Day 48: The Riverside Boulders
Dragonfly Traverse 7a+ at the Riverside Boulders
Today’s bouldering day was at the Riverside Boulders. Again, amazing boulders in an amazing setting. I’d seen in a video that Riverside holds the ultimate classic, Dragonfly Traverse, 7a+. Beautiful red standstone slopers, next to a little waterfall and pool. I was determined to seek this out as my own little project. I spotted the line first as we hiked up the approach. And even from 100 feet away, I could tell it was an aesthetic classic.
After a few easy warm-ups, we were so excited that we got right to business and laced up for Dragonfly. Immediately upon trying the first move, I knew that this 7a+ wasn’t going to go down easily. Paul ticked his send after a few go’s (with the comment that it felt a hell of a lot harder than 7a+) and then started working and eventually sent the direct line up the wall, Metamorphosis, 7b+. Me, on the other hand, was hardly able to link more than 2 moves in a row, with one move being a total stopper that I wasn’t even close to hitting. Perhaps it’s my lack of sloper strength after all that Hueco climbing, (oh no!). Immediately, I got discouraged, worried that 2 months wasn’t going to be long enough to complete such a perfect line as this. After working it for a bit, I decided to come back in a week (hopefully stronger) to gauge then, whether or not I have a shot at possibly sending.
And in the meantime, I will no doubt find a handful of other dreamily aesthetic lines. 🙂
No Name 4 at the Riverside Boulders
Dragonfly Traverse 7a+ at the Riverside Boulders
Dragonfly Traverse 7a+ at the Riverside Boulders
posted by arr
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on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 6:43 am and is filed under Bouldering, Rocklands-South Africa.
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