Shortly after I blogged the other day I got a phone call from Tim Medina. He told me that he and his girlfriend Patti were psyched and coming to climb for the day on Thursday. That lifted my spirits a bit because Tim's psyche is infectious. Sure enough, not long after I got off the phone with Tim I found myself at the Le Conte boulders with the subtle signs of motivation peaking out from beneath the gloom of my eyes. By the end of the evening I was feeling almost chipper. I had done a few new (to me) problems and had a breakthrough on a project I had all but dismissed as too hard. I was excited for tomorrow.
The next day Tim and Patti arrived around 11:30 and we all
warmed up at the Curry boulders. Tim had me begin the day with a terrific new jump-start no-hands problem that I nearly managed but couldn't avoid dabbing with my wrist on two occasions. After this warm-up I knew we were going to have a good day.
After our warm-up we headed over to Tim's new project behind the new DNC housing. If you don't already know, Tim is one the most prolific cleaners of new boulder problems here in Yosemite. This despite living in the East Bay and running his own business, Wrench Science.
His newest vision is stellar. I actually first ran into this line last fall while chasing a bear at 1am. I stopped for a few minutes to gape at this beauty before I realized I had totally lost the bear. Anyway, Tim cleaned this up a couple weeks ago and had tried it a bit from the ground as well as on top rope, it was going down today! On his first attempt he cruised up to the committing finish totally composed. After a setting up for the move to the upper slopers his demenor suddenly changed and "Panicked Tim" appeared. I'd never met this Tim before, but he had me worried. Fortunately, he made it down with everything intact but his confidence.
After a long break (mostly spent debating if he knew what he was doing), Tim got back on that horse and sent in fine style. I of course hopped on the gravy train and road his coattails all the way to top shortly after. This, as of yet unnamed problem, is a top-notch, bold, full value problem and people should be grateful to Tim for putting in the time on it.
Below his new creation
After sending his project we all headed over to the Sentinel boulders so that Patti could revisit an old project of hers. While walking over I pointed out another undone line to Tim that I thought would be worth trying. This line is not obscure at all. It is the top-out finish to the "Sentinel Traverse," an old problem that simply ends at a jug in the middle of a wall. A lot of people have wondered over the years if it could be done but it wasn't until my friends Kevin and Adam mentioned it to me that I ever gave it much thought.
Doing the work for me :)
Well, Tim set to scrubbing and after not too long it looked ripe for the send and after just a few attempts it was done! Again, coattail riding ensued shortly thereafter. We were unable to do the full traverse into the top-out but I'm sure it will be finished off in short order. All in all it was the best day of bouldering I've had since returning to the Valley and there is no doubt that it is due in large part to the good company Tim and Patti provided.
On the newest addition to the B-1 boulder, "Da Bomb"
Oh yeah, Patti sent her old project too! Especially proud considering the burly workout Lynn put her through the day before.
5 comments:
what did it go at? V8/9?
more media of these lines or death, son, @#$q@$ DEATH !
ps: did this bear steal your sammich, or was it highly attractive? peyote?
WORD.
it goes at a mere v6! I think the link of the traverse will bump it up to about 8 or 9 points. Sooo good though, fell on the last hold five times today before the rain came.
The other project at Curry I am calling Panic Room and I think a fair grade is v9. It climbs amazing but has a committing and scary top crux over a questionable landing. Da Bomb is also great climbing and v6 sounds right. All great climbing!!!
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