30 December in the morning, Paul and Cameron arrived at my house. I was so excited to go to RockLands that I picked up all my stuff of bouldering and Highling of course!!!
ROCKLANDS:
We put all this stuff in the back of the car together me and went to ROCKLANDS!!! Usually, from Cape Town to RockLands is just 2 hours, we spent a little bit more, because we stopped to ate something on the way.
On the way:
During the travel, I'd been looking for all sides, I’d want to record that view in my memory for all my life!!! After the City of Clanwilliam, “the paradise of rocks” had been appearing front of my eyes, a lot of “orange” rocks and with many kinds of shapes, amazing landscape I never forget!!!
Are we in RockLands Paul?:
Arriving in the camping “De Parkhuis”, we went straight to the dam, because the temperature at this moment was between 30º - 40º.
Dam:
After that, Paul and Cameron introduced me at the Haki (I don't know how write this, please someone help me). In this game, do you have to kick a ball made by towel with beans inside, for a other person and you have to try keep this ball in the air, very funny game!!!
Haki:
Finished the warm up, is time to climbing and to start, we went to climb on a boulder that stay in the camping. I tried the line "Campground 7b - 7a+", in my second try I sent It, I felt very good and more motivated to climb more and more!!!
"Campground 7b":
At this moment, more 2 friends arrived, Gareth and Amber, a super nice couple!!!
Amber and Gareth:
Amber's photo
So, we went to climb in the sunset at sector “Plateau”, for me the sunset is the most beautiful moment in RockLands. Because, the orange color of blocks is so intense and the temperature change being more agreeable to climb.
Going to Plateau:
After climb a lot on boulders, we stopped at a good problem, called “Esoterrorist – 7a+”, we spent a lot of time to discover the moviments, this was really nice moment, when we were trying together and in each try, someone find something new, finally Gareth discovered the last beta and I sent it, Thanks Gareth!
To finish this first night, we went to the caravan, where Gareth and Amber were accommodates, to make a braai. We ate a lot and after just rest to the next day!!!
The Caravan:
The Day after, I woke up early morning, first that everybody and went to walk on the rocks, looking for a place to open a highline...
After of had hiked up for 30min, I arrived on the top of sector “Fields of Joy”, front of me a perfect gap with approximately 10m length and 20m height, my eyes brightened this moment, I hadn’t equipment to drill the rock and put the protection, so, I took many slings to use on the tips of rocks as protection, for my lucky, I found the points to set up the line and went back to the camping.
The Gap:
From the camping to the waterfall, relax time at the waterfall before the classic climbing at the sunset. I took my slackline and set it up on a place a little bit scared, with 20m lenght and 7m height, it was AMAZING!!!
Lazy time at Waterfall:
Capoeira:
Slackline at Waterfall:
Time to climb and we went to the sector “Campground”. First we tried some hard boulders but the power definitely didn’t was with us and we changed for another one easier. But to send it, I had tried a lot wearing my shoes, I removed it and sent the boulder "Pocket Power - 7a", because there is a hole to put the toe hook, wearing shoes was difficult to go up from the ground and when I put out my shoes, was easy to put my toe hook in the hole, I really like this time, when the climbing put myself to think, NICE!!!
The night was with us now, and the New Year (2012) was coming, but before that we had a lot of time and I decided to try another line on the same block. The boulder “Lord Gruystoke – 7B” there is just 1 movement, DYNOoooo!!! After some tries and with good vibes of my friends I sent this awesome boulder a few hours before 2012, Ihuuuuuuu...
To finish our climbing, we went to try another dyno, after some tries Cameron sent it, Gareth and I had tried a lot, but unfortunately us didn’t send, was just 30 min before the New Year and we went to the caravan.
Gareth trying the last Dyno of 2011:
At the caravan, we just cooked some good meat to eat with bread and enjoyed the change of year with good people, no noise or big party, just a relax welcome new year!!!
To wash the soul of 2011, we went at the next day to swim in the dam, at this moment 2 friends arrived with hungry of rock, so after dam...CLIMBING!!!
Dam, hehehehe:
Warm up:
Again, we went to the “Plateau”, this day I was thinking to rest, my skin was enought, but is impossible rest in RockLands, when we got at boulders, I can’t just look and started to warm up on easies boulders, after that I saw a really good line and resolved to try, I spent a lot of time and nothing of sent, so I let it for when we go back to the camping.
So, what would be our target now? The boulder “Hole in one – 8a” that have a HUGE DYNO, before that we had climbed a lot on many boulders, but this boulder is AWESOME, of course! Cameron with yours 1,80m was who most close got of to send this boulder, but it is very difficult, anybody sent but we had funny moments “Beliving that we could fly” hehehehehe...
Cameron Flying, next time my friend, too close!!!
When we were going back camping I stopped again at the boulder “Modell Robber – 7A” that I was tring before and after my first try this moment I felt really good and I got to pass the crux but I was stupied at the next move and fall, before the next try, I isoled the easy last move, I tried again and done, I felt a mix of sensation on the top this boulder, I didn’t know why, it wasn’t the most difficult, perhaps was the first Day of 2012...We finished this day at the caravan!!!
Crazy moment:
HighLine Day (02/01/2012):
My house all this days in RockLands was in the Paul’s car, I had had a beautiful view every morning, but at the last day I woke up early to watch the beautiful sunrise with the dog from the camping, and after that, I started to make plans about the HighLine...Breakfast with everybody and after of divide the highline stuff, we hiked up to the top of “Fields of Joy”...
Two dogs from the camping were with us, and was very funny to watch both climbing up on the path!!!
Going to open The RockLands HighLine:
First I would like to thank Cameron and Darryn for help me to open this line and Paul for the good vibe, heheheheh!!!
We spent few hours to set up this HighLine, that was a little bit scared, because all fixed point are on tip of rocks (natural protection = no boults), but I used a top of a sport route near to put one more back up. Finally, just pull the line and float in the air!!!
This Highline (L=10m/H=20m) was amazing and easy, because under the line of one of sides there are 3m of rock close to the line, I enjoyed this highline, but I’d want to feel the real freedom that HighLine could purpose for me...
Darryn trying:
Cameron in his best try, he got close to the other side, well done for the first HIGHLINE my friend!!!
Free Solo HighLine:
I started to feel the real freedom on the HighLine, I had just 7m to feel this amazing explosion of feeling, but in my mind it lasted much more, when I got safe on the other side I yelled to put out all this feeling.
After that, I had been thinking about, why I put my life so close to the death, the question for it is, that sometimes, do you have to go close to death to this give you more intensity of life!!!
I crossed just one way free solo, because it was my first and the lucky stay with me sometimes, not every moment!!!
Free Solo HighLine
Thanks RockLands, thanks everybody, the life is good!!!
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