No snow...

No snow has meant that the sledge remains untested but at least I have been able to get back on with pROJECT mAYHEM stuff for the first time since Christmas. What I have been trying to do is build the housing for the rear speakers which has been quite simply mind-bending at times due to the proliferation of angles that exist in the back of the van. In short nothing is straight and after spending just over a day creating the first version only to realise that it was not going to work regardless of how much I tried at least I am now making some sort of progress. I have got the back made up out of ply thin enough to bend to the contours of the van and the centre section is pretty much done but that was the easy bit as you are only dealing with an angle in one direction - the fun starts with the rest where I will be dealing with angles in two directions at the same time. It is actually quite enjoyable work but progress is very slow to say the least - still another day or two should see it done hopefully and then it is on to the next stage.

Now all we need is some snow...

Take a few pieces of scrap wood (including a section of old climbing wall) some screws, half an idea of what you are doing and finish off with a sling and carabiner - voilà a sledge that may or may not work. The initial test of giving it a quick push in the snow outside the lock up makes me think that it should be pretty good though thanks to the 6mm ply runners. Now all we need is some more snow as it is thawing far too quickly for my liking at the minute and quite possibly some big balls!.

Sledging fun

A lot of people get wound up by the snow but with the exception of one heart stopping moment when I though that pROJECT mAYHEM was going to become a very expensive lump of broken metal I have really been enjoying it.

Spent yesterday throwing myself down the hill on a piece of plywood and some plastic sheet at Meersbrook Park with a few friends and most enjoyable it was too. Afterwards while relaxing with a leisurely pint in the Sheaf I decided to make a sledge today reasoning that I have plenty of off cuts of wood, I can't work on the van, I have the time and above all I am bored. There is also the challenge involved in making something that will achieve reasonable speed down a hill. The only downside would seem to be the weather which has turned to sleet rather than the snow which is not what is required but I have decided that I am going to make the sledge regardless.

Operation Butters Homemade Chilli Powder

I decided last night that I would spend a couple of hours round the lock up today even though I wasn't feeling exceptionally motivated for it. Part of this lack of motivation is down to it being bloody cold at the minute, part down to flogging myself for a dead horse prior to Christmas but I felt that I really should do something so the plan was to make a start on the rear speaker housings. Looking out of the window this morning to be greeted with the 2-3 inches of snow that had fallen overnight solved that problem though, any semblance of motivation was simply gone. There was no way that I was going to try and get pROJECT mAYHEM down the hill let alone start making speaker housings for it in a freezing cold shed today.

So, with the original plan for the day gone to the wall I decided that I would put Operation Butters Homemade Chilli Powder into action instead. This is an idea that I have been toying with for a while now and suitably armed with two different recipes as a starting point (here and here) I ordered the following:

• Chile Ancho
• Chile New Mexico Red
• Chile Chipotle
• Chile De Arbol
• Mexican Oregano
• Hot Smoked Paprika

The plan is to use the first of the two recipes as the base but I will definitely be adding Chipotle as suggested because it adds such an awesome flavour to a Chile - real big depth as well as heat. I will also add a little Hot Smoked Paprika and maybe some Cinnamon or Allspice (Pimento) to the mix and see where we go from there.

Sure as hell beats freezing I reckon.

First Post of 2010

A new year, a new decade, a new crag and a whole lot of new problems to go and do.

After drinking far too much champagne and wine on New Years Eve, the Dear Boy Philip and myself went to Almscliff with the intention of doing something. Quite what that something was we weren't sure but upon arrival it transpired that it largely consisted of hanging around the Demon Wall area drinking "corrected" coffee, trying not to freeze to death and every now and then pulling on a pair of climbing shoes. A day of low achievement it has to be said but a pleasant day out regardless.

Inspired by our visit we proceeded to have a few more drinks that evening and planned a return the following day with a vague idea of what we would attempt. The lack of any wind was noticeable compared to the day before but there was also a degree of moisture in the air making the holds a bit less than perfect which was a pity. In the end we tried a few things, looked at some more things and even climbed some things and following my two visits I have got a tick list of sorts to go at now:

• Matterhorn Ridge (4+)
• The Crucifix (5)
• Pork Chop Slab (5)
• Morrell's Wall (6a)
• Crucifix Arête (6a)
• Flying Arête (6a+)

Of the above I have tried Matterhorn Ridge (backed off due to snow\ice) Morrell's Wall (I can do the hard move pulling up to the crimp so it should go soon) and Flying Arête (can see it going with a bit more work) and the rest are yet to be tried. Add all of the other problems up to 6a+ into the mix and it is enough to keep me syked for Almscliff for a month or two as yet.

As if two good days at the crag weren't enough I spent last night in The Sheaf playing crib with Lord Sloper of Grindleford and taking a fair chunk of change off him in the process. Unfortunately he didn't have to break a note so it wasn't quite as one sided as the infamous trip to Ireland but it does give me ammunition to use every time said Ireland trip gets mentioned in the future which will do nicely.

All in all a good start to the New Year and long may it continue.