Siren Songs: A Week with the Guys

Well, I don't have hardly any photos (hint, hint, guys...send me pictures!), but I do want to emphasize that I had a fabulous visit from some of my oldest C-dale friends (oldest meaning we've know each other a long time...that's all ;) ) David and Montie this past week. They are both adventurous and fun, so as soon as they got off the plane on Saturday afternoon, they were willing to travel straight to Mt. Baldy to go hiking. I then introduced them to the endless pleasure of Pink Berry (there is nothing like it! And no one can argue with that!). When we got back home, Montie was pooped so he went to sleep. David was as well, but somehow struggled through the pain and went with Darren and I to a friend's halloween party. All of us saw friends, some of which we hadn't seen in years. Unfortunately I lost a button for my camera--hence the lack of photos.

Halloween with my fellow PT classmates: Shower Girl, Jelly Belly, and Cleopatra

This was the Spiderman Darren was wearing when I first met him. Hotness.

The next day Dave, Montie, and I took off to Yosemite for their first view of the magnificent granite monoliths. We arrived late in the day, so we sped up to Glacier Point for sunset. There was a full moon, so I was curious how the tunnel view would be. We couldn't really see much except for the rock's grandiose outlines. But we ate some pizza in Curry Village and watched from El Cap meadows the Big Wall climbers' headlamps shine on El Capitan. Back in Wawona we hung out (mostly playing Scrabble and sharing funny videos on the internet, my favorite of course being "Captain Kurt is Climbing the Mountain" although there is a gross part of the song) with some friends and acquaintances that work in the area. They were super hospitable by giving us a place to stay and beta for the next day's climb.

David is about to dive off the diving board into the valley

Sunset at Glacier Point

We awoke early and decided to do a short, but very classic five star route called Bishop's Terrace. I hadn't led trad in a very long time but somehow managed the 1st pitch and an anchor that thankfully safely held David, Ryan, and I as we climbed (Poor Montie ended up taking care of my vehicle. It had a faulty "yaw" switch.). Ryan cruised through the harder pitch while David got his first painful taste of a hanging belay. We also all sweated like crazy in the sun. Although it is November, I have never been so toasty on a route!

David and I then followed Ryan one at a time up dual cracks followed by a single crack in which we had to stuff all hands and feet in it in order to ascend. I loved the variety and was glad David could experience his first classic Yosemite crack filled multi-pitch.

The Tunnel View on Sunday morning

Ryan leading the crux while David and I hang at the belay station

I'm gunning for it!

We safely made it to a lovely ledge at the top with a great view of the valley and Half Dome

The rest of the week I had classes in the day, but the guys took trips to the Getty (twice...well, that place IS amazing inside and out) and Santa Monica Beach. At night, one evening we ate at one of the seven Thai restaurants within a 5 mile radius of my home and we enjoyed Market Night on Thursday. We bought the best food items: empanadas (The owners are from where I went to school in Argentina and are SO friendly. I like how they've adapted to the SoCal culture and have created bean, cheese, and jalepeno empanadas. That would never go down in Argentina. I only saw one Mexican restaurant while I was there (we North Americans were the only customers), and most of the people I met there hate spicy food.), carmel corn, and roasted corn (I accidentally rolled mine in a tray of salt...bad idea). We wandered about and surprisingly saw that the Twelve Tribes' (a communal group with a mixture of Jewish, Christian, and hippie traits) bus was in the parking lot. It had traveled all the way from Chattanooga. Both they and we were shocked to meet each other there. We chatted with them about eating at the Yellow Deli, their beliefs, and, of course, their amazing wooden and leather interior bus.

On Friday, the guys, Darren, and some other friends and I went to Joshua Tree to celebrate Montie's birthday. We enjoyed a classic route, some typical Jtree slab, and most importantly, the CHASM of DOOM! I don't know if the latter should be explained...I think it really should just be experienced. But I am glad it was one of the last things the guys experienced in deserty SoCal before heading back East.

Darren finishing Big Moe with its Michigan shaped crux (bottom right corner) in Joshua Tree

My brand new vine-like rope I bought at Nomad Ventures just before entering the park. I love it. The last time we used my old rope was climbing at T-Wall and it had bounced us around like a bungee cord. That, and the fact that I've had that rope for probably seven years is, well, not safe.

Here's just a hint of what the doom is all about. There is supposed to be no form of light during the expedition, but Montie cheated a little to take this picture. I have to admit that I am glad he did, because this photo is hilarious. Darren is searching around on a solid wall, I look worried and perplexed, and Olivia appears amused at Darren's activity.