Endomondo saved the world

Simply Epic and Rockhard crew headed down to Innerleithen for some great biking in damp conditions.  We met up at the local coffee stop and got a brew followed by a quick change and off to the climb out the golf club.

Some brilliant navigation saw us lost in space until the mist cleared and we found our downhill nirvana in a new place - never have found it with out Endomondo :))  Anyway, steep ground beckoned and we were off rippin' things in style for the first 10 yds anyway, followed by some epic, radical walking, as evidenced in the video.

Despite the evidence, we did actually ride some mega downhill bits in soft mud and super slippy conditions, but mostly rideable and not too desperate.

All in a great day and we even retreated for more coffee and cake.

Highlight of the day was Dickie-Bow having his off (see video) and Fish , well being Fish...even with his new Breitling, the weight of which clearly held him back.

So many trails we need to scope, we will defo be back.

Good to chat to some familiar faces from the SXC series too.

Seven Years in Tibet

Mark and I headed for the North Buttress of Buachille Etive Mor - a climb I've had my eye on in winter for as long as an itch!

We got up early doors and had an interesting scramble up to the base of the climb in very icy conditions but fun just getting to the start.   Things were looking good but as we got over the lip of final wall, we saw a couple of young turks kitted up and about to start the route - bummer. However, after a brief chat they were off and climbing fluently.

                                 














Mark took the first lead and we were all booted and suited, ready to rock.  Mark headed up the first pitch but near the block shouted down he was unwell and light headed.   No dead heroes motto came to mind and he quickly set up a double checked abseil and came down to the start.   He was pale and a bit shitty looking...no change there then...but we sat down and had a sarnie and some statutory tomato soup.   He brightened up a little but it didn't make sense to keep on, so we bailed off another abseil to easier ground and trekked over to the bottom of the chute from Crowberry Gully and Easy Gully.

There was some clear evidence of serious avalanche activity and sluffs running down the gully.   We moved quickly and safely over the exposed ground to the safety of Curved Ridge line and had a final abseil, after some serious excavations and off my abandoned prussik loop, further down and then had a comfortable walk down to the Great Water Slab, thence to the car.

All in, still a good day out and sensible decisions made, resulting in a fight another day...another seven years - shoorly not.

Short video showing the conditions on the day - lots of ice about but melting fast in the warm front which won out over the lovely chill from Siberia :(