It's nearly Easter, and I feel the need of some religion. Finding the biggest free climbable roof does that to me you know. Being unfit this new challenge has come at the wrong time but so do visitations from God. Timing they say is everything but clearly I have no organizational ability or planning capacity. Still when you see a fifty-meter roof covered in big holds you can't help give it a go. So a go consists of breaking your back, filling your eyes with dust from upside bolting and generally hurting your self. Luckily I have some friends with me who are sharing the work and pain. We have bolted some great routes and taken some big falls. The big bruising fall I took was a surprise as I was in full rampant route mode, breaking a big hold, I took a crushing fall, still I finished after a rest. Bruises, cuts and abrasions, a big hook, I have for aiding, has buried it self in my arse and it suppurated, I had a block on my face, I was a mess but we have done fifteen new pitches some of which are world class. My own supply of bolts is gone and the two Maltese clubs are keeping me supplied now. There is so much rock on the three islands that the work will never end. Some of the work will have to be in talking to the various conflicting bodies who seem to wage war on climbers. The local climbers are trying to develop sport for locals and visitors and are plagued with problems, I pray that it is sorted out in favour of our sport after all it is good for tourism and locals alike. These problems have kept me at work on my favourite cliff called the Underworld, there are nobody there who bothers me just me my mates and my great sport, oh yes and the biggest, crassest roof I have ever seen. Wish me luck with the burly roof and the bureaucrats?
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| Underworld roof |
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| The roof |
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| Tools of the trade |
