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.

Back on the rock, nice and easy.

For the past three days I've been icing my forearm and taking it easy. Thankfully its been raining during this time and so I'm not even remotely tempted to climb. I also don't have to feel pressure from Adrian as he isn't interested in slogging around in the rain either.

The time has been good. Its given the scratches and cuts on my hands a chance to heal. The forearm after three days is much better but still experiencing some mild discomfort in certain positions.

Yesterday I had a migraine so I ended up spending the better part of the afternoon meditating in bed, since I couldn't sleep. I have to be pretty thankful for the headache though, itwasn't too painful but it force me into doing something I had intended to do on this trip but thus far hadn't made the time for. The meditation session was really productive and after 3 hours of focusing on my breathing I came to a few realizations. I'll share them with you all with only a little minor editing. I'm sure some of you will find it rather hokey but its the realizations I have come to and it might not be a reality that resonates with you.

"
I can flow with love and accept what the universe is offering. I can breath into the moment, I don’t need to think about “What should I be doing?” or “That must be done.” These questions imply I’m trying to control reality. I can only become what I can conceive if I continue to attach to this thinking. The possibilities the universe offers are far greater than my mind (conscious mind) can touch, so I should just accept and flow. Trust with love that what I have been taught so far will come out. Trust in my actions and movements. Love and accept myself when I make mistakes and move forward in the moment.
"

Today the clouds broke. I woke up late because I was up last night till 3:30 AM. It seems the meditation counts towards sleep as I wasn't able to get to sleep earlier than that. To be fair, I normally get to bed at around 1:30 AM and wake up around 9:45 - 10:30.

In any event, with the change in weather Adrian was eager to get out the door. I was interested as we have been being sedentary for the past three days hasn't really done much for my excitement level. Since I'm still a bit touchy with my injury we went to a new location today which as some easier routes. Le Rocher de Saint-Julien which is another massive fin that overlook Buis-Les-Baronnies the closest town to where we are staying. I will post pictures of the village next time I'm there and top out. This will likely be tomorrow provided my forearm doesn't take a turn for the worse.

To get to the base of the climbs its about a 15 minute hike in uphill. The hike in is well worth it because the climbing is beautiful. I started the day with a 6a (5.10b) called "Prise de Tete" which wasn't in any of the guide books we had. It didn't look hard so off I went for the onsight. The first pitched finished 30 meters up in a shallow cave. Adrian followed then linked up two pitches to top out. I waited down below because the next pitch was graded 6b (5.10d) and I wasn't ready to push the grade with my forearm still sore.

We both lowered to the ground. I then top roped (top roping is when the rope is already at the top of the climb so you can't really fall, if you let go the rope just stretches a little) both were fairly easy "La plante a scion" at 5c (5.9) and "Trop de vin rouge" at 6a (5.10b). Next we decided to do another multipitch called "L'Espadon", I started by linking pitches 1 and 2 (linking means you keep climbing when you could stop for a belay, if you rope is long enough you can save time by doing this because you don't have to stop and setup all the gear to belay which takes 2-3 minutes and sometimes more). The grade was maybe 5b (5.8) and 5+ (5.10a) for these pitches and finished in another shallow cave. Adrian followed and then lead the next two pitches to the top.

The route were we supposed to follow was rated 5+ to the top and involved traversing out to the right and up an easy line of weakness. Adrain began the traverse and then followed a bolt line straight up over some fun and easy climbing. It turns out that this was not the 3rd pitch of "L'Espadon" but instead was a climb called "Equinoxe" 6a+ (5.10b). This was fun but just made for a bit of a runout to link the end of this pitch with our intended route.

I climbed and cleaned the route as I went, the top out was amazing, you literally look down on the village. It seems like you could almost reach out and touch the church in the center of town. As I mentioned before I'll bring the camera next time for the topout so that I can share with you guys. We lowered off. I was feeling pretty good after climbing 7 pitches of 25-30 meters and the forearm wasn't giving me much in the way of discomfort. I decided to call it a day and see how things go tomorrow.