Back in the Balearics

Its THAT time of year again... Mallorca

End of September... the sun is getting lower in the skies... the sea is warm... the air is no longer scorching... time for Psicobloc, Spanish style.

Im back in Mallorca for 10 days, climbing with friends, getting some air time, taking tapas and Cervesa, loving life... Once I get a stable internet connection i will upload some of the lovely piccies from the trip, stay tuned...

James

The best line?

What makes "the best line"?

This is a question I often ask myself but still don't really know the answer, or perhaps it is just that my answer changes with the seasons. Is it the moves, is it the features, is it the location, the aesthetic beauty, or the fact that it pushes you towards excellence.

Here are a couple of pics of my current contenders. They are wildly different, but impossible to choose between... Let me know what you think.

The Amazing Ichi Ban, Zillertal, Austria


The Totem Pole, Tazmania - Does it get much better?

Moving Forwards

Some of you may have noticed that jamespearsonclimbing.com recently went on permanent vacation. My website was always held just a little out of my reach by some friends back in the UK, which is part of the reason it had not seen an update for over 2 years! It was looking tired, was well past its best, and finally... well lets just say it died.

Hold back the tears, all is not lost, for out of the ashes a phoenix will rise!

This was just the kick up the arse I needed - my life has changed significantly over the last 6 months, and so what better time to launch a new website. James 2.0; the engine uprated, the bodywork polished, new and improved, I hope you will agree.

Everything should be live in the next few days, but for now here are a few screenshots just to tease...

Big kiss

James x

Australia The Movie - EPIC

Thanks Cedar...

Australia Climbing Adventure_THE MUSICAL_Total Eclipse from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

The Little Devil...

1 hour on the metro and bus / 2 hours in Berlin airport / 1 ½ hours to Frankfurt / 1 ½ hours in the airport / 11 hours to Singapore / 1 hour in the airport / 10 hours to Sydney / 1 ½ hours in the airport / 1 ½ hours to Melbourne / 6 hours in the airport / 1 ½ hours to Hobart.

Aided by my lack of sleep over the last 72 the travelling time itself was not such a big problem and I slept for a lot of hours on the various planes. However the entire journey was probably the worst I have ever had due to my blocked sinuses from my illness the week before. Every time the plane took off and gained altitude it felt like my head was going to explode! Each time this feeling lasted for around 2 hours, and really was agony, so much so that I was almost sick from the pain.

Every flight was the same, but each flight I took was one closer to being there, and finally I arrived in Hobart, met my friends and drove to our accommodation - a small cabin down near a beach on the south of the island.

The next week was to be a non-stop whirlwind of epic proportions involving monstrous hikes, monstrous cliffs and monstrous monsters... but unfortunately I can’t share too much of it with you at this time due to exclusivity commitments with Sender Films – but rest assured, all will be available in glorious Technicolor detail later this year... Check it out


What I can share is as follows...

After escaping from the Jungle, stumbling into a fine dining restaurant stinking to the high heavens and covered in dirt, taking a few rest days, partying to surprisingly good drum and bass and enjoying the company of new friends, everyone felt like the time had come for a little more climbing... and what better way to end our trip than with a quick ascent of the Tote!

Situated at the end of Cape Hauy, the Tote is accessed by a pleasant 2 hour stroll (a walk in the park compared to the last few days) through lush vegetation along an ever thinning peninsular. Towards the end the trail turns rockier and steep cliffs develop on either side leading to the crashing waves hundreds of feet below. Eventually you get to see what you have been waiting so long for... and it does not disappoint – The Totem pole is simply majestic, and if truth be told, a little intimidating!


We had begged, borrowed and stolen all the info we needed to be able to access the route – essentially an awkward scramble down took you to a ledge level with the top of the pole, where 2 shiny bolts made the ab to the base and the following swing across the chasm a very pleasant experience – that is until the first big wave rolls in leaving you soaked to the skin! The last thing to remember is for the second not to detach from the ab-line, for reasons that will soon become clear...

The first pitch in its own right would rank as a 3* route anywhere in the world, even if you do have to climb the first part of it over wet rock with soggy chalk. The rock quality is excellent and strange, often in cut ripples and flakes are a joy to climb. The crux comes at around 2/3 height and is a surprisingly balancey affair that keeps you on your toes. This leads into pleasant jugs to the prominent belay ledge and the first chance you really get to appreciate where you are and what you are doing.



The second pitch is simply superb and in my opinion is possibly the best route I have ever climbed – I can’t remember another pitch that made me smile this much. For almost 40m you climb one of the most striking, perfectly situated arêtes on the planet; the rock quality is amazing, the holds impeccable and the moves fascinating. Protected for most of the way by slightly spaced bolts which can be supplemented by trad gear as you approach the top, the route feels go-ey enough to be really enjoyable, but never dangerous.

On arriving at the ledge just below the summit, you are greeted by a further 2 shiny bolts making belaying a breeze. After bringing up the second and quick cruise up to the summit to pose for the necessary hero shots (well it would be almost rude to come all this way and not stand on top of the damn thing) the final exciting chapter is ready to begin. Fixing the ab-line you have patiently dragged up the whole way, an exciting 20m Tyrolean lands you back on the mainland with huge grins still firmly plastered to your face.


A day later I was stood in Hobart airport waiting for my plane back to the mainland and contemplating the events of the last week. Tasmania had been an incredible experience that had tested me in new ways and taught me many new skills. The main objective of the trip had been a great success, we did what we came to do, and got out alive – but the thing that had made the entire trip worth it, was those few hours of bliss climbing the Totem Pole. What a route!!!

My alarm woke me at 3am, I remembered the decision that needed to be made, and allowed myself to fall back to sleep as it just felt so good :) There will be plenty of other opportunities to party in the future, sometimes you just have to listen to what your body is telling you!

We woke at around 10am the next morning – having slept for almost a whole day :) and felt pretty good for it. Lana took us to view the “east side gallery” which is the longest remaining intact section of the wall, covered in paintings by national and international artists. The paintings were all recently restored (original artists invited back in 2009) and so the wall is very beautiful to look at

We said our goodbyes and thankyous to Lena and returned to Fabians where we would spend our last night. After packing my bags, I was ready to go and began to make plans for leaving for the airport in the morning. To my surprise, my 9am flight turned out actually to be at 9pm, which opened up a whole lot of new options...

I wanted to be really tired for my big flight so dancing all night and staying awake all day seemed like a perfect idea, the only trouble was it was Sunday, and where in the world has clubs open all night on a Sunday? Berlin of course ;)

Sara had a 7am flight followed by a day of work so made the smart decision to go to sleep. I left the house at around midnight in the pouring rain and headed to the Goldengate which i was very happy to find was still going strong – full of psyched people and good music. I stayed until around 4.45am when I left to meet Sara and walk with her to the metro Station to say goodby, then I went back to the club for round two until about 8.30 when I left to take the keys back to Fabian so he could go to University.

36 hours later I would be sat in Tasmania, about ready to get into a real bed for the first time in way too many days. Adventure and excitement are on their way... the story is just begining

Help Zalia

Help Zalia!!!

Appeal by Anna Piunova (mountain.ru):

...A dreadful accident happened about a week ago in Turkey with Zalia, a daughter of Salavat Rakhmetov, famous boulderingist, he won World Championship 2005 in Munich at the age of 38.
Sure, you’ve heard about him.
Salavat lead the pitch, his wife belayed, when huge block of rock fell down directly to their 5 y.o. daughter, she’s still unconsciousness, in intensive care in a Turkish hospital, she has pulled through four surgeries (amputation of a hand, sewed big toe on a leg, stuck in the spokes of a broken arm and a leg).
But she needs one more heavy operation - damaged crashed skull fragments fell into the brain.
Doctors are waiting for swelling of the brain reduces to allow the operation for removing these fragments.

The problem is that her medical insurance expires tomorrow, and she’s still not transportable because of the injuries.
Hospitalization can last from two weeks to a month. And the cost (w/o surgeries) will be approximately $74,000.
Rent of a special aircraft for the transportation of Zalia home is about $49,000.
In total she needs $123,000.
If she’s alive.

So let’s try to co-ordinate and to find money for Zalia. It is not so easy.
But all our children grow up near the cliffs.....

Your possibilities to help Zalia (please choose the most economic and most trustful option for you):

1. Possibility:
(we propose this for all internatinal donations, because it’s the best working and by far cheepest option for those)
You can donate, to a PayPal account that was also established to help with foreign donations.
For more information and donation, this way visit the site:
http://sharmenhope.com/zaliya/

2. via WESTERN UNION:
we propose this for all internatinal money transfers, for people who can not donate
The data for Western Union:
RAKHMETOV Salavat (Kipaevich)
63 & 8470; 8399932
28.04.2009 - 28.04.2014
Moscovskaya oblast, g. Odintsovo
ATTENTION: When you have received the Western Union transfer code, send it to the reference person Anna Piunova: info@mountain.ru

3. Possibility:
national and international Banktransfer (SWIFT) to Salavat’s bank account. It seems like this is not possible from all countries.
For Euro Donation
SWIFT-code: SABRRUMM011
SBERBANK (OPERATONS DEPARTAMENT)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
Acc.& 8470;42307978100020001331
Name RAKHMETOV Salavat (Kipaevich)
-For USD Donation
SWIFT-Code: SABRRUMM011
SBERBANK (OPERATONS DEPARTAMENT)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
Acc.& 8470;42307840900020002150
Name RAKHMETOV Salavat (Kipaevich)

4. Possibility:
The turkish search and rescue team (AKUT) opened an account for Zalia
this account is useful for money transfers from turkey. At the moment it’s not possible to donate from other countries than turkey to this YTL-account!. A €-account will be opened maybe later. The money will be given here in Antalya directly to Salavat by trustful climbers. A copy of the bankstatement of this bankaccount will be given to Salavat.
NAME: Hakki Gokceoglu
BANK: Garanti Bankasi Konyaalyi Subesi
Sube Kodu: 412
NR.:6666748
IBAN: TR53 0006 2000 4120 0006 66667 48

5. Possibiliy:
(we propose this for all internatinal donations, from tuesday on, because it’s the best working and by far cheepest option for those):
A PAY PAL account directly on Salavat’s name will be opened on tuesday. We will publish the data for this as soon as posible

Thank you for your heart and take care

links:
http://mountain.ru/article/article_display1.php?article_id=4496

http://www.lezec.cz/clanek.php?key=8679&nazev=mountain.ru__shani_pomoc

http://sharmenhope.com/zaliya/