THE FORTNIGHTLY FAFF The Periodical Journal of the Mercian Mountaineering Club

www.mercianmc.org.uk

Jan 2017

Fabian’s2ndFaffAr.cle

Aroundupofrecentmeets

AKalymniantragedybyTomMorris

WhatwillhecomeupwithtobeathisAv’sBTeamclassic?

Aselec.onofphotosfromEngland,ScotlandandWales

Andawholelotmoretoboot

Chairman’sChallenge,PhotoFaff,etc…

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CRUXY DRAW

Coverphoto-TomMorriswithAlumPotformingthebackdrop,YorkshireDalesNa.onalPark

Wordsfromthechairman

AwordfromtheeditorHaveyouheardabouttheChairman’sChallengeyet?Youshouldhave,it’shappeningrightnow.ThechallengedatesbacktothedayswhentheclubwasunderthecustodianshipofCJ,thatmostlearnedofmen,whothoughtabitoffriendlycompe..onamongstclubmemberswouldgetpeopleoutandaboutindifferentways,doingdifferentthingswithdifferentpeople.Well,the.mehascomeforthechallengetorideagaininthis,theclub’s60thyear.IseethatVickyHigginshasalreadybagged10pointsforsummi.ngaMunroandVickiCoxhasgot5pointsforhelpingoutanewbieatthewalllastThursday.Thereareloadsofthingsthatyoucandotonetpoints.TakealookatthelastcoupleofpagesforacopyofthescoresheetwhichI’dencourageyoutoprintandfillinoverthenext6months.AlsointhisissuewehaveFabian’smuchawaitedsecondar.cle;thedifficultsecondar.cle.WhocanforgethisA-team/B-teamar.clefromafewyearsago?It’snoto[enheputspentopaperbutwhenhedoesit’sit’susuallywellworthreading.IhopeyoulikeVic’scoverphotoofSarahatKaylnos.Itwasn’tallsunshinethough,therewastragedytoo.ReadallaboutitinTom’sar.cleaboutthelifeanddeathofCruxyDraw.Wealsohavearoundupofsomeoftherecentmeetsandtheusualotherbitsandbobs.Enjoy.Stew.

CoverphotoSarahLaightcruisinguparouteatLambdaonTelendosduringanOctoberhotrocktriptoKalymnosPhoto:VickiCox

HelygHutmeet,Ogwen

TomGapeperchedhappilyononeofthemanyrockspikesnearthesummitoftheGlyderFawra[eralongslogupfromCapelCurig.Manyfelttheyhadbeenmis-soldbyStewartMoodywhodescribeditasanewwaytoapproachthepeaksthatwe’dallsummitedsomany.mesbefore.S.ll,itwasafinecrispdayandthereweregreatviewsofTryfanthatnoneofushadenjoyedbefore.

TomandSarahandTryfanwiththesnowcoveredCarneddauindistance.

(L-R)Julie,Stew,Sarah,Tom,Adam,Adam’smanleg,TomGape,Lou,Becky,Vicky.

Groupshotaswereachthesnowlevelwithalotofuphills.lltogo,moraliss.llhigh.

TheLifeandDeathofCruxyDraw

byTomMorris

Kalymnos-thelandofclearbluewater,tufamonsters,Mythosandmystery(notalotofmystery,mostlyhowAuRevoiratGhostKitchengets5+!).Backin2014ItookmyfirsttriptherewithVic,StewandLuke.BrighteyedandbushytailedwithstoriesofgloriousorangerockandsoQ-ishgradingringinginmyearsIdecidedI'dtryandpushmygradealiSle.BeingsTllfairlynewtooutdoorsportclimbingI'donlyeverclimbed6aandsoresolvedatsomepointduringtheweektogetupa6a+(thishassincebeenbeSeredIhastentoadd).A[eramagnificentweekofMythosandseafoodandMythos(andabitofclimbing),IledthefabulousFreeStyleatArginonta.AwonderfulroutewhollyreminiscentofKalymnianclimbingbeingbrightorangeandslightlyoverhangingalltheway.Beforebeginningtheholiday,we'dagreedthatanyonewhomanagedtopushtheirgradecouldrewardthemselveswithanewquickdrawtocelebrate.Therefore,flushwithexcitement,ItookmyselfofftothegearshopoppositeSnackBarFatoli.sandreturnedclutchingashinynewBlackDiamondsportdraw.Thiswasnoordinaryquickdrawhowever.Thiswasasymbol...amonumenttohumanendeavour.Itwouldneverfailme,neverletmedownandalwaysbetherewhenIneededit.Itwouldbereservedforthemostharrowingmomentswhenthenextboltseemsleaguesawayandittakesallofyourstrength,willandcouragejusttoreachfortheclip.Itwastobenamed.....CruxyDraw.Obviouslythisrequiredathemetune(tothetuneofOChristmasTree):Ocruxydraw,Ocruxydraw,You'redefinitelygoingtoholdthisfall.

AndsobegantheillustriouscareerofCruxyDraw.Itwentupmanyclimbsalthoughwasonlyrarelyclippedandwasmysteadfastcompanionthroughmanytrials...Kalymnos2015,gegngthatnutoutatTremadog2015amongstothers.Therewerealsosomedark.mes.LendingCruxyDrawtoMahKehlewasamistakenottobemadetwice.Clearlysensingitspotencyandmys.calpower,Kehletookthedrawandkeptitforhisown.ForasixmonthIsearched,feelingthatapartofmewasmissing.Highandlow,geardrawto...othergeardraw(realis.callywhereelseisitgoingtobe?!)un.lfinally,wordreachedmyearofitsloca.on."Bytheway,I'ves.llgotthatquickdrawofyoursshallIbringitdownthewall?".Finally,CruxyDrawhadreturnedtoitstruemaster.ObviouslythiscanclearlybeblamedforeveryclimbIfailedtogetupduringthis.me.Ahem.Kalymnos2016rolledaroundandourspiritswerebuoyant.TheweekpassedasweeksinKalymnosaswonttodo.Ablurorgreyslabs,orangetufas,Mythos,sunshine,calamariandmercifullyprojec.levomit-free.AllgoodthingsmustcometoanendhoweveranditwaswhenclimbingPornokini6b.AschancewouldhaveitjustnextdoortoFreeStyle,whereCruxyDrawwasfirstearned.Iwasnearingthechains,andthegroundseemedfarmorethantheguidebook25metresaway.Myarmswerepumped,mygripfailingandonemoreclipseparatedmefromglory.Therewasonlyonethingforit.IreacheddownandpulledCruxyDrawfrommyharness,"oncemoreuntothebreacholdfriend".Itwasthenthattragedystruck.SomeforcebeyondmortalcomprehensionwrenchedCruxyDrawfrommygrasp(well,aforcebeyondmortalcomprehensionorthefactthatIwaspumpedandsweatyashell.Oneofthetwo).Iwatched,transfixedinhorrorasCruxyDrawpingedoffdowntherockfacebeforefinallystrikingtheearth25metresbelow.Ifinishedtheclimb,clippedthechainsanddescendedasquicklyaspossible.Bythe.meI'dun.edmyknotSarahhadalreadyfoundCruxyDraw.Sheborehimuntomebutthesparkofmagicwasgone.Iknewthenthathecouldneveragainbeclipped(againsparkofmagicorthefactthatthere'snowayI'mtrus.ngadrawthat’ssmasheddown25mofrock).Solemnlywecarriedhimfromthecragandre-patriatedhimtoEngland.Soonhewillbelaidinhisfinalres.ngplace.Probablyasarackingkrab,ormaybetohangmyglovesoff.Whoknowswhatawaitsquickdrawsbeyondtheveil...Themoralofthisstoryisdon'tdropexpensivequickdrawsofflongroutes.

FF

BIRMINGHAMBEER

FESTIVAL

Photos from various climbing trips around the north of England by Ned and Anna!

FF

Goodcompany,

snacks,and

climbingfilms-it’s

theyear’sbestfi

lm

fes.val.Ifyou

weren’tthereyo

u

missedout.Then

againifeveryone

camewewouldn’t

allfitintheloun

ge!

TheAnnualDinner,Coniston

(L-R)Lou,SarahandVicputontheirgladragsandhikingbootsforthewalkintoConistonfromtheIrishRowhut.Scrubupwelldon’tthey?WehaddinneratTheSunInnandauc.onedPete’sgeartoraisemoneyforConistonMRT.

(L-R)Sarah,Joel,JoeandAdamenjoyingpre-dinnerdrinksintheSuna[eradayonthehill.

Julesshow’ssheishard-corebydoingalocal‘run’ofsomedescrip.on.Itlookedhard.

(L-R)Adam,Mike,Vicky,JoelandMalcolmenjoyingtheirmeal.

(L-R)Geoff,AlanandMikealllookingquitedapperandhappyinthebararea.

Thankstoyourgenerosityweraised£647.50forConistonMRTattheannualdinnermeetlastautumnwhenweauc.onedPete’sclimbingequipment,mapsandguidebooks.Wereceivedthisleherofthanksbackfromtheirtreasurer.Thankyouallforshowingyoursupporttosuchagoodcause.

PaherdaleMeet,Oct‘16

(L-R)NaomiandNimaindazzlingsunshineonthesummitplateauofHelvellyna[eraratherwindyandin.mida.ngascentofStridingEdge(SG1).WewereluckytohavesuchgreatweatherontheSaturdayasSundaywasasoggyaffair.

Vickiwrappedupwarmagainstthebracingwindasshepicksherwayalongstridingedge.

Everyoneposesforagroupshot.Weareoutofthewindandmovingatpacetowardsthepub.

Pierce(3hoods)FerrisandtheladiesnearthesummitofHelvellyn.

P H O T O F A F F [Horse Play Faff] A very fluffy looking Pierce stops to stroke a horse whilst Munro bagging on the New Year Meet at Scotland. I’m not sure how he reconciles the hardcore “je suis une Apliniste” statement of a karabiner/sling hanging from his pack with his decision to stop and pose for a photo of him being friendly to the local thoroughbred. Hmmm!

photofaff by VICKY HIGGINS

FAFFOMETER

9outof10

FabianMoore’ssecondFaffar.clebyfocusesonthenewyearmeet

LookAtAllThoseS*ddingContourLines!

Itallstartedformea[erafewtoomanydrinksonChristmasEve.Ihadjustreturnedfromamealoutwithmyfamily,andinaslightlymerrystatedecidedtologontotheMMCforumtoremindmyselfoftheplansfortheNewYearmeetinGlencoe.Juleshadpostedsugges.ngwesignupfora4krunonNewYear’sDay,anddescribeditastheperfecthangovercure.Ihaveshownpreviousformwithhungoverrunningattheweekly5kparkrunevents*andthoughtcockilytomyself,“4kshouldbeeasy!”andpostedareplyalongthoselinesintheforum.AcoupleofdayslaterIreceivedtextsfromJulieaboutneedingtosignupfortheracebeforethedeadline.AdamandJuliehadalreadydoneso,andsoonenoughEdandChloehadalsobeenpress-gangedintotakingpart.ItwasatthispointthatIshouldhaveques.onedpeoplefurther,andfullyresearchedtheexactnatureoftheevent.However,knowingthatAdamhadalreadysignedupputmeatease.IreassuredmyselfwiththethoughtthatifAdam(amanwhohatesrunning)hadsoeagerlysignedup,itwouldprobablybeadoddle.Ibowedtopeer-pressure,andwithoutanyfurtherenquiry,signeduptoo.

ThesearethefactsasIunderstoodthemwhenIagreedtotakepart:•  Theraceentrancefeeincludedali[inthe

NevisRangegondola.Soup,aroll,andteawerealsoincluded.

•  Theracewasonly4klong.Thisallsoundedeasyenough,butasthe.mefortheraceapproached,andwediscussedtheracemoreinforma.onontheeventcametothefore:•  Theli[intheGondola,includedintherace

fee,wastogetrunnersbackDOWNthehill.Ihadactuallypaidgoodmoneytogetaskili[down!

•  Therunincluded610mofascent.At4kminlength,with610mofascent,theaveragegradientisjustover15%!

•  Asifthatweren’tenough,theroutefortherungoesuptheworldcupdownhillcourse,forcingrunnerstoclamberoverrockyobstaclesandthesteepwoodenjumps&dropsintendedformountainbikersheadingintheoppositedirec.on.

Fourfi[hsoftheuphillteam.(L-R)Adam,Fabian,Chloe,Ed,attheNevisRangeskicentreat10amonNewYear’sDay.

Thinkingback,thecluewasinthename-AonachMorUPHILLRace.Ihadclearlyoverlookedthiskeyword.HowhadIbeensostupid?ApproachingtheNevisRangeonaNewYear’smorning,wearingshortsandat-shirt,Ifeltthoroughlyill-prepared.“Youaren’trunninginthoseclothesareyouFabian?,”Edhelpfullyasked.Everyoneelsehadfull-lengthleggingsortracksuitbohomson,andfancylight-weightrunningjackets.Theinstruc.onsprovidedontheeventwebsitewerewriheninsomestrangelanguage,thatIimagineiswellunderstoodbythetargetaudience:hardenedfellrunners,andlycrafe.shists.Theeventsmall‑printsuggested“FullBodyCoverMustBeCarriedorWorn”whateverthatmeant.IpresumedthatitmeantIshouldtakeafullpack,containingachangeofclothes,addingaheavypacktomygrowinglistofconcerns.Althoughthisseemedalihleexcessive,whenIbadgeredJulesforguidanceshewouldimpa.entlybarkangrymonosyllabicanswerstomyincreasinglydesperateques.ons.Shewasclearlyinimpa.entarmyofficermode.WhatexactlyhadIsignedupfor!!?Wecollectedourracenumbersandapproachedthestar.ngareawherehardyfell-runningtypesweregathering,including:•  Anunderdressedman(giventheicycondi.ons)

wearingveryshortshorts,avesttop,withashavenheadand3[beard.

•  Amanwith“HardWork”tahooedacrossbothofhislegs.

•  Morebum-bagsthanIhadeverseenbefore.Chloeahemptedtoreassuremebypoin.ngatoneoftheotherrunners,“Shelooksslow,Ithinkwecanbeather!”shesaid,perhapsalihletooloudly.Theracestartedandthepackofrunnerssetoffaroundcoupleofgentleswitchbacks.Howevertheterrainsoonsteepenedun.litwassimplytoosteepandroughtorun.Atthispointtheracebecameaqueueofsolemnlookingpeopleinlycramarchinguphillinsilence.IsoonlostsightofEd,Julie,andAdamwhowereatthecompe..ve“Ateam”endoftheMercianScale.Iwaslessambi.ous–itwasobviousthatIriskedbeingovertakenbytheen.refield-allIwantedtodowasavoidtheshameoflastplaceintherace!IlookedbackandspohedChloeacoupleofturnsbelowme,butsheappearedtobecatchingup.Ihadtopresson.Fortherestoftherace,allIdidwastrytopushmyselfhardenoughtokeeptheasthma.coctogenarianchapbehindmeoffmyheels.Itturnsoutthatthatwasactuallypainfulenough!IdointendonreturningtotheNevisRangecentre,torepeatthecourse.Howevernext.meIwilltakethegondolauphill,andtakemybikebackdown.Althoughthisissomewhatunimagina.ve,Ibelieveitwashowthecoursewas(correctlyinmyview)intendedtobeused!*Yous.llneedtoeatthatcandleJules.

Figure1:TheRaceRoute(Lookatallthoses*ddingcontourlines!)

PosiTon Time Mercian Raceachievement

47 31:20 EdShaw QuickestMercian

78 35:01 AdamButler

BeatJulie

80 35:21 JulieTaylor

DeprivedeveryoneofaniceNewYear’sDaylie-in

115 44:08 FabianMoore

Survived

119 48:21 ChloeRussell

Wasn’tlastandmanagedtoblagextrasoup

Table1:TheRaceResults

Adam(I’mnotsmug)Butlerlookingmightypleasedwithhimself

FFThesummitteam(ifwecancallthemthat)lookingpleasedtoemergefromtheirordeal.(L-R)Fabian,Julie,Chloe,Ed,Adam.Welldoneguys,yousmashedit.

YouprobablyalreadyknowthatNormanWright,oneoftheclub’sfoundermemberswhopassedawayin2015le[theclubagenerousdona.oninhiswill.Norman’ssolicitorshavenowsentVijayachequefor£1,317.79.Thecommiheeintendtousealumpofthisgi[tocommemoratetheclub’s60thbirthdayonSaturday22ndofJuly2017-putthedateinyourdiary,we’llbepugngonfood,somedrinkandaceilidhandwe’llbeannouncingtheresultsoftheChairman’sChallenge.WearesureNormanwouldhavelovedtheidea.

The 2017

CHAIRMAN’S CHALLENGE

to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Mercian Mountaineering Club

climbingClimbsomethinginfancydress 10 Ilookedridiculousonthewayup:

Makeapredawn‘Alpine’start 10 Igotupatthecrackofdawnto:

Climbaroutewhosefirstascentwasmadein1957

10

IwasfollowedinthefootstepsofourancestorswhenIclimbed:

Climb20differentroutesatthewallinasinglesession

10

Igottotallypumpedon(date/wall):

Leadarouteaboveyourgrade 10 Iwasatotalbosson(route/crag/grade(orwall)):

Secondarouteaboveyourgrade

10

Isweatedbloodandnearlypulledmybelayerfromtheirperchwhilstclimbing(route/crag/grade(orwall)):

ClimbaroutefromClassicRockorHardRock

10

Ikickedasstoday,andsent(route/Grade):

Spendhalfadaybouldering 10 It’snotallbeaniesandtea!Isawhowtheotherhalfreallyliveat(venue/date)

meetsAhendameet 5 Ihadasplendid.meat(listmeets):

Cookamealonameet 10 Iwhippedupafeastof:

Dothemorningtearun 1 IgotonemeaslypointforeachcupIservedtotheirbedsides(hut/no.cups):

TravellingtoameetwithadifferentMercian(2pteach)Ienjoyedthecompanyof(names):

Bethedesignateddriverbackfromthepub

10

Iwasaltruis.cat(pub/passengers):

20

10

2 10

karma

Yourgoalistocollectandlogasmanypointspossiblebetweenthe3rdofJanuaryandthesummerpartyon22ndofJuly,whereyoucansubmityourformtodemonstrateyourawesomenessandperhapsevenbecrownedthewinner.

Thereisno“I”inteam,butthereare5in“individualbrilliance”(TomMorris,2010)

Challengesneedtobecompletedindividuallyexceptcooking,whereyoucansplitthepointswithanothermember.Thewhitenumbershowsthepointsyougetforcomple.ngachallenge.Dosomethingonceandbagthepoints.Yellownumbersdenoteamaximum,whereyoucanrepeatsomethingmorethanonce.Fillinthegreyleher-boxeswithdetailsofyourcompletedchallengesandthenworkoutyoursubtotals,andthenyourgrandtotal.

Pitchsomebodyelse’stent(aswellasyourown)

5

Ididagooddeedfor(name/sizeoftent):

Learnanewskillandteachittoanother

5

Itaughtalessonin(skill/pupil):

Providehomemadecakeorsnacksatthewallormeet

10

Ilabouredinthekitchentoproduceabatchof(food/diners/venue):

Carryabagofrubbish(notyourown)outofacragorwalk

10

Iwipedthenoseof(crag/hill/date):

Helpanewbie 5 IgavesomethingbackwhenI(date/newbie/gesture):

Taketherubbishorrecyclingawayfromahutmeet

10

Iloadedmycarwitheveryoneelse’semptyalcoholreceptacleson(meet):

selfiesTeashopselfie 10 Ishotmyselftoday(teashop/date):

Gearshopselfie 10 ThestafflookedatmelikeIwasaflippin’luna.c(shop/town/date):

SUBTOTAL=

SUBTOTAL=

SUBTOTAL=

SUBTOTAL=

walkingWalk10milesormoreinaday 10 Iblazedatrailup/near/around(hill):

Bag4Wainwright’sinaday 10 Iwasknackereda[erthesecondsummit,butdugdeepandprevailedthedayIbagged(Wainwright’sx4):

BagaMunro 10 NowIunderstandwhythereisn’tachallengetobag4Munro’sinaday.Ittookmealldayjusttogettothetopof:

NailaWelsh3,000footsummit 10 IrefusedtodoElidirFawrasitistheWorld’sworsthill,soinsteadIplumpedforanascentof:

Doagradedscramble 10 ImovedquicklyandefficientlyoverrockthedayIscrambledup(route):

Recommendacampsite/pub/crag(orhill)comboformeet

10

Iemailedthecommiheeaboutanundiscoveredgem,shhhh,don’ttellanyone,it’s…

promo.onsWriteanar.clefortheFaffandsubmitittoStew

5

Iputpentopaperandwroteabout(meet/route/day-hit/social):

Gettheclubpublicisedinprinted,audioordigitalmedia

10

Igotusashoutoutin/on(media/date):

Postaphotoofyourselfinac.onwearingclubmerchandiseIthrewsomeshapesinmyhoodieandpostedtheshotonsocialmedia:

Provideasketchtothepromo.onssecretaryforthe2018merchandiserunIlearnedloadsfromwatchingNeilBuchannan’sArtAhackonITV,soIgotmypencilcaseoutanddrewapictureof:

Recreateaphotofromaguidebook

10

Igotsomeonetopapmeon:

5

10

grandtotal

Notesondaisy-chains

One of the most efficient ways to rack up lots of points is to complete challenges simultaneously. Here’s an example. Go on a meet to North Wales, climb Grooved Arete, top out at Adam and Eve on the summit of Tryfan. You’d bag 25 points in total because you went on a meet (5 points), climbed a route from Classic Rock (10 points), and also bagged a Welsh 3,000 foot summit. You could daisy chain even more points in. Were you to descend Tryfan by the North Ridge you could argue that you down-scrambled a route for a further 10 points. Were you to belay a newbie up behind you you’d get 10 karma points. Were you to get up before day-break to avoid queues on the route you’d also get 10 points for an Alpine start (though your fellow Mercians would thank you for not daisy chaining in the morning tea run too).

Iscored:

outofapossible305points

SUBTOTAL=

SUBTOTAL=

Notesonphotos

Where you see the camera icon you must submit photographic evidence by one of the following (in this order of preference): 1. Posting the photo on the Mercian (not your own) Facebook page. 2. Tweeting the photo and including @MercianMC 3. Emailing the photo to the chairman

HIKE|BIKE|CLIMB