Confusing climbs

I'm still climbing! I don't mention it very often here, as I rarely take pics while doing it (logically) and it seems little newsworthy. But I still do, still enjoy it and make progress. I often climb with people a lot better than me, and that helps! They go up difficult routes and tell me I could do the same. And then I try it. Sometimes it turns out they are right. Sometimes it doesn't, but then they tend to encourage me and give advice until I do.

Until quite recently I considered any grade 6 hard, but a few weeks with the big boys changed that. I might now warm up on a 6b. But one 6b is not the next 6b; last time I did start by leading a 6b and I was fine; then I even lead a 6c without breaking into a sweat. But then I wanted to do a 6a+ but failed utterly. I couldn't lead it at all. Then Tony (which I was climbing with and who can do almost anything) lead it instead, so I could try on top rope. I fell out about 10 times! But he and Ron (who is more into coaching than into climbing himself) talked me up it. I got there! Next time I want to try to climb it clean. If I have done that, I might try to lead it. That would be an achievement! And that 6c was probably mislabelled.

That route had taken a lot of me so after that I could not do anything hard anymore. I thought I'd do one last 6 of sorts, but my muscles were tired and that had caused my head to be weary and I changed to a 5. That was enough for the day! Back next week...