Devon Days

Day 5

Surprise, surprise. The rain stopped play. As Saturday slipped by, Sundays forecast got worse and worse until the radar showed almost continuous torrential rain all day. I woke feeling sad and disappointed but quickly checked my computer in the hope that something may have changed overnight. It was worse than ever, not a chance for climbing, nothing to do but pack up and head home.

Dave and I said goodbye to our friends and started on the long northwards drive. I was in a pretty low mood for the journey and an sure that I was not the best company for Dave but he did his best to cheer me up.

I feel like I could have climbed the route today but have been held back by forces out of my control and this is very frustrating. What's more frustrating is that due to other factors that are out of my control (read work!), I wont be able to get back on the route for almost 3 weeks, which right about now, feels like an eternity away.

As most obsessive climbers will know, projects get in your head and under your skin and if it is particularly big or important project, it is difficult to focus on anything else. You wake up, go about your day, and go to sleep with the moves and sequences whizzing round your head and as usual happens when you are focused on a specific point in the future, the present seems to go on for ever.

But deep down I know time will run away from me as fast as it always does and there are plenty of things I need to do. For one, I need to work really hard on my fitness for the next 4 days, because as soon as Friday comes I will be locked away, with no climbing for 9 days and I don't want to feel like a sack of spuds when I finally get back on the route.

So James... Chin up, quit your whining and get on with life!

Now, doesn't that feel better... ;)