In Need of New Arms

I need new arms! Two complete sets with fingers, forearms and shoulders! Preferably a right one and a left one and I’m willing to pay extra for some extra muscles. The longer the better.  No problem if they’re hairy, with today’s modern technology I can easily solve that problem.  I’ve completely demolished mine this week. (Now as I look at what I’ve just described, I probably need the arms of a chimp!)

Mistake #1

I went to Amsterdam for a meeting. On Wednesday I had some free time between the end of the meeting and my flight. There was a climbing wall just 10 minutes from my hotel (right in the city centre).

How could I have resisted the temptation?! I simply had to go. It was worth it, a really great place with lots of routes and some very interesting holds I’ve never seen before. Very much like real rock. Result: pumped forearms, numb fingers and aching bicepses. I could hardly hold the fork when I had my well deserved cake!

 

Mistake #2

The next day I let myself be convinced by my daughter that I needed more exercise at the local climbing wall. Result: same as Wednesday. Needless to say, I went on Friday as well with a friend. He needed a partner, so what could I do? A friend is a friend, even if she must sacrifice her arms.

 

Mistake#3

Saturday was the day to do the real thing! Our team organised a visit to one of Hungary’s best climbing venues. I obviously had no idea where I was going to as I foolishly thought it couldn’t be tough on my arms. After all, the grades I can climb are not that demanding on the muscles.

 

 

It was an old limestone quarry with perfect rock quality. The routes are short but really hard (for me and my poor worn-out arms.) The above route is lead by Zoli, one of my clubmates. I don’t know how but I was convinced that I should try it top-rope. As my first climb that day. 5c… I never did anything this difficult in my entire life. Good for warm-up.

Result: like all the above, doubled! Needless to say, I could only do one more route and that was it for me. But the place is great, a must re-visit by all means!