Josune Bereziartu - Pro Blog 9

     The next day, I felt like those cold TV news showmen that must change his attitude from a drama to a cool new attitude in a few seconds. Instead of keeping my rigid training schedule, I decided to give some time to my mind. I would visit Etxauri. Let's enjoy outdoor life!

     The day before, the living were in a shady and cold north face above Gavarnie (French Pyrenees) on a not-so-steep face, holding two ice axes, and stepping with crampons. The sad Sunday, the next day, I was on a warm and incredible south-facing cliff, crimping tiny holds and stepping onto small footholds. This allowed my soul to soar away from those bad feelings.

     So, let's prove if my mind can appreciate this opposite change and get the necessary energy to aid my mind again. When we arrived and I looked at my friends, I immediately got involved in Ivaniko's, Esti's, Ekaitz's, Josean's, Leire's, and, of course, Rikar's nice feelings. 

     Before, I told you about this incredible and solitary place called Etxauri, close to Pamplona, in the Basque country. So many routes to try, so many marvelous lines to climb. Ekaitz is the masterpiece of this great new sector in this "old fashioned" Etxauri cliff. He developed — almost by himself — all the new lines, maybe more than 50 new routes, from 6c to 9a (most of them in the 8a [5.13b] and 8a+ [5.13c] range). Nowadays, there is one thing that captures our attention among the others: Begi Puntuan (it's a Basque word that means "Eyes Target"), and Patxi said it was 9a [5.14d]. It's Ekaitz's target right now, but he knew I was there because I wanted to try it, too. So, he looked at me and without a word he passed me the chance to try it. And, of course, I tried. Not so deeply, but I tried.