Just a quick update on a few things!
Firstly we’re back from Sardinia and it was a fantastic trip, if a touch short. Sunny sport climbing is definitely the right way to start the trad season! I’ll write a trip report and destination guide in the next week so keep an eye out.
Yesterday the wind was blowing for the first time in gosh knows how long so we took the kites down to Crammond. The first rule is, when you haven’t flown in 4 months do go out too overpowered.
To expand, I’m currently 90kg, pretty solid! The wind forecast was 20 for inland so a bit more pull at the coast. I didn’t dare open the 9m out so put the 2m up and was getting pretty easy head high jumps and so figured the wind was pretty solid. After a few jumps I was still working it just as hard for another jump when it must have hit a heavier pocket of air; the thought process went in roughly this order:
‘This is awesome, I’ve never been this high!’
‘I can see the top of Kates head, a long way below my feet!’
‘I AM going to break my leg’
‘What can I do to solve this”
‘You read about how to PLF (parachute landing fall) in a book once, I think you should try that out’ (I don’t know why that was in the third person!)
Then I hit the ground and the kite stayed powered up so I got dragged down the field, but by this stage I’d realised I’d fluked it and was in one piece! Relief but some serious discomfort in my neck and shoulder. I put the kite away. We found my divot too, about 3 inches deep in ground that I couldn’t make a mark in by stamping – a touch scary!
So to sum up, I’m psyched for the summer and haven’t lost much fitness climbing wise and am still flashing up near my limit. However it does seem that injuries are piling up. My left knee and ankle are as tatty as they’ve ever been, my left shoulder is wrenched and I have a real crick in the neck! Enough whining!
I’ve put up full details of the London talk in the sidebar so check that out and come say hi if you can make it! Should be a fun night plus I’m the only climber talking so it should be pretty impressive!
I’ll get some photos of the divot and check back for more articles soon! I have plans to get out a good set of big wall articles as soon as I can!
