Unbelievable. It’s not even 12 yet and I’m already homesick (not homesick as in wanting to be in the Netherlands but homesick as wanting to be in our little van somewhere in the mountains away from all this shit). I woke up at 23:00, 00:00, 01:00, 02:00… and finally again at 07:30. They kept on…
Author: Diederik
Little Russia in Romania
Just back in our shared room. It was busy last night with 6 others grinding their iceaxes when we tried to sleep and the couple sleeping above us moving the bed in a good rythm (don’t want to know what that meant).In the middle of the night I woke because of some alarm/phone. I noticed…
Busteni 2012
Again in Romania. Sorry to say but it really is the last place you want to visit. In some ways even worse then the trip we had to China a couple months ago. But we’re here. The train ride was not as epic as last years’ and we arrived safely in Busteni without having to…
Champagny: worldcup climbing with -30 C
After the ‘real-ice-sessions’ in Cogne it was time for the Worldcup again. This time it was Champagny-en-Vanoise. For the first time in 10 years a Worldcup on French soil/ice again.We enjoyed the lovely -25C on the first day when we arrived and got warned that it would get worse/better in the next days with tempeartures…
Cogne > Vanoise
Our last day in Cogne today. After some quite successful and less successful climbing days we have to get back to the drytooling again. Which is not bad, I guess I need a bit of rest from the freezing cold. Yesterday walking up to the icefalls it was -17 C… When climbing the first pitch…
Still nice an cold out here in Cogne
Video time
Of every memorisable thing I do I make a little video. Like a diary in moving frames. So nothing spectacular, but it might give you a view on what I do out there :)This one is of what we did in Korea. The next one is Saas Fee (will be visible on Vimeo already)
Real ice in Cogne
Finally, after a whole year of horrible ice (Kandersteg, Iceland…) we wanted to climb something proper. We heard Cogne in Italy was the only place this year that had some ice. All other areas were far too dry or warm. So, we skip the comp in Rabenstein (which would be too far anyway) and just…
Worldcup Saas-Fee pt. 2
Disappointed with the result (13th) which should be 12th, if you’d strictly follow the rules (a Russian climber should have been disqualified) I had quite an unfortunate climb: had my axe stuck in a hold, waisted quite some time there and wasn’t able to fix a hold straight away, waisting more time…Dennis did well until…
Worldcup Saas-Fee
Whoe :) Again anaother day of worldcup climbing.Just climbed, was really slow, nervous and pretty insecure but just reached the semi’s.Dennis was quite impressive and managed almost to top the route.Tonight speedclimbing and tomorrow semi’s and hopefully finals as well…
Worldcup Korea pt. 2
Grrrr…I came here to be in the finals and failed. Not much more to tell then: I’m much stronger then last year but miss the right training (wall, people) to get better and do the right thing I guess. 12 & 12 in both lead and speed. Not bad, but not good enough. Wednesday is…
Korean Iceclimbing Worldcup 2012
Finally we arrived in South Korea for the first worldcup of the season. We arrived together with two members of the Swiss team and I just lay down in bed. A bed. A bed…a real bed. We got our rooms, Dennis had to sleep in the guys room, and I was sleeping in the girls…
(N)ice, finally
(N)ice!Well, sort of ice.We arrived in Kandersteg (CH) after an ‘interesting’ trip with a beautiful van that sometimes has ‘issues’.We joined the Festival (no ice although it’s called the “Ice Festival”) and today we finally climbed some real ice in Ueschinen. As we did so much last week here a little summaray:January 2nd: from Bergschenhoek…
Preparing for January
.Last year I wrote a post with exactly the same title. And this year again we’re preparing…for the big Winter trip. Theres so much to do: administration, financials, training and of course…the van. Dennis’ still has his VW Syncro and tries to get it ‘Winter proof’ again. ‘New’ gearbox, ‘new’ engine, all the interior (new…
Merry Christmas
Ola everyone, I wish you all a merry merry Christmas and a happy new year!Now take Wulff Morgenthalers advice: “Don’t wish for any presents! It’s weak and passive. Go make your own happiness. Be the master of your own destiny.Make it a good, fun, fanatic, sportive, smart, wise, safe, crazy cool climbing year!
Lolotte
In China we met a very nice ‘person’: Lolotte. Lolotte is a frog travelling the world. She (?) meets climbers, visits famous climbing areas and sometimes she dares a climb herself :)We met her as well back in China. Want to become fan of Lolotte: check her Facebookpage
Indoor Winter Training
Since the Dutch Drytool Event we have some drytool routes in climbinggym Rock Steady (Bussum, NL) and this is how we spent our evenings :)
Viva 400 Award
Zo. Daar ben ik weer. Even dan, want ik heb het een beetje druk.Draaiboek schijven, nog een draaiboek schrijven, China trip report, evaluaties doen met stagaires, drytool routes bouwen, werken, nog iets meer werken, nadenken over een interessante toekomstige baan, financien bijwerken, studeren en daarnaast moet ik ook nog wat klimmen (schijnt). En eigenlijk hebben…
Dutch Drytool Event!
Okay, it might be the weirdest country for a Drytool comp, but I managed to organise it :)This Sunday climbing gym Rock Steady in Bussum will be filled with iceclimbers, sportsclimbers and all other kind of climbers who want to try out iceaxes!Petzl just told me they’ll provide iceaxes for the comp so everyone, even…
New jeans
F*’in cool jeans!Really. If you’re a climber and know Yosemite you’ll like these jeans.Five Ten (brand of the brave) designed jeans. Climbers jeans. With stretch and a good fit so you can now go to the gym in your jeans. For sure I’ll compete in jeans on the next climbing comp.Want to have these as…