Finally, all that studying is over! I had been preparing for the state exam for almost half a year, and just in time for summer, it was time to << climb first >> again.
First, I headed to France on very short notice. More precisely, to St. Léger in the south of the country. Since I had never been there, had only limited information about the area, and only seven days to spare, the trip followed a simple motto: just go climbing again! As it was already unusually warm for the time of year, the plan was clear: climb in the shade and chill in the sun. Friction climbing in the sun was out of the question.
After a few very easy meters on the flash of "Le syndrome du plombier" (8a) and "Sous l’oeil de la baleine" (7c+), on the second day I tackled a small St. Léger must-do, "Le Mur des 6 Clopes" (8b/b+). A good 20 meters of steep climbing on sinter, with a brilliant mono finish! After the first attempt, I quickly realized: yeah, that could work. The mono crux at the end was particularly easy. Perhaps the mono training for the Frankenjura hadn't hurt either. In fact, I had thought that pumping out the first 20 meters would be the biggest challenge.
On the second go, 20 minutes later, things actually looked a bit different. The first few meters up to the crux went surprisingly smoothly. In fact, the mono was the biggest hurdle. However, in this case, it wasn't because of the power in my fingers, but rather because of the blood that had swollen out of my finger! In a mix of pushing forward and desperately trying to stop the bleeding, I finally managed to reach the top on the second attempt. That ascent only made me want MORE!
In the evening, I first went to a traditional French restaurant to feast, and just as my stomach was filled with oysters and escargots (snails), everything came back up the next day. The rest day was thus clearly filled with rest and sleep. Unfortunately, the physical discomfort lasted for a few more days, which meant the rest of the trip became more of a sick leave.
But that didn't take away from the motivation to keep pushing on the rock. Next, I read a recommendation from a few locals for a route that had only been first ascended the previous year. "Stay kratom stay safe" is graded 8c and goes left of "Le Mur..." through the big overhang of St. Léger. About 25 meters of 60-degree steep terrain. After a few intro moves, a boulder section on sinter follows. Then it's a matter of hanging on for several meters until you can rescue yourself at a good rest point, before the roof at the end becomes mentally demanding again. Just like the motto: you don't want to let go here, but you can still get off easily.
The next day, I was exactly at that point. Mega pumped on the rest hold and no desire to get off yet. Fortunately, that was no longer the case, and I was able to top "Stay kratom stay safe" on my fourth attempt. Definitely my holiday highlight.
After France, I headed to Spain shortly after. More precisely, to Mallorca. And yes, it stood a week over the water. Deep water soloing was on the agenda. We spent just under 8 days on the island. The plan was a mix of cultural holiday, some swimming, good food, and DWS climbing. For this, we took a finca within walking distance of the famous DWS area of Cala Barques. Above all, the classics were on the agenda. However, it was clear from the very first morning that it wouldn't be that easy! Because despite temperatures over 30 degrees and nothing but dryness for days, the caves on the coast were wet! The high humidity condensed so heavily on the rocks in the morning that they were almost dripping. So, we had to wait and see. Ultimately, it turned out that climbing was only possible in the evening hours, when the sun had largely dried the rocks.
So the message was clear: chilling in the shade and climbing in the sun! After repeating a few of the easier classics that I had known from years ago, I tackled the direct variant of "Bandito" (7c DWS). After that, I can only say, absolutely brilliant climbing! But the best-known line was still open: "Smash it in!" (8a DWS). The route eventually transitions into Bandito, but has its own boulder start, which, due to the increased motivation, even went on the flash without landing in the water. Afterwards, the whole thing was pure pleasure to climb out. Absolutely recommended. Unfortunately, throughout the week, many of the other lines on the to-do list did not dry out, which made a serious attempt impossible.
Oh well, next time :)
