The art of Flodin & Hallman

Fredrik Sydstrand attempting The art of war 8A in Oppala, Gävle.

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Gävle on a Sunday afternoon

Last Sunday, Fredrik Sydstrand phoned me up and asked if I was keen on going out. As I have been injured all winter and just started climbing again, I've been sticking to climbing indoors. I feel that the risk of tearing my finger is smaller on plastic than on rock. At first I explained this to "Sydde" and headed for the gym. But as I stepped trough the door at Klättercentret, from the bright beautiful day it was, I realized that I could not miss out on a day like that. I turned around before I even got past the reception and as I did, I phoned Fredrik up. An hour later we where heading north, to Oppala in the city of Gävle. One of countless areas in connection to Stocholm that I have not yet visited (although the two hour drive makes it a bit to far to call it a Stockholm crag).

I was a bit worried that I would regret my decision, but fortunetely things turned out the other way around. Climbing on excellent rock in perfect conditions made me even more keen on training then I was before. I was reminded of why I'm spending many hours ever week rehabilitating, climbing circuits, doing core exercises and stretching. Hopefully if I keep it up, I will heal my wounds and maybe get in decent shape in time for the autumn!

Sydde was off course strong as allways. In the picture he is climbing Flygande kniven 7C.

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2013 Fontainebleau outtakes

Working with routesetting I often find myself thinking back on outdoor climbs I've been on with hopes of finding inspiration for what I'm about to set. The other day I was using this "tool" perhaps a bit too much. I started missing Font more than I've done in a long time. And as I think about this second home of mine pretty much every day, missing it more means missing it A LOT! When I got back home that night I immediately went on my computer and started looking at Font videos. After a while I ended up seeing some old clips of mine and then stumbled over some footage that I had not used. Since I had nothing better to do I put some of them together to make the short below.

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Turkish airlines

Tobias Haug climbing Turkish airlines 7c in Citdibi.

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Den näkna kocken ss 8A

A shot from last autumn that I took during one of those very rare occations when it was not raining. 
Fredrik Sydstrand trying Den näkna kocken ss in Simonstorp.

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Sunny side up

A few shots from a beautiful afternoon last week spent bouldering at Källbergahygget outside Uppsala. We have been blessed with amazing weather in the last two weeks and after a long dark winter, every second spent in the sun recharges you with energy. One can only wish for not having the face another raincloud until the autumn...

Sammy Dahlman flashing Cream 7B. One of Källberga's classic gems.

Rickard Sjöquist doing the reachy first move on his send of Städskrubben 7C+.

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Shots of the legends 2014 - Problem nr.5

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Shots of the legends 2014 - Problem nr.4

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Shots of the legends 2014 - Problem nr.3

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Shots of the legends 2014 - Problem nr.2

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Shots of the legends 2014 - Problem nr.1

As I did not post all the photos I took at the La Sporiva legends only in November, I though I could use them in this time of having nothing better to share. A desperate try to fill out the void that is the issue of not having climbed much in the past months.










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2014

Yet another year goes by. A year that I'd quite like to be erased from the history of time. So much happened, that I could never have predicted. Things that still is affecting me and forever will. Of course it's not been all bad. The time in Turkey was very stimulating. Not only in terms of climbing, but more than that on a personal level. The day I stepped on the flight back home, I felt more in peace than I think I've been in years. But still, I would trade every good experience if some things would never have happened.

Normally, this annual summary turns in to something of a long winded story. But as I have not travelled, or even climbed as much as in the last couple of years, I don't feel I can put much more to words then the lines above. So to save my self from even having to try,  I will fall back on the frequently used expression, that a picture says more than a thousand words.

First weekend of Febuary, I was in Helsinki for the grand opening of Boulderkeskus Isatis.

Olympos beachhang, Turkey. Photo: Natalia Polo López.

Flame of fame 8a, Trebenna, Turkey. Photo: Mikael Ylinen.

 

For a couple of days more, I will be hanging out with my family back home. After that, I'm really looking forward to going back to Stockholm. I think, for the first time ever, I found an everyday life that I could acctually see my self being happy with for more than a couple of months. I'll see what 2015 has got to offer, but for now I feel Stockholm is the place for me to be.


Best new year wishes to all of you!
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