Clamber and Coffee

We've formed a little ritual.  3 times a week, we descend upon Main Street, and work our way through the streets.  Within a bright little building, we find resin holds, powdery chalk, and people climbing.

We boulder now.  Bouldering is hard.  Way harder moves in comparison to climbing most sport walls.  A V3 boulder is like climbing a grade 22 - 23 (5.11b) sports climb, in terms of the moves.

Bouldering produces little puzzles that you have to work on, figure out.  It's a dance up the wall, which is why Kim loves it, and you're under a ticking clock, because no one can hang onto an overhang forever, especially on tiny holds.  Strength always fades and technique is forever.

We traverse, climb, struggle, project and fall for about an hour before heading back out into the frigid air.

Once we've finished climbing for the day, we head over to Terra Breads, who make delicious espresso, and great bakery food.  They have a great view of the river and mountains, and the brownies are fantastic.

In these photos, we've also got a Coconut Cream Puff from Beta 5, which was a beautiful dessert.  You find Beta 5 in an industrial area through a single, mostly unmarked door.  Inside is a sparse, almost commercial store, with a small selection of astonishing showpiece chocolate.  Walking in is like opening a $2 lucky dip and finding a diamond ring.

It's a tough gig holidaying in Canada.  When the sun is out, Canada is sharp, beautiful, vibrant and at times, breathtaking.  Bouldering at Squamish beckons, and we're having a blast. [A]