Andreas Proft: 8b (?) solo, no shoes

[9b]

Hi Andreas !

Welcome at this online party for climbers !

 

 

How are You ?

[andreas proft]

i FEEL quite burned out at the moment.

my wife had bad back-problems during the whole of december and we did'nt climb at all. so i have'nt much to focus on right now. ( we are in spain, living in a campervan - that gets quite boring with little to do )

[9b]

Problems ... as always: it's a pity :-(  

... but still life ! What do You FEEL about LIFE in general ?

 

A campervan ??

May You attach 1 photo ? (I would like to buy one in Spain and let it in Cornudella... :-)

 

[andreas proft]

we are spending our 8. winter in spain. apart from the summer we are living permanently in the van.

in the past weeks we talked a lot about settling down. that depends mainly on djamilas back and how well she'll recover.

this winter we wanted to spend in sardinia. but in september i got obsessed by the idea of free soloing "the first and the last" and we changed plans.

now, having sent the route i FEEL very unmotivated to do anything. i have trained really hard for the send and do not think i'll ever be able to climb something harder. time is not on my side either :)

[9b]

Nice van !

If You settle down, for a reasonable price, I could buy it !

 

Why so obsessed ?

And why that idea ?

 

(I edit a little, with links, photos, ... your answers, I hope it's ok for you)

 

[andreas proft]

last year we tried to sell the van, but could'nt find a buyer :) ( we wanted to buy a mobile-home).

 

this obsession might have been my way of dealing with a midlife-crisis.

planning to free solo a route at my absolute limit made everything else in life less important.

[9b]

In case, just let me know the price :)

 

I'm reading here: "I thought a lot about life and although I wouldn't want to do it all over again, those days were some of the most intense in my life."

And here: "I'd had some sleepless nights and was pretty scared, my hands even sweat, but for some reason I wanted to climb the route and I'm happy to have got it over and done with."

 

So I don't let go my hold :-)

 

What do You FEEL about LIFE (problems, getting older, death included) in general ?

 

Why to deal with a midlLIFE crisis risking ... LIFE ?

(photo by Djamila and Andreas Proft)

 

 

 

(We could continue this conversation later and let it OPEN in the whole month of january, or february, or ... ALL 2011, so all other climbers, if they want, have a lot of time to participate and write here as a comment their own questions, what do You think ?)

[andreas proft]

i do not want to live forever.

i'm afraid of pain and physical decay, not of death itself.

i have lived the last decade very intensely and left few or no "i still want to..'s" for later.

free soloing made me think about dying a lot. but my point of view changes day by day, depending on how i FEEL.

i'm married and i love my partner. it was difficult for her to deal with me while i projected ( i have no new projects right now ), not knowing if i might have an accident.

i never thought i would grow old, but i can imagine growing old with my partner at the same time.

so, can not truly say how i FEEL about life, i'm afraid :)

 

 

[9b]

Happy 2011 !

How do you plan, prepare and train a free solo at your absolute limit (body, mind ... soul) ?

[andreas proft]

i needed to know, it was possible. i lost weight, worked out, got obsessed on the way and could'nt let it go.

 

[9b]

From  "Pareti"Climbing Magazine

Andreas,

Andrea ... :-) the italian editor of "Pareti" is saying that Your interview is nice and "full", more than others.

 

Just to remember this conversation with You is OPEN to all world climbers ... for ALL 2011 ! :-)

If You climber want to ask something to Andreas, You are welcome to write here as a comment Your own question/s !

 

Come on !   Which kind of RISK would you eventually run ?! :-)

 

Why do we avoid risks in life?  Slave of our fears ... is it not a little ... "to die" ?