Font 2005: Part 5
Stained glass window in the Château de Fontainebleau
The crew @ Château de Fontainebleau
3-24-05
It was raining again (big surpise) so the crew headed over to the wolrd famous Château de Fontainebleau. I've been avoiding going for some reason on my last two trips, but the streak couldn't last. It was only 5.50 euros after all. Inside was a lot of gold, and a lot of very fancy furniture.
Delphine Codet on the Marie Rose
Lyn on Super Forge
3-25-05
It was good enough to climb again so we headed to Bas Cuvier. It was very crowded there because it was the beginning of a three day weekend for most Europeans. There was a horde of Italians that swarmed around from boulder problem to boulder problem. Our friend Delphine Codet met up with us and enjoyed her first time climbing in Fontainebleau. The Marie Rose is the first 6a in the forest and although she did not have success this day, she would later come back and climb it. Lyn set her mind to doing Super Forge, a very crimpy and delicate boulder problem rated 7a. Most people who climb it say, "that was only 7a!", because it is so intense.
Grenouille near Larchant
Later Lyn and I took a romantic walk to see some frogs. We had been driving along this road to town and there was this strange, plastic barrier. One night we realized why they had the barrier. Hundreds of frogs were trying to cross the road and the barrier was up to keep the frogs off the road. Lyn and I went with our headlamps to investigate since Lyn was very curious. It seems that the frogs were crossing the road to mate since many of them were getting busy.
3-36-05
Lyn at 95.2
Saturday was wet again, but it dried out enough in the afternoon to climb at one of the faster drying areas, 95.2. It was a rest day for me but I ran around and took pictures. Here is Lyn trying (and later doing) the sit down start to Blue 17. For those of you who don't know, most of the problems in Fontainebleau have numbers painted on them so you can do them in a "circuit." The idea was the the mountain climbers could do enough of them in a row to get them in shape for moutain climbing. Now, people just to them for their own right.
A feast at the gite
We had a big feast because Ken & Jen, Nora, and Mark and Catherine would soon be leaving. It's pretty tight in our little gite, but we fit.
3-27-05
The basilica in Larchant
On Sunday nights they would light up the basilica in Larchant. This was Easter Sunday so I figured that I should take a picture.
Till next time!
-Raza
Font 2005: Part 4
2-23-04
Nora at Roche aux Sabots
Wednesday we went back to Roche aux Sabots and it was much more quite than the weekend. The roof with "le tiroir" (called the drawer because the starting hold looks like a drawer) was not swarmed with bleausards, so the girls went over and tried some out. Nora was trying this "short person" beta, but couldn't bring herself to use it after Jo Montchausse walked up and looked disapprovingly at her. 
Ingar on Bazooka Jo
Bazooka Jo didn't look too hard, that is until we tried it. I actually gave up until Ingar and Ray figured out the beta. Topping out requires the climber to press off the layback using a very crappy foot. Fun!
Raza blowing a head gasket on Sale Gosse
Ingar tried Sale Gosse the other day and made it look super fun. It is very sustained. I fell off every move getting to the crux (which is the last move!) and I fell off of that move as well. I couldn't get it that day but soon I hope I will have revenge.
Rayneil on Chasseur de Prises
We headed over to Rocher Canon because people were looking for something new. Lyn and the rest of the crew really wanted to try Chasseur de Prises (which translates to "hold hunter"). In my humble opinion it is one of the best lines in the forest, although it is not very forgiving if you are short.
Lyn on Chasseur de Prises
Even though Lyn is technically considered by 3 out of 4 doctors as "short", she was doing very well. After a bit of time to work out and remember the moves, she was falling getting to the second to last hold. Sadly, that is the story of her time climbing in Font.
Today we got rained out, so we checked out the famous Chateau of Fontainebleau. Tonight we are having a fancy diner at a one star Michelin rated restaurant. That should about meet our quota for cultural experiences for this visit. If the rain doesn't let up, we might finally get to the Pompadou Centre.
If anyone is interested in more information about bouldering in Font, check out:
http://bleau.info/
-Raza
Font 2005: Part 1
Lyn and I are now in Fontainebleau, climbing with friends (Ingar, Nora, Ken & Jen). The weather was a bit wet when we got here on Thursday but it has been drying out for a couple of days (before the next rains come).
Controle Technique
03-11-05
After Lyn and I got settled in on the first day, we dashed to Bas Cuvier to get some climbing in. The first two pictures of me are on Controle Technique. The problem is crazy cool and is super funky. I didn't manage to send it but I was able to work out my beta again. Later Lyn tried Holey Moley for a bit but it was still a little too wet. The third picture is of me on Biceps Mou, a problem that has puzzled me for years but with the help of another American, we figured out the beta. Of course, it was too wet to send, or at least my right arm was too tired to send.
Controle Technique again
Biceps Mou
3-12-05
After a little rain on Saturday morning, Lyn and I went for a couple of hours to 95.2 to get a little exercise in the afternoon.
3-13-05
Sunday was much better weather-wise and the whole crew headed over to Buthiers. The fourth photo is of me on this crazy, scary highball called "Le directe du petit Cervin." It is only 5c, but you have to rock over this slopey foot and the fall is ridiculous (onto the lower slab). The last two photos are other problems on the black circuit at Buthiers. All really fun and technical and usually pretty high-ball. Ken and I managed to do "Master Edge", a 7b arete and I did the "Lady big claques", 7a+, one of the best problems I've done in Font.
Crazy highball at Buthiers
5c testpiece at Buthiers!
Another highball @ Buthiers
3-14-05
I had to rest on Monday since my arms felt like they were going to fall off. I went along with everybody to Franchard Cuisiniere to hang out, rest and take some pictures. Picture number seven is everyone hiking up to Cuisiniere. The eigth picture is of Ingar topping out Le Magnifique, a 7a with a crazy slopey top-out. There isn't really any beta other than, go for it!
Hiking to Cuisiniere
Ingar topping out le Magnifique
3-15-05
The crew headed to Petit Bois. Most people were a little sore from many days on, so they contented themselves on doing some easier slabs. Picture number nine is of me on Big Dragon, a dream project of mine. Apparently, one of the two nubs on the crux hold has broken off. That could explain why that move was so hard, but I think it is still possible. Later we went over to Elephant and Lyn did her first 7a, the left start to la Barre Fixe Directe, 7a+.
Barely hanging on Big Dragon
3-16-05
Wednesday turned out to be blazing hot. The high was 19 degrees and all day I just wanted to go to sleep. The last picture is of Nora on just another crazy Font top-out, this one at Bas Cuvier. I tried Controle Technique again but we don't need any more pictures of me falling off it. At the end of the day Lyn and I went over to Bas Cuvier Est and Lyn did Duroxmanie, a 6c+ that bouted Lyn two years ago. Oh, revenge, how sweet it is.
Nora on un-named bulge top-out at Bas Cuvier
Au revoir
-Raza
