Kelch!

National Day Parade

It finally stopped raining on Thursday but we still had to wait untill the afternoon to climb to let the rock dry.  Thursday also happended to be National Day in Greece which celebrates Greece's independance from Turkish occupation.  We spent the moring in Kalambaka watching the National Day parade which consisted of all the local school kids marching in a very unorganized military style to some victourious souding music.  That was it.  The whole town turned out in their Sunday best to witness this.  After some lunch, finally it was time to go climbing. 

Lisa and Gustl approach the Spindle (seen up and left of Lisa)

We set our sights on a thin, free standing tower called The Spindle and started hiking there with our new mentor, Gustl.  The approach was nothing if not sureal.  It should have only taken us around 30 miniutes to reach the base but Gustl was stopping to point out every tower that he has climbed (which is all of them) and if it was a "very good route" or "shit."  When we were finally almost there Gustl got very excited to show us the old cemetary.  We went in the gate and there were no head stones or crosses or anything.  We followed Gustl into an old room with all walls shelved from floor to ceiling.  The shelves were full of boxes with peoples picture on them.  Gustl lifted the lid off of one box to reveal a human head inside!  At this point we decided to wait outside.  Gustl then led us into another room with a trapdoor with light comming up through it.  He lifted the door and underneath were bags and bags overflowing with bones.  He then directed our attention, well actually just Lisa's; I had had more than enough and stepped outside,over a 3ft high wall to a 15ft by 15ft room on the other side completley filled with bones and skulls.  We kept trying to get Gustl to leave with us but he just kept saying "where is there problem, this life, this life."  And then he called John a "Sheizer" for not looking! (added by Lisa!) He really is hilarious and means well and is truly a good person
:-) After a few minutes we rang the chucrch bells and headed to the base of our climb.

John belaying, Gustl climbing and swearing, Lisa waiting and shivering

At the base of our climb we met two other people from our campsite who were quite excited to watch us climb, they had never seen anything like it.  It worked out great for us because now we had photographers.  The climb was 3 pitchs of hard 5.10 or easy 5.11 cobble stones.  It was great becase this was the first rock that was actually vertical and protected well enough that a fall would not leave me crippled.  I (John) led, Gustl followed me and Lisa brought up the rear.  The whole time Gustl was muttering "ooooh pain, my arms, Gustl better in cemetary."  We got to the summit of the tower without a hitch.  We both almost had a heart attack watching Gustl wander around the summit, which was no bigger than a kitchen table top, unroped looking for a place to set up a picture.  At one point he knocked a rock over the edge and noted that a fall would leave you "kaput."  We did an amazing, rope streching double-rope rappel and we were back on the ground.

Gustl rappeling, John and Lisa on summit

The other tower of note that we climbed was called Kelch, which means grail in english.  I started the lead up a moist gully but about 30 ft below the top of the pitch got nervous because of lack of protection.  I sacked up and did what any self respecting man would do; I came down and let my girlfriend lead it.  Lisa ended up leading the whole route smoothly and quickly.  After two long pitches we were on the first summit.  We then down climbed a little and did a big stretching step across to the opposite face.  (See gap in picture below.)  The last belay was miserable as the wind funneled through the gap in the rock at 40mph.  The climbing on the last pitch made up for it though; perfectly vertical finger crack and face climbing with 400ft of air below your ass.  Once on the summit we located the rappel which Gustl had installed and had boasted about all week.  He even let us use his twin ropes since our single rope would not have been long enough. Once over the edge I heard a familiar "Jeaune . . . Litsa . . . ".  Gustl had come to watch us on his famous rappel.  The rappel did turn out to be all it was talked up to be.  It was two 50m rapples, both completly free hanging (that is no contact with the wall.)  Once on the ground Gustl informed us that we went "longsome longsome" (he means slowly) and "I come to see, no Jeaune and Litsa so I go take sleep.  I come back, still no Jeaune and Litsa so I go a little motor bike, I come back and finally Jeaune and Litsa."  " I go this route alone, 1 hour." 

Kelch.  Note the gap at the top which we had to cross.

After our climb it was time for a little retsina which is a local white wine that only costs 1 euro for a half liter and tasts like wood, but for some reason is delicious. 

Today was really windy so we skipped climbing and just went for a nice long hike and packed up our stuff.  We have to leave camp at 6:30 tomorrow morning to start our journy to Istanbul.

Lisa on the summit of Kelch after a heady (scary) lead!