The first 2 visits of Adam Ondra in Lombardia region (Lecco & Bergamo) - Le prime 2 visite di Adam Ondra in Lombardia (Lecco & Bergamo)

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Written on March 26, 2009 in OPEN AIR: Adam Ondra MAGAZINE, where You can find other articles written by Adam ondra himself.
Scritto il 26 marzo 2009 in OPEN AIR: AdamOndra MAGAZINE, dove puoi trovare altri articoli scritti dallo stesso Adam Ondra.


THE FIRST VISIT (from 20 to 22 of march, 2009)
LA PRIMA VISITA (dal 20 al 22 marzo, 2009)


"If we are slow, we'll arrive at 8.
If we are fast at 5 o'clock."
Wow !
I can't believe it.
Tomorrow I will meet Adam Ondra, his father, his sister, his sister's boyfriend.

"Se siamo lenti, arriveremo alle 8.
Se siamo veloci, alle 5 ".
Wow !
Non riesco a crederci.
Domani incontrerò Adam Ondra, suo papà, la sorella, il fidanzato della sorella.

Life is strange:
even if I'm a normal climber, tomorrow morning I'll have this honour and privilege.
Thanks to my work on this site and, most of all, to the very kind Pietro Dal Prà and Marco Anghileri, it will happen: Adam accepted my invitation to the crags of Lombardia ... where there are the most difficult routes :-)

Strana la vita:
sono un climber normale, eppure, domani mattina avrò questo onore e privilegio.
Grazie al mio lavoro su questo sito e grazie soprattutto ai gentilissimi Pietro Dal Prà e Marco Anghileri, potrà succedere: Adam ha aderito al mio invito di visitare le falesie lombarde ... con le vie più difficili :-)



And it happens ! I meet them and take them in this new crag in Lecco, “Specchio del Grifone” (the mirror of the griffon).
When I went for the first time there, this crag seemed to me small but nice, with Grigna and Grignone as scenery.
Also Pietro spoke about it to me very well, he assured me that there were routes for “the future”, at least two of them.

E in effetti succede che lo accolgo e lo accompagno in questa nuova falesia del Lecchese, lo “Specchio del Grifone”.
Quando ero andato per la prima volta allo "Specchio", mi era sembrata una piccola ma bella falesia, con la Grigna ed il Grignone sullo sfondo.
Anche Pietro me ne aveva parlato benissimo, mi aveva assicurato che di tiri per “il futuro” ce n’erano, almeno un paio.

And we had not to wait for "the future", he took just few moments to transform himself in real present, another time and not for the first time.

E “il futuro” non si è fatto attendere, ci ha impiegato un attimo a trasformarsi in presente, ancora una volta e non certo la prima.

After a warming up on a 7b, he tents onsight a project estimated around 8b+: very tecnique slab, very small holds ...
Dopo il riscaldamento su un 7b, tenta a vista un presunto 8b+:
mai liberato da nessuno, ipertecnico, placca appoggiata, appigli ed appoggi sfuggenti.

He told me that route makes him remember the second pitch of Wogu, even if less vertical.
After second time his foot slips, he goes down and decides to try another project.

Mi dice che gli ricorda un pò il secondo tiro di Wogu , anche se meno verticale.
Per ben 2 volte gli scivola un piede, per cui si cala e decide di andare a provare un altro progetto.

The bolters of this new project (Pietro, Adriano e Gianfranco) say it could be "at least 8c".
"Of course" Adam tries it onsight, he easily climbs all the overhanging wall, arriving at the "rest" where he can study the next boulder ... he tries it but goes down.
he cleans and study the route, goes down and rests.
When he climbs it second time he strongly but quietly breathes.

Questo nuovo progetto è stato stimato dai chiodatori (Pietro, Adriano e Gianfranco) come un probabile "almeno 8c".
Adam "ovviamente" lo tenta a vista, sale tutto lo strapiombo con facilità, arriva al "riposo" dove studia il successivo boulder ... parte per provarlo ma cade.
Pulisce e studia la via, scende e si riposa.
Quando la sale per la seconda volta respira forte, ma senza affanno.

 

Without so much effort he reaches the anchor: 8c+, first ascent, second try, all "natural" holds, maybe the first one of this kind and grade in Lombardia ?
As request by bolters, he himself writes on rock the name of the route they choosed:
"Riti tribali".

Senza particolare sforzo è in sosta: 8c+, prima salita, secondo giro, via con appigli "naturali", forse la prima di questo tipo e questo grado in Lombardia ?
Su richiesta dei chiodatori, scrive lui stesso sulla roccia il nome della via da loro scelto: "Riti tribali".

The remaining of this first day is, for him, just "normal":
an "easy" 8c, second go (No no no), the first go to clean the holds and see the exit to the left could be "9a+, 9b, 9c or maybe impossible" ...
Ok, we go down, everybody in Marco's restaurant, for eating and Adam's slideshow.
Maybe Marco himself can write us about it ... ;-)

Quanto rimane di questo primo giorno è, per lui, ordinaria amministrazione:
un "8c facile" al secondo giro (No no no), il primo gli è servito solo per spazzolare qua e là e rendersi conto che l'uscita a sinistra sarebbe potuta essere "9a+, 9b, 9c o forse impossibile" ...
Ok, scendiamo, tutti al ristorante di Marco, per la cena e la serata di Adam con foto e video.

 

Saturday morning we go to meet ... Riccardo Cassin !
The future meets the Past, historical meeting !

Sabato mattina andiamo a trovare ... Riccardo Cassin !
Il Futuro incontra il Passato, incontro storico !

We arrive in Cornalba the begining of the afternoon. Adam goes out of the car, he looks over and he remain ... without words !

" I have to admit that I remained astonished from Cornalba. I heard many positive things about this crag but reality was even better than what I was expecting for ... "
These are his words in his report on Planetmountain.

Arriviamo a Cornalba verso il primo pomeriggio, Adam scende dalla macchina, guarda su e rimane ... senza parole !

" Devo ammettere che sono rimasto stupito da Cornalba. Avevo sentito molte cose positive su questa falesia ma la realtà è stata ancora migliore di quello che mi aspettavo ... "
Così scrive Adam nell'intervista a Planetmountain.



The sector that impressed him more was "The spoon", he can't believe there are just 2 bolted projects:

Il settore che più lo lascia stupito è quello denominato "Il Cucchiaio", di cui gli avevo scritto: non riesce a credere che ci siano solo 2 vie chiodate, ancora non liberate, il motivo per cui avevo deciso di invitarlo.

The already present future sees his own crag.
He can't wait more the others, he runs up enthusiastic, I try to follow him.
Without any right, instinctively, I cry him: "If You like it, it's totally your" :-). He laughes.

Who is able to perceive which will be the future of climbing in Cornalba ?



Il futuro già presente vede la sua falesia.
Non ce la fa più ad aspettare gli altri, corre su entusiasta, cerco di stargli dietro.
Senza averne alcun diritto, istintivamente, mi viene da urlargli: "If You like it, it's totally your", se ti piace è tutta tua :-). Ride.

Chi riesce ad intuire quale sarà il futuro dell'arrampicata a Cornalba ?

He likes very much his first route in Cornalba, a technical 7a+, with a boulder in the end.
Then he tries the moves of Les Sindacalistes, rests a little bit and ... anchor, second go.

Apprezza molto la sua prima via a Cornalba, un 7a+ tecnico, con un boulder alla fine.
Poi prova i movimenti di Les Sindacalistes, riposa un poco e ... sosta, al secondo giro.

Photo by Eugenio Pesci


"I like this vertical wall, but I don't feel pumped at all !":
this is what he tells me going down from the route ...

"Mi piace questo muro tecnico, ma non mi sento per niente acciaiato !":
questo è ciò che mi dice facendosi calare dalla via ...

I'm always shooting him from a distance of about 2 meters and I don't believe at my own eyes when I see him trying to climb onsight Zuper mandrake:
he seems on a 5c !
Unfortunely this route is not natural, so he can't see one of the sika holds.
His left hand goes to take an hold that would have been for the right one, he climbs some meters again, but he's using the wrong sequence, so he can't avoid to fall down, just few meters under the anchor.
U N B E L I A V A B L E.

Sto filmandolo sempre da una distanza di circa 2 metri e non credo ai miei occhi quando lo vedo provare a vista Zuper mandrake:
sembra su un 5c !
Questa via purtroppo non è naturale, per cui non riesce a vedere uno degli appigli "sikati".
La sua mano sinistra va a prendere un appiglio che sarebbe stato per la destra, sale ancora qualche metro, ma sta usando la sequenza sbagliata, quindi non può che cadere, pochissimi metri sotto la sosta.
I N C R E D I B I L E.

To warm down, when the last sun is going down behind a mountain, Adam WALK onsight Outsider.
Come defatigamento, quando l'ultimo sole sta tramontando dietro una montagna, Adam CAMMINA a vista su Outsider.


Find more photos like this on 9b

The day after was not so lucky for Adam:
trying onsight an 8c, C'era una volta in America, his heel slips away ...

Almost at the end of Vento nei capelli one of the sika holds breaks down his fingers ...

So he was "forced" to come back ... :-)


Il giorno dopo non è fortunato per Adam:
provando a vista un 8c, C'era una volta in America, gli scivola il tallone ...

Quasi alla fine di Vento nei capelli uno degli appigli sikati si rompe sotto le sue dita ...

In questo modo è stato "costretto" a tornare ... :-)

(Adam with the representative of the municipality of Cornalba)
(Adam con il rappresentante del Municipio di Cornalba)




THE SECOND VISIT (from 9 to 13 of april, 2009)
LA SECONDA VISITA (dal 9 al 13 aprile 2009)

First day:

Unfortunely Adam doesn't feel good.
To be more precise: he feels really bad.

This means ...


Primo giorno:

Adam purtroppo non si sente bene.
Per essere più precisi: si sente veramente male.
Ciò significa ...



Vento nei Capelli, first ascent, second go in that day !

" What else is there for me here in Cornalba" ?

Sorry Adam, You already cecked that line at the right of Vento nei capelli, eventually extend Miss Lily to that old project bolted from Ciusse.



Vento nei Capelli, prima salita, al secondo giro in quel giorno !

" Che altro c'è per me qui a Cornalba" ?

Scusa Adam, hai già guardato quella linea a destra di Vento nei capelli, l'eventuale prolungamento di Miss Lily che si potrebbe collegare ad un vecchio progetto chiodato dal Ciusse.

You judged it maybe impossible or maybe ... for the future :-)
Or maybe is it an "Impossible" LOVE ? ;-)

Lo hai giudicato forse impossibile o forse ... per il futuro :-)
O forse è un AMORE "impossibile" ? ;-)


Spoon sector is totally south face, too hot.
Il Cucchiaio è completamente a sud, troppo caldo.


So we need to change crag:
we could go to Masone, there is an interesting line there.

"Ok then, let's Masone !"
And this could be the litteral translation of Masoniamoci, the route he cecked the second day.

Photo by Eugenio Pesci

At that first ceck persons who were looking Adam trying Masoniamoci were thinking ... mmh ... maybe this route is not possible for Adam.

I had a totally different opinion.
After some days shooting Adam from the top and "climbing" with him when he was reaching my height, I already had the occasion to cleary understand Adam is a "KILLER" inside !

So I was completely sure he was just looking for the easiest way, studying the moves like a surgeon.
And "computerizing" them :-)

Next, it was rest day for Adam, because he has a finger with damaged skin: "just" 1 8a+ and 1 8a onsight "to soften the skin" ...

The day after, Adam climbed ... Masone.
Yes, all the crag.

He "killed" Masoniamoci, 2nd go.
He started just to see another time the moves, he climbed well the first move, then the second, the third, he arrived at the dyno ... it was done.

Masoniamoci is a nice line, completely natural: "maybe for competitions climbers a little harder than Vento nei capelli, because is not endurance, but bouldery."

Bagdad cafè, 8b+, F.A., because I convinced Pietro Buzzoni to bolt it for Adam.
And other 8a/+s to finish the crag.

Photo by Eugenio Pesci


So where now ?
Cornalba: finished.
Masone: killed.

What about tomorrow ?

Tomorrow "the chef" suggests Adam italian spaghetti .. ops, 8c, onsight, in Onore.

So we left the house of Eugenio (thanks!) and we come back to Bergamo.

To sleep, tomorrow will be another great day, 2 8cs onsight are planned in Onore.

When we arrive in Onore ... right sector ... totally wet !

Silence.

How is it possible ? Last days it didn't rain at all !

This was not the right question to answer.

In my mind there was another one: where now ?

In Valle dei Mulini there is not enough for Adam ...

I really want to help him to express his talent at his own skills level, so I don't give up:
we'll go to Passo della Presolana, I remember last year I tried a project, it seemed to me between 8b and 8c, that could be the line.

After warming up, Adam goes "to ceck the moves".
The beginning is not so hard and when the hard section begins I see Adam motivated.

He just climbs.

Very simply.
Istinct.
Joy.
Pure LOVE for climbing.

After many days looking at his climbing, I really don't know which kind of "school" Adam is.
A kind of a new Edlinger, with all other strong climbers inside, no streching problems at all.
More than fluid.

Dynamic and powerful, Sharma style, in a new sense.
Not just dynos.

Dynamic mind, all his climbing is fast, no exitation.
He doesn't waste his time on "jugs".


"Come on Adam !"

I saw he is believing it.
Powerful long moves on little pockets on a black vergin wall, no tickmarks, nothing for the feet, a little overhanging.

"Come on!"
I cry as a rabid dog.

He's fighting, a warrior loving rock.

8b+ on sight.

Then 8a/+, 7c+, 7c+ onsight, it's over, this crag too.

It's 3 p.m.

(Adam @ Passo della Presolana, smiling after his 8b+ "pure" on sight)



If we arrive in Predore at 5, with the shadow, may be.
We try, but the road is so bad ... and when we arrive is still so hot.

I just show Adam the projects, maybe next time, 1000 kms are waiting him and his family, I let them go.