Too old to be told.

Yesterday Mark McGowan completed his goal of climbing 8a again in 180 days - the appropriately named Sufferance at Dumbarton. Congratulations to Mark, who I've never met, yet who gives fellow 'mature' climbers an incentive to set goals and work towards them.
The crags seem alive with the old skool this year, far out-weighing the next generation in my eyes. Maybe the new-youth prefer the walls, indoor training and the comps, or maybe my vision is skewed as well-weathered yet familiar faces from the 90's stand out more than the amorphousness of todays.

Seb Grieve on K3 (8a+) Cheedale. From High mountain sports, Nov 1994.

I drove out of Hathersage away from Outside and towards Wormhill and the route down to the Cornice. Ron was running along the road towards the town, bare-topped in the sun, with shorts looking a size too small. I hoped this would prove a good sign for my climbing today. I was meeting Jon at the crag, the second meeting this year and probably only the third in 5. We climbed together loads as old-youth, and those memories will always be precious, and fresh, since my climbing diaries won't let me forget those days dossing, hitching and climbing despite my age.
I'd climbed K3 with Jon on the Thursday, and had worked R'n'P too - todays goal for a redpoint. I walked past Adam and Nige on the Ogre across the river, and turned the corner to a busy Cornice. Seb was there, underneath K3, belaying Simon - 16 years on, the same route, and similar banter. I chatted with other old friends, long time no-see since my move to Leeds. Nik Kidd, Si Jones, Robin Barker. This is great, I'm going to have a good day I thought as I waited for Jon to arrive. The conditions were poor though. Martial music didn't feel easy as a warm-up and the crux sloper on R'n'P is oozing black. Nontheless by 4 o'clock I've ticked R'n'P, my 2nd 8a+, and both in a week. I'm contented in feeling I've moved up a level, and still have more to give.
I know it's only sport climbing, yet I'm doing some stunning climbs and I'm really enjoying the physical and mental challenges - These are routes I'd have gawped in awe at in the early 90's - maybe a long break was needed. 4 down 8 to go, with only 6 months remaining!