Book Eight

I finished Kazuo Ishiguro's first book last night: A Pale View of Hills. Some of the themes were familiar from the others of his that I have read: postwar Japan, loss and longing, things left unsaid, regret. It is a beautiful, elegant novel that surprised me with its depth. He always catches me off-guard somehow, no matter how many of his books I read.

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I don't remember if I mentioned my rest day yesterday - I managed to onsight Lavender Eye, 12a, and Sonny Jim, 11a, and to do Grand Dragon, this fairly terrifying v7. Grand Dragon was a tentative goal of this trip. I tried it once last year, and took a bad, 15 foot, fall on it and almost landed in a hole in the pads. Not cool. I kinda wanted to do it, but I knew I would only try it if I felt sure that I could just send it without any questions. I felt good yesterday, so, after doing some sport with Randy in the morning, I wandered over there, and saw some Minnesotans working on it. There were lots of pads, and I felt good, so I went for it. The crux, for me, was turning the corner, which is this spot where, if you fall, you scrape down this sharp boulder and then careen into this multi-level pit. I felt insecure doing the transition, and just squeezed the hell out of the holds, hoping that I wouldn't blow off and rip my face off on the rock. Yuck - I will never do that thing again. I'm glad I did it.
Today was another great day out at the crag. I went with a bunch of other Minnesotans (most of the freakishly strong and obsessive ones) to Cowell. I did a couple of easies to the left of Fred's Cave proper, and then got into Fred's Roof, a v10 in the steep part. It is one of the best climbs I've ever seen or experienced. There are three rails of good crimps and a huge jug at the top, and you do these huge throws between.
After maybe an hour of work, I had managed all the moves, and, when I stuck them, they just didn't feel that bad. I couldn't link it, though, and every time I tried, I felt a little more tired than before. Not ideal. This is now an objective that I would like to achieve before I take off for Minnesota. It's nice, and unsettling, to have stumbled on something else that I want to do before I leave. I'm glad, because Glass Bowl and Flash Gordon were both hard on my joints, and I'm not into that one bit.
After not doing Fred's Roof, I moved over to My Space, a v8, and, with a couple of creative beta solutions from Nic, I did that one in a few minutes. That is a very good problem.
They convinced me to go down and check out Off the Rails, this v10 in the New Font area. It deserves every bit of attention and praise it receives. It's this long traversing problem on sloping rails and crimps that finishes on this semi-insecure topout. I was half out of my mind with exhaustion at that point, but decided to give it a few tries. I managed to do all the moves, although only two at a time. Then I tried to link it, and, within a bunch of tries, had managed to link into the last crux. When I got there, it was like I couldn't even see straight and didn't even want to climb anymore, I was so tired. I made it to that point a couple of times, throwing and not sticking the crux move. None of us did the problem, unfortunately, although we had a great time trying. The crew I climbed with today, Nic, Pi, Noah, and Jordan, are some good, strong climbers. Fun to hang out with, fun to climb with. Good fellas. I'm looking forward to more trips with them in the future.
The trip is drawing to a close. I'll take a rest day tomorrow (i.e.: Shoney's All You Can Eat Breakfast Bar & reading), and then do my best to finish off Fred's Roof on Saturday - And off the Rails?! I have now started receiving instructions about what I am supposed to do to prepare for Tuesday (note, NOW, NOT at any time in the last two weeks). I suppose I may have to go back a day early to deal with that.
In other news, it sounds like Saya Steve is coming into town next week, and staying with me. That is going to be a hell of a lot of fun. Enough so that I'm excited to get back home.
Wish me luck for growing skin, Icy Hot miracles, and then Fred's Roof on Saturday.