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I've had to be a little flexible with the pre-placed gear rule. When climbing in a group and someone has lead a sports climb then pulled the rope but left the draws on (while I've been busy on something else),it is easier and quicker for everyone for me to lead using the draws already there.

Jan 31 was Day of the Wasp. There were wasp nests present on climbs from one end of the crag to the other, and a number of us (including myself)were stung. Gave me a good reason to abort on my last attempted climb 'Superslab' (21)- not my idea of fun to start with (never had much joy from this climb) but the wasps finished me off.

Getting up at 5 am on a Sunday is rude, but it was worth it to beat the heat and visit Shark Rock in Darlington. A funky collection of granite boulders in someone's backyard! Our quietly unruly rabble were about 100 metres from the back door. A certain member of the group was hoping for a glimpse of female nakedness from the occupants...

Sunday at Willyabrup Sea Cliffs was a lesson in how not to use a cam, and the consequences. I used a no.2 WC cam leading on Banana Split, knowing 0.3 of a second after I put it in it was over-cammed, but decided to save my energy by not attempting to remove it right then. My long-suffering second Blair valiantly tried to remove it- in the end I had to downclimb and eventually I coaxed it back out. Lost a stupid amount of time and energy. A lesson well learned.

Did a trip to West Cape Howe with Dave,with the intention of doing a selection of yummy multipitch climbs- instead got a rope stuck, walked out in the dark and took a wrong turn and had to retrace our steps (2 hours later got to the car), had to go back in the next day because we'd stashed most of our gear in the bushes at the Cape, nearly stepped on a snake on the way in (yes we walked in/out!!!), set up a toprope off route which prompted us to go 'stuff this, let's go home', scabbed a ride back to the car park with total strangers and nearly saw a car topple over mid-track. Our arses were so sore! Despite everything, it was an adventure and no real damage was done.When we came back early the second day we had coffee and cake in Albany and were treated to a tour drive of the sites of the Albany town and surrounds. Fortunately we had the luxury of a house with glorious beds, a hot shower and great company for accomodation, instead of the usual tent and crappy hard camp mats and character building exposure to the elements.
The third day we piked completely from WCH and went to the Gap/Natural Bridge area instead. No poxy hour-long walk ins on sandy tracks. Nice fun,short climbs. We focussed on the crack climbs, given Dave is a crack fiend and I have little experience in crack climbing and thought it would be different and fun, and it was!

Headed out stupidly early on a humid Saturday morning to Stathams with Kylie. We started on Child's Play (14) but it had a nest of wasps on it, so we piked and went to Hipster Crack for our first climb. Churned away until about noon, when Toby showed up and blazed an impressive lead trail on Plain Brown Wrapper- a committing climb at the grade, made vaguely approachable by Phil's recent placement of a bolt where it becomes disturbingly featureless for pro. Had lunch, then we jumped on Strider. I was tired and grumpy by this stage so I didn't finish the lead. A climb for another day to add to the list.
The ants were on the warpath at the slab area, swarming all over the quickdraw and the rope to the point we had to scarper away and leave the draw and screwgates at the top behind. Only Kyles got to climb it. After a 5 minute respite well away from the slab (one of Phil's new climbs) I went back and ran with the rope bag, with my rope trailing behind, to ditch the masses of big black biting ants. We did go back after climbing Twenty Easy Steps to reclaim Kyles's gear; me frantically leading and then cleaning the climb as the ants came streaming back along the rock and the rope.
Churchmans on Sunday was a pleasant if slightly sweaty afternoon with Paul. No wasps or ants, only a looming gigantic march fly. Something was bouncing about in the bush but it didn't show itself. Remi and Delphine showed up as we were finishing. We skipped off to the Elizabethan Pub for vital liquid replenishment and glorious hot chips.

Caught up with Megs at Wungong Slabs for a cruisy fun few hours before it became too hot. Ashley (not Megs' Ash)briefly dropped by. The friction was pretty damn good up to the last climb, when the gathering heat started to lessen our shoe rubber's grippiness. Like my wobbly lead head needs any help! Having said that, I did a reasonable job leading Crossroads.

Churchman's Brook on a Sunday is always a sociable affair. Paul and I went there and met up with Kylie, Kelly, Ildiko, Phil, Peter, Jesse, Richard and others. I started with Pink Knickers with Paul, then shamelessly snaffled Peter when he rocked up minus a partner. Paul wanted to climb a climb I'd already done but fortunately Kyles and Kel were doing that one, so he joined them and I ripped through a handful of climbs with Pete.
Peter is an excellent and efficient climber who was happy to do volume and not just high grades for a change. His lead on Bodgy Dolts was bloody impressive- this is a serious, tricky climb and demanding enough on toprope/second. I popped off a couple of times and had my arse whipped on second.
We also were entertained by my lead on Super Nova Connection using Pete's gear. Unfamiliar gear and leading equals a few terse moments rifling through the rack and mentally cursing the owner for not being a paranoid gear-hording freak like myself. (The difference between a good climber who sometimes struggles with gear placement, and and an exceptional climber who can climb scary stuff with 4 old cams, an eclectic handful of nuts and quickdraws and one fuzzed up sling).
We all climbed until sunset then roared off into it to the Narrogin Inn for much-needed beer and grub.

I climbed from dawn til dusk today, starting at Wungong Slabs at 7.30 - 8 with Remi and Mario (and later Blair and Jolene)then Mountain Quarry in Boya with a merry assortment of fellow rockophiles.
Apart from dickhead trailbike riders murdering the serenity, Wungong was yet again lovely. Great friction and enough to keep you occupied until lunch. A few feral giant bullants were out and about (called meat ants in Byford), chomping on the belayers from time to time. Apparently Remi was particularly tasty. Blair in his funky wide brimmed hat excelled on Crossroads. Mario showed lightening reflexes when Jolene dropped a carabiner and it came bouncing down the rock. He caught it mid-climb with ease. We climbing until noon when it became too hot and we were hungry. Remi and Mario left in their cars for lunch and icecream. Blair went home for a nap before night shift. Jolene just went. I poodled off home on my bike and managed to ride throught a crop of double gees. I left the worst ones in until I got home. Six climbs at Wungong.
Remi, Mario and myself met up at Mountain Q at about 2.30pm. It was suprising cool and not too busy (rumours of a group of FESA people doing training). Mario and Remi went off to do Crazy Horse, I scored Ashley (one of another group there) to belay me on Penthouse. I later got to climb Crazy Horse on toprope after Remi's second attempt at leading it. Remi's climbs only count if he leads them, without falling or resting. Talk about having big balls! I finished the day following Phil on Ace. We topped out in twilight. Seven climbs at Mountain Q, 13 for the whole day!

Finished my 100th climb at a site north of Merriden, a suprisingly good collection of suprisingly big boulders in the middle of very unsuprising flat wheatbelt country.
The flies were out in force. So was the sun the first day (Friday). Kyles started on what we thought was a 10, but instead was a stiff trad 14 called Jaundice. It that was you get when you peel off the unexpectedly off-balanced bulge and land on your liver? I had fun on the the chimney climb, Kyles didn't. Wishbone was enjoyed by both. Capachow seemed to have even less of a toe hold and even more bite than I remember. Levitation was my 100th, and a lovely clean ascent it was.
Kyles and I did have a little company from Nathan and Amanda both days. Nathan decked out on Capachow after a nut popped when he fell. He also bounced about a bit on Ithica (21)the following day but he did complete it. We all enjoyed that night's light display from the electrical storms in the distance over Kalgoorlie/Kambalda way. Kyles and I had a sweet fire going as we drank and ate at our leisure well into the night. I brought a wine called Middle of Nowhere, with a 'you are here' dot on the cap.
The next day was much cooler, and bloody windy on top of the rock. Ross and Dena showed up as Kyles and I were phaffing about setting up another set of anchors. I had just lead the 18 between 'You Don't Know Jack' and 'Sparrow' (can't remember its name, has ginormous ring bolts on it though), thinking it was one of the 17s. We decided to toprope Sparrow after deciding it looked a bit too blank and scary between the 2nd and 3rd bolts. In reality that part was okay, it was the section after that up to the 4th bolt that was pretty gnarly for a 17. We stopped for lunch, then decided to just stop.
Headed back to Merriden for another lame coffee (Weekend of the Shithouse Coffee?)then off towards home. We detoured slightly into Northam, where Constable Kodak took Kyles' picture, so I could try third time lucky that weekend for a decent coffee at evil-golden arches-and-freaky-clown place. Another excellent trip with K.
I finished, wooooohoooo! A big thanks to all the climbers who have helped me along the way- belaying,seconding, letting me jump on their climbs and sharing their ropes/anchors, putting up with my no repeats rule etc etc. Hardly a solo effort.