I write as if I’m never coming back…

Yesterday and with another wet day cop out we headed to Rubicon. This was definitely going to be my last day out before moving to Bangor, and I was a bit reluctant to spend it on the lime, but at least it wasn’t the Tor. Earlier in the year I’d had a few sessions on the bouldery and powerful Zeke the Freak (8b) down here,  the moves had been figured and big links made but a lack of power had meant no tick. It was worth a shot I guess.

Warming up the sequence came back to me straight away and with a few adjustments I was almost certain of success here. I was definitely feeling strong. Last weeks fear and nerves meant that any redpoint apprehension was extinguished, and I was able to completely relax. With the pressure off I  was able to clip the chain on round two, but it didn’t go without a fight, the dogtooth slap almost biting back and spitting me off. Whilst it’s very peak limey, I found the climbing to be surprisingly enjoyable.

Clipping the chain and thinking back over the past 2 weeks or so I knew that a certain amount of luck had been involved here. One success, Simbas Pride, had created a driving force, and this drive lead on to further success. I’m lucky that this drive came in my last 2 weeks on home soil for a while, and for the time it has left me content with the Peak District.