Double Gardom’s

Ended up going to Gradom’s Edge both days this weekend.
Saturday after a lateish start I headed out on my own to Gardom’s South to meet up with team Dobbin and the Beekeeper. I arrived before the others and warmed up on G-thang and the sitter. It was overcast, mild and windy with dampness in the air and the rock didn’t feel too grippy. I’d moved on to half-heartedly trying Barry Sheene by the time the Beekeeper arrived. The Beekeeper is a friend of old who I’ve climbed on and off with, shared houses with, been on many skiing and climbing hols, but don’t see so often now he’s moved to Tideswell. Got word from Ben that they’d pushed on to Eastwood thinking Gardom’s could be wet. Barry Sheene wasn’t going too well in the less than prime conditions so showed Beeks some of the other probs in the area including the pocketed wall on the opposite side of the Sauvitto block. Did this and then spent a while cleaning and climbing an extended finish up the rib above. The new bit is really good fun in not too hard but a bit scary way. No change to the grade, but makes for a much more complete problem.
Then took Beeks over for a look at English Voodoo. The top bit felt a bit too easy for the 7a grade I gave it, but I couldn’t touch the sitter I’d given 7b. Just goes to show how hard and imprecise an art grading new things is. Went away thinking the stand-up might be 6c+ and the sitter 7b+, but they could feel totally different again on another day, hey ho.
Feeling fully warmed up I was keen to get on this project of sorts I’d tried a few weeks back. I say of sorts as it is eliminate in that it tries to climb an established problem (Rob Smith’s problem Dirty Business) without a pair of large hand holds out right. A lovely sharp, smooth, quarried arête, vertical on the left and overhanging on the right side up which the line goes. The handholds amount to one positive headheight crimp, low friction arête pinches with very little for thumbs and small well spaced footholds close to the arête. The difficulty ends at about 4m with a big flat break and a fun easy high bit. When you see the feature and try the moves it seems much more of a true line than the description suggests. I’d go as far as saying it turns a fun but relatively trivial none-eliminate, into a brilliant, utterly absorbing eliminate. Truth is that I’d not spotted the possibility until Adam mentioned it (hope he doesn’t mind me pinching it). On the previous attempts I’d figured a way to get a fair way up it by whacking a heel round the corner, pinching hard with the left hand and crossing over to a thumb down pinch with the right on a high sharp bit of the arête which has a smidge more friction than the glassy rock around. On that day I’d been completely unable to move anything from that position without barndooring off. Session two and I was getting easily into the position, but still struggling to do anything with it. Poor old Beekeeper was forced to stand around getting cold while I repeatedly barndoored off the same move time and time again. Stopped for a rest and got a text from Dob who’d moved on from Eastwood via Calver café to the Sauvitto end of the crag. After making an attempt at stepping right foot high onto the start crimp I figured out a possible way to move up. From the heel-hook, pinching both arête holds hard, lean out and carefully slide left foot to a small notch on the arête. At this point you are teetering on the edge of barndooring off leftward with only thumb friction keeping you on as you stand onto the notch and step onto the start crimp to stop the barndoor. Then it was back to barndooring off time and again, this time one move higher, trying to figure a body position that would allow progress. I figured it might be possible to do a crossover slap to the break from these holds, but couldn’t get set properly. Tried getting pushed on and after a few goes manage to land the slap to the break from the same holds but with right foot off completely and a left knee tucked around the arête. However try as I might I could not climb into this subtly different position from the deck. It’s starting to feel like this Saturday is going to be a repeat of last Saturday, totally knackering myself out on a project and then not doing it.

Here's a pic from session one on Plan D. Thanks for pic go to Cofe

Beeks was cold and ready for home by then and I needed a rest so I let him off the hook and ran over to Sauvitto to see if I could blag Ben into spotting me. I arrived just in time to catch him cruising Sauvitto after having done it once already off the boulder. Good to see him looking confident and fluid on the grit and loving it. He’s happy to spot we rush back to the arête with maybe an hour of daylight left. A bit of a rest, better nick and some Morton psyche and I get to the move and latch the crossover slap on the first try. Get in! Ten minutes later and the sitter is added too. The sit doesn’t have any hard moves but does make the top a bit harder. We discuss grades and I’m settling for hard 7b+ stand-up and 7c from sitting, but as ever it’ll need repeats to confirm this. Ben tries for the repeat in the failing light but is struggling with the tenuous step-up before the slap. It’s the sort of move that takes a few goes to get the feel of. He agrees the climbing is class anyway. I’m not sure if you’re allowed to give names to eliminates these days, but feel this one deserves it’s own identity. I’ll call it Plan D after a Bill Fay song I can’t get out of my head at the mo and see how much stick I get for it.


Sunday in brief. It looks set to rain mid-day but decide to go out anyway and try Heartland and Mark’s Roof Direct at Gardom’s North. Climbing with Fi initially, Katherine and Vicky B turn up later as the rain starts. We hide under Mark’s roof and eventually the rain stops. Nearly bag it off and head indoors, but find one problem nearly dry, the 7a left of Heartland and persuade folk to have a play on this and see if other stuff dries off. Manage the 7a, then try Heartland as it dries. Have to keep shielding the slopers with various items to keep more rain off. Andy H pops by on his way back from an out of nick Raventor and gives me some beta, I also phone Mawson for beta, but end up doing it in a completely different way to both the suggestions. Not a bad problem, some good moves, but pretty soft for 7c when you get it figured. Then try Mark’s Roof direct which feels hard, but mostly very scary due to having a very solid heel-toe and shit handholds. Visions of dangling head-first off a broken ankle prevent any real commitment. Fi pulls it out the bag again and manages Mark’s Roof Left Hand and is well pleased. Good weekend all round.

Rock bouldering

What I did last weekend.
Saturday was a trip up to Yorkshire to try a bouldering project, up early and head out with Fi and Vicky B. The project is one I’d spotted last year and have spent a session on already. It involves pinching along a sharpish hanging lip from right to left with ok pinches but hard footwork, to a hideous rockover onto a heel-hook. On last year’s attempt I could do everything on it except for one piece of footwork in the middle. At the sticking point I’d end up stretched out and horizontal with hands crossed and feet either side of the lip in opposition. The problem being that the feet need to be released but I couldn’t take one off without breaking the opposition and cutting loose uncontrollably. After quickly re-learning last year’s sequence I’m back to pondering the foot moves. Unfortunately due to the way the thing climbs I can’t pull on and work this move in isolation, rather having to get there from the start every time. After lots of foot squeezing, shoulder wrenching effort, trying all my mind could muster, I find I can get a very poor left toe jam in a pocket in the roof and ‘walk’ the right foot (heel, toe, heel, toe) along the lip to a small toe hold without ever releasing pressure. Pushing hard on this toe then allows the toe-jam to be released in a semi-controlled fashion. After several more goes I’m through this sequence and onto a biggish dish and little edge, with just the last rockover to do. Rock up as high as I can and attempt to flip right hand into a palm-down, but haven’t got the height. Slump down, take a breath and try again, but gain even less height. Damn, it’s not to be, the final deep locky rockover, which is hard in isolation, is just too hard for my tired shoulders. After that I’m broken and don’t manage to get through the move again, although I do manage to improve the sequence some more. Oh well, it will have to wait till next time, whenever that might be. Retire to Sheffield for fine curry and beer at the Sausage’s house.

Sunday comes and the skin is thin and everything else hurts from too many goes on the project, but the weather is amazing again and I really want to get something done after all the fruitless efforts of yesterday. Nearly go to the Roaches, but ended up at Burbage S with Mr Mawson, figuring that shady rock would be more forgiving on skinless fingers than warm sunny slopers. End up going round most of the edge circuit and a bit on the boulders, showing stuff to Neil who then proceeds to do them all on the flash or second go. He has a good day bagging Little Gem, Zorev, Electric Storm, Yoghurt, Alliance SS, Little Rascal, The Rib, Desperate and the 7a slab on the Pock Block. Not bad for someone who hasn’t climbed a lot this year and claims not to be much of a boulderer. I’m pleased enough to get two new ticks with Zorev and the 7a slab on the Pock Block. Zorev proves to be one of those problems that feels horrendous on the first few goes, but gets gradually easier, eventually feeling ok on the se… ascent. Then injured Nige turned up and made some gentle faces...which was nice.

Hot grit

Initial plans to go to a certain Yorkshire grit crag to try a project ended up getting shelved due to lack of team. It’s hard to drag people a bit further a field at the best of times and most of the usual suspects were away, injured or likely to be too hung-over to get up in time. Next weekend hopefully.
Decided I needed some morale boosting successes so opted for a quick trip to complete things on Mossatrocity and then over to try Dick Williams which I’d heard was steady at 7b+. Met up with Dave Parry at Grindlewald and set to work on Moss’. Warming up was hard work but got there in the end and managed to improve my sequence a fair bit. Did the top bit once, then went for the link and got it on the second go. Pretty much did it all off the left heel as per Adam’s beta. Funny how the heelhooking wasn’t hurting my hamstring this time, but had been too painful to use last weekend. Great problem.


On Thursday at the Works I’d had to leave after less than an hour due to a pain/pulled muscle in my left peck. Had hoped the hasty retreat and a couple of days rest would have sorted it out but this wasn’t so. Trying hard on the last bit of Mossatrocity caused it to flare up worse than before. But weather was too nice for home and rest so I decided to push on with the pain and then take a week off training down the wall and hope it’s fixed by next weekend.
Dave wasn’t feeling it on Moss so we moved on to Secret Garden. Lots of folk there (Joe L’S, Vicky, Jo W, Jim, Tetler, Joe B and about four more) and just missed Dobbin. Managed Dick William quite quick without too much pain. Brilliant problem, can’t believe I’ve never tried it before. Had a brief go at Zaf’s but it was hurting too much so wandered over to Mother Cap, where it was boiling. Greased my way up Conan before deciding to sack it off for somewhere cooler.
Spent the last of the day at the Plantation. Deliverance Traverse seemed like a good one to try that wouldn’t hurt the peck. I’d tried it a few times before but always given up before really getting to grips with it. Watched Si piss across it with a Dawes/R-man-esque side leap, which I totally failed to duplicate. Managed to do it in the end by squatting down very low on the smears, kicking a limb out, pushing a pebble and shuffling about a bit until I could grab the sidepull. Another class boulder problem and pleased to do three new things in a day. Good to bump into ozzy Si/Rubber Chicken who’s over for a couple of weeks.

The pulled muscle felt well sore on Sunday and thought it best to take it easy. Fi wanted to try Gorilla Warfare so I went along as spotter and beta monkey. She’d got close earlier in the week and was well psyched. After a slight tweak to the sequence she bagged it on the third try. Good effort!!


Had abortive attempts on Ben’s Wall and The Art Of White Hat Wearing, but boiling temps and the injury prevented any serious effort. Think it’s time I had a few days off now.

Normal service resumed

Well, I’ve been back a month now and it feels like I never left. Back to work, back to weekends on the grit and evening down the wall, back to rain and Tesco and traffic, back to the Sheaf, the Mangla and proper beer.
At first it’s downright depressing, but soon enough the mind adjusts and finds ways of spinning out what fun there is to be had across a week mostly spent behind a desk. Mid-weeks are survived with the help of the interweb and daydreaming about new lines, or stuff to try as highballs. Endless three star 8as are swapped for “can I do that 7C on the 50 degree board?”, but still I’m pysched. I’ve got a list of over fifty projects, mostly on peak grit that I need to get round to trying and there’s always more to find, as proved by the excellent looking Mossatrocity recently climbed near Grindleford Station. Not to mention all the route ideas I never get round to trying….




Had a good weekend but haven’t got much to show for it except worn tips and sore arms. Saturday was a snowy Rivelin with Nige, Si and team beardown. Played around on various variants on Acid Reign, then had a go at Chimp A, a likely looking highball rib. The bottom bit was nice and not very hard for the V7 that it gets in the guide. The last move proved to be the meat due to scrittle rock and a rounded top. Nige had a near miss when half the flake he was pulling on snapped and Si was the only one to top out with the help of a very bendy branch. Next up was Sparks 7b. Had done a RH version of this line years ago but hadn’t really climbed the feature properly. With all six of us seiging it a sequence was eventually cobbled together, Cofe being first past the mark. Quick repeats followed from everyone else I think. Having done two of the at least three different ways up this I’d say this one is THE line and a very good tricky 7b. After that me and Nige went to try Master Kush while the others did Moontan start. Conditions were good and we were hitting the lip every time. That’s the easy bit, the hard bit is holding the huge swing when all you have for the right hand is a tiny slopey dish. Mighty frustrating, but feels tantalisingly feasible, who knows…. It certainly merits a bit more attention. Latching the move would be amazing.
Wasn’t expecting to get out on Sunday as the forecast had been dire all week. In the end it was overcast but dry so I rang Nige and we headed out to try Mossatrocity at Grindleford Station. Appearances are not deceptive, this is indeed a fine new boulder problem, very pure fridge hugging on good rock in a lovely setting. Adam turned up and swiftly did it, having been on it the day before. Adam’s beta was good and Nige soon bagged it too. Then Sam arrived and made it three ascents. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to grips with the beta they used as it put too much strain on my left hamstring which is still dodgy from an injury in 06 (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it). Did manage to figure a sequence which worked for me in the end, but didn’t have the juice to link it and my best shots saw me falling off going for the crack just below the top. Oh well, can’t wait to get back on it, maybe I’ll take the lamps out and have an evening hit with Si.

Better late than never?

Two in a week and then none for yonks. Anyway.
The climbing. Did loads more at Roddellar. Then went to Terradets and did pretty much all the classics and some random ones (which were pretty classic too!). favourites there would be Flix Flax, Latido Del Miedo, Xarapo De Basto and LÁnarkista, but they where all pretty worldclass sport routes. Didn´t manage any more 8a onsights here (managed a second one in Rodellar), but onsighted two 7cs and five 7c+s, so can´t complain. Mid way through our Terradets spell we took a week out of the routing to go bouldering in Albarracin, the climbing was great, as was the company. Have now moved on to Montgrony, a high altitude, sunny tufa crag. Have only climbed two days so far. Did a few nice easier things and then went for the classic of the, which various folk had mentioned to me in the past. Aromes De Montgrony 8a+ is a classic pure tufa line in the Dinosaur (Seynes) mould. The first half is steep up a pair of very flared tufas, the second half is up one fat trunk with the crux at the top where the tufa gets very wide and blank and you are forced to maul up the slopey sides. Great route with a gritstone-esque crux! Worked it the first day in nice cool weather, but was to forced to do the redpoint in the blazing sun. Something of a contrast to the last route I did at Terradets which I ended up doing in a stupidly cold wind, 30 metres of 8a vertical wall climbing (a route called Millenium) and a slab crux when you can´t feel your fingers was pure pain! Generally seem to be going ok, am one route away from my thirtieth 8a-8b of the trip. Sorry if that´s all a bit number orientated, but trying to shoe-horn the news in so haven´t got much space for eulogising.
Fi has also been going well. In Terradets she did her first 7b+ plus a hideously hard 7a+ which felt even harder than the 7b+ to me (Jam Session and LÀnsia).


The van. The van had it´s problem when we were on the way back from Albarracin. It stoppped dead in the middle of nowhere and refused to start again. Ten days and two thousand euros the Bubble Goose (Swift Gosling seems a bit poncey and the reg is BG5) was back on the road. Fortunately the insurance paid for a hire car, but we had to spend some very cold nights in the tent, not nice. All seems well now (touch wood). The heater is proving to be well worth the effort and money. There is no way we could stay up in the mountains without one.

Elusive things I´ve seen in the last few days: A wild boar, a badger and Stefan Glowacz!

Wow two blogs in a week

Have been doing more of the same since the last post. Three more 8a and an 8a+, no flashes though. Feel like I ought to try and spending some time on something a bit harder now rather than just bagging quality volume. Will maybe try Botanics 8b+ or Espirit Rebeled 8b.
It´s getting cooler here now and the place is pretty quiet. Funny how everyone goes home just as the conditions get good. I guess folk don´t book holidays at this time due to the risk of rain and wet tufas.
The van has been excellent so far with no mechanical probs and all fittings working as hoped for. the solar panel has been very useful, meaning we can park up for ages without having to drive to charge batteries.
Will probably stay here for another week, maybe two(unless it craps out) then head on to Terradets via Alquezar and Riglos (for a couple of days each).

Rodellar

We ended up staying at Ceuse for about two weeks in total. Was keen to get down to Rodellar in good time to avoid a repeat of 2005 wet tufa disasters so headed to Spain in the first week of Sept.
Did lots of classic stuff in Ceuse, but didn´t really aquire the requisite stamina for anything particularly hard until the last few days. But did manage one 8a (Collonetes with bloc start) and flashed a 7c (Blanches Fesse).
The Ceuse stamina and general fitness from the walkin has proved pretty useful here though. My ultimate goal on this trip was to flash an 8a and i managed it last week. The route was one of the areas best - Corredor de Muerta, a massively steep 40m line (of mostly jugs) up the middle of a big yellow wave. I saw the line on our last trip in 2005 and have been wanting to do it ever since.
Other than that have onsighted a few 7c+s and lots of 7cs and 7b+s, almost all of them brilliant routes. I love this place.
Have been climbing a lot with Mr Mawson who has left now but had a great trip flashing or onsighting a fair few 8as and redpointing a couple of super classic 8bs.

Cegooooosuse!!!!

MW was good, but rather spoilled by the weather. Bagged lots of lower end sevens, flashed an overgraded 7c Fool Fighter and got very close to doing Sofa Surfer. Did overlapping halves on SS in a session, but after that it was wet for three days so we left.
Drove through some biblical storms in Swiss and Italy to get to a very damp Ceuse. Thankfully the sun came out the next day and im on a rest day now after two days of greqt conditions at the crag. Have done a bunch of stuff, all great up to 7b+ on Berlin and Cascade. Met up with North Country Boy again (he was in Germany at same time) and the psyche is flowing. Bring me the classics. Stamina is not quite up to scratch yet but should get sorted soon enough.
Allez oop

Hello at last

Sorry about the lack of update. Unfortunately there was only one login available in the Frankenjura, it was utter pants and I couldn`t do blog on it. Also my old camera bust, so we have no picks from Germany, but have got a very nice replacement, so will put some picks up of elsewhere.
In the end we spent three and a bit weeks in Germany and mostly had good weather. At first I was not totally taken by the climbing in the Frankenjura, but after a week or so and visits to some of the better crags it started to grow on me and eventually I think Ive become a convert. As I was told the beer and the cakes are exceptional and the campsite is a classic among climbers campsites (excuse lack of apostrophes, I cant find them on this Swiss keyboard).
Got a fair bit done routeswise. Onsighted some 7cs and a 7c+ (Ekel at Eldorado - just like climbing on the 50 degree board). Redpointed an easy 8a+ and would have done 3 or 4 more but was thwarted by shit weather for the crucial last few days.
We have now moved on to Magic Wood in Swiss. Quite a big UK crowd out here at the moment, Joe Le Sage, Vicky Barret, Tim Stubbly, Dave Mason, Andy Banks & Emma, Keith Bradbury and more on the way. Up to now the bouldering has been great, but the weather has just crapped out and looks set to stay poor for a bit. Nothing hard bagged yet but lots on the list. Had a play on a new think today on a boulder about a mile from the main area. More like a route thank a boulder prob. Amazing line up a pair of aretes and grooves. Got to the last move but ended up reversing. Eee well, nearly a brilliant E5 6a.
Will post more when I have more time.... could be soon if the rain stays. See ya

Ready for the off

Well we are out of the house now, the van has had the last finishing touches added and we are sort of on the road. We are infact dashing about visiting family before the trip proper and it doesn't really feel like the journey has commenced yet.
For anyone thinking of doing the van conversion thing i'd say the following. If you intend doing anything half decent it is far from inexpensive or straightforward. The whole business is costly and time consuming, both in terms of labour and research/ searching for decent cheap materials. I was lucky in that I could get stuff via work, including good power tools which are a must, you are not going to get far without a good battery drill and a jigsaw. All things considered if you include consider the value of your own labour it is fairly finely balances whether for most people a home conversion is cost effective. I would certainly not recommend it to anyone who does not have a lot of time and energy to put into the project or someone who doesn't already have a good set of tools and plenty of houshold storage. That said I have enjoyed the build enourmously and learn a a hell of a lot. A few months back I knew a whole lot less about gas fitting, auto-electrics (I didn't even know the difference between AC and DC), joinery, using ebay and many other things. Doing your own van your own way means you know the thing inside out and should (touch wood) be able to sort out any problems without resorting to the garage. It means you have exactly what you want where you want it. For example I have have a huge battery bank, a box of tricks which means the alternator charges the batterys five times faster and 20% fuller, low energy 12V only fittings and a very good solar panel, all of which make for an energy independant home which can be parked up for long periods whithout need of mains hook-up. Commercial motorhomes/campervans just aren't made this way, they are all geared up for mains hook-up on campsites and only very short periods without. The insulation I have added is way over what most motorhomes have so we should stay cool in summer and warm in winter with little need of heating or air con (both of which we have). Here's some pics:



We've got one more family engagement, a weekend camping with the huge Fullwood clan in Birchover and then off down south to Dover, a SpeedFerry to Bologne and Frankenjura....

Moving swiftly on

No recent blogage as i've been running about like a blue arsed fly attending to the gosling. Since last update i've added the second fridge vent, completed the boarding, added an over-head locker above the cab, added trim between roof and walls, completed dressing around the windows, stuck carpet to exposed metal bits (it stops condensation), painted stuff and wall papered the walls. No time to talk, but here's some pics of progress so far.

Swift gosling

Have been cracking on with the van, which I was going to call the Bubble Goose until I checked urban dictionary , instead it (not sure of gender yet) is to be known henceforth as Swift Gosling - master of wind and road.
Since the first lot of photos I have fully insulated the roof, walls and doors with cellotex of various widths, PU foam and foil backed tape. This was a long, fairly tedious and messy job, but should along with double glazed windows, silver screens blinds and an extractor vent help keep us cool in the south of France and warm in Font. I've added two vents to the roof, one with a 12v, three speed fan which can be set to blow air in or out, this is above where the cooker will be and is to vent off hot air in summer, as well as food based effulgence from cooking. Before I could start boarding I ran out various cables to where I thought lights, solar panel, heater etc would go. Now I'm onto boarding out all the insulated surfaces. To keep down weight and to follow the curved interior I am using 4mm exterior grade plywood. This stuff is tough and flexible but can be cut to shape, with some effort, using a stanley blade, which makes getting a neat edge much easier than sawing. The boarding is half done and hopefully will be complete (except for a gap where the fridge goes) by June when I quit work to spend a few weeks full time on the van before travels commence.

Omnistor extractor vent


Boarded out door and sidewall


Unboarded sliding door and wiring


The cluttered untidy work space



Other than managed the classic Grooved Arete at Kilnsey t'other weekend. Midweek has been all about peak lime bouldering in an attempt to keep fingers strong for the Euro trip. This week has also seen the rope come out with me and Nige trying the mighty Revelations. So far it's going pretty well, Thursday we figured out the sequence on the crux (credit to Harris for useful beta), then worked the top and tryed to redpoint yesterday. Got through crux and into the groove on the third or fourth attempt, then fell off going right due to pump and bad sequence. Will go back Tues with fresh arms....

All in the mind

After a couple of weeks feeling like the climbing is slipping, due in part to spending much time on the van, as well as various unplanned stuff interrupting what climbing time was available, I all of a sudden feel back on the up. Went out to 'the-place-of-which-we-must-not-speak' last night after feeling mediocre at Rubicon and managed my project of four session, The Hulk. Hurrah. It's funny how my perception of how it's all going can be almost instantly turned around by success on one problem. I think it's this pattern of motivation which generally leads me to avoid 'working' problems, as opposed to trying harder stuff sporadically and going for the one day ticks. I find it hard to believe that I'm climbing ok and making progress when no new probs are getting done for a few days. Maybe this ticking addiction gets in the way of bagging the bigger numbers.
As ever I'm torn between the going out and having as much fun as possible game and the working hard for rewarding longer term goals approach. Having experienced a little success with the latter I think I'll carry on with this for a while and hopefully that way use what climbing time I do have available to get some finger strength together for the big trip. Hmmmm, so what next, The Pinch, Tsunami.....?

But bouldering's for midweek at the mo, and Saturday the plan is to get back to Kilnsey. Had a play on Grooved Arete two weeks ago and was surprised how ok it felt considering it's endurancey nature. Brilliant climbing and I figure it's a good one to kick start the season. Reckon it'll take two-three more visits, but often guess wrong. Will be trying to redpointing tomorrow anyway, so you never know.

Some van pics

The van as purchased....




....with big hole in the side....







....and with brand new Seitz window in.

Ultra busy

Haven't posted owt for ages for two reasons. First I was away on hol, grit bouldering in Yorkshire and since then I have been busier than I can remember with the van project.
Come July this year me and Fi are off around Europe climbing for six months. The original plan was to get a cheap, reliable and comfortable van to live in during our trip. After a fair bit of research it became aparent that such things don't exist. Decent campers/motorhomes big enough for a comfy six months come in two varieties, fairly cheap (but still £5-10k) but ancient and with huge mileage or good nick but ludicrously expensive (£15->30k). Nothing I could find in our price range seemed worth the money or reliable/long lasting enough not to be a risky investment. So it was with some great trepidation that I have embarked upon the task of making my own camper van. Have bought a good solid base vehicle, a 2001 long wheel base, high top, Ford Transit, with a mere 60,000 miles on the clock.
So far I have stripped out the original floor and partial ply lining, installed two openable double glazed windows with integral roller blind and fly net, added an immobiliser and installed a new ply floor with underfloor insulation. The next bit to go in will be a 12v rooflight/extractor fan to help keep it cool in the euro heat. Bought and ready to install I have a three way (gas,12v and 240v) fridge, a propex 1600 blown air heater, two 110 amp-hour leisure batteries, a grey enamel sink, a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher. I'm also going to be fully insulating the walls and roof, installing a solar panel on the roof, adding two gas tanks, a hob, cold water with a manual pump, lighting, a big bed and lots of storage.
Quite a huge job and very time consuming, both interms of labour as well as research and materials sourcing. To make this possible in time for the trip i will be leaving work a month early to work full time on the van (even with the loss of a months wages it's cheaper than getting a ready made van).
As mentioned above this was not the original plan and it pretty much means I will have bugger all time to do anything with the boltfund prior to my trip. Someone will need to look after it while i'm away anyway. Basically the money is there, it just need some suitably able and keen people to do something with it. I feel a little bad for starting something and not fully carrying it through, but that's just the way things have turned out. Ultimately i'm not any more responsible for the state of peak bolts (other than the ones i've placed) than the next man and the fact that i've set some wheels in motion for a peak bolt fund doesn't change this. If anything I could fairly say that having put in a lot more effort than the next man and it's about time more people took a share of the load.