Post-lockdown climbing

 After 15 long months, the Welsh government let groups bigger than six people convene outside again. And it didn't take long before I got a message from the climbing club that we could start climbing again! And that sounded nice. I hadn't climbed since summer 2019. I was certainly rusty! But I look forward to just being able to gather with whoever showed up and have some fun on the crag. So I announced I would be there!

The crag the club had chosen was Caseg Ffraith (were the last time I ended up not climbing at all), and that isn't very far away, so I immediately had an opportunity to try out my new bike. It was a bit tight; I had to eat early, and immediately after dinner jump up to the bike and get to the crag, but it did work. I was the first one to arrive! And I really enjoyed the bike. I took the main road as it is marginally faster, but on the way back I would use the old road, which has much steeper bits, and imperfect asphalt. I've never dared to do that road on the road bike. But the gravel bike should be good for it!

Some Charlotte appeared. She didn't have the kit, though. We had to wait a bit longer for Tony to bring that! But the next vehicle that turned off contained Eifion, whom we did not expect. But the more the merrier! Tony was in his wake and we could grab the kit and walk up to the crag.

Then we got there we decided we should set up one top rope, and Tony would lead some convenient route with the other rope. And so it happened! I just sat there in the sun with Charlotte just having a chat while the men set up the top rope. This is a trad crag and I don't do trad. Especially not after having been out of it for two years!

When the rope was down I tried and failed to climb a route; not unsurprising after two years. Charlotte had actually been climbing in the past two years but she didn't manage it either. Then we went to have a look at the blokes. No luck there either! So then the men tried our route.

I was quite aware of having to bike back, and of having gone to bed way too late the night before, due to my bike adventure. So I watched both men try our route, and then scampered. The others were fine de-rigging without me. And I zapped back home on my lovely new bike! It performed perfectly fine on the old road. And the week after we would go to sports climbing territory again, where I feel a bit more at home! 

getting ready

 Tony in action