Underground Paradise

This video really inspired me to work on my roof strength! An awesome problem brilliantly shot.

Underground Paradise from Rouzeau Michaël on Vimeo.

One Month Off.

Well it certainly has been one very busy month indeed and I'm afraid I have become quite sidetracked by all the recent goings on in my life. So, now that I have an indefinite period of spare time (un/partial employment you see) I thought my first post should be a recount of what the hell has been happening in my life so far, so here we go: 

- I've finished University completely and am now a graduate of Cardiff Uni with a BA (Hons) in Journalism, Film and Media, 2-1. I also scraped a surprising First in my dissertation on online media reporting of the South Ossetian War. 

-  I have a job! Well.. sort of... Its a part time, freelance position as the online content coordinator of Climber magazine's website and involve surfing websites, writing feature articles and a multitude of other online bits and bobs. Awesome fun!

- I've moved out of Strathnairn Street and now rather homeless, and I  might add, rather broke. Marx bless the parents! 

- On the plus side, I've been to Wimbledon to see Andy Murray play.  As well as this, I've spent to an amazing few days with my girlfriend down in Kent.  Also managed to check out some Southern Sandstone which was... well not sure I liked it too much really, a bit too sandy. 

- On the mainly climbing side, the CUMC road trip was a big, amazing success with nine days out and about around the English south coast. Some of the highlights included Deepwater soloing at Portland, bouldering in Dartmoor, Manball, and an odd bet about taking a tent down with your feet. I'll save the detail for the trip report that i'm sure i'll write at some point in the near future. 

Oh and I dyed my hair blonde! x

Jamie's, Owen's and Dunc's Grand Day Out.

Haresfield Beacon

Climbing in Stroud is, well, pretty crap. In the whole of the Cotswalds there appears to be only two crags. My newly driving brother and I headed up to one of these, Haresfield Beacon Rocks today. Actually on rechecking just now, we went to a completely different place! But it must have been somewhere in the same area... I think. Well in any case, we only tried a bit of traversing, getting an upper (Font 5a) and lower (font 5b/c) traverse of the main buttress in as well as a mod (font 2/3) up the main chimney (we didn't top out though). If it is a new crag (which I doubt!) there may be potential for a new hard route up the main overhanging buttress but I think it will need a prior inspection and clean first as the rock type is very sandy and weird!

Playing Friction

Playing Friction from Jamie Maddison on Vimeo.

List of routes sent in two days in the Peak:

Burbage Bridge - font 6b+
Wobble Block - font 6b **
Go West - font 6a+ **
Slot Sitdown - font 6a+
Banana Finger - font 6a **
Little Roof - V3 6a **
Crozzle Wall - V3 6a
Pock - V2 6a ***
Tiny Slab - Right V2 6a * 
Pebble Arete - font 5+ ***
The Cobra: Cobra Traverse/The Cobra - V2 5c **
Pick - V0 4c
Pock-man - V1 5b ***
Route 2 S 4a -  Solo O/S

Result = 20*s and a complete inability to move on this lovely morning! What a Trip!

So so much to write about!

Quick recap; in the past two weeks I've been to the Peak, failed on Deliverance, failed on The Big Dyno but got my first V5. I've been to Abercynon several times, done several new problems there and even setting up a new wiki website to try and documented the seemingly limitless bouldering problems on the hill. I've got all worked up about three projects, one a spanning dyno, one a massive hanging arete and lastly a crimpy bouder route. Despite many tries only the last one has fallen. From the valleys to the beautiful beach of Ogmore, for a bit of soloing on the five/six metres cliff along from the bouldering, whilst the waves lapped at our heels. Lastly, burnt biceps from an exploratory walk around the hills around Taffs Well. All this excitement and I haven't even got onto the the issue surrounding my possible future job! woah man...

Playing Games Website

http://b4b.veriovps.co.uk/b4bmarcus/ugly/index.html