Perfect timing

Having just been back to the UK for a quick one week visit to help sort through belongings, go on tip runs, pack boxes and dismantle furniture at my folks place, where they have lived for 40 years I still had a couple of days before I was due to go back to work.  So what better way to get over my jetlag by going climbing:

It has been a fair while since I have managed to get Steve out for a climb.  Seeing he was not working on Tuesday I picked him up after dropping Elseya off at College and we headed for Welly Dam.  Key reasons for choosing this place being that there is no walk-in, it was near Bunbury, and of course we both love the routes here:

Seeing Steve is not climbing fit, or so he would profess, we interspersed the session with a couple of tea breaks.  Allowing us to prepare for the next round but also to catch up on life.  We had picked a picture perfect day… the rock was in great condition, humidity was low, the sky was blue and the temperature was lovely:

Considering Steve has not been out for a long time we were doing pretty well.  We were being sensible and not pushing the grades, knocking off Murky Corner, BBQ and then one of Steve’s favourite routes Raging Torrent.  The route has been the debate of so many people about being a sand bag and scary due to a high first bolt, so it is surprising that Steve loves it so:

He was so excited about going up that route that he forgot to take his belay device up, a kid in a candy store jumps to mind.  Pocket Knife was next and it was on that one that the cracks started to appear.  He made more of meal than needed at the start, but then composed himself before climbing the exciting flake and corner gracefully:

In view of feeling so good today Steve then decided he’d like to take on Savage Sausage Sniffer.  It was warming up and the tops were off.  The start this time posed no problem, and even at the start of the great quartz layback he was climbing in a powerful style and turned around and gleefully said “I’m feeling so strong” and “my forearms are recovering so quickly”:

It was literally 30 seconds later that his arms and forearms gave in and he dogged his was past the quartz band before managing to make the final moves up the bulge and headwall more cleanly.  Definitely time for that second cuppa, during which the red tailed cockatoos flew by.  Then to round up the numbers he had just enough energy to slap for the last hold on B Young:

Now you may have noticed that Steve was on second every time, he was being careful in view that he was on drugs, 24-7 chemo to be precise.  Steve’s attitude has been to enjoy every day to the full.  Also exercise has been proven to increase the ability to beat cancer, so I was pleased to have helped on that front.  On a positive note the treatment is going really well:

Seeing I had Wednesday off as well, and the fact that our power company had decided to undertake critical maintenance work in our neck of the woods on that day, I had no choice but to go out.  So I headed down to Cosy Corner.  The opposite direction to Elseya’s college but Lisa had kindly offered to take her in, so we all left home at 8’ish but in opposite directions:

This time I was going solo and had in mind to knock off, as usual, six routes climbing each one twice.  I had already decided on which lines to pick off, being the areas that Glen and I had not got too when we came last (and he broke his foot).  I wanted to repeat a few of the lines I have been involved in putting up over years to see if they were as good as I thought they were:

A strong north easterly was blowing, but once over the edge I was shielded from the wind.  The swell wasn’t too bad and so I could start every route from low down, occasionally feeling a bit of spray around my feet as the waves rolled up the wall.  I started on two lines that Howsie and I had put up in late 2016, named Three Little Birds  and Away from the Nest:

It was then time for the highest wall.  Starting on Indecision, which Dan and I put up in mid-2015.  Next up were two routes from way before my time, the deserved crag classic Loose Lips and Chick Point. The second being a route that doesn’t get as much attention as it should.  The last line of the day was Escape Hatch, which Craig and I put up on my first visit here in mid-2006:

I was pleased to find all of the lines were really good.  They were also in great condition, while winter should have set there was no seepage and not a damp patch to be seen.  Before heading to the car to make a cuppa I checked out a small wall that I have often wondered about.  On inspection I reckon there may be a couple more line to be had… maybe next time:

Safe to say I was over my jetlag and it was back to work on Thursday, which was also the day that winter finally hit… I doubt the crags will be in as good condition now so had timed my two days out perfectly.