Turkeys and Eagles at the Ledge 26 February 2009

I was at the Ledge yesterday with Robert. Somehow, after his umpteenth attempt he "sent" Magentic Wall (grade 21 the reason being that to put out all the gear in the places he did made it at least that grade). 10 outa 10 for tenacity. He did it! He styled it! This is what climbing is all about. You try, you try, you fail and you try again. And hey. You do it. He did!!!!

Meanwhile, Tony and Darkhorse appeared and so did Hilton Davies and Bruce Daniels. One could call it an accidental TATWOC meet with one wannabe: Darkhorse aka Neil Havenga. Bruce and Hilton were cajoled, if not bullied, into doing an independent (albeit riddled with beta) ascent of the upper 3 pitches of Africa Edge. At the end of it I was throat hoarse (if not Dark Horse) from giving Hilton move by move and piece by piece and number by number beta on every inch of the route. But by golly gumdrops the old F***ker did it in sorta good style. At the last pitch he had to wait for me to abseil past and talk him up the arête. There he was lying on his back having placed the gear sunning himself on the ledge. I detailed exactly how you do it and once he turned around, did the mantel back-step and found the little divot on the edge he got it. Their ascent confirms the on-sight grade at 22. But once you know the tricks there is hardly a move harder than 20 on the whole route. He was coerced (by me) into agreeing that it was an “all time classic” on the Ledge. And indeed it is. Bruce muttered something to Hilton about my vision to spy out new lines. Now I know that I am pretty good at it but when somebody complements you, then its rather nicer than stroking your own ego. It’s a bit like good sex versus wanking.

This morning Tony tells me that Darkhorse gobbled up Sanitorium 25. This means he shook, rattled and railed up it like a turkey, not quite in the same style as the black eagles that were soaring around. I have to give Tony at least 60% of the credit for the ascent because he has forsaken me yet again and climbed with Darkhorse 3 times in the last week or so and nursed him up a variety of routes to train him up.

Another thing that struck me is that all my old mates were up to the ledge and I did not get an SMS or a phone call or an email inviting me. Only poor old Robert can suffer me right now. Last year all my mates would not climb with me claiming I was too fired up and climbing too well and this year, being stuck on my back for 2 months with sciatica I am not good enough? Fine friends I have! I think that perhaps they just can’t deal with me. Shame on them seeing as I have to live with myself all the time and they, only once or twice a week when I climb with them.

Anyway all’s fun, that’s good fun. My butt is a little better and I only spend half the day chewing pain killers and lying on my back. You all better start training up cause there are lotsa routes to do!