Sideways Daze, 8B by J.B. Jourjon

Sideways Daze (8B) told by Jean-Baptiste Jourjon

Story by Laurent Zoutte. Translation French to English by Marie Sunde.

Dave Graham made the first ascent when I worked it. Without finishing I twisted my ankle on it, and less than three weeks later, while I was still on crutches, he made the first ascent.

This Rempart boulder problem was in everybody's eyesight, tried by some, never done yet because difficult, and maybe because the line didn't please those liable to link it. However I find this problem very beautiful both esthetically and on the gestural level. Only two moves from a standing start, to an elevated grade even if it's almost become common these days.

I thought it couldn't be done anymore, as a hold had supposedly broken (THE hold, actually, because there's the starting hold, the famous ledge, and then the summit). But as it wasn't within my reach for a certain period anyway, I didn't bother checking if the rumours were true or not.

And then I got to return. By curiosity, and because I felt fit. I saw the hold in question had only come off a bit, that it didn't change anything neither for the better nor the worse to the difficulty. I also saw I wasn't as fit as that...

Still later, on my way back from Albarracin, I set my fingers there again, as I do at least once a year, like a pilgrimage. And for the first time since 2001, I succeeded repeating the second move. And so for four weekends in a row, I kept going. The right hand hold, without being a razor, quickly wears your skin. And so I could only try it the saturdays, and after a couple of tries it was useless because the first move didn't go anymore.

Fifteen days later, I'm there again. My skin still isn't top, there's also the fatigue from a week of work, but I try anyway. I get anxious on the second move, too afraid of zipping by hand or foot, of tearing away more skin or of hurting myself falling despite the spotting. Doubt installs itself. Even when I land exactly on the ledge, it's impossible to predict the success of the second move. And finally it passes. A story that would have lasted seven years...