Weekend of good things

On Saturday I raked some garden beds. Ross decided to finally tackle a job that he had been dreading - the adjustment of valves on his VFR. He said he was kind of afraid of it, but decided it was time. When he loosened the bolts that hold the cam cover the valve spring pushed the cam up and cocked the cover, jamming it on the bolt studs. He pondered the problem and decided to tap the cam cover in order to push it down and try to wiggle it off.

One tap; the cover flew off into the air, the cam itself lept out of the bike and flew across it, smashing the glass of beer that sat on the floor. You never know what's going to happen.

So we both got useful things done on Saturday; I did some other stuff, washed some clothes, etc. Tracked dirt into the house and didn't clean it up. Went to Shawn and Nancy's for dinner, hung out. Their daughter, Maya, is such a kid.

Sunday I went to Taylor's Falls with Katie and Shawn. The big "goal" for the day was to let Katie take the first preparatory steps toward trad lead climbing. Shawn teaches and lectures for his job, so it comes naturally to him. He talked a lot; I suggested that a logical sequence would be for me to lead and her to follow, cleaning the gear, then for her to pretend to lead on toprope, then possibly for her to lead with preplaced gear, and finally for her to actually lead and place all gear herself. As it turned out, we got through the first two steps. I lead Blue Moon, a climb I have led about a billion times. It is blissfully easy, although there is a brief, awkward crux under a large overhang. When the time came for Katie to practice placing gear she did a great job. Shawn, meanwhile, was climbing with Alicia who had driven down from Duluth to join us. I had never met her before; she went to school in England and did a lot of climbing on gritstone over there, but was recovering from a pretty bad foot ligament injury. She and Shawn climbed some easy routes.

After Katie and I had both climbed Blue Moon twice it felt like time for something new... time for me to face my "nemesis". I racked up for the Bulge. The Bulge is rated 5.10a. Well within my ability. I've actually led it before, but not cleanly. Maybe even more than once? In any case, I REALLY want to lead it clean this year. My physical ability is not matched by my mental confidence. I whipped through the opening moves, placed two ball nuts before the first crux. If this had gone faster I would have been in great shape, but I felt the need to shake out a bit. Then pulled into the crux and gasped, "I can't do it!" Shawn, Katie and Alicia all yelled, "Yes you can! Go for it!" and I did, slamming my foot into the good spot and standing up. I had made it, but had to stay calm while fumbling for the large cam for my next piece of pro. Got it in and chilled out. Got a nut in above the large cam slot, then stood and got a nut in the next good crack above. This was going well, except that the second crux of the route was above me, and my arms were on fire. I shook out desperately, started to move into the next sequence, and then sighed, "No, I don't have it," and slumped onto the rope.
Encouragement from Katie and Shawn drifted up to me; I let my burning forearms hang, and studied the next moves. I KNEW them; the step up, very positive right hand, left into a sidepull, left foot up and lever to a standing position, stretch tall and grab the point of rock... the scariest thing about that sequence was going to be not the moves but the time spent getting in some pro after making the moves. So then I did it; matched hands on the point, tried for a large nut in the slot just by my hands. First nut didn't fit, second seemed almost too big. I doubted it, but clipped a quickdraw and the rope anyway. Psychological protection. One more step up and I could reach the lovely parallel-sided crack just above the handhold. Perfect, so perfect for a cam. I slammed one in. The top of the route is such a relief; the angle eases, the weight comes off your arms. Cracks abound.
I did my usual crap job of positioning my top anchor; a solid anchor, but I ended up stepping back over the edge to belay, leaning over the void with my PAS (Personal Anchor System) clipped to my strong point. Katie followed with some hanging to remove the gear.
Then we did some half-assed bouldering and ended up in the Slicksides area where some other people we knew were climbing. Got on both Slicksides and Schlocksides, twice. I discovered the sequence that will work for me on Schlock. Words for the day: intrepid, and profane.
Then went home in a pleasant aura of physical exhaustion. Ross and Pat were working on the CRX, so I walked the dog, still in the pleasant aura, and made a new friend in the neighborhood who happens to be a rabid science fiction fan.
And finally, Ross and I went to see the Iron Man movie, which absolutely rocks. I'd say more, but you have to see it yourself. It is a fine, fine movie, and walks the fine, fine line between gritty realism and comic book escapism with admirable verve.