What I’ve been doing all throughout May 2009?

Yes, the answer is: ‘mostly climbing’ AND yes it took me a month to report it then another 1 to post it …

If you’ve been climbing for more than a decade, then probably, you know this feeling. Hmmm, I can still climb the routes fairly easy that I used to climb as a ‘work out’ close to the city. But I don’t have this feeling of going anywhere with my climbing.

As I have had the gift of more free time. I took the best out of it and made the commitment on climbing every day throughout May. (BTW, April was about running everyday and I have averaged doing it in fact with a 5.3 km lap on Margitsziget).

In retrospective it was a good idea. Not that I have climbed too hard (albeit you’ll see the horrifying flapper in the concerning gallery), but it put me back in shape. Most of the time I have just climbed the Franciabánya traverse. A 200-250 meters traverse that links up all climbable walls in this limestone quarry literally just 10 minutes drive from the place we live. Sometimes I climbed short (10-13 meters) lead and toproping routes. The ‘Sárga-fal’ (Yellow wall) in Franciabánya with routes upto lower 5.11-ish and in Kecskehegy mostly toproping upto higher 5.11-ish.

The top session was on the weekend before the last, when I went to climb in Kis-Gerecse. There I have only climbed 2 routes but both were key routes I use as a gauge to my shape. The first ‘Harangozó Teréz extázisa’ (‘Exstasy of Teresa Bell’) a severly overhanging piece at around 5.12a with a crux after the first clip. Almost went. I got pumped, then I have sent it top rope with ease. The next route was the beautifully technical, crimpy starting ‘Portland’ from my late friend Damian Cook, just a vee bit lower graded at 5.11d, but equally demanding. Now, this one I have lead with quite some meandering but really proud…

Shortly after the rain set in and we looked down on our over pumped forearms and left the quarry with a smile in our heart. (My friend Áron has top roped through Portland and has been loving it, as well. Only he was a bit estrangled by the fact that only after trying 1 and climbing another 1 route he was totally out).

A few pictures from May 2009 in the gallery

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