This the last update before Syl arrives. She'll be here tonight and I'll be very glad to see her. I've spoken wit hher each day of the journey. All are OK, and Blue is starting to get wired. A long trip.


Last week was a challenging week. My first week really managing the group and we're in the middle of a project crunch. Imagine this. New guy comes in, and has the job of trying to get people to push to get back on schedule. Also, we had a computer glitch lastt week that caused some data do mysteriously dissappear. Guess whose group was most effected. You guessed it!


All is well. The group has responded well to my digging in, and we resolved (if not solved) the computer problem.


I was happy to see the weekend come.


I climbed on Saturday with Rui and Patty at Upper Dream Canyon above Boulder. It was great. It is the same place I climbed with them the first time we climbed together. We started off on an 11b called Raise the Titanic. It is a short bolted roof with a really fun crux. It was Patty's first 11b lead! We then moved onto do Sargasso Sea (12a). This route is interesting and sustained. The opening moves are tricky face climbing to a small ledge. Of the ledge is a pumpy layback with very tricky feet onto another ledge. The crux is a layback/undercling on a rounded feature with smearing high feet. It is one of those things that you feel like your gonna pump out or go flying, but it is just doable enough that you levitate through. if you have the mind to stay with it. After the crux you get some slightly runout slab to deal with, great!


We then did the 12a next door called The Deep. Good 10ish climbing up to a smooth scoop with a gaston at the left edge. Tricky high feet allow you to deadpoint the good sidepull and surmount the smooth sloping ledge. Both Rui and I took some air on this one. It was getting in the sun so we didn't give a nother go. It is hot in the sun. Reminds me of Jack's Canyon. We finished on another 11b roof, which was quit big. It reminded me of a gunks 5.11 roof. Fun.


Patty and Rui had a BBQ at there place, which was really fun. I was beat by 10:30 and left just about the time the dancefloor was getting traffic. A good time.


Sunday I went Bouldering at the Tropics from 9 to 12. It was shadey and I got a great workout. I'm working on this slopey traverse that I made up, high up on the ridge. It is maybe 30 feet and I can do it in 3 or 4 sections. It is really fun.


Just so you don't think we have adverse conditions out here, I had a fly buzzing around my head on Sunday morning when I was Bouldering. It was annoying. I also came across alarge patch of Poison Ivy up on the ridge. You New Yorkers aren't alone in climbing in adversity.


I ended Sunday by having dinner with one of the guys I work with and his wife. we then went to an outdoor concert and enjoyed the beautiful evening and dynamite sunset.


Hope all is well with everyone. I've enjoyed the updates immensely. Keep 'em comin'.


Later,
Don

Copyright 2001, 2002 Walt Heenan