petzl team

Said Belhaj's blog

www.petzlteam.com

 

Tradeshow, Roctrip and back a.k.a the big family August 7, 2008

- Bouldering - Partying - Rock climbing - RocTrip - Zillertal

After the stay in France it was time to, once again, join the great Petzl family. It felt more like something else than a team now. We didn't just share climbing but everyday life. And that's more than you can say about my routines with my family back in Sweden... We started of at the tradeshow in Freidrikschafen. A massive place with allmost all outdoor companies represented. As allways, Petzl wanted be a bit different and promoted the uppcoming Roctrip in Zillertal with a party at the booth with a pretty clear message. Me, Lafouche and Philippe did the entertaining part and Gerome, Mike and Charlotte made shure that no one was thirsty. I also made did a small perfomance at the Peak Performance booth at their "Black Light" press conferance, met the boys at La Sportiva, Hilleberg and Christian at Verve.


The cow-boys getting ready to climb at Freidrikschafen!

With my man Christian "Verve" Griffith at his booth.

After the show the family moved on to Zillertal in Austria (50 min from Insbruck) wich hoasted one of this years Roctrips (if you happened to have missed that info). Me and Steve got a really nice alpinehut room (I owe you for the kig size bed, buddy!) and we were ready for some more Roctrippin'. This time; rain, climbing, watersliding, late dinners, rain, slideshows, bouldering, sun, more climbing and the big party!

Bouldering at Zillergrund.

Trying Zillmarillion, 8b OS. Photo: Tomas Bartl/http://climbing.tecdogs.at

Legendary Ben Moon and Wills Young at work.

A very nice 8a indeed at one of the towers. Photo: John Evans/www.johnevansphoto.com

The final night at the "Europahaus". Our boys from Iran hade some things to say about climbing and how to dress properly.


The cowboys strike back at the Europahaus! Photo:John Evans/www.johnevansphoto.com

After the big party at the "Europahaus" (over 800 people, there wasn't eaven space for all) that lasted LATE it was time to realize the gathering was to come to an end. The family was to split up. Everyone stared moving in different directions. I took Stevie to the airport and did the 17 hour drive home non stop a muerte. I miss you guys, see next time, whereever that might be...

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Delayed July 13, 2008

Ok, so where was I? Haven't really followed up this blog for a while. A lot of things have passed since last. As I can see here last I wrote was in Spain, feels like ages ago...around 2 moths that is.

Well, Spain was just a stop on the way back home to Sweden. Had a few days in Catalunya, picked up a friend, Malin, in Rodellar and went to France. Had 4 climbingdays in St Legere. Visited my boys at Petzl before hitting the 22 hour drive home. I was pretty soon to make the drive back to France but by my self. Anywas, back in Sweden things are allwas as usual. The summer had arrived, with it some good climbing and musicfestivals where I played.

Doing the good old round at Viks Kile just north of Gothenburg.

Playing with my band TREQ-gnawa (www.myspace.com/treqgnawa) at the Hammarkulle karneval.

Playing with Ashar Khan (www.asharkhan.se) /trio Sort with the american spoken word artist Amir Sulaiman at the Clandestino festival in Gothenburg.

Also had my 10th "Krokslättsfestival" wich is small (read very small; 4 bands, 4 dj's, between 50-100 people) musicfestival at my fathers house. Also had time to take a short vacation to my grandparents in finland. 


Biking along the endless fields in Finland. The time is around 01.00 and the sun never really sets...

Then it was time to hit the road again.

Started driving pretty late the first day so on  the second I had a 17 hour non-stop drive all the way to Millau. The first part of the trip included the traditional Roctrip in the Millau area. As allways lots of nice people, loads of climbing and late parties.

Joe "Kindkid" Kinder on "Big Bug", 8a+, at le Boffi at this years Roctrip in Millau.

Dani got the whole team to bungyjump over the festival area at 01.00 at night. Right after we started playing with Sagagnass Sound System as the last music act until the morning. The last day of climbig went slow and it was HOT! But it got eaven warmer. While waiting to pick up my friends Max and Gia in Marseille, me and Dani had some wickedly hot days in the Tarn -joder que calor, eh. Damn good climbing and swimming as allways though.

As my friends missed their plane to Marseille and booked new ones to Nice I had the chance to get a few hours in gorges du Loup. Most routes were more or less wet but still got to move a bit. Met the Ondra famiy and Adam had some goes on the intence Punto-X (9a?).


Adam attacks Punto-X (Deversée, gorges du Loup).

After picking up the team at the airport we headed for Verdon where we are right now. If you think  Verdon is only long, classic routes then think again. I've been here the last 4 summers and done 90% sportclimbing. Not because I'm not into long routes but because the sportclimbing is world class. And for you psicobloc lovers, therse that too. Big thanks to Graou who has provided us with the topos for the areas that yet aren't in the guidebook (and for beeing such a nice person over all). Many other friend showed up; Chris and Daila checked in at the nearby bungalows, the McClure family passed by one day.

Outside the pizza-buss in La Palud; Max, Gia, Daila, Chris, the McClure family.

Dani in here working a long hard proj, Charlotte Durif allways seemes to be hanging from some nerby tufa, Patric Edlinger helped us to finally find le Lycee and le Fac...and the sun is never letting us down. To get some conditions we might escape to Ceuse for a couple of days. And to finally, after all this wilderness, get to stand in line to warm up.

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Morocco and back May 7, 2008

- Rock climbing - Video

In one and a half month you really get to experience a whole lot of things. The past period I spent in Morocco; climbing, bolting, playing and enyoing music, visiting my family and travelling all over the country. First off I headed south, over the Atlas mountains to the classic climbing area of gorges de Todra. Along on the trip was a friend from Sweden, Kalle "Kalleballecamel" Boström. We climbed around Todra but also the relatively new area of Imeter. Such luxury; there were newly bolted routes yet to see a FA so we had loads of fun completing what someone had left undone.

photo: Jonas Paulsson/www.highandlow.nu

But I didn't bring 200 bolts for nothing. After a couple of days of rapelling down chossy rock I finally found a really nice line; about 15 meters long, starting steep and leading into a tufa headwall. It took about one day to clean and bolt the thing. Meanwhile a posse of filmmakers arrived from Sweden; Emil Sergel (producer), Danne Bengtsson (video) and Jonas Paulsson (video+still). We teamed up to film a new movie with the projectname "Catching Relity". It's basically about us travelling for climbing and music around Morocco. In maybe a not so near future on www.petzl.com! 

Getting ready to bolt with the worst drill I ever used! But you can't be so picky, it's Morocco after all.

The new creatino; Oulad Bambara (the sons of Bambara, an important part of the gnawaritual), 8c. photo: Jonas Paulsson/www.highandlow.nu 

We spent the biggest part of the time working in the mountains but also had time to head down to the dunes of Merzouga, the beginning of the Sahara desert.

After we finished filming the climbing part we hit the road for the mythical city of Marrakesh. 

Emil Sergel; working befor, under and after the road.

Marrakesh, defenetly one of my favourite places in the world. I was here by myself just before the team arrive to enter some gnawamusic rituals. You can play this music just for amusement but traditionally it's played in trance rituals, still very common in the depths of Morocco. We came to pic up some music and city shots, among the musicians we recorded was my teachers (Christer Bothén's) teacher; Abdellatif Sidi Amara.

With my friend Mostafa and the legendary gnawamaster Abdellatif Sidi Amara.

A typical scene from the square of Djemaa El Fna i Marrakesh.

After all the work was done I went to Rabat to visit my family witch means; load of fun, too much food, music en masse, no climbing... The last part being a lie as I took the wole family of over 20 persons climbing on a nearby slab one day. Didn't climb anything classic but it was easily one of the best days of the trip.

Gnawa Rabat style.

My uncle Taibis wife Tahra trying climbing for the first (and maybe but hopefully not) and last time in her life supported by my cousin Kaoutar.

The Morocco chapter is unfortunately over for this time. After not climbing for a few weeks it was time to get back to buisness. After a 9 hour drive we are now in Archidona, the home of Chilam Balam 9b+. Myself I'm trying to beat the heat and the feeling of getting pumped before you should. To be continued...

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9a greetings from espanya March 25, 2008

- Hardest redpoints - Rock climbing


For all of you suffering from the late winter and snow that seems to have attacked at least big parts of europe, here comes some sunny greetings from Spain (from left: Patxi, Me, Josh, Irati, Daila, Chris).
Ok, it's not super warm exactly right now but it has been. Today we've been in Santa Linya and the wind made the place into a big sandstorm. We were not 100% psyched exept Patxi who did like 6 tries in Santa Linya 8c+... and Josh was filming a dose for the upcoming Dosage movie. Allright, I did at least 1 route so I was, as we say, contento.

Patxi Usobiaga and Josh Lowell at work.

But before this nothern breeze came in it's been really warm. Climbing in Rodellar and most of all, Alquezar. I put my shit together and went on working (redpointing that is) a route I'd wanted for some time now. After all this on-sighting I felt it was time to sacrifice some energy into ONE route. And it payed of. The biggest problem was to find belayers as Alquezar sort of is out of season for the moment, everybody wanted to be in Rodellar (I don't blame them). Thanks to Coach, Sergio, Joao, the Italian couple (Rafaela and her boyfriend with an eaven more typical Italian name I can't remember...), the two spanish men, Allie... I knew I had little time left to do it as the temperature kept on rising. But then came some rain and the day after had the best conditions so far on the route, it was time to boogie (or at least get really pumped): El Templo Del Café, 9a -45 meter of roofclimbing. Do I need to mention I did it a muerte style?

Trying to keep it together for the big fiesta.

Luckyly I had some partytrix hidden up my sleeve...

Just looking at it makes me tired... so I tried not to look at it too much and save some juice for the climbing part. But man, it's beautiful!

Alquezar has it all, kicking back on a summerlike restday at Sergios refugio.


But when you've been lucky in your life is has to be followed buy some miseria (at least in my case): my car has to be repaired, the bolts I ordered from Petzl are still not here and I need to be in Morocco on friday at the latest. It's been hollidays here so all business has been down. Next stop climbing, bolting, shooting, family and music in Morocco. But how do I get there without a car and how to bolt without bolts? I guess I'll just hang out in this hammock and let eveything sort itself out...

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Gotemburgo March 5, 2008

- Bouldering - Partying


I'm back in Spain, once again. Everything here is as it' supposed to be -climbing in the sun. The last month I've spent home in Gothenburg. I can't complain though, it's been a really nice time. This winter has been really mild so on the westcoat wev'e had some brilliant climbing conditions.

Island Rock. The bouldering on the Hönö island actually looks better than it climbs. Here Björn "Böna" Strömberg and Mad-Max Boholm actually are climbing something worth climbing. Ok, it's not all that bad but I guess it's all a matter of taste.

Allthough the weather was pretty good I was mostly indoors training. The vertical and bouldery outdoor Gothemburg style wont make you fit for the long and steep spanish fiesta.

"Trärummet" at the climbinggbym 5 minutes from my house. Appart from some notsogood ropeclimbing and some ok bouldering this place has a really badass woodroom: really good campusboard, 3 systemwalls, wooden bachar ladder etc. Good for for training that is.

As we normally don't get any real snow down in the south, you'll have to move north to experience some true winter. And so we did. If youre looking for skiing, Åre is a good place to pick.

Mad-Max Boholm with Åre as backdrop doing a nybörjardrop or should we call it nybörjar 7b? (sorry to all of you nongothenburgish speakers).


And as usuall I had to go to Stockholm for some sponsormeetings, gigs but most of all to see my musicteacher m'allem Christer Bothén. What would I have done without this man's knowledge? Here practicing the dosso n'goni aka the hunters harp from Mali.

In the other end of the music spectrum. The fancy clubgigs doing the percussion bag.

I also went to Copenhagen, spent some quality time with my family and friends, tried tae-kwon-do for the first time, went swimming, biking and running a lot. But officially the main reason I went home was still my photoexebition. 16 black and white portraits from all over the world. You can really make a lot of things of youre time if you are psyched. Now its gonna be 100% climbing for a while again though (and hopefully some music, dancing, shooting...)

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the beginning of the end January 24, 2008

- Partying - Rock climbing

Oh, it's not that serious... It's just the end of a chapter and soon the beginning of a new one. It's time to leave Catalunya -the climbing, my friends, the generous atmosphere, for a month. Back to Gotemburgo -the winter, the dusty climbing gym (joder, it's going to be my death one day, I'm sure any health inspector would shoot the place down!), family, old friends, music, hopefully good enough weather for some nasty granite edges... The main reason to change sunny limestone for wet granite at this time of the year is because I have a photo exebition in february (exebition called "FOLK", black and white photos from all over the world at Fotokompaniet, Kungsgatan 6. Opening 2nd of february 11-16, music with my group TREQ-gnawa system www.myspace.com/treqgnawa, free entrance). Then, in the end of the month, I'll get the first flight back down here, my car will be waiting on Danis parking...

Can you see him? Chris on his beautiful project in el Pati, Siurana.

The rest (not exactly a no-hands) that separates the direct start from the rest of "Estado Critico". Did I say it looks beautiful? And hard... Senor Sharma is not worrying about a thing.

The last week has been really good here. We've been climbing in Siurana, Margalef, Santa Linya. The weather warm and nice. Dani's got wireless in his house, does it get any better? A nice jam with Chris and Christian the other night. Met my boys from Gotemburgo in Siurana. Met Liv S in the bar and finally got to speak some french. Crazy new-route-in-Morocco-plans with Tony A. Good to see that David G is back in buisness. Hearing the echo of Chis's yelling in the Siurana valley. Seeing Daila send with grace.

The new defenition of quality time. Matrimonio ano 2008 -man, women, machine.

Santa Linya as allways and forever. Dani bolting faster than he is climbing. And this guy climbs fast! I bet this cave has moore hard routes than any other single sector in the world. Also good to see the legendary Carles and Oscar at strong as ever.

The classic "Ingravid Serps", 8c, in Santa Linya. photo: Pete O´Donovan/POD.

The never ending stream of energy looking up on yet a new project. "possible 8c or 8c+ or 8c/+ or...". photo: Fredrik Kilander/www.kilander.nu

But what would all this be without some good food and music? Last night at Dani and Andreas place I make my special "pesto rosso" (check recepy on Danis blog). The last night spent in Barcelonas best kept secret -the minimal jazzclub that have live flamenco every friday, OLÉ!

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Albarracin and beyond January 18, 2008

- Bouldering

Albarracin -a part of the old world...

So, it's a new year. 2008 started by playing Playstation at Chris and Dailas place, then we went dancing at the legendary club of la Florida until the early hours... a good place to get ready for the new age.
I made a short trip to Gothenburg right after the eave, something I had really looked forward to do. The trip turned out to be a bit different that what I had expected so it was good to get back on spanish soil. This time I had the nutorious Jens Larssen a.k.a "coach" a.k.a "the founder and owner of 8a.nu..." a.k.a "bin Larssen"...with me. We first had some days in Catalunya but soon headed for Aragón and Albarracin (doing Alcezar on the way) to meet up with some old friends from Gotemburgo (and Norway, Luleå and Stocktown). Joder! Ever since Tony (Lamiche) mentioned this place I've been psyched to go. Finally I got there and were welcomed by perfect conditions -crisp and sunny bouldering weather.

doing it all Alabarracin style -Martin Fransson and Micke Hjort, the north VS. the south.

que pasa, tio?

-no sé...

"coach" Larssen pumping up his newest invention -the 8a airpad.

Anders "Vinränk" Lantz confident with having the so called "royal with cheese" (=1 airpad+2 standard pads) to eventually save his ancles.


We rented a nice little bungalow at the Albarracin camping (65-90 €/night) and tuned in. The style here is friendly, not an agressive crimp in sight (well, there were actually some but), sandstone bouldering as it's best (well, maybe not as good as Tennesse fried bouldering or Annot or...) -simply an amazing place. We had some beautiful days (exept the one with snow!) of climbing and also field tested the new airpad.
One restday I took a trip to Madrid to see an old friend, Mariann, eat too much good food, spend loads of money and just spoil myself -what a treat!

the f----ng crazy interior of the Mexican wrestling restaurant in downtown Madrid. I could never tell you how to find it but...don't miss it!

Now I'm back at Danis place, again living the spartan lifestyle of a climber: eat, climb, eat, sleep, eat...

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... January 2, 2008

- Rock climbing

...and a happy new 2008

the voyage continues... photo: Fredrik Kilander/www.kilander.nu

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THE place December 17, 2007

- Bouldering - Rock climbing

I´ve been around here for a while now. There is not much to say than what I dicovered several years ago (and many others with me) -this is THE place for climbing. The areas around Lleida has it all. Now staying with Dani and climbing a muerte day after day, these photos sum up some of the latest weeks of activity...

THE outdoor climbinggym of Ali Baba cave in Rodella. Some of the craziest guys come here after work, in the dark and light candels for magical trainingsessions.

Dani, Andrea and Laurent -another day at the office. Dani on his 9b in Ali Baba/Rodellar.

The beautiful "windows" at the sector "Ventanas", Rodellar.

An old friend from the competion days -Patxi Osoubiaga, now totally ripping it up whereever he goes. Here sining posters in Siurana during a moviepresentaion of his new psicobloc/D.W.S. movie. 

 

Thank good for some music! The new band with me, Chris and Dani getting formed - stay tuned for our next concert at the Roctrip!

 

And yet another new great sector. Laurent on one of his creations somewhere in the endless Montsant.

Tune in...

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gone south November 30, 2007

- Rock climbing

I ended up staying a bit longer in Sweden then I had planned, mainly because I had to fix my car. I didn´t mind though, did a bunch of concerts, the conditions for climbing were good+I had more time to spend with my family. Anyways. Right when the car was fixed it was time to move on. I had planned to do the 25 hours+ drive to Catalunya my self. But at our 10 years anniversury gig with my band Giddabush (www.giddabush.com, www.myspace.com/giddabush) some old friends I didn´t expect showed up, two of them Leo Houlding+Richard Ekehed. Richard ended up coming along for the ride.

Everything went well, first up was Rodellar. Usually this place is out of season right now but due to the unusually dry season this year we got some really nice days there. After a restday we headed down to Margalef where we also teamed up with Dani, Andrea, Sam Bié, Laurent Thrié, Andoni Perez and some other local mutants. Relatevily unknown this place is world class. I was there the first time this spring and got surprised it hadn´t got more attention. After some days there it was time to go Santa Linya. There we met up with Chris and Daila. I was psyched to try a route I broke some holds of this last spring, Chris was on "la Noueva Enmienda" 9a+ and Dani was simply...psyched! Climbing, bolting -every day.

Chris getting some beta for "la Noueva Enmienda".

Vamos Chris, venga bitcho! Chris warming up by giving the 9a+ a really close shot.

Allthough this is the south of Europe beeing outside the sun is really freezing. The afterclimb was allwas gathered around the fireplace. A good place to pic up some spanish, or at least climbers spanish...a muerte tio!

 

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Back to the roots October 30, 2007

- Bouldering

Back in Sweden again after yet another trip. It's pretty crazy how these days I don't eaven feel as I've been away when I get back home. Anyway, back I was and it felt pretty good. The season is at it's best right now and the forests are really beautiful with all the wild colours.

After climbing and training back home in Gothenburg for a couple of days, me and my friend Johan decided to pay a visit to an old friend, Anders, who now lives/climbs/studies in the city of Linköping. I went to see him just before leaving for the States and we climbed in the relatively new bouldering area called Knutstorp. As this place is probably one of Swedens better places for bouldering I felt as if it was time to go back. We had an amazing weekend with some really nice bouldering, 2 FA's and, of course, some sauna.

                                       Fall-07 fashion at Knutstorp.

                     Anders "Vinränk" Lantz crimping the shit out of his own testpiece "Gamle Räv".

                                            On the FA of "Pippi Pelikan".

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The deep fried south October 23, 2007

- Bouldering

Time flies...
We moved on further south, me and a bunch of froggies (Tony, Isa, Lafouche, Erwan, Guillaume, Gérome, Fred, etc). Our main target was the mythical bouldering around Chattanooga, Tennessee. First up was the Lilly boulders. Maybe not the best place ever but totally ok as a little break on our way.

Ze lilly boulder, quoi

The nights were spent in suspect motels - there was all kinds of business going on in those joints...- The couples got their own rooms while the rest 5 of us shared a 2 person room - like a big family.

You've got to love these guys

Next day we went to Rock City. And man, was it good? Defenetly one of the best bouldering areas I've ever been to! Climbing all over the place - all angles, difficulties, shapes and holds - a BIG playground. Tony who was here last year took us on a bouldering marathon that lasted well into the dark. Chief Lafouche sent the last problem in the lights of the headlamps.

You've got to love these holds. Photo Fred Labreveux/Grimper

That evening we went out to check the Chattanoogan pulse accompanied by the local climber Ronnie and Timmy Fairfield, who was on tour with La Sportiva.

Next day the bigger part of our team took a rest day (I don't blame them!). Ronnie took me, Tony, Isa, Fred and Sam to a new area, a huge roof - long and physical. We had a good workout that day, I sent late (almost too late that is), and as allways, ending up climbing in the dark.

Last day of climbing but also my 5th day on. I felt pain already warming up but hey, last day in paradise was not going to be spent watching. Little Rock City, another amazing place in Tennessee, I would never had guessed it was THIS good. But finally I had to give up. Tried that last classic, but when you really are done, you are... done.

Desperately trying the last one. Photo Fred Labreveux/Grimper

We packed up. The plan was to sleep halfways to the Louisville airport in Nashville, THE city of country and western (music). And as the lead singer (in one of the 8 bands we had the time to watch that night) said:
this goes out to all of you hillbillys in the crowd. Some of you might not like this, but I love it!

Then the band pumped away another western classic, cowboy hats where flying through the air, boots stamping along with the rythm. We had mighty final of the trip!

The mythical city of Nashville by night

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Rudeboy Rock October 15, 2007

- Partying - Red River Gorge - Rock climbing - RocTrip

After 2 days of resting my leg and hoping for it to heal a little bit it was time to climb. But not only that, it was also the main day of the event -first the "flash rally" and then the big party!

I managed to walk up to the "Motherload" and found it packed with people. I teamede up with Steve and started warming up. The leg felt ok in all moves but highstepping and heelhooking. Ok, that'll do...

                     the "warmupwall" at the Motherload during the flash rally


After a 4 warmups we headed for the "madness cave". Steve cruised a 7c+ and I did a classic 8a. But the leg didn't like it. I thought it might be better to climb some easier stuff so we moved back to the easier routes. Well there we got into rally mode. After 10 routes that day (and almost falling of the last 6c 'cause I was so pumped!) we had to return our scorecards and check out at 4 o'clock. What we didn't know was that we had actually won the race but there was more good stuff to that day besides climbing.

  on the long and steep 8a in the madness cave during the rally. photo: john evans/petzl

Back at the festival area the place was allready filling up. After a local bluegrassband, Timmy Oneall madness and the local rapper Odub it was time for me, DJ LaFouche and VJ Guillaume (aka the Sagagnass sound system) to enter the stage as allwas before at the Roctrips. We didn't really know what to expect of the 400 people -would they dig the electro-percussion-psyanimation concept? -Hell yeah! After 1 second the whole place looked like any raveparty anywhere with lightstick and peolpe loosing it to the fullest...

           the very nice and very cosy climbingfestivalarea just before it turned into a raveparty...


nobody has so far been able to resist the force of sagagnas sound system.
photo: john evans/petzl

And now, it's all over... The tents are down, the crowds are leaving. Some of us are still here. The sunday after had still some festivalfeeling to it. We went climbing, I was happy to do an 8a and 8b OS. Then pizza at Miguels... I guess we could go on like this forever. Soon to be continued...

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From Boulder to the Red October 12, 2007

- Bouldering - Red River Gorge - Rock climbing - RocTrip

So, I'm in the middle of a flashback right now-first climbing in Boulder, Colorado and then the Red in Kentucky, just the same as last fall.

As allways in Boulder I stayed with my friend Christian "Verve" Griffith and climbed with both new and old friends. Some people I would now later join up with here in the Red -Tony and Isa, Lynn, Abbey, Jason, Melissa, Dave...

Veterans Christina Griffith and Lynn Hill knows teamwork is the way forward, mt Evans.

In Boulder we went mostly...bouldering. It seemed to be the right thing to do with so much good stuff around+no one was really psyched for routes. Christina didn't eaven own a harness anymore. The conditions were perfect and we eaven had the first snow for the season one day.

I also had a few days of routeclimbing including the surprizingly good Clear Creek+oldie but goldie Eldorado Canyon.

                                    Hooking up an 8a+ OS in clear creek as the snow was well on its way

Crimping mt Evans style

Trying to stay warm at clear creek with Lynnie

But as allways I never have enough time so I was soon back in the aeroplane on my way east. After leaving a pretty cold Colorado it was nice to arrive in an almost tropical Kentucky. First day we went to the "Motherload" sector where I also hooked up with some friends from Sweden -the "8a.nu lucky looser" team. Tried to stay cool on some easy 13's not to trash myself after so much bouldering. The day after we went with Steve, Gerhard and Erwan to the "chocolate factory" to try some of the so called bounty routes (Petzl Roctrip comp routes). They both seemed possible but maybe too hard to do in only 2 days...

We moved on to the "drive by" crag where Dani, Gerome and Tony had just cleaned up. Tony just did a good looking 13d/14a and I got really exited to try. Bad idea. I hurt my knee really bad in a nasty toe/heel lock. I'm currently jumping on one leg and looking in the guidebook for routes where only a right leg will be requried... to be continued...

Trying one of the "bounty routes" at the chocolate factory, RRG

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