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