The Next Little While

I just got back home to Oakland a few hours ago after an abbreviated trip to Yosemite. This was my last trip for the season and although it was a bummer to leave early it was the reasonable thing to do because Becky is feeling really under the weather. Fortunately for me on Saturday I was able to send my project 'The Shadow Warrior'. I had tried this a few times in the past but never put much effort into because it just felt too hard, but this spring Scott was psyched so I went with him to try it out. Randy came with us that first day, which was a good thing for me because he gave me all the beta he used on the second ascent!

After that first session I knew I could do it, and that it was just a matter of time. Last weekend I went back to it on two different days and I came painfully close both literally and figuratively. I fell several times with the good hold (that marks the end of hard climbing) in my grasp only to have my feet cut before I was settled. To make the matter more frustrating I was disturbed to realize my old bicep pains would flare up to the point of having difficulty speaking after each attempt. This Saturday I knew would be my last chance of the season. The weather was cooler than on the previous weekend, but it is forecast to be heating up from here on out and furthermore, I'm leaving for Colorado on Tuesday! Thankfully, after taking it relatively easy most of the day I was able to send on my first try of the day in the cool hour just before dark.

I owe several people some major thank you's for their role in this ascent, Scott for getting me motivated, Randy for the crucial shortie/kneepadless beta, and Becky for being a trooper for going up there with me on four different occasions (not to mention sitting around in the dark waiting for me to just get it over with).

Becky got some footage too so look for that in the near future.

Next time I blog I'll be in Estes Park, CO where I'll be climbing and working for the next month or so! Until then...Ciao.