Long Road to Recovery.

Its been a while since I last wrote and perhaps its in part because I have been on the road to recovery. Part of that road has been through active recovery climbing easy routes. I started that path climbing at Saint Julien Rock.

Adrian and I climbed to check out the various lines on the rock and figure out and get in some active recovery for me. We started the day off with a nice easy 5 (5.9) called "Prend-la comme elle vien" translation - take it as it comes. The climb worked up an arete which the bolts indicate I should continue climbing but at a much harder grade than advertised 5 from the French guidebook. Instead I opted for he run out but far easier 4+ climbing up a chimney to finish the climb. Adrian followed and climbed the crux headwall at 6c.

On lowering off I found what I had suspected that the route did in fact continue up the arete as there was a bolt that was midway between the on I clipped between when I cut to the right and up the chimney section. So after eating a brief lunch I decide to go back up, the climb must be easy and maybe I was just missing a hold. I reach the point where I had before and found that the crux was more along the lines of 6b+ (5.11a) after repeatedly falling off trying to find a way to climb it without pulling on my right arm.

For out next adventure we moved over to the left. Adrian wanted me to get on a 6b but I refused, as I had already pulled harder on my injured right arm than I wanted to at this point. Instead I chose to climb a 5+,6a multipitch called "L'Eperon de la Croix" which would place up at the top of a via ferrata that connected two sections of the fin. I lead the first pitch and Adrian followed dragging a rope. We attached the rope to the anchor at the top of this pitch and he lead the second. Due ot a miss communication I didn't release the rope to the ground and left it at the anchor. Instead Adrian figured it would be fun to descend by crossing the via ferrata to the other side and descend to the ground using it.

I have to tell you it was spooking crossing the three cables with about 45 meters below you to a saddle point where it continues to fall off for another 50 meters. The wind was blowing from the North and hanging out there on those cords of iron you caught the full force. The sun was no consolation for the blasting cold carried by the wind. I can also say that climbing down cables and chains is far hardware than rock climbing. I think this exhausted me by the time we reach the ground but with the rope still up at the first belay I still had a job to do.

To free the rope I selected a beautiful line called "La Francoise" at 6a (5.10b). This beautiful line started left on some big holds on vertical limestone then some good footwork and reachy moves put you into a shallow crack where face holds on the left to guide you to the top. I reach the top of this beautiful 35 meter line, cleaned up the rope and rappelled down exhausted.

Adrian did one more route to tire himself out and we descended with the sun setting. Normally a good sign for the day but this day we need to get groceries as we had nearly run out of food. Now for a taste of what it means to live in France and in particular a small town. The grocery stores close at 7 PM. Thus, when we reach the car at 7:15 PM we realized that the only thing we were going to be eating for dinner that night was going to be tuna fish sandwiches made from the stale flute of bread we had lugged around that day and hadn't eaten. Not a bad dinner but when you are hungry like the wolf tuna sandwiches seems a touch on the light side.

The following day was Wednesday the 19th and we had agreed to go climbing with Ollie and Craig. Adrain need more picture of people climbing the routes of Saint Julien Rock so we met up at the market in Buis. Since we didn't really have a good dinner the night before and no breakfast Adrain and I got some market food. *SIGH* Street meat, I haven't had this stuff since Thailand and that set the bar pretty high. The french would have to work hard to meet that standard. We got this amazing spanish food called Paella - a rice and sea food dish that has chicken, jumbo prawns and muscles in it. The flavour is nice and rich but not spicy with a bit of oil but for calorie starved climbers that is good tuck.

We devoured the whole thing in the parking lot a Saint Julien before starting off on the 15 minute uphill hike in.

Since we were taking pictures this day Adrian directed us to each sector as he's trying to get pictures of climbers on climbs that are for the sector in the book. He climbed first and set up the ropes. Next I followed and probably the most interesting pitch I have done. The climb is a classic for the area called "La Grotte" a 3 or 4 pitch route that goes right to the top of the fin. What makes the climb so unique is that the first pitch goes at 5 (5.9) and climbs 28 meters to a cave which you climb through to a depression where you belay from. Ollie did this pitch and then I linked the next two pitches which go up an awesome flake/crack system for about 20 meters then traverses right on monster jugs about 70 meters up. The exposure is awesome!

Having gotten the shot we descended and move to the next area. This time Ollie was to be the subject of the shot. I did the first pitch of a two pitch climb called "Les Trois Mousqutons" at 5,6b+ respectively. It was hard to say now as the beautiful second pitch which moves up gently overhanging arete.

To wrap up the day I jumped on a 6a+ (5.10c) called "La Goutiere" a three start left trending line of water runnels. The holds were big and but the line made it at times awkward to use them as well as you would like. I was reminded of Banana Peal back on the Apron back in Squamish while climbing this one. The route is a full 45 meters and it was amazing sustained climbing all the way with a pronounced crux near the top.

We wrapped up and headed home with a brief stop at the grocery store to make sure we didn't repeat our mistake that we had he night before but didn't get too much as the following day was our moving day. We had to clean up and be out for a few days to give Ollie time to clean the gite for the upcoming season. Since out new gite was occupied we decided to spend our Easter in Buoux. I'll write about that in my next post as this one is getting a bit long.