lucky chance!

toby  ‘lucky chance’ benham is a character!!  once he was into climbing of all types but now his passion in life is motivational speaking and slacklining. mostly the speaking though!! heres a short interview!

vince: so whats your name?

toby: lucky chance.

when did you change it?

6 months ago

how did you get the motivation to change it?

my friend told me about a guy who changed his name to yum yum pussycat so i thought that was cool so the next day i changed it.

whats have you done lately thats cool?

some really difficult windows… extreme window cleaning, i have been thinking about a nude window cleaning coffee table book, i have also been thinking about an ass piercing….

do you like climbing?

i have moved foward to push climbing (as opposed to pulling down climbing) it revolves around pushing the holds…..  several important rules, the major controversy is the nipple factor, too many hot girls and lots of debate as to the importance of the belly button or the nipple….. possible grey areas here, precise parts of the hand, quite alot here really. direction of the fingers plays a consequencial vital conponent.

whats your fav haircut?

STLV (SHORT TOP LONG BACK) or otherwise known as the mullet.

do u trim your nose hair?

i didnt start growing hair anywhere until i was 24, then i freaked and took the razor to it!

do you have a prince albert?

no, but my cuz, who is highly christian when crazy and got his done. one day off to church the next day…..

what would like to achieve in life?

the ultimate action: base climbing to the anchor of the climb, walk a high line then walk the line then jump….. the black rose in aqua shoes, to the anchor, then walk the hanging rock high line.

describe the hardest redpointed climb?

harder faster at black rocks, christmas day james told me to climb it, hes a pussy and always tried to talk me out of all my ascents on grit. this day he actully said that it was a great vibe and that i should go for it!!! so i did it!!! it is the best line on grit and gaia traverses off and avoids the challenge!! someone told me about harder faster in france, for the next nine months i thought about and climbed it!

limey or limerick?

limey sounds slimey and reminds me of snails which i dont like and the other one reminds me of  lepricorns.

whats better, 2 or 3 or more?

generally more, i love quantity and not quality, so long as there is plenty!!

finally, please finish the sentence: sometimes, when i am strolling along the wall i find….

myself unforgiven for the narcisistic deeds that my mind conjures at such times i am at peace…. when i am deep inside a pig.

Diamond falls project goes down!!

hows it going?!! today was my second day back in the Blue Mountains, it feels pretty good to be home. currently i am crashing with zaco, benny and rowan at elmar and kats house in mt victoria. it was rad to see everyone and catch up as you do on the first day home, i visited Diamond Falls with benny and tye.

benny was psyched on a old project on mr wall which offers steep climbing on some amazing rock, dubbed ‘mr pink’ an eternity ago because of a pink hold bolted on the cliff (removed long ago!). the route has sat ascentless and begging to be climbed for years, today was the day, smashed in a fine style after 3 goes!!

 

entering the difficult climbing after a easier but sustained section. this is the shaking hold

crushing the top crux

top crux, setting up for a long move to a sloping pocket

 

setting up fro the punch move crux

 

punching the business out!!

vince: good job on the send benny! can you tell us a little about the route?

ben: I first tryed this route just after i got back from england 2 years ago, i couldnt do it even though i got really close. it has some viscous little edges on it and these really rad pockets that you have to spock-eye and really mash at the crux, some really crazy tension moves.

vince: are you into bouldery routes with these crazy cool moves? what attracts you to this type of climbing? (apart from the fact that it is rad!)

ben: yeah man totally! i love bouldery routes, ones with longish sequences that by the end your chicken wings are pointing to heaven and your snatching between real boney edges! love it!

vince: did you train for it?

ben: hmmmm, ive been training lots for this kind of climbing so i guess so, nothing real specific though moves wise.but yeah the training i have been doing has been condusive to my bid to ascend this particular route.hmm

 

vince: you live for climbing eh? what inspires to to wake up motivated each day and rock wrestle?

ben: oooo man i think i must do, otherwise im in trouble. i am really psyced for evereything, especially doing new routes in the mountains, anywhere i spend time really. yeah climbing is really the only thing i think people can honestly say is rad and good and fun and splendid. they are all liars if they say other wise.

vince: how long have you been climbing for?

ben:  ive been climbing for quite a while now, i used to not have been climbing for as long as i have been now, which makes sense.

vince: your a man of all styles, is there a specific stlye that really floats your boat?!

ben: hmmm yeah i dig it all but i love really tensiony moves and pockets, im not the best on them but maybe thats why im psyced on them because its exiting! yeah fun pouncey moves stuff that makes you feel photogenic.

vince: hows action direct?! gona smash it this year!!?

ben: oh man yeah well i can only train as hard as i can and do as much as i can think to do to prepare for it so i will have to see. iam psyched as a monkey on acid for it and i will not die withoutb having done it. unless of some tragedy strikes me down in the night.

vince: top job again, oh whats the route called? and why?!!

ben: oh well thanks alot! the routes called MR. PINK, it has been called that ever since a little pink hold was bolted on at the crux years back by sineor Zac Vertrees, it was pulled off ages and ages ago, i think he always knew it would go without it, it was more of a joke really then anything else. pretty funny though made me laugh.

blowing a load over some pockets!!

thanks dude!

Porters Pass Pandemonium!! yyeeeee haaa!!

oh man, i just got these photos of a route that i bolted last year at Porters Pass, it is basically a 40 meter beast with  three distinct crux sections…. so im told! the first pitch is an scooped dihedral, with a difficult section towards the end. here are a few  photos of  rad heel moves and  evil crimps courtesy of camera  extraordinaire macca macpherson and zaco vertrees!!

 

the good times slab!!

once established on the wall above the dihedral there are a few easy moves until a steep pocketed 20 meter headwall looms overhead. this is the main course and it seems to be an absolute delight! zaco and macca at work!

hope u enjoyed the pandemonium! if your passing by pull into port!!

lol!!

brought to you vinne, zaco and macciza the man!

fat boy and barrel face!

I took my dog out for a walk

With a lady I started to talk

She was so overcome

With the smell from his bum

That I plugged up his arse with a cork!

Graeme king

team sheffield a good bunch!!!

Ranting and raving!

Who knows when climbing officially began as a pursuit of those looking for adventure and challenge in their lives, but it seems to have roots in Italy, England and France as far back as the late 19^th century.  The routes which were climbed in those days were tackled without any adequate gear and in a fine style, ground up without prior knowledge of the cliff. The risk that the early pioneers took on the first ascents of many iconic mountains, crags and walls of Europe, and America were colossal and totally get my utmost respect.

The reason I have expressed this is to pose the question: Why does climbing inspire you to live a life almost totally devoted to the vertical realm?

I can’t answer this myself but here a little of what I have been thinking about

I am a product of the early days of commercialisation of rock climbing.

Commercialisation of climbing through gyms has offered people a convenient and safe experience, in a controlled environment. In my mind this has had a huge impact on the general direction of free climbing and also opened up a totally new dimension in terms of the perception of climbing.  While it is still considered a dangerous sport, the growing social culture of climbing gyms has not only created a new style and breed of climbers, but has also tamed the game practiced by the early pioneers. In this sense climbing gyms have cultivated a greater indifference to the colourful history of the sport.

I began climbing without knowledge of the countless people preceding me who have achieved climbing aspirations of which I could only dream.  In the first months I was hooked, it was exciting, social and being a little obsessive it felt great to conquer the 5 meter vertical wall in 15 different coloured routes. I didn’t think about the reasons behind my addiction climbing or if anyone else had experienced it before me. It simply filled my head with life enriching colours.

Without climbing gyms I probably wouldn’t have climbing in my life. The experience I have when climbing (given there are bad days!) is something I would want every person in the world to feel at some point in their lives. It is invigorating, satisfying, challenging and social. Climbing gyms allow a greater cross section of the community to be exposed to the incredible feelings and experiences which are generated by climbing.

These days my life is totally absorbed with climbing. Growing up I never liked rules or authority or people telling me what to do. I felt alienated from many of my peers but never went out of my way to create trouble.  Climbing allows an individual participant to express his/her self in a way which is free and unencumbered from the traditional rules and regulations prominent in many other sports. On the other hand it is a sport with foundations built on the respect of by gone traditions, characters, opinions, ethics, ascents, and importantly environmental issues. This double nature reflects the character of climbing: unpredictable, exciting and sentimental.

I enjoy the history, ethics, and really try to take something in from all styles that cross my path, but when it comes to the crunch Climbing is my way of escaping to a place where I can identify and express myself in a way that makes me happy among people who share the same passion. Socially climbing is the centre point of my life. Since travelling to many climbing destinations, I have realised that the best moments in climbing are shared. Without motivated/ or even unmotivated friends and good company climbing achievement becomes obsolete. This has become a bit of a rant so I may as well add this: English Pete, an Englishman told me “if you have beautiful thoughts but do not convey them to anyone to make them feel good about life, then what’s the point of having beautiful thoughts?”  This could apply to many aspects of life and climbing.

 Climbing can essentially be an activity that provides social cohesion between those with similar interests. In combination with the rich history and variety of challenges, climbing just has all the elements that satisfy my desire to socialise and intensely focus to overcome challenges etc.

So from early days of rebelling against the system and learning to climb in gyms, I still can’t really explain why I enjoy climbing but if my past experiences in body and soul reflect even the slightest experience hidden in the future then it will all be worth it!!

 

 

 

spain: migrayna profunda

oh man!!! what a trip! for the past 8 months i have been travelling with my wife helen across, France,Spain and England in the quest for virgin rock and undone lines of unparelled beauty and difficulty…… well not really, thats a  pompus crock of shit!!! however, i love steep sport climbing in big and small caves and spain certainly offers an abundance of this!

the mighty El Pati

we had been travelling for 4 months when we arrived in siurana,  it is 2-3 hours drive from barcelona and half an hour from monsant and margalef, both world class climbing areas. siurana boasts around 600-800 routes of excellent quality,  generally the style is  vertical to gently overhanging, making some heniously difficult old style challanges.

the quality of the rock is excellent, with small crimps and savage little pockets in abundance.  there are classics at every grade:

• Tocame-la Sam 6c+ offers quality slabing and wall climbing
• se m’apaga la baldufa 7a is a classic crack,arete and wall.
• crosta panic 7a+ is a rad slab and roof
• mandragora 7b is a striking orange wall that is visible when u are driving to the camping ground
• papagora 7b+ situated next to mandragora, offers techo wall climbing
• ya os vale 7c is a short powerful boulder problem on pockets, very unique.
• la escamarla 7c+ classic!! steep wall on edges crimps and pocs with a nice pump!
• anabolica 8a, a little polished but well worth a look
• tic i toc 8a+, hated by many, i reckon this is one of the coolest boulders ever.
• the mighty Zona O 8b is a steep wall classic punching up the 40 meter bullet hard ‘el pati’ sector
• mr cheki 8b+ a siurana classic.
• dos portrenta 8c, steep wall climbing  for 40 meters up a baked red section of el pati.
• estado critico 8c+ a blue streek which will drop your jaw: el pati
• a murte 9a, boulder route, a direct start into el membre.
• the mighty la rambla 9a+  one of the most inspiring routes in the world
• gulpe estado 9b+ a boulder problem direct start to estado critico, awesome!!

we did a lot of climbing at many cliffs, but a route that really inspired me was migranya profunda which means ‘Big headache’ it is an extention to migranya and provides a full value experience through a baked red cave next to the mighty El Pati. it was bolted by toni arbones in 2000, but he could never link it, a year later Dani Andrada came to put it in the history books! here is a photographic and written description of this classic 8b+.

the beginning.... burly climbing

the route begins with a short section of burly climbing, it is difficult to really rest as the feet a quite bad, a traverse leftwards on pockets and good incuts leads to a lip encounter and a rewarding jug.

from here there are some juggy moves to another jug under the lip of a small roof, here the climbing begins, turn the lip, using a large but flat hold with the right and a stacked mono dish with the left. punch into an undercling jug, and fight to establish your feet around the roof, this feels powerful and saps strength but there is a shake to be had on the undercling.

turning the second roof, right hand on a flaty, left about to get into to mono stack

 

taking the mono stack

punching into the undercling rest

a quick shake at the underclings before the crux

from the underclings, you traverse a few sapping moves left to a pretty hard clip, then straight into the redpoint crux.

clipping before the crux, a little draining!

the crux is a little boulder problem probably V5-6: it begins with a punch with the right hand to a good hold, then a left heel hook allows a incut left hand hold to be reached.

going for the good right hand hold, the left heel will be placed on the hold that is being used by my left hand

left heel move!

taking the incut left handhold from the heelhook

once the incut left hand is reached the foot holds kinda run out, steping the right foot through into a hidden pocket and smearing the left foot on the wall allows a crazy cross under move (rose move) to a gaston to occur. the gaston is one joint and semi incut, from here a flick into a 2 finger pocket allows a foot move before going again to a jug.

moving the feet and preparing to cross under

crossing.....

the move of moves!!

move

unwinding

intermediate 2 finger poc

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

jugs after the crux, the gaston which i crossed to is in my right hand.

once the jug is gained, it is a shake for as long as needed

rest o rama!!!

from the rest, it is easier steep climbing to the chain, keep it 2 gether and its in the bag! hope that u enjoyed this!!

hello and welcome everyone!!

hello, my name  is vince, i am a 27 year old  residing in Blackheath, in the upper Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia.  climbing is an integeral part of my life which dictates career choices, friends and travel destinations!! i have been climbing for close to a decade now, refelecting back it has been an absolutely awesome trip. It has provided challanges (intellectual, psychological and physical) that i thought i could NEVER overcome, acted and still acts as a mirror of self reflection revealing to me positive and negitave qualities of my personality which i  constantly use to challange the way i am and the way i treat others. climbing is a lifestye and through my wife, friends,projects, simplicity of movement and nature, and training for that elusive next next level gives my life satisfaction,meaning and a desire that i love!!!

the board ( a personal  indoor climbing wall) culture in the blue mountains is booming, it offers many testpeices, training beta and  strong social cohesion within the climbing community. 60 degrees is my favourite angle board to train on, it has given my mates and i  many  hours of enjoyment creating  a variety of contrivances on a small piece of plywood!

my plan is to update this blog with as much climbing related stuff: photo montages of classic routes including a description of the crux, training beta, pictures, general news and climbing essays. this is an attempt to bring my experiences with training, climbing and general life to my friends, family and anyone else interested! please feel free to request anything at all, and i hope that u enjoy reading the following!

cheers