Bedtime Stories

S: Hiya, still there?

me: Yep, for a little bit longer. Aren't you suppose to be asleep?

S: That was the plan... can't sleep, wide awake, tell me a bedtime story. "Christopher's Travels"

me: Okay.

We left Reno behind. The temps were scraping the 100 degree mark

S: I thought you left Seattle behind?

me: Hey... this is my story...

S: Sorry...carry on.

me: The trunk was packed for an over night in the High Sierra's. The windows down, the warm air swarmed through the car... It was Hot. Damn Hot. We stopped in Carson City (That's the capital of Nevada, in case you didn't know) and got gas, and a slushy to help cool off. Then we started our ascent into the mountains around Lake Tahoe. The drive is only 70 miles from Reno, but it takes a couple hours with all the traffic lights... and a celebrity golf match.

We stopped at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant filled with the local Latino residents in South Lake Tahoe. The food was delicious. We'd be sure to stop again on the way home. Our bellies full of good eats, we continued to Strawberry. The air already cooling, the view along the winding road awes as you approach Lover's Leap. The rock is begging for your attention. We took a left at Strawberry Lodge and went to the camp ground at Lover's Leap. At 7000 feet, it was still in the 90 degree range... the campsites were full and the river looked refreshing. We could look for a place to sleep later.

We stripped to our suits and went for a swim in the refreshing water. After an hour of swimming and sunning we decided to check out the lodge. We were unsure where we'd lay our heads but we found we would have options. And there is an ice cream shop.

The dinning room closed at 8:30, the bar at 10:30. Ice cream sounded good. Three cones, rockie road, strawberry, and almond praline. That would suffice us for our climb... We wanted to climb. We needed to climb. 5:40 PM we racked up and made our way to The Line. A classic 5.9 crack that you could see from the anywhere you could see Lover's Leap. Simply described as "The best climb of its grade, anywhere."

Yep, that's the plan. Jeff took the first lead, Sarah followed, then me.

S: This sounds like a blog.

me: I'm telling you a bedtime story here.

The sun was still blazing hot even as six o'clock ticked past. Jeff flaked the rope and racked up. I put on my harness and bouldered the lower part of the climb. Sarah offered the first lead up to me. "No, thanks. Looks a bit stiff, and the first moves are unprotected for a bit." I put Jeff on belay, we did our checks. Locked my biner and Jeff set off on lead. To me, he moved quickly. Jeff would say he moved slow. We all ticked off the first pitch.

The first pitch was amazing... at one point I yelled "Falling!" as my hands slipped down the rock, my feet perched well and my butt pushing me desperately off the wall. I hooked my finger onto a small edge and got my balance. I should have been dropping but I didn't. I found nice ledge, and took a short break to breath. Sweat soaked my shirt and my face. The pack on my back with water, shoes and other bits was feeling heavy. For the moment, I was wishing we'd left it on the ground. But starting as late as we were, we knew the walk off would be dark.

I continued on, until I was just below Sarah. Sarah wanted the next lead. This should have been a two pitch climb. Sarah climbed until she ran out of slings and had few gear placements left. Getting your lead head on is hard enough with all the gear but when you have to choose to run-out your pitch that takes even more courage. Sarah chose safety and I was grateful for her decision. Ten more minutes and the sun will drop behind the hills. Jeff told Sarah, "We're not going to make dinner at the lodge."

Jeff seconded her climb cleaning the gear and then finished the final 20 meters... With the sun set behind the hills darkness was soon to follow. Jeff cleared the roof and Sarah followed Jeff's final moves. She had just enough day light to see the holds. The plan was to finish the climb in the light and I would climb in the dark from the first pitch. I did after all have the backpack.

Still at the first pitch, the sun set, and my nerves starting to get the better of me, I took a deep breath with eyes closed and calmed myself. I clipped the backpack to a sling on my shoulders to secure it as I removed it and brought it around to my front. Careful to not let anything fall out, I pulled out my headlamp. I removed my helmet, and placed the headlamp on my head. Put the helmet back on. Hit the headlamp power button -- No light.

Mother [bleep]er! This thing is brand new! My headlamp was dead. Maybe it drained the batteries... Son-of-a-... I took off my helmet and the headlamp and returned it to the pack.

S: (sitting on the edge of my seat) What did you do, Chris?

me: I'm getting there... now shut up. I'm making this up as I go you know? Well, I'm writing it up as best I remember, but as I go... you put me on the spot.

Jeff also brought a headlamp. I put it at the bottom of the backpack. Crap. Three pairs of shoes, water, shirts, and "knickknacks" at the bottom of it all. I carefully dug my way to the bottom until I felt what I thought was the "knickknacks." Nope, that was a shirt, try again. Finally, the sack with Jeff's headlamp. This one was much bigger than mine. This one fit over my helmet, so I put the helmet back on, and the headlamp over the helmet.

I hit the power button -- Da-Dah-DA, I had light.

"Chris, On Belay!"

S: Yay!

me: Hey, this story is suppose to put you to sleep... now shut up.

I started to clear the anchor. Jeff pulled the rope taut. "Chris, Climb when Ready!" Jeff called.

I called back "Jeff, Climbing!"

The headlamp was my only source of light. There was no moon tonight. Every handhold, every foot placement required me to shine the light where I hoped to secure myself to the wall. This is an exercise we do in the gym sometimes only not in the dark. I was scared, but I felt safe. I actually cruised up the first 30 meters the headlamp highlighting the chaulked holds.

Only 25 meters to go. The holds became limited. The climb had moved to technical slab climbing with a few pin scars that my finger tips could use to balance me along the way.

And then, the roof. I had watched both Jeff and Sarah clear the roof. They are stronger more experienced climbers than me, and I was feeling nervous. They both had to work their way through thin fingers over the lip.

I moved in, under the rock, the light scanning for the good holds. I found an undercling for my right hand, and I walked my feet up as high as I could. I could see the chaulk that had been left behind in a side pull edge, and I didn't like it. Thin. Shallow. Mossy?

I wasn't sure how I would make it through this roof in the dark by headlamp and then I moved my hand up higher past this ugly hold. It looked like I could actually get my hand to the top with big nice hold.

Sure enough it was huge. I could have done handstands on it. With my left hand on this hold, I let my right go from the undercling and matched it on the ledge. I cake walked the roof.

S: YAY!

me: The climb was done, 10 feet and I was hugging my climbing partners. Feeling happy and elated. We put on our shoes and packed up the rope and other gear. It was now time to get down the mountain.

My headlamp wasn't working... so three people had to walk down to light I was holding. We moved swiftly but cautiously, the rocks and roots could easily cause a problem. Shadows made it difficult to see, so Jeff led, I was second (with the light) and Sarah was behind me.

I would look back to light Sarah's way on occasion and as we started to clear to a smooth path, Sarah tripped.

She rolled her ankle.

We all paused.

Sarah's face told us she was hurt. Tears were on the edge of her eyes. Jeff moved in to protect his girl.

And Sarah stood up.

She would be able to walk. Our pace slowed but was uneventful to the base. We missed the parking lot and ended up in someone's camp. Sarah was hurt so she and Jeff decided we'd grab a room at the Lodge. The room was small... a queen and a twin.

I got the twin.

S: lol

me: Sarah didn't sleep well. I woke to her and Jeff discussing what they could do to make her feel better. Ice, Advil? The foot hadn't swollen at all, but the pain was keeping her awake. We were worried it had broke. The pain caused Sarah to be nauseous and she went in to sleep on the bathroom tile. Did I mention our room didn't have a bathroom so we had a shared bathroom? Yep... Small room.

Jeff had things under control, so I went back to sleep, the zzz's wander through our climb.

Morning came, and I bought breakfast. We dropped Sarah off at the river where she soaked her foot in the cooling waters. Jeff and I headed to the Haystack. A beautiful 5.7. I would get to lead the first pitch this time.

Hold on... I need a moment... it's a long story.

S: Very dramatic

me: I'm good. Okay... here we go.

There were two parties on the wall. The young girl was just leaving the ground as we approached. We chatted a bit and noted that her shoes were clearly too big. She'd left her shoes and borrowed a pair of Katana's from a random guy. I guess he had a rest day.

We said hellos, and she started to climb. Jeff and I farted around until we saw her reach her leader. I racked up, tied in, and did the usual checks. I started the climb feeling confident and moved fairly swiftly. I hit a snag at one point and struggled to get a good placement. I thought I found a better spot so removed the gear, tested the new spot, it was bad, put the placement back in the original spot. I was being stupid.

I continued on. I reached the first ledge, and there was the girl waiting for her lead to start the belay for her. I plugged a piece in to hold me until she cleared the ledge. We chatted a bit. She offered me some water. Her name is Courtney, and with the pressure of people following she decided to not clear a piece of gear. I told her we'd clear it and return it to her at the next ledge. I didn't get my water.

I used the left behind gear and built my anchor to bring Jeff up. He cleared my gear. When he reached me I asked, "How'd I do?"

Jeff said "Well, you pretty much free solo'd that climb."

"Your first four placements were good, but then the next four came out and if you fell, it would have been one hell of a whipper."

S: free solo'd?

me: My confidence was shook... Yeah, free soloing is climbing unprotected, the basic idea is that if I fell I would have taken a very long fall as each of my pieces would have come out of the wall. Not my idea of a good time.

S: Shook because of your placements?

me: Yes.

S: ah

me: Shall I continue?

S: Yes, Pleas do.

me: Thank you.

My gear placements were bad, and Jeff must have thought I was a total idiot and wondered if my anchor was stable. He checked it and was assured it was good, I knew it was because I had replaced the gear Courtney pulled with the same pieces from my rack. Jeff and I swapped the lead and he took Courtney her gear that she left behind.

The second pitch was a good one not to have to be on lead. The roof was intimidating. When I got there, it was not easy either... but the placements were good and I would make it through without much effort. Except what was caused in my head.

I got to Jeff and we laughed that Courtney had to leave another piece behind. Jeff said, "You take this lead." It wasn't a request. He handed me the gear to return, and I racked up the gear.

I was feeling nervous, but as I climbed I decided, "I can take my time, no one is following us, and I can do this." Jeff just nodded to my obvious commentary to myself.

I started my climb. I continued up, and HOLY SHIT IS THAT A SECOND ROOF? I swore. Lots. I've never led through a roof. I swore some more. Lots more.

I continued up until I got to the roof. I placed my gear in the crack, stemmed out to the opposing face, placed my hand thumb down into the crack over the edge, swung my left leg over the edge, and rolled up.

I did it!

I [bleep]ing did it!

And then I walked the remaining way to the top where Billy, Courtney's boyfriend checked over my anchor (I knew it was bomber) because I asked... Just to ensure I wasn't being a dumbass and over confident.

S: I knew you could!

me: Jeff followed up and told me, "You're placements were perfect. Nice job."

S: redeemed

me: I gave Courtney back her gear, and she gave me some water. And back down the mountain again, though much easier in the daylight.

The day got scorching so Jeff and I decided to head back to the river. I ran up to the base of our climb to retrieve the last of our gear. A marmot destroyed my backpack for sunscreen... I loved that pack. This time REI wasn't going to replace it for me. Stupid marmot also ruined my favorite sun screen and that wasn't even in the zippered pocket! Grrr.

We met up with Sarah who had just enough of the river and was starting to get hungry so we headed back to Reno, stopping at our new favorite mexican restaurant before making the final trek. The warmth of the drive home put me to sleep. Reno was still too hot. We grabbed cheap chinese and a movie...

S: How was your movie karma this time?

me: Oh, we rented a movie. I did see the new Harry Potter in the theater and it was good... though people are still retarded in theaters.

All was happy, and we slept in... except for Jeff who had to catch a plane to Seattle for work.

me: My sister just told me that she's in a middle of a tornado warning. I only have a little bit of juice left in my laptop bat.

S: I was gonna tell you about that, but you were telling your story. Hail, high winds, tons of rain. They just cancelled the warning here in Denver

me: Curious. Okay... gotta go... sleep well.

S: Okay, thanks for the story gnight.

me: g'night.

Headlamp update. Turns out that the batteries were still good. For some unknown reason once the back was closed on that particular headlamp it stopped working. Thank you REI for making that return so very easy.