THE JOURNEY IS OVER...

"each goal achieved is equally a dream destroyed"
-reinhold messner


waking up yesterday felt like a dream. it was under 50 degrees in the morning, cloudy, and windy. finally a respite from the unseasonally too-hot weather we've been having this past week or so. i was coming off a good 3 day run followed by a great rest day. i woke up feeling like there was lightning residing in my forearms. ...hopes were high; the conditions were good; and i was psyched.

it was clean-up day in the park, so by time we were done scouring the land for trash, after a couple hours my motivation was gone. since i was hungry and had no pressure of anticipation, i just totally relaxed and ate some food.

we finally got to climbing about noon by warming up on some classics in the warm-up area. ready to bump it up to something a little more serious after 30 minutes we got on the slopey/squeezy, powerful stinking jesus (8). after figuring out the best method john & max & i ran the train with this guy andy we met. it was good. the energy was building again.

after that we went to the ultra-classic, 4-star, left-trending highball hershey symphony (1). the climb hovers over a small chasm that's created by an equally angled rock that runs behind creating a "V" which renders the climb unpaddable, but super easy if you keep your head on you. a must-do! a must-repeat. i could feel more electricity in the air.

today was turning out to be a special day, i thought. one full of potential. but then i made myself stop thinking about it, and just enjoy it as it came, no matter what happened.

after that i went and hung out with john, max, and daniel as they climbed on some potential projects -both respectively hard- (sarah and the power of silence), while i rested and waited for a couple more hours until the temps cooled down and my project moved into the shade. i left them, to find ray & michelle on their last day here. i found another classic highball called cast iron (a sandbag 1, felt more like a 3) before i could make my way down "the chains" to the lost boulders . it was a little scarey since i was by myself in this small corridor. the crux is about 10 feet off the ground. it's a dead-vertical face with a commtting high foot off a slopey sidepull/undercling and another slopey dish/gaston to reach a 2-finger crimpy dish. after you get that, another reach on a smeary foot, to what feels like a sinker junk. then half a dozen more casual moves to the end.

the energy of the day was still building; now like a standing wave, ready to crash.

i finally met up with mike & steph, ray & michelle, and the rest of the red crew that showed up this week (roger, corey, matt, eric & jaime) in the martini cave. the sun was fading & the winds were blowing... it was "go time" and i was feeling good!




i had been on the route (i call it that because it is 20 hand moves, with 17 foot moves) my first day and remembered everything i figured out a couple weeks ago up to the first part (probably a 4 if it stood alone).





my first go i didn't throw far enough out of the huge sloper-undercling and fell (the first move of the crux); rested 10 minutes and gave it another burn.






next go i hit the sloper and bumped again to the crimp a little further out; made it to the pinch, got my heel up, and matched hands on the jug. all i had to do was bump my right hand farther out on the jug and swing my foot out. i must not have had the heel-hook in the slot b/c i just fell right out trying to move the right hand: no! a heart-breaker.



at that point most everyone was ready to finish up their day elsewhere and i was left standing under dean's journey (10 -easier if you're taller) with insufficient padding, having how fallen off the last possible place. then max and john and daniel showed up (thank god). so i ate a honey, cinnamon, banana sandwhich and rested 20 minutes before the next go.


the winds were picking up and the sun was retreating more into the mountains. i wanted it this time, and knew i was going to do it...
this time i got the heel to sink in the slot and weighted it...




i get my hands on the final jug and finally got my foot out. i was pressing into the bowl. i'll have to say to topping it out was unbelievable: i couldn't believe it: yes! i was ecstatic! yes! i had done it! woo-hoo! i was standing on top!


i was adrenalized, smiling from ear-to-ear, and the highest i'd felt in a long time (this high was the one of the most natural things i've experienced); with 2 days of work in and now accomplished of one of the hardest, cooleset things i've done.

i was planning on climbing today, but am deciding to rest and bask in the glory of this personal victory.


je suis heureux: i am happy.