Third Generation Gap!

And so back once more into the breach dear friends, How I love this crag! This time Olly and I had a go at approaching the Gap by train which it turns out is completely doable and has put me in serious jeopardy of actually never leaving that place.  The walk in was pleasant, taking around 30 minutes with excellent views of the endless number of identical Welsh valleys. It was nice to (dare I say it) take a bit of a walk in the country side for once, though less nice for Olly who suffered an attack of 'oooo  Im a big nancy and my body's scared of pollen' hayfever! I must say the pace today was of the much more leisurely variety, partly to do with the fact that I couldn't physically move my arms in the morning, but also because we were short a single and had to go clipping on two doubles, a process which I can conclusively say I now loath to the core. The first route we attempted was Generation Gap now a fully bolted 5+ up the overhangs, and bloody hell was it a pump-fest, just what I needed to warm my poor tired arms. Then with a degree of bullying Olly had a real dogging on the hard 'Land of the Dinosaurs' (6b) But he got up in the end! Having seen all that there wasn't a way in hell I was going to lead it in my subpar condition with crappy ropes and thus I chose to wimp out and go the way of the top-rope, which through an 18m arm destroying sprint managed to get it all clean. However I was so close to falling numerous times, I think stopping to clip gear would have ensured either a rest at every clip or a massive fall somewhere along the line. Overall the route was good and I might try for the lead when I'm feeling somewhat stronger. After a bit of lunch (not very good lunch) another leisurely stroll ensure up to the top quarry all the while debating the finer points of life, girls and club politics, well as much debating that could occur between frequent discharges of my hayfever stricken friend. At the top two 5+ went down, Newton's Apple and Mortar Life, one a slab, the other a face; they were of a a sound quality, except for the standard of bolting which it has to be said is a bit wank.  And so what more can be said? Another one of those days that will fade into the background of the memory, secure in the knowledge that at least for a while everything was just a little bit simpler, and a little more jovial than the mediocrity of 21st century life.