The Thanks Blog

Well this week has been a pretty damn busy one!

As it was my 21st birthday this wednesday (I'm definately no longer chronologically a kid anymore, mentally is different) me and Jess headed down to my homeland, Devon to see me rents and all the family actually! It was great to see Mum, Dad, Ali the bro and all the family again and we had awesome weather too which was great! I was showered with generous gifts, I'm a lucky, lucky boy. This feeling was excentuated by watching Red Nose Day, a great event which always makes me feel lucky to be British and put my hand in my pocket.

We headed back to North Wales on monday and plans were made for Castell Cidwm on the tuesday with Alex, Central Wall, E3 being the target. On waking I felt rough as dogs, but perked up enough to go to the crag. Once we got there I felt worse again, so the Curver at HVS 4c was the first tick of the day me taking the EXPOSED 2nd pitch. It's probably only VS but a fun little route. Then Mase ticked off the Straightener, and I kicked off a block whilst seconding! It was then time to go as we had an important date to make.......

Jess and her Dad took Bubbles, Laura, Mason and me to a Ron Fawcett lecture in Stockport, this was a dream come true for me as Ron is one of my all time heroes. It didn't dissapoint with lots of personal stories about his travels, First Ascents, and just the general scene in the 70's and 80's. To top it all I got a signed copy if his autobiography and two, yes TWO handshakes! I endeavour never to wash my right hand again... However, for the first time I felt truly starstruck, I have a bit of a rep for making a twat out of myself when meeting famous climbers... sorry George I was young and naive.... but I truly didn't know what to say to Ron.... Thanks guys it was awesome.

We busted back to the big N.W. and on wednesday we headed out to the pass armed with a minbus full of pads, people and psyche! Utopia, wavelength and boysen's groove boulders were swarmed up, around and over in a mad rush. I had an aim of getting at least 21 V-points and managed this fairly comfortably with, a V2 a V3, 2 V4s, a V5, and a V5/6 repeat. But the effort of the day was Tom 'Bubbles' Ripley's ascent of his first V4 Boysen's groove, he has gone from a mountaineer who casted bouldering off as rubbish to being on a natural high for literally hours after.... inspirational!! We finished the day off with a barbie down by the cromlech boulders and an adventure into a munitions store near Llanberis.

Thursday saw Tommy Martin come over to crush and we headed to Tremadog. I teamed up with Mikey and headed off up Merlin Direct a really nice HVS that I have been wanting to do for a while. we then headed over to the Vector Buttress so he could try his project. After a few topropes, sorting the gear and a new sequence, Mikey G went for the lead, and whilst he was doing the 6b crux I was on tenter-hooks. He obviously cruised through to the final mantle where he looked a bit shakey but he cruised on up to glory! The Philtrum E5/6 6b *(*). An awesome effort from Mikey who's boyish good looks and flowing climbing style will surely be the feature of magazines and DVD's of the future, it was awesome to be there to share the experiance with him! I headed up Grim Wall VS to get the gear from the top and we headed down for some grub and water.

After this we still had some more time so I led the first pitch of the Fang HVS 5a and the led the second pitch of Extraction, E2 5c which I found surprisingly straight-forward, which bodes well! A brilliant few days and some awesome weather for North Wales at the moment, I hope it stays good for pembroke!

Now though it's back to the grindstone so I can go to pembroke.....

Here is a nice little blog for you guys to dip in and out of, and the inspiration behind this post:

http://thxthxthx.com/

The Thanks Blog, is a series of thankyou notes written by an American woman and can range from funny, to very poiniant.... well worth a browse...

So Thanks everyone, whos made my 21st such an awesome week!!