6:15pm, Monday.
I’m on hanging on the last bolt. I already dogged it through the lower crux. Tough crimp moves and gastons, though they feel doable if I can get the sequencing correct. Between me and the chains lies the upper crux of Flesh for Lulu, 12a. A climb I’ve never been on. Neither has Thomas, belaying me 11 bolts below.
I hear taps. The tap tap tap of drizzle hitting the trees above and behind me. I look up, I take a deep breath. Yep — smells like rain.
The tapping picks up. It’s clear a heavier pour is coming. I turn back to the face in front of me. Under the gun. Up and to the right are some holds and what looks like a big side pull for my right hand, if I can step over and reach it.
I look down at Thomas. “Guess I better go for this!”
“Yyeeepp”
I turn back back toward the cliff up and to the right. Nothing worse than being caught on a climb as a downpour starts. Especially one you’ve never done. I’ve got the stick clip below just in case I can’t do it. But that would involve Thomas lowering me, than my climbing back up, going in direct to a bolt, and stick clipping the rope up to the chains. By then it’ll be raining full on, the holds I need getting slicker and more slippery.
“Climbing!” I call down again.
I grip crimps in front of me, place my feet. New shoes. A pair of fairly aggressive Black Diamonds. Never before worn. Picked them up at the Plymouth store yesterday. The one on my right foot feels particularly tight. Definitely need to get them worn in before they’re fully working for me.
I take a large step right, brace my right toe against a ledge, and shift my weight over. I reach with my right for the side pull, but it’s too far, just out of my span. I look back down at my left foot, perched on a tenuous nub in the rock, and I bump it up and to the left six inches, to another tenuous nub. That expands my reach, and I grab hold.
Shift on to my right foot, reach up and over, find the jug. All gravy from there. Clip the chains.
I can hear the tapping of the rain on the leaves behind me.
“Guess I better clean!”
“Yea, it’s starting to coming down. Nice work.”
Bottom line: I think I might be able to send that thing. I’ve got 14 more days.