Time tae TRAIN!!!!!!!!!

I am noo a man with a car! she's fixed! and so with that, training will start today!! I'm going tae heid tae the lodge later today, gym then wall (with schmoolz) and start the pain. I've not got a lot of time tae get back in tae shape after such a long time oot, but you better believe that I am going tae try.

First comp at the worlds is the 15th of January I think, it's in Italy.

Condition as you might well have guess...snow. Not huge amounts but enough tae make climbing harder work and skiing nae bad. High winds a the tops, so there will be a lot of drifting.

Stay safe.

Gloves and Weather Up-date

So the Black Diamond Guides have been, so far, very good. However the temperature has risen since I bought them. But I can feel the quality tae the usual pish I buy. As for the Specialist's I've not been climbing, so I can't say. My car is ill at the moment as the bearing collapsed and I got two flats! My snow tyres came today so my little beauty should spinning aroond anytime soon.

As for the weather, the wind has picked considerably and the temperature is what you would class as tropical! Jumper weather, hats, gloves and jackets can stay at home! Hopefully this thaw doesn't strip all the snow, cause a good base at this time of year would be brillant. It is due tae get very cold again next week. Climbing should be in good condition.

As the car will be better soon, I can start training for the world cup. Hopefully going tae Italy and Romania. Training at this time of year is hard for me as it's time tae be festive and fat, also my local climbing wall is no longer, so I will have tae train at Glenmore Lodge. This isn't ideal, as Glemore doesn't have a 13 meter roof! In fact there isn't alot at all.

Anyhoo, we will see what happens. Stay safe.

COLD HANDS!!!!

Right. Are you ready? Are you for a rant? Alright, here it's comes!
Gloves. Bloody expensive, ill fitting, useless pecies of clothen! Do you we need them? In winter? AYE! AYE WE DAE!! but can I really remortgage ma hoose tae pay for a pair, oh wait two because skiing and climbing gloves are totally different! And yes I know people might read and think, 'dude just get this gloves you can feel sooo much through them'. That's true, but not if yer circulation is as shite as mine.

So I did it. I went against every fiber of ma scint climber bones, and handed over the green (well it was a credit card). I bought a pair of Black Diamond Guides and, yes bloody expensive and, a pair of Black Diamond Specialist.

I have always spent the very little on gloves, why, cause I didn't have the money (not even plastic form), and I knew, all be it from what climbers told me from the beginning, that they will fall apart in a season or two. Now watch this space. Cause if ma hand get cold....I mean white, god dam that's going tae turn black and drop off cold. Your going tae hear aboot it, and if I drop ma in tire rack this season cause they're clumsily biffa gloves that wont cut it either.

Apart from that the climbing in the gorms are still oot, but the skiing is definatley in!

Stay safe.

Busy Busy Busy Bee

So.....where tae being.....? I've managed, with a hangover (not recomended) tae finish the STS. I've then managed, sober, tae get all my climbing and skiing gear up tae my new hoose in Aviemore.

So jobs, digs the dam car oot, and get it tae the garage, unpack my gear and sort in tae normal manic manner! But with no car, training for the world cup has resorted tae walking tae tesco's and filling a bag full of heavy food item's, and playing in the snow with the lass.

Tomorrow, up on the hill for a ski tour as climbing in well and truly oot.

Sweaty Betty!

So I've been in Edinburgh noo for aboot couple of weeks, and already I feel fat and useless! So a sesh at Alien Rock 1 was spontaneously plan this morning for after work.

So Martin and myself physic oor self's up, and talked aboot the 'pump' that oor untrained, frail bodies were going tae have tae take.

Alien Rock isn't a bad venue, I thought that grades were a wee bit soft, but the biggest problem was the heat! Never in my nelly puff have I climbed in such heat. I wasn't getting that pumped, it was more the slippy sliding of my hands.

We endured aboot 2 hoors of the heat before heiding hame for some scran and a pint.

I'm looking forward tae Extreme Dream opening for the winter! Let the training being!!!!! I'll be back up in the 'More' at the end of October.

Climb safe!

Fun Weekend

On Tuesday my good friend Chris Gingles (that's his real last name!) finished his Doctor exams, therefore, no more studying!
So this weekend we were going tae have some fun. On Saturday Chris, his wife Racheal (The Gingles) and I went tae Rothiemuchus tae the clay pigeon shooting range. Dispite not holding a gun since I as 17, I think I held my own! Competition was hot as it was doon tae the last few clay tae decide the winner....turned oot it was Chris by two clays! Good job Gingles.

After 50 rounds we went tae the mountain cafe tae plan oor climbing day on Sunday. It was decided (as Chris and Racheal were both novices) tae climb fingers ridge and descend Ficael ridge.

After a large coffee and a brownie I was buzzing. For someone who doesn't drink caffeine, and doesn't process sugar well, you could say that both of my eye's were twitching!

We then decided tae bike up High Burnside (the woods at the back of Aviemore) tae burn off, what I can only imagine the same as a very large hit of smack!

It did the trick, I went home after and crashed.

Sunday, Fingers ridge was taken! Bugger....The Genie? VS? not Diff, I'm sure they will be fine...will I leading in trainers, no chalk, and with Chris that learned how tae belay 60 seconds before the route? Oh well, lets see!

The climb went well, all three were cursing until I got tae the hard pitch, and it started tae rain, shit. No prizes for air miles as most might know from me, and with that, and all my 'aid climbing isn't climbing' rants, it made sense then. Lots of sense!

We all topped oot not long after and was sitting on top in the sun with sandwiches and smiles all round. It was then time tae retire for a well earned burger and a dram!

Fun weekend? one of the best! Photo's will follow at later date.

Where's my mojo?!

Don't worry I'm not dead. I've been shite with my blog but that's it. I have seemed tae have slipped into a funk, with training anyway. I just can't seemed tae get motivated tae train. Not indoors anyway. I've been going tae the gym tae keep my fitness up, but I feel like I'm missing something with it, well I know what it is, it's the feeling of movement on the rock.

Since my last post, I've done other things with my life than climbing, my relationships have changed, I've sold my van and replaced it with a motorbike, and moved house twice. Slight mid life crisis? Maybe?

Does this shitty weather help? No? Is that a good excuse? No, not really? But I'll use it all the same! People tae get motivated with? Now that would make a big difference. It's funny, certain times of the year or places you go, you either have not enough people tae climb with or too many, or not enough money tae get aroond and the weather is shit.

I know one thing that has put a stop tae blogging, even if it useless crap that even the unemployed wont want tae read, is that I lost my bloody camera months ago, and I've never got roond tae replacing.

The mission is on! The right cheap camera will be found. Training will resume, the weather will change, but that winter coming through. The motorbike will be locked away and a small cheap car will be bought (much saving is needed). I'm moving again, now tae the birth place, the home in my heart, Edinburgh! Where the wine flows like beer, and the snow falls like rain! I will return tae Aviemore, just in time for the next big winter, I feel it in my waters, this one is going tae be a beast.

For yous that read this, and keep checking my blog, thanks and I will not let you down! Pictures and funny story's are on the horizon!

Till next time, happy climbing, and be safe.