PHOTOLOG Winter 08/09

The Grand Tour So Far
Germany
France
Spain
Slovenia
Italy
Turkey
Greece
Switzerland
Austria

 

Numbers and other interesting bits
December 2, 2007

2007_12_02.jpg

Kilometers traveled (±100km): 4,162

Days of climbing trip: 45
Days driving (to climbing destinations): 10
Days off (rest, shopping for supplies, being tourists): 13
Days climbing: 22

Climbing areas we hit: Gorges du Tarn (good, surprisingly not too polished); Montserrat (slabby, wish we had a topo); Siurana (good, no giveaway climbs); Vilanova de Prades (hard and short, not many overhangs); Montsant (good, long but soft routes); Les Bruixes (good but soft grades, a little polished)
Climbing areas we visited but didn't climb: Gorges de la Jonte, Tautavel
Climbing areas we wished we'd visited: Santa Linya, Alòs de Balaguer, Rodellar

Favorite climbing area: Frank: They all have their distinct characteristics. MJ: Siurana.

Notables we saw: Chris Sharma (of biscuit fame), Liv Sansoz, Berta Martin, Daila Ojeda

Favorite climbing moments: Frank: pulling through the crux at the top of an Alex Huber route and onsighting at Can Piqui Pugui. MJ: getting beta from Chris Sharma and redpointing routes second try—projects, what?

Tastiest treats: Filched grapes from the Priorat vines near La Morera de Montsant; Sharma biscuits (they were milk chocolate HobNobs, and after we ate ours Frank onsighted a 9a and I redpointed an 8a second try); Filipinos (they're small, brown, and sweet, and the donuts aren't bad either); and I would've added the jamón Iberico and chorizo had the stupid dog loitering around camp not gotten to them first.

Nicest local: The old woman living in the Gorge who came to talk to us for half an hour; she'd never seen a digital camera before.

Karma: The friendly Monsier Le Skoda giving us a ride to the supermarché in Millau; us taking a German teenager to a truck stop for his ride back home.

Word of the Day: Tuna. Pudding. Quark. "Tendon snappers!"

Miscellaneous memorable moments: Hiking to Le Point Sublime at the Gorge; the braying donkey/warning system at Casa Roca; dinner at Le Restique in Vienne; the laughable 95 overnight rate at a hotel in the middle of nowhere (uh yeah, we left); talking to the guy who onsighted 8b and said he was "weak" (we were floored); dinners with Beth and Peter; illegal camping at Montserrat; watching a guy gracefully redpoint an 8a; having our nice, warm Taj Mahal of a tent when it was freezing cold or raining outside!

Links:
Climbing magazine's interview with Chris Sharma.
◊ On his name and nationality, which is interesting, but with whatever's left of his private life, really not anyone's business.
◊ This great link of a Shaolin Temple Monk in action. Great use of video and animation. Also an interesting topic to read. Via Kottke.