Spring is here!

  

Hmm, is it just me, or  are these flowers a bit sexy the way they pulsate like that? It's kinda turning me on! Maybe it's just the season though.

23 September 2004

Interesting night for admissions... Someone admitted that they had a "long-neck" last weekend. That same person had another one tonight I think. A Sand-Bagger who shall remain anonymous did not realise that someone he knew from a few years ago was hitting on him when she introduced herself tonight with "Hi, I think I know you..." etc while standing with her hands on her hips thrusting her chest out at him... yes, I can see how you would not notice that. To make the point a little more obvious for our friend she also introduced her friend! By this point the Gimp's Threesome Radar was screaming! So who was it? I cant' say... Is that because it was The Gimp himself? No, quite the opposite really.

Now, this was not the end of things. While eating dinner the same person became the object of another female's attention. This one was a little crazy, but nevertheless she was quite obviously interested. I think it must be all those pheromones. Either that, or women can spot a desperate man a mile off! Long time between drinks sailor?

Aunty Edna made a rare appearance at the gym tonight. If he is not careful he might actually shed some of that winter condition he has managed to store away. Now, he said it, not me, but when it was suggested that he second the roof at the gym tonight, Quang was clearly heard to confess being too "fat and slow."

The Gimp was busy tonight setting a couple of fun routes, one a dyno-fest, with four dynos including a huge one to start with. the second route was a fun little arête climb which prompted Tom to call me an idiot! That's not very nice Gump! Thinking that a few laps on the lead roof would be a good way to finish off the night, Adam soon decided that maybe one ascent of the roof would be enough after discovering that the start was very difficult and run-out thanks to the loss of a number of holds on the first three metres due to the bouldering comp. These routes were quickly climbed by Bizarro, with Gimp happy to exact some revenge for last weeks spanking!

Tom bravely followed Adam up the lead roof , getting further than ever before without falling, and eventually getting to the top for the first time, well done Gump!

While on the subject of "well done Gump" ; I must say that it was an absolute master stroke of genius to bring your main competitor in the mountain bike competition out for a climb tonight Tom! Tom actually tried to hide his intentions claiming that Dan climbs anyway, but the clever aspect to his fiendish plan - and the thing that shows what a true Sand-Bagger he is - was his knowledge that Dan is a competitive person, and all he had to do to get Dan to tire himself out (without Tom also having to do so) was to challenge him to try to climb the routes set by The Gimp. Brilliant Gump, you were able to play upon the competitive side of your competitor while being able to maintain a relatively high level of plausible deniability! I am almost considering a Golden Sand-Bag Award.

Oh, okay I have added this a bit late, but I showed just how dumb I can be tonight... When we were sitting down to dinner and the Girl was chatting Pheromone Boy up, she asked if we were Rock-climbers. Amazed I asked how she knew this to which she replied: "I do Tarot Card readings"... at the same time I realised we were sitting there with a pile of climbing gear on the table - Genius Gimp, pure Genius!

Bushfire lighters: Megan, Matt, Alex, Boz.

18 September 2004

There is nothing like climbing real rock!

Today we headed out to the real thing for some much-needed contact with the rock-faces and boy o boy was it great!

For those Sand-Baggers who were unable to get out you just don't know what you were missing. And for anyone else out there who has not been out to the rock for a while, do yourself a favour and remind yourself why you love this sport. The unpredictability, the route-finding (no "join-the-dots" climbing outdoors!), the wind blowing in your hair (I knew I should have worn pants!) and the myriad other variables that being outside provides just cannot be matched in any way by the climbing gym... While climbing at the gym is enjoyable, it can only truly ever be considered a poor relation; it is training for the real thing.

Hmmm get the idea I had fun?

As Matt had never been climbing in Adelaide before, he met The Gimp in the car park of the Tower Hotel late morning and the two proceeded up the hill to the parking area above the trail to the climbing areas. Arriving at 11.00am as arranged with Megan and Tom Adam and Matt unloaded the gear and waited a few minutes before calling the missing pair to find out how long they would be. As it turned out, Gump and JennyBob were enjoying the feel of the morning sun on their bodies as they shared a romantic embrace in the backyard much to the delight of their nosey next-door neighbours . Completely unaware of the time, and having apparently forgotten about the fact that they were due at the crag, Tom and Meg had to quickly finish off being Peas and Carrots and make their way up the hill. When he realised what was going on, The Gimp dropped his phone in shock, resulting in it exploding into several pieces and making Tom think he had hung up in disgust.

After piecing together his phone, Adam led Matt down the fire track to Far Crag where they both set about getting into some real climbing with an ascent of Sheoak Corner (12).

As Matt got to the top of the first climb for the day a red-faced Gump and JennyBob arrived and an enthralling conversation about palm-pilots ensued between Matt and Tom. With their hands firmly on their joysticks our two palm-pilots spent the next ten minutes intently engaged in an absolute NERD-FEST about the pros and cons of the operating systems of the various styles on offer. Eventually the talk was halted by JennyBob's suggestion that she climb with The Gimp meaning that Tom would have to climb with Harvey belaying him with his "new-fangled-look-ma-no-hands-belay-machine;"  Tom was not about to subject himself to that possibility, so he and Meg set up Sheoak Corner while The Gimp decided to throw himself at the tricky roof and crack of Golgotha (17).

Now from past experience where I tried to place too much gear on what is supposed to be a well-protected route (my arse!) I decided to climb fast. Last time I tried this route I blew myself out trying to protect the crux and had to weight the rope a number of times. Not so this time! Placing only a few pieces of gear I was able to find that lovely balance between adequate protection and run-out fast climbing, thereby avoiding the pump that would guarantee the need to use the gear that had been placed. Isn't it funny that sometimes the very act of placing gear is what makes you need it?

Harvey followed The Gimp up and soon impressed the hell out of him by hand-jamming his way up the crack! It was like watching a magician! Hand over hand he went, just like you see in the magazines, (climbing ones) earning a new nickname: Fingerbang!

Meanwhile, Tom and Meg climbed Sheoak Corner, which is always a nice little warm-up.

When they had finished Tom top roped Golgotha as Meg and Fingerbang headed over to the top rope hanging off Shedidit (15), a nice arête route with an unavoidable layback. After performing admirably on Golgotha, Tom went to Megan's rescue, stopping her from being subjected to the "Amazing Hands-Free-Don't-Have-To-Pay-Attention-Belay-Machine." 

Aunty Edna made his appearance, fashionably late at 1.15 pm, fresh out of bed. Sorry Quang, I know it's a pain the way we insist on climbing so early in the day, what were we thinking? Wanting to climb before midday? The nerve of some people huh? Well, Edna got straight into it with the energy of someone who had a good night/day's sleep, only taking 45 minutes to get up Sheoak Corner.

Simultaneously, The Feral spat some interesting expletives at Shedidit, before getting pumped and descending. Tom and Matt climbed Shedidit, and then Megsy headed up for her second attempt, finally getting to the top after finding the crucial foot-hold she had missed spotting on her first attempt.

After this it was time to play on the Bung Wall. With routes graded from 20 to 24 and a predominantly top roped wall (due to lack of gear placements), Bung Wall holds a great group of classic routes that are a lot harder and trickier than they appear with good looking ledges that turn out to be much more rounded and sloping than they appear.

While Gump threw himself at Bung Original (20), Gimp climbed next to him leading Shedidit. Gump found what so many others have found before him; it's not as easy as it looks. Not one to shirk an issue Tom stuck with it, and eventually worked out the sequence required to get to the top... Well done Gump!

Next it was Harvey's turn. Once again, Bung claimed another victim. With a distinct lack of cracks suitable for poking digits into, Matt found that this was one route that was not going to just roll over and be jammed by some randy American. Eventually Matt found his way up Bung Original, but on her terms, not his.

Gimp managed to climb Bung Original clean for the first time after three previous attempts, joining Bizarro as a Sand-Bagger to have climbed it clean (although no onsights exist for the route amongst Sand-baggers).  Not happy with witnessing Adam climb the original line on Bung wall clean, the others decided that he would have to immediately back this ascent up with an attempt on Bung Direct (23), just so they could laugh at him and bring him down a peg or two, which they did. After failing on the crux three (maybe more) times Gimp finally grunted and screamed in true Gimp style his way to the top.

Tom, so impressed with the wall decided to have another go at Bung Original, getting agonisingly close before slipping off at the crux - Bad luck Gump, but it will come, maybe next time.

Aunty Edna seconded The Gimp up Shedidit in smart style and then waited his turn on Bung Original. Despite getting further than he had on previous attempts, unfortunately a lack of climbing in recent weeks prevented Quang from getting to the top. With blown out forearms Quang resigned himself to having to take out his frustrations on a few beers, which we all did back at the Tower Hotel.

Sounds like the end doesn't it? Well it should have been, but for some reason The Gimp managed to come out with an interesting statement. Don't ask me where it came from, I don't know; was it a Freudian Slip, or just something that comes out as a result of mixed messages in the brain from the influence of beer? Who knows?

Situation - After deciding to sit outside we all head inside to buy a beer. Gimp puts his phone down on the table... Meg, noticing Gimp's phone unattended picks it up and puts it in her handbag for safe keeping. Half a beer later, Gimp notices his phone missing and the obligatory "who's got my phone?"  -"I don't know," game ensues. After discovering the phone in Meg's possession we have a laugh about how well Meg hid the truth during which she states "I do have a good poker face."

Gimp replies: "I bet you do have a good poker space..."

Blank look from Megan

Gimp: "Errr, what did I say? Did I say poker space?"

Meg: "Yes, I think you did."

It must have been the beer.

16 September 2004

Question: Tell me, is it strange for someone you don't know to come up to you when you are minding your own business working out at the uni gym to say: "When I get a job I want to be a fireman so I can have a big hose and spray it around?"

Answer: Errrr, yes Gyro, it is.

Our newest Sand-bagger Alex had a busy night tonight. New to the climbing/Sand-Bagging game she made a very serious error: Rule number 1- Never bring a brand new potential boyfriend/girlfriend out climbing with us if you want to make a good impression! Bloody hell, Tom waited a month or two to make sure Megan was well and truly his before letting us loose on her! I mean, it's not like we are nasty and would do anything to deliberately ruin things, it's just that we are such stupid idiots that something is bound to happen that will turn them off forever. Sure enough, Alex goes out at the end of the night to see new friend Brett off and The Gimp rushes out and calls out "Hey Alex, we are going out for dinner, now, oh... sorry." Interrupting the FIRST KISS! GIMP YOU DICKHEAD!! 

For this reason I have decided that a special award be created in honour of the most socially inept of us all: Named after the infamous "Shining car lights on high beam onto someone's tent at one o'clock in the morning" incident, the High Beam Award, while being inspired by the innumerable acts of social ineptitude by our very own man in London Dr Nick has been awarded to me for being a complete social retard!

Moving right along, you may have noticed the mention of a new nickname, "Gyro."  It may seem a little hasty, but sometimes someone does something so spectacular that it has to be acknowledged:

Tonight, while belaying Alex on a tricky and technical overhanging roofed chimney at the gym (the doorway climb) I, along with a few others witnessed the most amazing thing; As she tried to move out from under the roof and onto the overhanging face Alex lost her grip and fell. No big deal you say, ah yes but this was a fall that just seemed to defy logic. As she fell, Alex let go with everything except one foot which caused her to invert. Now although it doesn't happen very often, you plan for this possibility when putting on your harness by making sure it can not slip over the hips in such an event. But what made this event so interesting was the fact that once inverted, Alex did not stay there, she did not even pause upside down for one moment... she continued rotating until she was completely upright again, just like the arms on a windmill! To make it look even more impressive, her arms and legs were evenly spread as if in a the open stance of a star jump! So in the interim, until she does something more spectacular (or spectacularly stupid) I think the name "Gyro" might be hers... it's either that, or "Lionel Hutz, attorney at law"  any thoughts?

Meg and Tom arrived late tonight and did a few climbs, including Tom attempting a rather nasty little thing that uses some interesting long thin, horizontal holds. Unfortunately it seems that Little Tommy does not know his own strength: the animal ripped one of the holds clean off the wall! Not long after this Tom and Meg left for home, making it obvious that they really didn't want any company that night. Reason? I think that the sight of such amazing strength and raw power pushed the right buttons for the Feral and she had to get ol' Gump home as fast as possible!

Boz was out again tonight, it seems as though the Mohammed name might have to fall by the wayside! Roger is slowly making his way back into things with a few moderate grade climbs, and he even attempted a 20! Hmmm at this rate he will be climbing better than me in a month or two, time to think about sabotage

Miss Daisy gave me lift to climbing tonight, unhappy with his new nickname, but what can I say? If the frock fits, wear it! Mark, still suffering from his stiffness problem from last week (apparently he was not blown, he was just too stiff in his "leg") was unable to climb with any great energy; it seems that stiffness can interfere with putting your harness on and then with your comfort levels while climbing. Is that a nut tool in your pocket, or are you just glad to be climbing?

Despite having some great encouragement (very attractive blonde lass on the neighbouring climb) to finish the route I set last week, Matt found himself unable to get it up... sorry, up it. It seems as though the very sight of what was above him made Matt get blown a little prematurely (that never happens I swear) and he found himself unable to perform at a level that was going to satisfy anyone until he had a chance to recover - "Just wait, I'll be fine again in ten minutes, honest!" Following this embarrassing little occurrence Harvey made some earnest attempts to make things right, but in all honesty, it was all a little soft after that.

Gimp managed to claim a scalp with the crimpy route set last week, sending Mike up it for his second climb of the night and virtually squealed with delight as his victim fell from the first crux. Following this effort, Gimp had some fun on various routes, kicking and screaming (and falling a couple of times) his way up the green arête 25, before getting totally spanked by the first move on the blue 25. And then, the hunter became the hunted...

Bizarro had quietly gone about his business all night, climbing the balance route (set by Gimp last week) clean, and nonchalantly ticking various other hard routes here and there. Towards the end of the night, (well after Meg and Tom had come and gone - or vice versa) he casually suggested putting up another climb. "Maybe I should have a go setting one." he said.

"Sure, give it a go." replied The Gimp rather smugly.

"You can improve on it when you try it." Came the humble offer.

"Oh no, I'm sure you will set a good one." The now plainly overconfident and condescending Gimp assured his "apprentice."

So, up went Andy, trying moves and making a route that The Gimp thought had some merit, even if it did look a little easy; after all, Bizarro was doing the moves fairly easily, "this should be a walk in the park." Thought Gimp.

"I'm not sure, it's okay I guess." Said Andy once at the bottom again.

"Oh well, it's your first one. Let's see." So, off went Gimp, confident that despite his best efforts, Bizarro was going to now watch a master conquer his little project.

Three moves up: "Bloody hell, this is a hard move!" Gimp thought.

Four Moves up: "Shit, this is hard!" And so it went, with The Gimp now wondering just how Andy had managed to make the darned thing look so easy when in actual fact it was a very hard and technical climb! "Oh, well, at least I am going to get up the thing clean," thought The Gimp as he takcled the last move, "Andy doesn't have to know that I was struggling, a clean climb is a clean climb.... SHIT!" At which point I fell off.

Nice one Bizarro, you got me!

For those of you wondering about The Gimp's Evil Plan, I forgot to bring the you-know-what! Idiot!

9 September 2004

Well, it looks like the promise of warmer weather and a serious spanking out on the real stuff in a short while has prompted everyone to get out and start climbing! This week we had no less than 6 people out climbing! Boz, Bizarro, Mark, Feral, Gump, Gimp and new Sand-Bagger Alex. Additionally, Aunty Edna made it back to Tom's House for dinner as well.

Now, before I go any further we have the topic of names to discuss; "Boz" isn't really a nickname as it is really just an abbreviation of his last name, and while that might be good enough for his Navy Buddies (who probably only called him that because they couldn't be arsed [ooh Navy bum joke] thinking of something more inventive) it doesn't capture the real Roger Boseley. So, seeing as he has been a little recalcitrant in the last few years - and I don't care about candy-arse excuses involving shoulder dislocations - I thought maybe Mohammed (you know, if Mohammed won't go to the Mountain... etc. etc.) I dunno, any suggestions or comments?

Also we have the little detail of Mark not having a moniker either, so I thought seeing as he is probably the most relaxed driver I have ever seen, (and he likes listening to classical music - not giving him shit about that but it does help with nickname) that "Miss Daisy" might be a good one - Short for "Driving Miss Daisy."  Then we would have an Aunty Edna and a Miss Daisy too suggestions or comments?

Okay, I have already mentioned that we have a new potential Sand-Bagger out this week, but I would like to formally welcome Alex to the group. Alex Climbed well tonight for her first ever assault on a wall, climbing an 8 then a twelve, a thirteen then a fourteen! In fact she was climbing so well that I seriously thought about dropping her from a decent height just to teach the little smart-arse a lesson - and to stop her from climbing better than me . Well done Alex, keep this up and we will all be lining up to Sand-Bag you big time, just to bring you down a peg (survival of the slyest).

Alex also learnt a good lesson tonight: Never take instructions from the Gimp on how to get anywhere; It's not my bloody fault though! Seriously, what idiot names every road in an area the same? I told Alex that the gym was on Main North Road, when it was actually on North East Road, which is not to be confused with Lower North East Road! All of which go in roughly the same damned direction! What imbecile is responsible for naming the roads out that way!?

Tom climbed strongly tonight, getting up the new 23 arête climb, unfortunately his progress was halted by a couple of nasty little projects set by The Gimp and he very quickly resorted to calling me nasty names. Not friendly at all! Come on Tom! You can't just rely on being a long streak of Pelican Poo forever! Technique boy! That's what I am trying to teach you, technique! Tom is one of those people who naturally finds most sports easy. I am one of those people who like to annoy the shit out of those other people. The type of person who finds things easy naturally also tends to be the type of person who becomes a BIG PUSSY when confronted with difficulty it makes for such fun!

Bizarro had some fun at the expense of others too. Bizarro is the type of person who likes to get others to do his dirty work for him so he can just sit back and laugh while avoiding all the heat. Example? Over the last few weeks The Gimp's dinner has been getting gradually hotter and hotter to the point where it is now just below the temperature of being able to melt rock! Every week I have noticed how amazingly hot my meals have been getting and also how this seems to be in direct proportion to the size of the grin on Bizarro's face when my meal arrives! It has gotten to the point where recently I was out for dinner with Mrs Gimp and I ordered a meal which carried the warning that it was very hot... could not taste any chilli at all! I did not even touch my drink during the entire meal! Thinking that maybe they had forgotten to put the chilli in I asked Mrs Gimp who confirmed that: "Holy Shit! That's hot!"  Example number 2: Who is responsible for putting up various hard projects around the climbing gym for others to trash themselves on to the delight of others? Answer: The Gimp. But who is responsible for suggesting the creation of these problems? Bizarro! Yes Andy I am on to you, Big Time and believe me, your time is coming! I am taking a punt on you not checking the web page today, so I am going to tell you what I plan to do!

The Gimp's Evil Plan

For a number of weeks I have been saving little sachets of chilli powder from a brand of noodles that my family likes (they just find the chilli too hot). The Powder is very hot indeed - even by Gimp standards - and I now have a lovely little stockpile that is going to find its way into Bizarro's dinner. How?

This coming Thursday, when we order dinner I plan to suggest that Andy go across the road to buy the beer while making assurances that I will pick up his dinner and bring it back to Megan and Tom's house. Then, when my poor unsuspecting target is gone I will mix a large quantity of the "Magma Powder" into his dinner, tee hee! I told you it was coming Bizarro, and now the time for my revenge is nigh!

MUAHAHAHAHAHA! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

I feel better now. Gimp was busy this week on the walls, with a little prodding from Bizarro he put up a tricky little problem that required a combination of strength and technique as well as some balance with a couple of no-hands rock-on moves. It was entertaining to watch someone unfamiliar with the ways of The Gimp trying to make his way up the route, trying to work out how to reach the next hold; you could just about see the thought going through his head: 'There are no holds for my hands, that can't be right - am I missing something?' <giggle>  no, that's it my friend. A nice crimpy little problem was also born form the imagination of The Gimp; this problem had a lovely little sting in the tail however just to keep the kiddies honest: It is an interesting fact that climbers tend to be good at one type of climbing and then slightly deficient in other areas. Well His Royal Gimpness, being aware of this chink in the armour of many a smartarse who like to follow his routes saying things like like 'hmmm not bad' with a self satisfied grin because the climb suits them, made the final move on this predominantly crimpy route a side-pulling sloper! Heh Heh, boy did the kiddies squeal about that one! The new 25 was a little busy this week, so I have not been able to return to it, having to opt for the lovely 25 on the overhung arête - a delightfully nasty problem that makes you wonder if your forearms are going to pop.

Megan climbed well this week too. It seems the Little feral is getting closer to climbing her project grade 18 climb clean! Not bad considering not too long ago she was projecting a 17 and her best clean climb was 16! Keep it up Megsy, you are really going well! No dirt on her this week, after last week's murderous efforts belaying Tom she managed to keep a low profile.

As mentioned earlier, Boz made a rare appearance at the gym this week and continued to test the capabilities of his shoulder. So far no pop!  It's good to see you out Mohammed, but if you want to improve, you know what ya gotta do - get Sand-Bagged up something. Heh heh. A layback climb would test that shoulder out nicely, hmmm there is a good one at the gym, we'll have to see if we can send you up it. Don't worry, we have all seen it come out so often we know what to do (in addition to laughing).

Now, Miss daisy... he was pretty quiet tonight, I'm not sure if it was from the stress of having to ride in my car at the speed of light with its bald tyres in rainy conditions, but I really didn't hear much from him at all. I am not even sure what routes he got up... I do know that he must have either sent himself up some hard climbs or spent some romantic time alone, because he reported being well and truly blown...

 

Err, now I make this last post under duress, but I have to report that there have been some new awards presented this week, and, well, to quote Gump: "That's all I have to say about that."

 

Oh, finally, apologies to Roger and Mark for the MOAF that I dropped when we got back into the car leaving Megan and Tom's after dinner, it was one that Gump would have been proud of, and in a confined space to boot!

 

2 September 2004

Andy is still in Germany on a junket err I mean conference, but we do have news of the exploits of Bizarro and Stewy (also there, supposed to be presenting - if he's organised). It seems our intrepid boys have jumped on the Drug Company Gravy Train and are drinking up a storm.

It also appears as though both have been able to finally apply all of the knowledge gained in research methods to something useful and have come up with the startling finding that drinking two beers and six schnapps will have detrimental effects on your feeling of well-being the next morning, especially when each "glass" of beer holds a litre!

It seems as though the last stop made by the Gravy Train is Hangover City!

Now, to climbing...

Non-Bushfire Lighters were Tom, Meg, Matt and Adam, the rest: SOFT COCKS!!! I normally don't write things like that but with this nice formal font it doesn't seem quite as offensive, does it?

Matt and Adam started with some nice warm-ups, climbing a couple of new routes set at about the 18-19 grade which were quite nice really. I managed to make them a lot harder than they had to be by being a smartarse climbing them too quickly without looking where he had to go. That doesn't mean I fell, The Gimp doesn't know the meaning of the word! (generally because he is so shit scared of falling off whatever it is that he has been sand-bagged up) Matt on the other hand climbed like a monkey, making me look like a bit of a doofus really.

Next we moved on to the harder section of our climbing, with Matt doing well getting up a nicely tricky 20 clean and Gimpster yo-yo-ing and screaming his way up a 25 on the overhanging arête. It is a nice route, but stuff me if it isn't a hard little bugger too!

Finally after a couple of easy routes it was time to do some endurance for old Gimpy, so it was off to the lead roof for a couple of laps which was a little tiring. Little Gimp slept well that night! Interesting was the hesitance of Harvey to use an ATC, it seems that he has been using gri-gris too long and lost the ancient art of real belaying. I don't know, the kids these days, they just want it easy. Back in my day (yesterday) we used real equipment, none of this new-fangled  self locking "safe" gear. Well, I must say from a leader's point of view, it might be easier to use for belayers with the attention-span of a goldfish, but it's a real bugger when you want to take out rope quickly and that inattentive belayer is now looking around with glassy eyes wondering whether you could make climbing shoes from cheese and the damned belay device is automatically locking!

Gump and JennyBob got some homework from Gimp tonight. Tom and Megan started with the chimney and then some moderate routes which they both seemed to get up easily. Next Adam suggested a new project route for the Little Feral, a nice 18 on the slab with some great technical moves. If she had been climbing as little more over the last six weeks Miriam probably would have gotten up the route clean, alas! No climbing for more than a month does not make for good climbing stamina (pay attention Aunty Edna, are the alarm bells ringing?) Anyhoo, Megsy made a good fist of it (ooh err, sounds a bit rude) completing most of the climb before her little fingers just couldn't hold on any longer. Poor little feral, she probably had trouble holding onto her Wingfield Blue ciggy after that effort.

And Tom you ask? Well, Gimp has decided that if he is going to climb Kachoong in October then he's bloody well going to drag Gump up with him! So Tom has the challenge of leading the roof clean! Nice and pumpy Tom, I might even make you do it with Harvey "Wallbanger belaying you. Then we'll  see if you have stamina:

Tom: "Pay out."

Harvey: "Dum de dum, hmm I'm awfully hungry,"

"Pay out!"

"Should I have a burger on the way home?"

"PAY OUT!"

"mmm a burger sounds... oh look! An ant! Hello Mr Ant."

"For F***Sake! PAY OUT SOME F***ING ROPE!!!!!"

"I wish I had my magnifying glass here, then I would burn you little Mr Anty, oh yes."

"OH SHIT! TAKE IN - FALLING!"

"What shall I do tomorrow? WHOA!! That was a big fall! Why didn't you warn me?"

So, you are in for some fun times Major Tom, get used to being in space! Heh heh!

Actually Harvey did belay Tom on the roof tonight, but he was top roping it so it doesn't really count, but Harvey did manage to scare the crap out of Tom by lowering him amazingly fast straight down over the Gimp. I don't know what scared Tom, the speed of the descent, or the thought of landing on The Gimp lying below him and ready for action! Maybe it was the memory of decking earlier when Megan apparently decided that it was more important to not not get rope burn and therefore let go of the rope while lowering Tom. Well I guess it did accomplish both goals, stop the rope burn and get Gump down (even if it was a little quicker than Tom wanted). Which reminds me, I bags Tom as my climbing partner at Arapiles. Hmmm, I I think that act almost deserves an award, yes dammit it does! Check Awards to find out which one.

Back to Meg and Tom's for dinner after climbing to save some travelling - in theory it is a good idea, we don't have to rush back to Hawkers, risking speeding fines, and the beer is cheaper, for $5 we get three. In practice though, we tend to stay later and drink more beer, I predict it's not too long before someone (probably me) has to crash for the night.

Now, it seems that on the way back to Meg and Tom's we may have discovered the secret to her amazing self-confidence - Affirmations. Yep, that's right, driving up alongside Meg as we made our way back Tom and I couldn't help but notice the animated conversation she was having with herself; while JennyBob insists she was on the phone I doubt this story very much, it looked to me like she was saying things like:

"I am very popular and have lots of friends who love me"

"I am a positive person and can achieve whatever I set my mind to."

"Tom is sexy, Tom is sexy, Tom is sexy."

"A real lady does not blow snot."

"Being a vegetarian is fun."

"Everyone is not looking at me."

"The voices in my head will go away if I ignore them."

August <<<