I decided to treat myself to a weekend in Boven with my closest friends by booking us a house in (or as it turned out near) Waterval Boven. For some reason these things stress me out. I want it to be perfect for everybody and as a result I worry the whole time about shit – will the place be big enough, water warm, toilets clean etc. etc.

The place was perfect and exceeded all expectations. In the morning when I walked out and saw the ducks swimming in the river 15m away from the house, I knew I hit the spot. Everything turned out better than I had expected, yet it all ended leaving me with a little heart ache. Not the bad kind, just the kind that needs to be around for a while and then move on.

Good friends and a bottle of Poncho’s.
A late night after a long day’s climbing turned into something spectacular, to me at least. We ate like kings and diluted the day’s adrenaline with fine wine & whiskey. I got some precious insights into my friends’ hearts and our friendship grew because we could trust each other.

I am thankful. If I was brave I would have let go too.

You should know that the lies won’t hide your flaws(3)

Who’s to know if your soul will fade at all
The one you sold to fool the world
You lost your self-esteem along the way(3)

I loved my dogs. I had the one put down and left the other without a friend, a sister and without me to take her on a patrol around the plot. It breaks my heart when I think of it, so I don’t.

No one is innocent. You can not judge anyone, because sooner or later you will make those exact same mistakes – this was my punishment, the lesson to be learned for judging other.

It’s all good. I have the best friends I can ask for and I’ll forgive myself eventually. The future is bright, I feel excitement – live this life, everyday! (4)

Now, to embrace my inner-motherfucker  

Trust I seek and I find you
So tear me open but beware, there are things inside without a care
Tear me open, pour me out, there are things inside that scream and shout
Hold me, until it sleeps (1)

Sometimes I go about in pity for myself
And all the while a great wind carries me across the sky.(2)

(1) Metallica: Nothing Else Matters & Until it Sleeps
(2) Ojibwe Indian saying
(3) Seether: Fake it
(4) Prime Circle: Live this life

Hmmmm. Don’t really have much to say, a bit of a bummer update.

Did the Boven weekend, arrived Friday mid morning and had a lovely day. Was pretty useless on Saturday, but the highlight was definitely “Little Bonsai” (16). A really nice climb of about 25m. Dinner was fabulous: Fillet with ostrich wors and braai samies. Later that night another group borrowed our fire to make espetada’s, and insisted I have a taste – divine!! Apart from some other secret herbs & spices, they stuck the meat on bay leaf sticks and threw bay leaves on the fire to further flavour the meat. Quite a treat, I must say.

But then Sunday turned out a disaster. While making breakfast, news came in of an accident close to the campsite. From Climb.co.za:
“Heinrich Kahl passed away this Sunday at Waterval Boven. He was 27.

Heinrich was well known as a top level sport climber (competed in a couple of Roc & Road’s) and was fast becoming one of SA’s hardest trad climbers.

He and his wife Carlien prepared to climb All’s Bells (19 trad) at Tranquilitas. At the base of the climb was a refrigerator sized boulder which one has to scramble up on to get onto the climb; as Heinrich mantled onto the boulder it came lose and toppled over on top of him. Heinrich sustained serious internal injuries and died on the scene. Carlien broke her hand and got bruised badly but is otherwise okay.”

News24 article here.

Did not know him personally, but did chat to him once or twice. Good guy, very easy to get along with and had a lekker conversation with him.

No more climbing for me that day.

Farewell…

Some cool stuff’s been happening. No, I still can’t ride the unicycle, but I’ve started on the bouldering wall – got most of the wood, ordered a good set of grips to start off so I’ll start drilling some holes tomorrow – after seeing the attorney, but that’s a long story - let’s call it atonement for past sins

Paul, PTA strong man and owner of the gym where the schools finals will be held

Roc Rally is on! Leaving on Friday, and so far the weather is looking good.

My effort with setting up the registrations for the Rally paid off, so far 26 teams registered with the minimum hassles.

I’m really looking forward to the crazy & fun atmosphere – be there or be square!!!

Then, SA Schools finals the week thereafter – a lot of people put in a lot of work and now it’s come to the first inter-provincial comp in many years, if not ever. Most of the KZN & W-Cape schools & teachers will be making a roadtrip of it by doing the Roc Rally and then travelling to JHB & PTA for the two final events the week thereafter.

Ooooh, before I forget, MensHealth put up a link to my blog, what a pleasant surprise! I took a screen shot just in case they realise the mistake & take it down

I’ll post up some pics of the bouldering wall progress, just in case you’re interested. Check out the Gecko site too - simple diagram, even I can understand it….

That’s it I’m done
(for now at least…)

Coming up: Half price bungee at Orlando Towers. Sounds like fun, not sure if my nerves will hold. No big plans for the weekend (yet). Maybe start working on that long planned bouldering wall….. yesss, my precious, that sounds like a brilliant idea.

Got tickets to the Sun City Spring Bash and the Van-Fokken-Tasties gig (blame Tuks for that name ) on Thursday, and then flipping a coin on whether I’ll leave for the Roc Rally on Thursday or Friday. Going these alone at the moment <sigh>

Let’s set a deadline for learning to ride that unicycle too. How about end of October – and by riding I mean steady enough to commute from my parking garage to the office.

Let me stop there. I’m famous for loading way too much hay on my fork. If I can pull these off, I’d be quite happy. After that there’s still the multi-pitch climb at Swinburne and the kite surfing rig…….. the slackline, trad climb, the trip to the coast. The web-site, making ice, selling the plot, growing something in a pot.  

Mediocrity is no longer an option. Live while you’re alive, sleep when you’re dead.

Gustav liked & stuck to the idea of having a central climber database & ranking system and even turned down another offer to do the same – thanks G!

As most things IT, especially the little rush projects, there was a minor bug or two, but that’s fixed now, and bar any more problem reports, I’m going to have a early night tonight.

Moving on to the main menu: Wonderland. The approach we took was not the one I’m used to, but I’m soooo glad we did. Gentler walk-in, and some new climbs. Above some random shots. The drive was worth it as always. Did two interesting climbs (among the others), one with an awkward “traverse” which is really not much more than a big reach, but it felt weird & off balance, and another “Man Slaves” – probably the easiest climb I’ve climbed in ages  – all very on-balance, huge footholds, huge grips, all very positive grips, no slopers, but (for me at least) a very scary bit where you climb out under & over this protruding block with no idea what’s waiting for you on the other side. Super fun when you realise you sh#t yourself for nothing, as the easy climbing continuing for the remaining 1-2m to the chains.