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| The swimming hole in front of the campground at La Ola |
My job at the University gives me roughly six weeks of summer vacation. I suppose this sounds ridiculously long to some people. So how come my summer vacation always seems so short? For the past 16 years summer plans have involved heading to Córdoba for Christmas.with the Cendoyas. This year would be no different, except that Gaby was planning to have shoulder surgery on the 27th of December in the city of Córdoba. Apparently her injury was a bicep tendon tear at the shoulder. Because this had been bothering her for an entire year as well as completely impairing her climbing ability, we had been consideing the possibilty of surgery for some time. Then it turned out that one of Gaby's nephews, Martín, after a similar injury playing Rugby, had had surgery with a doctor in Córdoba. Since the surgery had worked out well for Martín, Gaby decided to try the same operation with the same doctor. But this would mean Gaby's arm would have to be immobilized for weeks, Not only would she be unable to belay me, she would also be unable to drive, so if I wanted to climb in Córdoba, I would need another partner. Luckily, one of the local kids from Balcarce, Juan "Jam Ming" Aleto, agreed to climb with me for a couple of weeks.
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| Juan kept us hydrated between climbs with many mates |
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| Juan and Ceci looking happy after a big storm |
We ended up climbing in the area known as La Ola, named after the 100 foot high, wave-shaped climbing wall the rises up next to the highway. This area makes an excellent summer climbing destintation, offering several hundred routes ranging from easy 5th class to hard 5.13 and reasonably conducive summer climbing weather. Although La Ola proper is right alongside the road, there are also a variety of other small crags, situated in more remote settings, that allow for some respite from the constant dim of cars.
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| Cecilia sends 5.9 on toprope at a small crag by a pond in La Ola |
We spent a total of 11 nights camped in La Ola. First Juan and I went for four nights, alone. After that, we returned to Villa del Dique, where Gaby was staying with her parents, so that I could drive her to a post-op doctor's appointment in Córdoba. Then we returned to La Ola for three nights, accompanied by my daughter Cecilia. In our last four night stay-over, Juan and I were met for one night by Gaby, her brother Dionisio, his wife, their three kids and Cecilia for a full day of family climbing.
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| The camping area in La Ola |
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| Cecilia and Dionisio's kids on family climbing day |
All and all I climbed 37 different routes (not counting repeats), flashing or red-pointing 35 of these This counts as a significant improvement over my performance in Capilla del Monte in July and it's clear that 10 and-a-half months post-op is what mede the difference. Here's the direct comparison:
Capilla de Monte - 5 months post-op - 6 days climbing.
Total number of routes climbed: 15 (3 were topropes) . Total number of routes flashed or redpointed: 10. Most difficult redpoint 10b. Most difficult flash: two 5.9 trad routes.
Number of routes 5.10a or harder, successfully climbed (including topropes): 4.
La Ola - 10.5 months post-op - 10 days climbing
Total number of routes climbed: 37 (no topropes). Total number of routes flashed or redpointed: 35.
Most difficult redpoint: 5.11a (2 of them). Most difficult flash: several 5.10c/d routes.
Number of routes 5.10a or harder, succesfully climbed: 12
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| Chalking up on a 5.9 route |
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| In spite of several attempts, I could not redpoint this bouldery 5.11 |
The first afternoon we arrived with Cecilia. we climbed all the routes in La Escuela.
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| Ceci climbing in La Escuela |
The second day with Ceci there was a big storm, and we only climbed one route (a repeat).
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| Getting out of the tent after the big storm. |
On the third day with Ceci, I managed to redpoint my first ot two 11a's, although I didn't get a photo.
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| Ceci toproping a windy 5.8 slab, on her third day climbing with us. |
