Felt a bit desperate driving to Geta. It was raining yesterday and the mist this morning and yesterday was not of this world. However, I had been looking forward to this all week so the slight chance that something was dry was enough.
Arriving at Djupviken I could see that at least the snow was no longer an issue, although a bit annoying at times. It was a bit strange that some problems were soaking and others were velcro dry. I was able to find warm-ups and then repeated "Hammas" in a couple of tries and "Steel pulse" which took a bit longer, I can never remember my beta for this problem but once I got it, it felt quite easy. It was only the third time I have been able to climb this problem.
Then it was on to "Supermartikainen". This is the one I have started dreaming about now after "Dodo", unfortunately it was wet. I was able to dry it to an acceptable level to start trying the moves. After looking at videos I have realized that my earlier tries in 2004 something when I broke the starting foothold was the proper sitstart. Now I'm going for the crouching start which seems to be the standard. I was able to do most of the slapping and the falling into the crimper but I was not able to control the swing when letting go with the left foot. Didn't try the top part because I was alone and it can be a bit dangerous without a spot, at least when it's a bit wet like today.
The original "Martikainen" is one of the problems in Djupviken with the most "first ascents" and I think if we should be strict it should be called "Gammelgäddan" because I think it was the swedes who climbed it first, then came the finns and did "Martikainen". A year or so later, around 2000, Jim and I did another "first ascent" and we named it "Nemas Problemas", I'm probably a bit biased but I think our name was the coolest ;-). Whatever name, the line is one of the best in Djupviken and it will be nice to work the low start because it's not really a climbingstyle that I'm used to.
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