried to face my demons, tried not to fall back to my default setting - cold and heartless, but to turn and touch and talk, not run away and hide.
I recognised a pattern but wasn't sure just what to do. So we chatted about that too. We talk about stuff. It's mostly good :)
In the end I want this to work, we both do, so we sorted things out and here we are.... It's ok to talk about the past and in so doing, open old boxes buried deep in the back of my mind.... Its how we deal with the aftermath that can cause problems. The last thing I want is for these things to be used as sticks to beat me with again and again.... And equally, I have to deal with them, finally. For good.
Honestly, I was dazed and confused sometimes.... But I am awake. I'm heading north gamoto x.
What else happened....?
I did a little work with Drossos on my shit scooter...... I want to learn about the bike.
The weather got warmer, and sunnier.
Honestly, could it get any better!!!!
I went swimming, at last! A couple of times we all went to Kantouni beach at sunset for a swim. marvellous!!
Teo's, Arginonta.
Dave 'boggy'Marsh was there, and Dave Stainthorpe.. Great stuff !!
Did some good routes with Themi, Lloyd, and the American guys that we've got to know and like over the month they were on Kalymnos, Noah, Adam, and Cheese (and Sam) :) Great guys and really good to meet them. I had one of those days at J'Ataime.... walked up 'We are the Road Crew'.... Lovely route, sweet sweet moves.
Noah and Colby at Teo's place.
Adam and the road crew wall.
I found some cheap flights back to Barca and while trying to put Themi's mind at rest about the ideas we had discussed, I still felt reluctant about booking the flights. On the 23rd I flew Kaly to Athens (with the Americans for company), and 2 hours later, Athens to Barca, bus.... Train.... Train...Walk....Van!!!
Spain. Hello again, good to be back, but boy its hot. Driving off, I wanted to get away, somewhere new and not back to good ole Siurana again. I set the sat nav for Santa Anna crags and set course, via a gas station for fuel and LPG, and milk... Trusting the sat nav I arrived seemingly in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch dark, and found the lay-bye's mentioned in the guide along with a little V-Dub van with a Swiss family on board. After a brief chat in the shadow of the crags, very atmospheric, it quickly became apparent that they were not climbers and I probably wouldn't get a climb tomorrow.
Santa Anna. Fantastic crags!
In the morning I awoke to find myself surrounded by Orange limestone!!!! Really nice looking crags all around and a lovely river flowing from the damned lake about 200 metres up stream. What a beautiful place. A place I'd love to come back to and climb. A very nice surprise. Its so nice to do the morning stretches and rehab in glorious sunshine, top less, and in peace, perfect peace, only the sound of the river and the birds broke the gentle whisper of the Spanish breeze. A wonderful morning.
Onwards then, no partner so no time to waste gazing at rock I can't climb!!!
To Riglos.... It's north, heading in the right direction, it's popular, so maybe a climbing partner?
It was a pretty long drive and as I gazed at this utterly amazing crag while approaching the village, I finally arrived to find the car parks all full. While trying to turn around in one I managed to hit the rear left corner and break the plastic bumper... The Armco barrier curved and I didn't notice it was closer on the left than the right. So that set the mood! I bought a beer and a pack of cigarettes!!!!! Arse!
Yeah, Riglos!
I drove up the hill to the mast for a while and parked, but the constant buzz was really annoying, as was the delirious French babble from arriving climbers, high on their awesome multi pitch adventures... I was feeling very frustrated and annoyed for some reason.. Neither was I very inspired to climb here. I don't really understand why, maybe it was the hugeness of it, maybe I was actually a little psyched out by it!?
I drove Sparky back down to the now empty car park and set up for the night, then wandered down to the refugio for a vino and some wifi, which of course didn't work, just to top of my shit day!
Thankfully while in France I can use my 3G, when I have a signal.. Usually it's been ok.
In the morning the crag was still breathtaking, huge and very impressive, the line of 'Fiesta Del Biceps' clearly visible, along with huge Gryphon Vultures circling around the buttresses.
From here, west or north? West to Teverga or north and France? I fancied the Pyrenees for a change, and was now looking for bouldering so north it was. The Jingo Wobbly guide to Euro cragging has been a constant joy during this trip providing me with destinations aplenty, all off the beaten tourist track and usually with somewhere to park up. Used along with the UKC crag finder for more detailed info, I've never really had a problem finding crags so far... I also used the Camperstop guide pretty often for places to stay and over the next few days as the crags and climbing thin out a little, the Aires became much more important.
Into France.
I headed to Jaca for shopping and then Laruns via the Pont Du Camps boulders. Road side bouldering with a great quiet Aire just up the road. The bouldering was fun but God it was cold up here in the mountains. The drive up was great fun, and those views!!!! Stunning. Like Scotland on steroids!! Snowy peaks everywhere, jagged edges and pointy tops don't mix well with bendy roads so I had to focus on the road. There were many stops!!
Pont Du Camp. Good bouldering.... Good landings!
The bouldering was good fun, once I'd warmed up! I met a Spanish group there and we bouldered about together for a bit, sharing problems and solutions, as you do. But it had been a long day and I felt hungry and tired so I said goodbye to the Spanish and walked back to the van. It dawned on me that I'd left Spain now. I got a real feeling of sorrow. I've been in Spain, on and off, for a while and I like it there a lot. Its such a massive, diverse country in every sense not just geologically. Why its not a much bigger Euro player I do not understand.
It was cold and drizzly when I woke up but as I headed further north it turned into a glorious sunny and hot day. I left the mountains behind and headed to Ceou on The Dordogne. Another massive drive. Avoiding the tolls must have added many miles to the journeys I've had, but there's been no rush and I've enjoyed seeing the sights, towns and villages along the way. It does mean however that I've been driving on country roads a lot, bendy roads, and having to navigate around narrow lanes searching for elusive crags and camper stops in the fat boy.... It all adds up and sometimes by the evening I was knackered. I guess Sparky really is a little too big for some of the places I want to go....
There's been things on my mind too so sleep hasn't been great at times .... Themi, Kalymnos, the trip, the van, the elbow (still not right, but usable, then it needs a good rest). All these things combine to make it fairly tiring at times, but as usual, worse was to come. I'd also been waiting to hear from the kids, Sam re HMRC (apparently I have to self asses now, and if I don't do it in time, I get fined.... What a fucking farse!!! HMRC really are rubbish) and Kyle about his test for a prestigious hair styling company in Aberdeen. It would be brilliant if he got a job there :)
The Dordogne.
Ceou was fabulous. Just before I arrived in Castelnaud la Chapelle I drove passed a small touristic place called La Roque....something. The Aire there was chokka with motorhomes, like little French sardines all lined up in a row... Literally 2 kilometres along the road at Castelnaud the car park/Aire was virtually empty and while there isn't that much there, the view up to the Château was really nice, I could see the crag too and honestly the Dordogne was crystal clear and beautiful. I took a walk to the camp site 'Camping de Maisonneuve' for brief look around and a good view up to the crags. Lovely. I 'sort of' chatted to a French couple, pigeon styley, about the climbing and they mentioned a couple of English lads that might be there tomorrow. I watched the glowing sunset slowly strolling back to the van along the cycle path from the camp site.
The Chateau above the village. From the empty Aire.
After sunny stretches next morning I wandered through the camp site and up to the crags hoping to find climbers but doubting it. I checked out the rock and the route names and wandered along the base of the crags...hope fading. Then at the last buttress I found 2 guys climbing! English too...!!! Result. I hooked up with them and had a brilliant time bagging 5's, and low 6's. I tried, and failed on a 6c+ ( Mort something, in the Jingo guide there's a photo of it...7a). Honestly I've climbed much harder 7a+'s!!!!! Phew. These Frenchies eh!! It got sunny and hot so we parted company, them to return later and me to swim in the river... Fantastic. Skinny dipping in French France in the Dordogne no less, well actually Le Ceou, but it flows into it. Honest :)
Balloons in the morning mist.
Another lovely warm sunny evening. It felt great here. I felt great here.
I strolled back to the camp site and chatted at reception, ordered a vino and sat gazing up at the crags in the evening sun. They'd mentioned a good place to swim on the site so I wandered to the river, followed it along the pitches, mostly empty in this early season, until I came to a wonderful natural pool with a great place to park the van right next to it. I thought about moving but really, why? I'd just had a lovely swim and I'm already parked in a good enough place for nothing, and I don't need any facilities so it would be 14 euros wasted really.... Tight wad!!!
It was a lovely spot though and I'd seriously recommend this camp site.
Ceou
Andy and Marcus
Camp site. Crag view.
I could have stayed another day easily. I think Andy and Marcus were climbing again too, but no, time to get going. I headed for the crags at La Forge Du Diable with Les Aux Roches as a back up target for the days journey. Deliberately a little shorter, but it still turned out to be a long enough day.
Briefly... La Forge was tricky to find and when I did, disappointing! Not a solo venture for sure, On to Les Aux and they were less tricky but involved a recon on foot first to see if the van would fit. Some nice compact white and grey limestone here, 30 - 40 buttresses scattered in a line along the valley, some small enough to solo/boulder and most with routes and bolts. Good place. A bit hot and sticky now in the warm evening glow, and the mozzies were around too. I felt a little vulnerable wandering around the little crags in shorts and flip flops!! Down past the old water mill I followed the track to the more remote crags. Spiders webs and an actual real snake made me think not many walk this far to climb these days, preferring to step out of the car and start climbing with the least amount of effort...
Les Aux
I drove 8 km to an Aire as I didn't feel I wanted to park up here for the night. When I found the Aire there was a French couple sat by their van (parked over the drains), picnic table and chairs out, a bottle of malt whiskey in front of the rather portly French Monsiur. As I sat looking for a level spot to park, he wandered over and in good fun pigeon English apologised for hogging the drain and the power source and asked if I wanted any. I needed nothing but a flat spot so he was happy enough, and once parked I went over for a chat. Johny and Monique were lovely. I had cheese, home grown radish and great red wine and shared with them my home made cookies (thanks Themi), mature cheddar and my Spanish Chorizo. We exchanged numbers, shared photos, discussed our children and grand children and slowly got pissed together. In the morning I gave them my spare EHU cable and they gave me a bottle of red and e20 in return. I didn't want the money but the wine was very welcome!!!!!
Johny and Monique
The crag options start to fade a little now as I head into north west France. I planned to visit Clecy and some boulders to the south but first, along the way I found a nice, easy little crag called Thore La Rochette, a pretty little village with a little tourist railway running through it and many vineyards and famous brand wines. Normally I wouldn't have given this a second look but I was solo, it was short with a great landing and I could park the van right opposite, not 5 metres away... I found it in the evening and then continued into Mointoir for the night at a very nice Aire on the Loire, very mucky in comparison with the Dordogne! I wandered around town a bit, had a vino at one of those French Tabac's and then found a cool pizza place and sat in for supper. Nice. Lots of cheek kissing and happy French babble going on.... A nice atmosphere.
The weather forecast was good for the next day but then rubbish after that so I decided to go to Thore and have a couple of hours bouldering about in the sun. First I did some shopping and refuelled the van. I did try to sample the local market in the square but it had packed up and gone by the time I returned to the village centre. So, off to Thore, top off, shoes on. Its a really short crag, maybe 5 metres high at the righ end and only 3 on the left. Well bolted, with a metal rope anchor cable running along the top off the whole crag. An outdoor climbing wall no less.
Thore.... pre!!!
I found a couple of good problems on the right. Some of the yellowish rock looked a bit suspect but the grey/black looked good, and anyway, this has been climbed on for years and used by schools and groups forever right!!!! I found this wicked problem but sadly not the required balls to complete it as it got a bit high for me. I moved left, close to the van at the short end for a final few problems before cooking supper. I found a couple of good problems based around a stone embedded in some yellowy rock. Great little problem up pockets to the left with a nice easy scramble decent, and a good crimpy problem up and right moving off the stone, right hand up to a sloping hold, left up to good crimp, feet up, pull.... The crimp broke, then I'm spinning left, just time enough to turn and land feet first on the nice flat easy pebbles below.
Only that easy landing hurt like fuck!!
I knew straight away. I'd been worried about my right knee but holy shit my left foot hurt so much! I missed the bouldering mat by a metre or so, only really using it to wipe my shoes, and now I lay on it, on my back, knees up, holding my left foot. It was still hurting a few minuets later but had lessened in intensity enough for me to stand. I got on the rock and traversed a bit. It seemed ok but I was really kidding myself. I stood for a while swearing. Quite a long while I think. Of all the places I've bouldered, this has to be one of the easiest, safest, most gentle, best landing crags ever!!! And I've managed to fuck my foot, or ankle or something.
I limped back to the van and got an ice pack onto it and raised it onto the table. A car sped past. Then another, horns tooting. That's all I need. A party at the house along the track about 100 metres. Loads of noisy French teenagers arrived. I'm outa here!! I decamped, limping around the van, then drove back to Mointair. Amazingly, working the clutch was absolutely no problem, apart from the fact that the foot was now lower than any other part of my body, obviously.... RICE... First aid basics.
Thore. post!!
Back at the lovely Aire on the Loire again and I limped back around the van setting up for the night. The foot was really sore and I couldn't put any weight on it at all without pain. I fished out my hill walking stick to help. Thankfully while in the van, pretty much everything is at hand or very close by. The hardest bit has proved to be getting into and out of the loo.
By bed time the pain in the foot was intense. More ice, and 3 pain killers and still I couldn't stop gritting my teeth in bed with the pain. I was really worried it was broken but there wasn't any bad bruising or huge swelling. I strapped it up, elevated it and tried to sleep.
Next morning it was sore but a little better. Less pain. It only hurt if I actually put weight on it. I now had some new thoughts.... I couldn't walk let alone climb....
That's it I think. Game over.
It's like a series of messages isn't it... some small enough for me to ignore or work around, like weather, and elbows, but this? Maybe its a wake up call. Time to grow up perhaps. Time to stop playing boys games and realise, think. In the words up John Mayer's 'If I Ever Get Round To Livin', ''when you gonna wise up boy''!!
Stop This Train... Also John Mayer. He seems to have a song for most moods :)
I think its time. In my mind that's it, its finished. Time to sell and leave, say goodbye to Sparky and go back to Kalymnos. Soon.
Last night I parked up at Clecy, ironically in view of the crags! Earlier I'd driven via La Fosse Arthour crags near Domfront and tried to walk in the rain with the stick a bit to see the crags. Pointless and sore. Now in the van for the evening I removed my shoes and socks to reveal a nasty swollen ankle as well as the small original swelling on the instep just below. Think I need an X-ray really... but to me it looks like a nasty sprain. More ice. More up, and more rest. Bugger!
So here I am, sat on the ferry to Englandshire, an easy, instant decision to find a ticket, book it and head home to see the kids and mom while I get the van on the market. I'm happy enough. I gave it a whirl, learned a lot and had some fun and good climbing, but mostly its been about injury hasn't it... dealing with them and accepting them. For sure from that point of view it didn't go as I'd wished.. But from the travelling and van point of view its been brilliant. I've really enjoyed seeing all the new places, new faces and friends. Finding places to stay has been fun abroad rather than a major problem, like in England, for instance, and climbing has helped there for certain, providing me with some amazing camp sites, out of the normal tourist areas and in wonderful scenery... Brilliant.
For Sale.... Sparky. Awesome van!!!!!!
The van has been a revelation (never liked Fiats). Utterly reliable, great fun, very comfortable and user friendly. Everything has worked (sat nav issues aside, not the vans fault), and the only little problems have been 'pilot error'. He hasn't used any oil, started first time every time, stopped when I've asked, actually hustled when needed and been very relaxing to drive most of the time. Yes he's slow, yes he's fat and tall, but he's been fantastic. I will admit that his size has made me very nervous on several occasions and a smaller van would be better for my general climbing needs, but then I'd have lost those creature comforts, the storage, the loo, all that water and the amazing shower. Good lad Sparky, and thanks.
It's not the end though.... Themi and I have a plan!
PS....
Kyle got the job.
I may be an absent dad, but I'm a very proud one. Well done son :)
I'm so pleased he didn't just stick it out with his first college course, but dumped it in favour of another. Then he had the balls to admit that was wrong too and go into hairdressing, where he seems to have found his niche, his talent and hopefully a happy and successful future. Love you. Nice one :)
PPS....
Thanks to Basingstoke hospital - Its a bad sprain and nothing is broken... Keep Ricing.
Agapi mou. xx
It's been a while, a whole month. I left you back in Spain, climbing with Ciaron and visiting Pablo and Marina in Margalef...
The blog has been accused of being all about me me me, and selfish... As far as I know, its kinda meant to be, it's my blog, it IS about me!! At the end of the day its just like TV, if you don't like it, don't watch it.
Right now, I'm sat on A Brittany Ferry from Caen to Portsmouth contemplating the last few days and weeks, and just where May went!
Ok, so you all know I went back to Kalymnos.
After discussing the idea of driving back to the UK over a couple of months with Themi, once I'd got back to Spain that all went to pot. After 8 days I was reversing the journey to Parking de Caravans, St Vicence (still with my dodgy wheeled suitcase in tow), Sants, El Prat, Athens, and Kos to eventually get ferried once again to Kalymnos.
It was an interesting few days. We chatted. We fell out. We broke up. We got back again......
An emotional roller-coaster with occasional climbing. You won't see that in the holiday brochure!
I totally accept that a lot of our issues are mine, not all, but most. It felt to me that whatever I did or said was wrong for a while, but I tried to face my demons, tried not to fall back to my default setting - cold and heartless, but to turn and touch and talk, not run away and hide.
I recognised a pattern but wasn't sure just what to do. So we chatted about that too. We talk about stuff. It's mostly good :)
In the end I want this to work, we both do, so we sorted things out and here we are.... It's ok to talk about the past and in so doing, open old boxes buried deep in the back of my mind.... Its how we deal with the aftermath that can cause problems. The last thing I want is for these things to be used as sticks to beat me with again and again.... And equally, I have to deal with them, finally. For good.
Honestly, I was dazed and confused sometimes.... But I am awake. I'm heading north gamoto x.
What else happened....?
I did a little work with Drossos on my shit scooter...... I want to learn about the bike.
The weather got warmer, and sunnier.
I went swimming, at last! A couple of times we all went to Kantouni beach at sunset for a swim. marvellous!!
Dave 'boggy'Marsh was there, and Dave Stainthorpe.. Great stuff !!
Did some good routes with Themi, Lloyd, and the American guys that we've got to know and like over the month they were on Kalymnos, Noah, Adam, and Cheese (and Sam) :) Great guys and really good to meet them. I had one of those days at J'Ataime.... walked up 'We are the Road Crew'.... Lovely route, sweet sweet moves.
I found some cheap flights back to Barca and while trying to put Themi's mind at rest about the ideas we had discussed, I still felt reluctant about booking the flights. On the 23rd I flew Kaly to Athens (with the Americans for company), and 2 hours later, Athens to Barca, bus.... Train.... Train...Walk....Van!!!
Spain. Hello again, good to be back, but boy its hot. Driving off, I wanted to get away, somewhere new and not back to good ole Siurana again. I set the sat nav for Santa Anna crags and set course, via a gas station for fuel and LPG, and milk... Trusting the sat nav I arrived seemingly in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch dark, and found the lay-bye's mentioned in the guide along with a little V-Dub van with a Swiss family on board. After a brief chat in the shadow of the crags, very atmospheric, it quickly became apparent that they were not climbers and I probably wouldn't get a climb tomorrow.
In the morning I awoke to find myself surrounded by Orange limestone!!!! Really nice looking crags all around and a lovely river flowing from the damned lake about 200 metres up stream. What a beautiful place. A place I'd love to come back to and climb. A very nice surprise. Its so nice to do the morning stretches and rehab in glorious sunshine, top less, and in peace, perfect peace, only the sound of the river and the birds broke the gentle whisper of the Spanish breeze. A wonderful morning.
Onwards then, no partner so no time to waste gazing at rock I can't climb!!!
To Riglos.... It's north, heading in the right direction, it's popular, so maybe a climbing partner?
It was a pretty long drive and as I gazed at this utterly amazing crag while approaching the village, I finally arrived to find the car parks all full. While trying to turn around in one I managed to hit the rear left corner and break the plastic bumper... The Armco barrier curved and I didn't notice it was closer on the left than the right. So that set the mood! I bought a beer and a pack of cigarettes!!!!! Arse!
I drove up the hill to the mast for a while and parked, but the constant buzz was really annoying, as was the delirious French babble from arriving climbers, high on their awesome multi pitch adventures... I was feeling very frustrated and annoyed for some reason.. Neither was I very inspired to climb here. I don't really understand why, maybe it was the hugeness of it, maybe I was actually a little psyched out by it!?
I drove Sparky back down to the now empty car park and set up for the night, then wandered down to the refugio for a vino and some wifi, which of course didn't work, just to top of my shit day!
Thankfully while in France I can use my 3G, when I have a signal.. Usually it's been ok.
In the morning the crag was still breathtaking, huge and very impressive, the line of 'Fiesta Del Biceps' clearly visible, along with huge Gryphon Vultures circling around the buttresses.
From here, west or north? West to Teverga or north and France? I fancied the Pyrenees for a change, and was now looking for bouldering so north it was. The Jingo Wobbly guide to Euro cragging has been a constant joy during this trip providing me with destinations aplenty, all off the beaten tourist track and usually with somewhere to park up. Used along with the UKC crag finder for more detailed info, I've never really had a problem finding crags so far... I also used the Camperstop guide pretty often for places to stay and over the next few days as the crags and climbing thin out a little, the Aires became much more important.
I headed to Jaca for shopping and then Laruns via the Pont Du Camps boulders. Road side bouldering with a great quiet Aire just up the road. The bouldering was fun but God it was cold up here in the mountains. The drive up was great fun, and those views!!!! Stunning. Like Scotland on steroids!! Snowy peaks everywhere, jagged edges and pointy tops don't mix well with bendy roads so I had to focus on the road. There were many stops!!
The bouldering was good fun, once I'd warmed up! I met a Spanish group there and we bouldered about together for a bit, sharing problems and solutions, as you do. But it had been a long day and I felt hungry and tired so I said goodbye to the Spanish and walked back to the van. It dawned on me that I'd left Spain now. I got a real feeling of sorrow. I've been in Spain, on and off, for a while and I like it there a lot. Its such a massive, diverse country in every sense not just geologically. Why its not a much bigger Euro player I do not understand.
It was cold and drizzly when I woke up but as I headed further north it turned into a glorious sunny and hot day. I left the mountains behind and headed to Ceou on The Dordogne. Another massive drive. Avoiding the tolls must have added many miles to the journeys I've had, but there's been no rush and I've enjoyed seeing the sights, towns and villages along the way. It does mean however that I've been driving on country roads a lot, bendy roads, and having to navigate around narrow lanes searching for elusive crags and camper stops in the fat boy.... It all adds up and sometimes by the evening I was knackered. I guess Sparky really is a little too big for some of the places I want to go....
There's been things on my mind too so sleep hasn't been great at times .... Themi, Kalymnos, the trip, the van, the elbow (still not right, but usable, then it needs a good rest). All these things combine to make it fairly tiring at times, but as usual, worse was to come. I'd also been waiting to hear from the kids, Sam re HMRC (apparently I have to self asses now, and if I don't do it in time, I get fined.... What a fucking farse!!! HMRC really are rubbish) and Kyle about his test for a prestigious hair styling company in Aberdeen. It would be brilliant if he got a job there :)
Ceou was fabulous. Just before I arrived in Castelnaud la Chapelle I drove passed a small touristic place called La Roque....something. The Aire there was chokka with motorhomes, like little French sardines all lined up in a row... Literally 2 kilometres along the road at Castelnaud the car park/Aire was virtually empty and while there isn't that much there, the view up to the Château was really nice, I could see the crag too and honestly the Dordogne was crystal clear and beautiful. I took a walk to the camp site 'Camping de Maisonneuve' for brief look around and a good view up to the crags. Lovely. I 'sort of' chatted to a French couple, pigeon styley, about the climbing and they mentioned a couple of English lads that might be there tomorrow. I watched the glowing sunset slowly strolling back to the van along the cycle path from the camp site.
After sunny stretches next morning I wandered through the camp site and up to the crags hoping to find climbers but doubting it. I checked out the rock and the route names and wandered along the base of the crags...hope fading. Then at the last buttress I found 2 guys climbing! English too...!!! Result. I hooked up with them and had a brilliant time bagging 5's, and low 6's. I tried, and failed on a 6c+ ( Mort something, in the Jingo guide there's a photo of it...7a). Honestly I've climbed much harder 7a+'s!!!!! Phew. These Frenchies eh!! It got sunny and hot so we parted company, them to return later and me to swim in the river... Fantastic. Skinny dipping in French France in the Dordogne no less, well actually Le Ceou, but it flows into it. Honest :)
Another lovely warm sunny evening. It felt great here. I felt great here.
I strolled back to the camp site and chatted at reception, ordered a vino and sat gazing up at the crags in the evening sun. They'd mentioned a good place to swim on the site so I wandered to the river, followed it along the pitches, mostly empty in this early season, until I came to a wonderful natural pool with a great place to park the van right next to it. I thought about moving but really, why? I'd just had a lovely swim and I'm already parked in a good enough place for nothing, and I don't need any facilities so it would be 14 euros wasted really.... Tight wad!!!
It was a lovely spot though and I'd seriously recommend this camp site.
I could have stayed another day easily. I think Andy and Marcus were climbing again too, but no, time to get going. I headed for the crags at La Forge Du Diable with Les Aux Roches as a back up target for the days journey. Deliberately a little shorter, but it still turned out to be a long enough day.
Briefly... La Forge was tricky to find and when I did, disappointing! Not a solo venture for sure, On to Les Aux and they were less tricky but involved a recon on foot first to see if the van would fit. Some nice compact white and grey limestone here, 30 - 40 buttresses scattered in a line along the valley, some small enough to solo/boulder and most with routes and bolts. Good place. A bit hot and sticky now in the warm evening glow, and the mozzies were around too. I felt a little vulnerable wandering around the little crags in shorts and flip flops!! Down past the old water mill I followed the track to the more remote crags. Spiders webs and an actual real snake made me think not many walk this far to climb these days, preferring to step out of the car and start climbing with the least amount of effort...
I drove 8 km to an Aire as I didn't feel I wanted to park up here for the night. When I found the Aire there was a French couple sat by their van (parked over the drains), picnic table and chairs out, a bottle of malt whiskey in front of the rather portly French Monsiur. As I sat looking for a level spot to park, he wandered over and in good fun pigeon English apologised for hogging the drain and the power source and asked if I wanted any. I needed nothing but a flat spot so he was happy enough, and once parked I went over for a chat. Johny and Monique were lovely. I had cheese, home grown radish and great red wine and shared with them my home made cookies (thanks Themi), mature cheddar and my Spanish Chorizo. We exchanged numbers, shared photos, discussed our children and grand children and slowly got pissed together. In the morning I gave them my spare EHU cable and they gave me a bottle of red and e20 in return. I didn't want the money but the wine was very welcome!!!!!
The crag options start to fade a little now as I head into north west France. I planned to visit Clecy and some boulders to the south but first, along the way I found a nice, easy little crag called Thore La Rochette, a pretty little village with a little tourist railway running through it and many vineyards and famous brand wines. Normally I wouldn't have given this a second look but I was solo, it was short with a great landing and I could park the van right opposite, not 5 metres away... I found it in the evening and then continued into Mointoir for the night at a very nice Aire on the Loire, very mucky in comparison with the Dordogne! I wandered around town a bit, had a vino at one of those French Tabac's and then found a cool pizza place and sat in for supper. Nice. Lots of cheek kissing and happy French babble going on.... A nice atmosphere.
The weather forecast was good for the next day but then rubbish after that so I decided to go to Thore and have a couple of hours bouldering about in the sun. First I did some shopping and refuelled the van. I did try to sample the local market in the square but it had packed up and gone by the time I returned to the village centre. So, off to Thore, top off, shoes on. Its a really short crag, maybe 5 metres high at the righ end and only 3 on the left. Well bolted, with a metal rope anchor cable running along the top off the whole crag. An outdoor climbing wall no less.
I found a couple of good problems on the right. Some of the yellowish rock looked a bit suspect but the grey/black looked good, and anyway, this has been climbed on for years and used by schools and groups forever right!!!! I found this wicked problem but sadly not the required balls to complete it as it got a bit high for me. I moved left, close to the van at the short end for a final few problems before cooking supper. I found a couple of good problems based around a stone embedded in some yellowy rock. Great little problem up pockets to the left with a nice easy scramble decent, and a good crimpy problem up and right moving off the stone, right hand up to a sloping hold, left up to good crimp, feet up, pull.... The crimp broke, then I'm spinning left, just time enough to turn and land feet first on the nice flat easy pebbles below.
Only that easy landing hurt like fuck!!
I knew straight away. I'd been worried about my right knee but holy shit my left foot hurt so much! I missed the bouldering mat by a metre or so, only really using it to wipe my shoes, and now I lay on it, on my back, knees up, holding my left foot. It was still hurting a few minuets later but had lessened in intensity enough for me to stand. I got on the rock and traversed a bit. It seemed ok but I was really kidding myself. I stood for a while swearing. Quite a long while I think. Of all the places I've bouldered, this has to be one of the easiest, safest, most gentle, best landing crags ever!!! And I've managed to fuck my foot, or ankle or something.
I limped back to the van and got an ice pack onto it and raised it onto the table. A car sped past. Then another, horns tooting. That's all I need. A party at the house along the track about 100 metres. Loads of noisy French teenagers arrived. I'm outa here!! I decamped, limping around the van, then drove back to Mointair. Amazingly, working the clutch was absolutely no problem, apart from the fact that the foot was now lower than any other part of my body, obviously.... RICE... First aid basics.
Back at the lovely Aire on the Loire again and I limped back around the van setting up for the night. The foot was really sore and I couldn't put any weight on it at all without pain. I fished out my hill walking stick to help. Thankfully while in the van, pretty much everything is at hand or very close by. The hardest bit has proved to be getting into and out of the loo.
By bed time the pain in the foot was intense. More ice, and 3 pain killers and still I couldn't stop gritting my teeth in bed with the pain. I was really worried it was broken but there wasn't any bad bruising or huge swelling. I strapped it up, elevated it and tried to sleep.
Next morning it was sore but a little better. Less pain. It only hurt if I actually put weight on it. I now had some new thoughts.... I couldn't walk let alone climb....
That's it I think. Game over.
It's like a series of messages isn't it... some small enough for me to ignore or work around, like weather, and elbows, but this? Maybe its a wake up call. Time to grow up perhaps. Time to stop playing boys games and realise, think. In the words up John Mayer's 'If I Ever Get Round To Livin', ''when you gonna wise up boy''!!
Stop This Train... Also John Mayer. He seems to have a song for most moods :)
I think its time. In my mind that's it, its finished. Time to sell and leave, say goodbye to Sparky and go back to Kalymnos. Soon.
Last night I parked up at Clecy, ironically in view of the crags! Earlier I'd driven via La Fosse Arthour crags near Domfront and tried to walk in the rain with the stick a bit to see the crags. Pointless and sore. Now in the van for the evening I removed my shoes and socks to reveal a nasty swollen ankle as well as the small original swelling on the instep just below. Think I need an X-ray really... but to me it looks like a nasty sprain. More ice. More up, and more rest. Bugger!
So here I am, sat on the ferry to Englandshire, an easy, instant decision to find a ticket, book it and head home to see the kids and mom while I get the van on the market. I'm happy enough. I gave it a whirl, learned a lot and had some fun and good climbing, but mostly its been about injury hasn't it... dealing with them and accepting them. For sure from that point of view it didn't go as I'd wished.. But from the travelling and van point of view its been brilliant. I've really enjoyed seeing all the new places, new faces and friends. Finding places to stay has been fun abroad rather than a major problem, like in England, for instance, and climbing has helped there for certain, providing me with some amazing camp sites, out of the normal tourist areas and in wonderful scenery... Brilliant.
The van has been a revelation (never liked Fiats). Utterly reliable, great fun, very comfortable and user friendly. Everything has worked (sat nav issues aside, not the vans fault), and the only little problems have been 'pilot error'. He hasn't used any oil, started first time every time, stopped when I've asked, actually hustled when needed and been very relaxing to drive most of the time. Yes he's slow, yes he's fat and tall, but he's been fantastic. I will admit that his size has made me very nervous on several occasions and a smaller van would be better for my general climbing needs, but then I'd have lost those creature comforts, the storage, the loo, all that water and the amazing shower. Good lad Sparky, and thanks.
It's not the end though.... Themi and I have a plan!
PS....
Kyle got the job.
I may be an absent dad, but I'm a very proud one. Well done son :)
I'm so pleased he didn't just stick it out with his first college course, but dumped it in favour of another. Then he had the balls to admit that was wrong too and go into hairdressing, where he seems to have found his niche, his talent and hopefully a happy and successful future. Love you. Nice one :)
PPS....
Thanks to Basingstoke hospital - Its a bad sprain and nothing is broken... Keep Ricing.
