Rule 1: Pay attention

[hawkwing_lb]

So, it turns out I could've killed - or at least seriously damaged - someone last night at the climbing wall. The fact that I didn't is to be counted not to my credit, but to serendipity.

Around half seven - I'd been climbing since five, having eaten only lunch and a doughnut all day, and on the onset of menstruation - I was belaying B, one of the older guys who occasionally climbs on Friday night. I was taking in slack a bit too casually, and at the moment I lifted my arm to take in, he came off the wall. I'm not used to belaying people who are as heavy as or heavier than me, and the jerk, combined with the elasticity of the rope, dragged my right hand into the teeth of the belay device. Because my mind wasn't entirely on the job, I let go.

He was only two metres up, so no harm done. But I swear, I will be paying much more attention when I'm tired from now on.

Apart from the frightening demonstration of the possibility of doom coming to others through my incompetence, yesterday was a good day. My grant came through, so I replaced my Seriously Dead climbing shoes with a pair of Red Chili Spirits with velcro straps. (They're red, and the dye leaks off onto my feet and makes me look diseased, but they're a really nice shoe.) I also ordered a rope, so's I can lead indoors at my own leisure.

Actual climbing included two 6As and one 6A+; to the second last move of another 6A+, and to the crux but no further, punishingly, of a 6B. On the fourth attempt. There were two further attempts at different 6Bs, wherein the crux was not reached. And finally, a 5 and a 4+, which I made a dog's dinner of, on the slab, before I dropped B and it was made clear to me that food and sleep were perhaps more necessary than optional for safe operation of climbing equipment.

Today, the sun is shining. And the parent dragged me out for a four-mile walk after breakfast, so there will be no running this evening, and quite possibly no work, if I don't wake up soonish.

There might, however, be pizza. Because while the enfridged shepherd's pie is all well and good, I have marvellous strange government moneys in my bank account for a short time yet, and I might be extravagant and have take-out for a day.

(Once I pay for the Silchester training, I'll be back wheedling dinner out of the parent. So I might as well enjoy my tenner of spending money while it lasts.)

Comments

[davefreer.livejournal.com]

actually, all things considered, I'm delighted with the accident. Seriously, it will make you a much better safer climber, and no one had to get killed. I have rope burn-scars on my left hand - still after 20 years, for much the same sort of reason (wasn't paying enough attention, leaderfall, grabbed the wrong side of the rope figure eight (long ago- never used one since). That was a long fall but the leader was - besides being badly shaken and jarring their heels slightly OK. My hand took 6 weeks to heal - but no-one was killed or even badly hurt. That gave me a reality check and made me a much safer climber. If I could engineer minor, frighten the cr*p out of you accidents for all young climbers I would. Trust me on this one - every climber who is still alive and climbing after about 5 years has a story like this. So. Glad it happened and all is well. Heh. I remember pestering you about getting boots some years ago. Can you imagine going back. I have a pair that make my feet turn orange. BTW, you can get boots resoled - you probably go through the toes? - if you get to dealing with it early enough. What rope are you getting?

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

I hope I have learned my lesson.

By the time I realised I'd gone through the toes of the shoes, the holes were too large. And really, the smell had gotten bad enough that replacing them seemed like the best thing all round. I wouldn't go back - I mean, I probably could climb in runners, but it wouldn't be as much fun.

(Not being able to put my toe against the wall for a couple of weeks did teach me a bit more about balance, though.)

I threw myself on the mercy of the experts. I'm getting a 35 metre rope, made by Beal. I am assured it will be sufficiently dynamic to take leader falls. I'm told it's 10mm thick. They didn't have one in stock for me to examine the specs and test, so to speak. :)

[davefreer.livejournal.com]

As that's more or less exactly what we bought for our sons as 'first ropes' for single rope lead climbing I'd have to concur with 'em ;-). So long as they're not static ropes and are UiAA rated for a reasonable number of falls. BTW use some common sense here - a leaderfall of 6 inches near the top of a 20 metre route is not major rope stress, as that's a small shock spread over a lot of rope. A metre fall when you have 3 metres of rope out IS a major stress as there is little rope to spread the shock over. Please keep a track on your fall numbers! I've had several Beal ropes over the years, including a couple of everdry ropes (it's a lie. They still get wet, but the weave of the mantle is a bit smoother and tighter). They're good ropes.

I used to do some barefoot to improve my upper body strength. But no boots does impact on how hard you can climb and therefore how much you can enjoy the climbing.

Are you still going to have to buy quick-draws, or does the Uni have those?

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

The wall's only 11 metres high. :)

I looked the type up online: if I have it right, apparently it's rated for 14-16 leader falls, so assuming I don't screw up too drastically, that should keep me going for a while.

Most of the routes have the quick-draws already in the bolts. The slab and two other sections - say nine routes - are the only ones that don't, so I figure that's an expense that can wait for a later time. Although man the gates of the in situ quick-draws are stiff.

(I reckon investing in more gear can wait until I start climbing - or leading, even - outside. This might not be as expensive a hobby as sailing or horse-riding, or even scuba - and it sure as hell doesn't have the up-front costs of the first two - but I am discovering that cheap, it is not. :P )