Monkey Progresses

I was so chuffed, I grew a fist mustache

So this weekend, I spotted a nasty looking 6c+ that I still hadn't tried yet. Monkey saw, monkey climbed.

My expectations were as non-existence, besides maybe falling off a load of times, apologising to Eloise on the camera and cringing at the recording to figure out what went wrong.

Except I didn't really get stuck at all. I fell off on a move because I rushed into it, I could have recomposed myself, I could have grown a manly beard. Hindsight is a bitch eh? Could I seriously have on-sighted a 6c+? Who knows? Who cares?

So instead tonight I decided to tried another 6c route, and on-sighted the shit out of it.

Yes I'm gloating... and gloating on the internet is a bad idea. But hear me out...

Here's me solving the Rubik's Cube.

Honestly, I'm totally not gloating...

 
Can you see the distant glaze in my eyes? The lack of passion for such a noble sport? The sighs of mundanity echoing around my small bedroom walls?

That's the result of applying the same 'novel skill' after learning how to solve the damn thing over 15 years ago. It's pretty fucking boring once you know how to do it. And holy shit 15 years? Boy, do I feel old.

When I solved the cube for the first time though, by George was I exited... I might have run around the school campus enlightening everyone as to what a solved Rubik's Cube might look like, rubbing it in their faces till the stickers fell off. Or until they maybe kindly enlightened me as to what a black eye might felt like.

Worth it.

But seriously, I don't think I've revisited the same sense of achievement again till I built my hamster a legendary tube fortress.

Kinda like that, but better, and less pink.

Or my first ever full palm high five. (Hazz, if you're reading this, you were totally part of history)

Kinda like that, but more painful, and less explosions.

On-sighting a route is a beautiful and addictive feeling.

It first happens to you with the lower grades, and before you knew it, your first 6a on-sight happens when you least expect it and you're all like "Fuck yeah!".

But then the high disappears when you've started Redpointing 6b's and on-sighting 6a just doesn't do it for you anymore.

And then the 6a+ on-sight happens, and "Fuck yeah!" returns to your catchphrase. The cycle never ends. Until it does because you've climbed to your peak level or you've given up rock climbing for class A drugs.

So tonight I've finally hit the 6c on-sight, with 6c+ on-sight in sight. I can proudly say another milestone has been reached, and the excuses to avoid 7a's are getting thinner and thinner. Also, someone owes me a high five.

Monkey Goes get High... on the wall.