Trip to Spain III

Stefan and me spent some more weeks in Margalef. Last week I sent Devora cordes (8a) at Laboratori sector. It`s  a nice line through pockets and cracks, with a bouldery crux at the last part of the route and after that you have to mantle up to the anchor, which is very funny cause it´s like bouldering in Fontainebleau and also a very challenging move when you’re pumped. I think this is the last route at Laboratori sector for me because it´s a sunny sector and now it’s getting very warm here in Margalef.

Even in the shade it´s sometimes too hot for climbing but despite the high temperatures I sent the very beautiful line called Esaú (8a+) at Cova Soleiada sector (pictures). It´s 30 meters long and a very logical line through a crack with a big variety of tufas. It took me a lot of work to find the best way through the big supply of holds but finally I sent it with very sweaty fingers, due to high temperatures about 35 degrees. My endurance is getting better and I´m trying to climb longer routes now, after spending a lot of time bouldering at Laboratori sector and it´s really fun to climb a different style now.

We enjoyed our last days of climbing, since we are heading to Portugal to meet my brother and friends and spend some time surfing. I´m looking forward to take a break  from climbing because I think after climbing intensively for the last month my body and mind need some more restdays to stay healthy and motivated.

We spent our last days in Margalef at a parking at the other side of the river, where they are building a campsite now. So free camping won´t be possible at this parking in the future and at the popular free parking at the dam (Pantà de Margalef) it is the same. I see that establishing sanitary systems is necessary due to the number of climbers in this area but I hope, that it won´t change the atmosphere too much and that it will still be possible to sleep in vans outside the campsites. For more information see the FB Profile of the campsites.

We met a very nice German couple; they travelled to Asia with their old-timer van the last month, which I find very impressive and maybe interesting for my readers too, so check out their blog: Travel-n-roll.de