TTATWOC Newsletter 7 August 2009.

TTATWOC Newsletter 7 August 2009.

Dear TTatwocians, aspirants and others.

The rains are upon us and it is not deemed necessary to head for the mountain to have a wet epic. One has to merely find an appropriate spot in our house and bivouac where the roof leaks to have a similar experience. Which brings me to thinking of a German film we saw last week called the “Nordwand”. This is about the disastrous attempt of Germans Hinterstoissier and Kurtz and the Austrian climbers Angerer and Rainer. Despite the side show of the petty reporter it was a very credible rendition of what most likely happened on that dreaded mountain in 1936. Not since Heinrich Harrers book, “the White Spider” and Joe Simpson’s “Touching the Void” have I been quite so captivated by a Mountain Movie. It is German Language with sub-titles so it has a feeling authenticity. (no twangy – out –of-place American accents). The photography is awesome… http://www.viewedinburgh.co.uk/films/north-face-film-review-26490.html

Climbing has been little but Bruce Daniel and I added another variation to the second pitch of Africa Edge. We also found a really good nut placement on Mellow Steady Flow at the same level of the critical Rock 3. It is a big size 11 Wild Country Rock that slots sideways into hole at your nose where you are standing once you do the first crank from the ground to gain the gnarly white face.

Deon van Zyl has added two fine trad leads to his repertoire including Left Wall 20 which is a boldish route and on the same day we added a pitch off the deck that is not exactly awe-inspiring, but quite tricky and makes a change from the usual Frazer’s start. Deon also did a very bold lead of the first pitch of Don’t Squeeze I’ll Laugh 21. He got very pumped getting to the first belay ledge and had quite a serious run-out. Haven’t got him out climbing since….

We (Hilton, Bruce, Robert and I) also trashed our calves at Paarl Rock recently and we wobbled and whimpered up some of those tricky slabby friction things.

I have also decided that one cannot go through life without having an “affair” –especially as I am supposed to be having a mid-life crisis. So I recently snuck off with a super babe and climbed Jacobs Ladder with her. Most impressive is that my gorgeous mistress climbed Jacobs ladder with aplomb not having done so for 12 years. As a result of these tough economic times I decided I would have a low cost fling and settled on having same affair with Margaret who happens to be my wife – after all, it’s just a head thing. What gave the whole process authenticity is the following: late middle aged married couples cannot climb with each other without some serious acrimony. But we were like two young lovers and even abandoned our children after that to have lunch together and then…. after that…… you know…….

I strongly recommend it i.e. having an affair with your spouse.

CityROCK is in its 8th year, and yes, it is still a labour of love. We had a bouldering comp last Saturday that was immense fun. My not-so-small-mate-that-has-lost-15kg-and-is-always-low-on-house-points forsook watching us bludgeon the All Blacks into submission for a second time in a row and only left CityROCK at about 7pm that night.

Jacques our shop dude came up to me and coyly told me that there was a prize for the oldest climber and apologetically informed me that even though I was, I could not get the prize. Now how bout that? You gotta business that you pump money into all the time and you cannot get a prize – purely based on objective criteria = old age because you are an owner????? What next.

Anyway my not-so-small-mate-that-has-lost-15kg-and-is-always-low-on-house-points aka Mark Straughan, was therefore the oldest. He got incontinence pads and a Zimmer walking frame……At least that was the instructions from me.

We are expanding the climbing wall at CityROCK and almost doubling the climbing area….

The sun is out today and Bruce and Hilton want to go hurt their fingers at Silvermine. Me, I am coughing up pus so I will settle for a crank at CityROCK, lots of flu meds and coffee. I shall also make my daily sojourn up Cecilia forest to collect all the dead wood that’s causing a fire hazard from the recent felling. The petrol stations sell wood at R50 for 20kg = R2.50 a kilo. So my kids make pocket money by carting wood down which we burn to keep the house warm. It’s the only heating we have used this winter. Duncan, himself weighing in at a mere 27kg tried to stagger down carrying 18kg but eventually managed 12kg. I am gonna be broke soon but I suppose its better paying the kids than eskom.

I am initiating a new Orthopaedic practice at the Life Claremont Hospital from 7 September 2009. I am not quite sure why but it seems to be a good idea to go and do some proper doctoring for another few years or so. And I think my wife and kids want me out of my office so they can turn it into a games room.

December sees Kevin and Michelle Smith entering the fray in sunny SA. Kevin sounds unusually optimistic about climbing and mentioned desire to visit Milner, Blouberg, Rocklands etc. So any keen okes out there?