I haven’t climbed in almost a year now (remarkable, i know. It might change soon.) For some reason I’m feeling a lot of nostalgia for Rocklands (a climbing area in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa. Also, home of Rooibos tea–which actually can’t be grown anywhere else because it needs Cederberg soil bacteria).
When I’m asked where the best place i’ve traveled to is I often say Rocklands, even though it’s less than four hours from where I grew up. We visited three times during our road-trip staying for about eight months in total, living in sprawling tent cities, caravans and various communal farm houses. We participated in a kind of pagan ritual of extreme physical advancement, tribal collectivity, fire-cooked animal flesh, and appreciation of ze natural [as Fred Nicole would put it]. We were surrounded by some of the kindest, warmest and most inspired savages I’ve encountered and I am pretty sure I will count these times as some of the happiest of my life.
So I started this blog post at the time I wrote the SA Mountain article to share the pictures with people outside of SA and include some that didn’t make the article.
Photographers are Dylan Wyer, David Mason, Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, James Kassay, Micky Wiswedel, Nathan Gerhardt, Nicky Ceria, Rus Vakrilov, Sam Davis, James Barnes, Courtney Miyamoto, Carolyn Wegner, Angie and myself. You all agreed a long time ago that I could post these (or I think you’re cool like that) but let me know if that changed and I’ll promptly take down anything inappropriate.
Also, many of these are of projecting, not sending, and some like Amandla and Sky remain unsent projects (sniff). Maybe this post will motivate me to do something about that.
Lastly we lost all our pictures from the main part of the trip when Angie was around climbing. The pics below were mostly taken right at the end of the season when it was just me. So no Angie I’m afraid :-(
So without further adieu, I give you a much overdue collective photo essay on La Rocklands 2014:
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Rainbow over the Sassies: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-bdvL1s.jpeg)
Mina Leslie Wujastyk on Barracuda: David Mason
![land of a thousand rainbows Steve Bradsaw on Barracude 8a - Dylan Wyer](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-Ay9eZk.jpeg)
Me on Barricuda: Dylan Wyer
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Me on Barricuda: Dylan Wyer
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Claire Langmore: James Kassay Collection
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James Kassay at Fields of Joy: James Kassay Collection
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De Pakhuys: Me
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Claire Langmore: James Kassay Collection
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Nicky Ceria on Green Mamba: Nicky Ceria Collection
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-H_i4jY.jpeg)
Me on Green Mamba: Sam Davis
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Me on Green Mamba: Micky Wiswedel
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David Mason Collection
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Flowers after rain: Me
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James Kassay on King of Limbs: James Kassay Collection
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Josh Muller on King of Limbs: Nathan Gerhardt
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Donkeys on the road to Wuppertal: Me
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Me on Derailed: Angie
![land of a thousand rainbows Steve Bradshaw on Derailed 8b - Angie Bradshaw (1)](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-1ZVXoa.jpeg)
Me on Derailed: Angie
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Rockstock: Me
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Nicky Ceria on Power of One: Nicky Ceria Collection
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-OI2Ky4.jpeg)
Nicky Ceria on Golden Shadow: Nicky Ceria Collection
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-mI1rX8.jpeg)
Walking to the Rhino: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-7Mct5l.jpeg)
Me on El Corazon: James Barnes
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-42Uijq.jpeg)
Cody Roth on Steakhouse: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-dQ9MgU.jpeg)
Me on Shosholoza: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-IZQvTy.jpeg)
Me on Shosholoza: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-1FctX9.jpeg)
Me on Shosholoza: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-xMUqC6.jpeg)
Me on Shosholoza: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-XWBOWv.jpeg)
Me on Shosholoza: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-oux57V.jpeg)
Dylan Wyer on Shosholoza: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-BLfvJi.jpeg)
Oranges on the way to Southern Cedarberg: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-Nww9HJ.jpeg)
Marijus Smigleskis on Derailed: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-1iwVhX.jpeg)
View from the pass: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-_x2DvC.jpeg)
Emma Twyford on Kingdom in the Sky: David Mason
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-ah_oQF.jpeg)
David Mason on Creaking Heights: David Mason Collection
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-rJPxhm.jpeg)
Max on Witness the Sickness: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-uBH3UH.jpeg)
Looking up at the pass: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows Full moon - Rus Vakrilov](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-3rKo0b.jpeg)
Night exposure: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-SZcos7.jpeg)
Me on Big Short: Dylan Wyer
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Me on Industry of Cool: Dylan Wyer
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Me on Industry of Cool: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-3kckpx.jpeg)
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-OSDS3i.jpeg)
Me on the Rhino: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-6sahtG.jpeg)
View from the main farmhouse at Alpha: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-PILDco.jpeg)
Me on Roof on Fire: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-i2WR3m.jpeg)
Me on Amandla: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows Steve Bradshaw on Amandla 8b+ - Dylan Wyler (3)](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-FmZpcC.jpeg)
Me on Amandla: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-qKrDHt.jpeg)
Me on Amandla: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-r8f6Ca.jpeg)
Me on Amandla: Dylan Wyer
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-0UowVn.jpeg)
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk on Joseph Malbos: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows Charles Bradshaw on Minki 7b- Steve Bradshaw](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-255vlM.jpeg)
Charles Bradshaw on Minky: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows the vice steve](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-PgCJNa.jpeg)
Me on The Vice: Carolyn Wegner
![land of a thousand rainbows 5011737968_5f1770f2cf_o](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-Xz9Hq6.jpeg)
The pass: Angie
![land of a thousand rainbows 5009570265_3a584d423c_o](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-AQ60Z5.jpeg)
Protea: Angie
![land of a thousand rainbows 5009558663_f333196e24_o](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-w1_gC2.jpeg)
Fields of Elysium: Angie
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-M_l_dF.jpeg)
Fridi Krispel on Pendragon: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-bANrby.jpeg)
Me on Hatchling: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-b75P9k.jpeg)
Me on Mooiste Meisie: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-vrt6It.jpeg)
Me on Mooiste Meisie: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-4oZS4j.jpeg)
Trusty camper: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-ZSB7Q3.jpeg)
Me on Sky: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-66rjSZ.jpeg)
Me on Sky: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows Matt On Sky](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-eWWvil.jpeg)
Matt Fultz on Sky: Nathan Gerhardt
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-jeBM_k.jpeg)
Me on Madiba: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-sW2aN9.jpeg)
Me on Madiba: Micky Wiswedel
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Me on Madiba: Micky Wiswedel
![land of a thousand rainbows 5260683716_03b2cd0c0b_o](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-iLUD4A.jpeg)
Fields of Joy: Me
![land of a thousand rainbows Nelly on Slash and Burn - Rus Vakrilov (2)](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-GLiyKq.jpeg)
Nelly on Slash and Burn: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows null](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-6tbWpC.jpeg)
Nelly on Slash and Burn: Rus Vakrilov
![land of a thousand rainbows unicycling](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-ob3QxY.jpeg)
Me unicycling with Grant: Coutney Miyamoto
![land of a thousand rainbows _DSC0842](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/136/1368390/land-of-a-thousand-rainbows-L-TQS_jq.jpeg)
Night exposure: Rus Vakrilov
In case you missed it, here’s the video from the trip.