Another rainy day means no work and no climbing just blogging, training and drinking warm Milo.
A fair bit has happened since I last wrote on here so ill start from the beginning.

Last week I went out to a bouldering area in Sydney called Sunny Side.
Sunny side is a fairly new crag in Sydney and has some really good problems with potential for more but so far there is only two V14s and on V11 so not much in the lower grade range just yet.
At sunny side I wanted to try a project that started just right of the V11 Combat Wombat.
I worked on the project for two days and managed to send the project calling it One Of A Kind and grading it V14.
Although im sure the way I did the new line is V14 apparently Tom Farrell and Alan Price have been there working on the line lately and they have found another sequence using another hold that I did not see so the grade of this one could be dropped a notch in the future but time will tell.
I also went to crumbly the other week and managed to put up another first accent, I called the new line Life Changes and I graded it V11.
The new problem starts on the first hold of Abacus and then you climb left to finish up the V5 on the far left hand side of the crag. I think its set to be one of the classics of Sydney as I think it climbs unbelievably well.

Its good the cold weather is here in Australia right now, but the rain never seems to stop so it makes getting out on the rock tricky, although it is forcing me to get in the gym and train which is not such a bad thing, as ill be heading to the Grampians in a week and I have some projects and skeletons I would like to get done.

The last round of the Sydney Bouldering Series was held last weekend at the new climbing gym in Villawood.
I ended up coming second in the comp and I was happy with that.
I managed to do a few problems in the comp that I was very nervous on because of my shoulder and everything held up just fine.
All in all the comp was good and it was good to see some of my mates that I had not seen in a while.

Since the comp not a great deal has been going on. I have just been training lots and working a little.

A few good mates are flying into Sydney from the US next week, Phillip Schaal, Daniel Woods and Courtney Sanders. Ill pick them up from the airport and then we will make our way to the Grampians from there, maybe via some Sydney and bungonia bouldering on the way.

I hope the weather turns out to be good while we are in the Gramps.
I have been in the Gramps some years and the weather is perfect and other times it just will not stop raining. So this time im really hopping for good weather.
I have not been on a climbing trip to the Gramps in soooo long.
Although I have spent a fair few months there recently writing the Grampians Bouldering Guide, I did not get to climb once because I was injured, so this time im going to be frothing to climb. Although knowing my luck of late ill probably get injured or get something like clamidia and im geussing there is not to much information on climbing injury forums on how best to treat clamidia hahahaha.

Photos:
Me on the FA of One Of A Kind V14 and Rain In Sydney

There is a new Video in the Gallery.
Check it out.

I know I have been very slack lately with my blogging but a lot has been happening in my life so the last thing I have wanted to do is sit in front of a computer and type.

I'm now back in Australia, after a fairly unsuccessful trip to USA in terms of my climbing.
I had some good times in the USA this trip but my life has been a bit of a roller coaster and I just could not seem to get going with my climbing.
I did manage to get up a few boulder but not anything im super proud of.
I never really got a chance do or try anything really hard as I spent almost 2 months of my trip injured or sick on a couch. The times I felt good to go climbing I was not in good shape to climb or try anything super hard.
Anyway that's enough winging.
I did have some bloody good time in the US and now im back in Australia im soooo keen to climb and get strong again.
Since I have been back here in Sydney I have been training and climbing on the rock everyday.
I have a few projects around Sydney that I want to get done soon while the weather is colder and before I head to the Grampians with some American mates in August.

Ill be heading out tomorrow to try and get one of my projects done and ill be taking the video camera so hopefully ill have some footage up soon of me sending the line.

photo: my dog Annie and little Fiddler happy im home.

After a great day bouldering in RMNP

After a really good long 5 hour training session at the gym where I boulderd and lifted weights I was feeling motivated and psyched again so the next day it was off to RMNP.
Myself, Ian, Will, Alex, Berg and Jamie headed up to the Halit Boulder.
After and hour and a half hike up to the boulder I was feeling out of breath and a little shaky due to the elevation. The Halit Boulder is approx 10,800ft / 3300meters in elevation.
Alex got to work fast and made a impressive flash of Fireball V10 and I managed to follow suit with another flash of fireball.
Will was up next and sent Fire Ball on his second shot that day, a very fine effort, Will has worked his ass off training in the bay since I was last in Bishop with him and it was for me the highlight of the day to see him send this problem “Bloody well done mate”.
We then moved the pads over to a great problem called Stranger In A Strange Land V12.
There is some controversy surrounding this boulder.
Dave Graham did the FA of this great problem and since then the boulder has had a few repeats, though it seems some people have been starting two moves in on the problem and in my eyes have not really done the problem.
The first two moves are not super hard but they do make the boulder harder overall. If you start two moves in you are a little less tired but more importantly you can establish yourself better going into the crux.
Anyway we moved the pads over to Stranger, I had a quick look at the holds and went for it.
Before I knew it I was pressing out the mantle and standing on top of the giant boulder.
My first V12 flash since I fucked my shoulder, I was a happy chappy.
Jamie Emerson then jumped on the problem this time from the real start and sent in a few shots.
Jamie had done the boulder a few years ago from two moves in and came back yesterday to send it from the real start.“well done mate”.
Berg came so close to sending the boulder as well but fell on the last move. Berg then put a whole in his finger on his next shot so he decided to leave it for another day.
A great day was had by all.
On the way back down the mountain to the car we stopped at emerald lake and for a free dinner I was dared to jump in the lake so it was off with the clothes and in I went.
A good end to one great day.

Photos: Will sending Fire Ball V10 and My late night swim in the freezing Emerald lake.