Fliegerhorst drytool demo

Yay, again an excuse to go drytooling for the whole day!

Theres not much opportunity (yet) in the Netherlands to get a full drytool-workout.

This weekend I headed to Venlo, over 2hrs driving South-East from Bergschenhoek.

The 'Fliegerhorst' had their 'open-day'. They had a competition, via-ferrata, climbing, slacklining, readings, bouldering, walking and drytooling in their program. And I was the one responsible for the drytooling.

I gave two demo's for quite some audience. There were people who'd never seen iceaxes before and people who'd tried some years ago and are now eager to try again.

I took wood-blocks with me and hung them in the roof of the tower. Creating an figure-of-four roof climb with a start on the straight wood wall. It was fun, real fun having the opportunity to just climb as much as I wanted with my axes.

I had a microphone under my helmet, making it possible to talk and climb at the same time. So I could explain in detail about all I 'figured' ;)

Afterwards I had an autograph session. So weird signing children's t-shirts, posters and writing special requests on photo's of me drytooling.

Though this is a perfect way to promote my sponsors, train a bit and bring drytooling to a broader public. Hopefully one day it will give respect for the sports, get us into youth drytooling teams, special made drytool walls in the Netherlands and maybe finally into the Olympics?

Next to the demo's people who joined the competition had to climb the wood wall and all others were invited to try out the wall as well. It gave me the opportunity to show that drytooling and iceclimbing really is a sports and to show that it's not 'just slamming some medieval tools into a simple ice wall'.

Most climbers, experienced and strong as they were didn't even get half way on the wood wall and never even thought of getting into the roof :)

They day was enthusiastically organised by volunteers of the local climbing club. They did really well with the non-stop speaker Pierre, photographer Waldo, loads of volunteers to belay (thanks Koen) and help with via-ferrata, climbing, bouldering, they even had free hamburgers, a pretty professional sound system and more.

I also joined the competition and had to 'walk the line' (slackline), leadclimb the most difficult route on the tower (6b) build a tower out of beer-crates and I was not allowed to join the iceclimbing ;) I would be first but left the victory to local Koen. I won a tick-remover (check link for the joke in Dutch) and he got a beautiful flower-chalkbag.

Pictures: Waldo Waldo Ruiterman & me.

Boulder 1.

Might be strange, after loosing a person you love, but, life goes on.

And so I go, on, and on... Maybe a bit too fast the last week as I have a cold sore, feel really tired and wonder why my recovery goes so slow.

But well, life is not bad at all, sun, putting flower bulbs in my garden, trying to grow vegetables, climbing a bit (a lot)...

So, after been quiet for a couple weeks (on my blog) I write again. About fun, climbing, and how much fun it is to climb.

Here's what's been going on last weeks:

1. Promotop, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. National lead competition. With just climbing for a week on plastic again after just holding on my axes for a couple months. I had to get used to the climbing and did 'reasonable' with a 1st place in the Promo class and 7th in top class.

(Me in Lead 1. Nieuwegein)

2. Demo's, Enschede and Bussum. The season is not over yet. With two iceclimbing demo's I held on my axes for the last time this season. Enschede, the TSAC (Twentse Studenten Alpen Club) held an mountainsports-day for the 50th anniversary of the University in Enschede. I was invited to give a demo Iceclimbing. With 3 demo's and over 60 watching me per demo, it was quite a success.

(Herman & co. putting up my drytool route and the woodblocks, iceclimbing pictures and "Truus" the climbing wall in Enschede)

Next day, Sunday, next demo. Bussum this time. For the regional Mountainsports-day. It seems to be popular, holding this 'mountainsports-days'. Less organised, strange (bad) communication, but still fun. I had to build my own "ice" route and climbed it once a couple hours later. Truong and Ferdinand were also invited for clinics and demo's.

(Me in Bussum putting up my iceclimbing pictures and me in in my demo-route)

Some restdays now, some friends over for climbing and dinner, some first-aid course and it's already Saturday again.

(My garden, full of plum-tree flowers and my little vegetable garden with tiny carrots, broccoli, lettuce and more)

(Arnoud climbing with Kim in Monte Cervino before dinner at our place)

3. Boulder 1. the national boulder competition. I did reasonable for an iceclimber. But as I want to be an allround climber, I did 'o.k.' With a 3th place after the qualifications, a lot of nervous climbing, stress, lack of concentration, tired arms and legs, a bit hungry and a bit cold I landed on a 5th place. Not satisfied, as I wanted to maintain my position... Missing some finger strength and experience in boulder-movements... Hopefully a top three next time (in two weeks already!)

(Pictures: Truong and me in the finals of Boulder 1. Bussum)

Now: try to get work fixed and relax a bit.

Picture credits: Truong Ngo, Hans van der Steen and unknown photographer on the Lead 1. in Nieuwegein.