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Arapiles classics 20 years on in disrepair 5-Apr-2014 At 1:02:46 PM Asagaai

Message

Hey good Dr.

Yes-slowly getting back to it, an 8 metre fall at the top of Thaiwand wall in Thailand when the only bolt between me and the belayer snapped when I sat on it scoping for the next bolt, slowed me up with crush fractures to T 11 and T12 vertebra. Wayne dragged me up Los Endos and Second Coming-Los Endos in the rain and I bitched at him all the way up.

1. Yes- must agree Wayne and my bolting back in the day was crap. We were poor uni students, used a hand drill with hammer- and the Arap rock was so hard. I got literally bloody hands putting in the top bolt on blast off- remember cursing and cursing the marble rock. I should take some time, get a bolt gun and re-do all the manky crap I put in.

2. Yes- I was responsible for the epoxy on brotherly love - a flake broke off on the start and I tried to epoxy it back on- did not work- left a araldite smear- which I regret. I was a poor uni student and wasted a lot of my Austudy allowance on that goo- tried to avoid wasting my Austudy again.... Now just has a hard finger pull off the ground without the flake and sans using a rock pedestal for aid. I still maintain the flake on Los Endos could be bolted in very neatly with 2 bolts and washers/nuts- it is a real safety issue in terms of hitting someone/cutting ropes etc.

3. Strangers Eliminate- I led that route a few times, the gear on the mantle would have held more likely than not (I always managed to get a couple of wires in) . If the rp below your feet rips (is small) and you rely on cam- will be a close call with deck. I still think it needs a bolt -placed some feet below mantle-to allow other younger climbers to test it safely and have the buzz safely. Perhaps if I do replace the old manky bolts on my routes I may place a carrot (not a ring bolt) on Strangers Eliminate a few feet below the mantle- and use proper grout, and I will be at peace knowing that fresh green climbers can have the buzz, on the basis that the climb provides "equivalent" protection as it did when it was in it's original form.

I will ethically be at peace with myself- will be up to others to chop it and be ethically at peace with their chopping.

Cheers

Gavin