Full speed ahead

I've been really busy recently. For some reason that seems to be the ultimate excuse to not write something. It's between that excuse and the lack of photos. Fortunately I actually have some pics this time around.

I'm happy to report that my hand is back to normal, in fact the 10 days of rest may have been good for the system. Can't think of the last time I took that many rest days, maybe back when I had that horrific fall. In fact that was also exactly 10 days off.

The first weekend back from my snake bite I spent at the Narrow and Fernkloof. I whipped out the drill and put up a sick new line that starts off the first three bolts of the Bass Hunter project and then traverses to the chains of the Wide Games project.

While I was up there I snapped these pics...

Andrew on the Wide Games project (8b+?)

Illona having quite a laugh

Hey, look, it's me! 

The next weekend found me in Boven... I wasn't feeling great so I did Tokolosie (8a). It took me a go or two to figure out the beta. Really cool climb. Right as I was about to send an inch-long grasshopper flew into my ear and decided to make itself at home. CREEPY!!! Nothing like a bug scratching on your eardrum to ruin your day. After 15 minutes we figured we should fill up my ear with water and drown the bug. Luckily we were able to scrounge up a pair of tweezers and viola! Cured!

The culprit, legless after we pulled them off while it was still in my ear!

What a horrible sensation. BUT WAIT... The day was not over yet. Not even 30 minutes later I'm walking from Jack of all Trade over to Beast and I nearly step on a snake, the thing tried to bite me and I shrieked like a girl at the top of my lungs! I think I freaked out half the people at the crag. Nature is out to get me!!

Sent Tokolosie pretty easily, the next day, after I recovered from the events of Saturday.

This past weekend was better at least :) Got back to the Narrow with Andrew on Saturday and went up my project a few times!! Awesome!! Seems to be 7C boulder into a tricky traverse where you get a bit of a shake. Then there is a tough problem on small holds, wouldn't like to speculate the grade of this three bolt boulder problem. After that are three bolts of really good jugs with really bad feet which brings you to the last boulder problem which I could not figure out. If I'd have to guess, the route should be 8a+/b somewhere around there.

Coming up this weekend: BOVEN!!!