So Team Safety was out last Sunday (yeah, we know, Saturday was "better") looking for victims of our low down style. Since we don't do approaches, we drove around and found a wall that was close to the road. The only thing dry (ish) was a finger crack we'd attempted before. I suited up and took off quickly flaming at the crux. Bailed, re-suited and tried again. I got the crux this time and hunkered down in this most uncomfortable alcove that is too small for Frodo Baggins to catch a rest. From there the route traverses left along a ledge. I stuck in a marginal piece on a horizontal behind this suitcase sized blob. I could have reached beyond the blob to a flat ledge, but darn it, I was too tired. So I grabbed a nice hold on the blob and lowered my feet down to some scums. Lo and behold, the suitcase decided to come with me! Bummed on missing the FA, but concerned enough for my mortality, I decided to let go of the suitcase and take the fall. As I look up, the suitcase is teetering on an edge but miraculously held to the wall by the tension of my rope and the sling from the piece behind it. After some jiggery, I tram up and release the block and witness I fairly spectacular explosion of dust when it hits the ground. Rhino was well out of the way. I jingus around a bit and try to clean up the area of debris, when the piece that was holding me and the block decides to pop out. I bail, re-suit, and try again, but flames overtook the old man and FA fame and fortune eludes the team.
Next stop was Make a Wish at Drive-By. I try to talk Rhino into leading something scary and he hadn't led it before so it was a decent challenge. He straps on his Arno Warrior mantras and blows through the route like it was C Sharp or B Flat. Team Safety scores a rare Winter victory! I decide to lead it w/ draws in place and though flamed from my earlier failures I manage to flop up on the ledge at the anchors. So I'm standing on the ledge with a very light grip on the clip hold. Rhino, expecting me to pull up a bunch of rope to clip, pays out a tidy wad of it. Just as I look down to grab a bight of rope, the subtantial rock under my left foot completely fractures away. Not having any awareness of space and time, I manage to only minimally slow my flight by scraping my left shin on the remains of the ledge. I perfect what I believed to be a nice arching back swan dive seeing nothing but clouds above and only a peripheral view of a rock face screaming by in the wrong direction. After a few moments I realize something bad must have happened, I'm flying upside down, and I'm not stopping. I think some gutteral sounds came out as I assessed the potential impact. I thought I would hit the wall pretty hard, so a bent my neck forward so I wouldn't have a fractured skull. Fortunately, my butt sticks out pretty far and it took the brunt of the force. I righted myself as Rhino (with a horrified voice) yells, "Are you Okay?" I told him I was and was somewhat incredulous about the 25' fall. We analyzed the incident and decided that I just like to break things. I finished up the route again and we both got a good wiff of Miquel's pizza and headed out. Mmmmm...... pizza!
Team Safety Report (aka Screamer of the Week)
Hey John,
what is Make a Wish, 9+/10a? It's been a while since I have done it, but it's a pretty interesting route for sure. About the only thing I remember about it though is lots of sand in my eyes when I was climbing AND belaying.
Mj
what is Make a Wish, 9+/10a? It's been a while since I have done it, but it's a pretty interesting route for sure. About the only thing I remember about it though is lots of sand in my eyes when I was climbing AND belaying.
Mj
...quitting drinking is kinda like washing your hands after you take a crap...why start now?
