Kiaran Ponders Projects

That Guy looks familiar (maybe even attractive)... Oh wait it's me!

Monkey:

Part of the fun of climbing is that you're constantly making new friends. Sucks if you have the memory of a wet sponge like me when it comes to people's names, but who needs to remember passwords when you can just etch it on your laptop?

Well recently I've met this upcoming talent Kiaran, or Kenan or Kel. Anyway, he wants to join in this blogging lark. So please give him a warm welcome.

Take it away Kiaran.

Firstly I better say hi! My name's Kiaran, I climb and Stan is letting me post on his blog (not quite sure he understands what he's let himself in for...)

Monkey Looks back at a Year of Climbing

THIS is what I climb atop for my euphoria.

This Thursday I hit another milestone - redpointing my first 6c lead route at Redpoint Climbing Centre.

It was my second attempt at the route, after falling off the crux during my onsight attempt last week. Oh and I mentioned doing this at Redpoint Centre because of their supposed higher grade level (*shrugs*).

So I messed up a move at one point, which left me wrong handed at a crucial section - managed to slowly sorted myself out and recovered; rested properly and cruised the crux with conviction.

As I topped out though, I realised that I wasn't get the sense of euphoria that I was expecting. It wasn't like I was playing it cool either, I just felt calm (but not zen) about it.

Having thought about it on the way home, I suddenly I realised exactly why - it's been exactly one year since I had my first climbing session, after passing my belay test.

Monkey goes Hands Free

Just to contradict the muggles out there who think climbing is all about the arms, today, I'm going to talk about hands free climbing.

"Are you kidding me?" is the general response I get when I suggest it for the first time to any of my fellow climbers. "Oh no, not again." would be the other common response when I reminded them the idea during our next session.

Some people think I'm obsessed with the idea, but then I've only done it about 3 or 4 times over the past 6 months. Though I sure as hell suggested it a lot.

So what's the dealio then?

Monkey Reviews RedPoint Climbing Centre (part 1)

Oh right... it's lower 'p'...

Today I'm going to break away from the norm. I'm going to write a review about RedPoint Climbing Centre. No jokes, no unrelated pictures - hopefully just concised views about this little place.

Yeah right...!

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.

Monkey Sells Rock Climbing (Part 1)

£10 a rock climb, get 'em while they're ripe!

This article was going to be along the lines of "Is Rock Climbing Right For Me?" But let's be honest here, when was the last time one of your friends said, "I was thinking about doing rock climbing, what do you reckon?"

... I'll tell you when. NEVER!

Admit it, the conversation usually goes more like this:

"Sorry, I can't come with you to the Pencil History Museum this weekend. I'm doing something more worthwhile - like rock climbing. You should come along!"

"Rock climbing? But I'd never have imagined you as a climber! Alas, such exciting sport is out of my grasp, my arms are simply too feeble for something like that."

Monkey is a Pervert

Caught black and white handed.

If you don't already know, I have a large stash of personal videos that I share on the internet.

What you probably didn't know (but possibly suspected) is that I also like to explore other people's stashes as well.

So what is it with my obsession of Rock Climbing videos?

Do I particularly like staring at my own arse for prolonged periods?

Do I frequently compare mine to other people's?