Pushin the envelope!!

WE both have been feeling really good about our leading recently, so Matt and I decided to try to break into the next grade. We started the day with a beautiful 5.8 called Son of Easy O and it's definitely one of my favorites in the Gunks. I led the first pitch, which follows this thin crack, up about 80 feet. It is pretty facey, and the crux is low and pretty spicy.
Matt led the next pitch, which goes through a series of roofs. Pretty pumpy, way fun.

It was so freakin hot in the sun on those two pitches, that Matt and I decided to look for a climb in the shade. And there just happened to be a perfect 5.9 in the shade for me to lead -- Ant's Line. Ant's Line is, as you can see in the picture, a perfect crack that goes straight up a dihedral. The climb is pretty vertical, and so it's pretty pumpy. Luckily, the pro is really really good. I sank in so many good cams that I felt fine climbing above my gear. It would have been a clean fall if "anything happened." In the picture, I'm just before the crux. I struggled at the crux for a while, trying to get in a good piece of gear. I had a piece in a few feet under the roof, but I wanted something directly under the roof. I fooled around for to long up there, and decided to leave what I had in there (a very marginal alien), and go for the crux move. Pulled up over the roof, and into the sunlight. It was smooth sailing from there. Woo-hoo!!

Over the summer I had heard from a guy that Wegetables was a good 10 to break into the grade with. I mentioned that to Matt, and we decided to go check it out. It's waaaaaay at the far end of the cliff, which was pretty cool. It's a whole different place down there. So Wegetables is a climb that works up face with little pro, and then immediately goes through two big roofs. There is a pretty bomber hand jam through one of them, which is always fun. Matt worked through the beginning part with no problems (I think he must have just reached through everything, because it was harder for me). He got up past the first roof well, and then got up to the second one and was trying to get in a piece of gear. He struggled for a minute, and then just went for the move. He pulled up over the roof, and finished the climb with no problem. Even though this climb is only 50 feet, it's pumpy and fun.




Here is a way cool climbing picture of Matt and me at the top of Son of Easy O

A need to update...

I have to tell you all about the last two days of climbing. But I'm tired, and haven't done it yet. Stay tuned. On Sunday we did Asphodel, Overhanging Layback, Anguish, and Matt and Fraser climbed Ken's Crack.

Today Matt took it easy and climbed V-3 and some of Han's Puss, and something else we aren't quite sure. It's a good story. I'll tell you about it later.

Commenting...

is cool. Like climbing. You should do it. Every day.

Pulling harder and harder.

MATT didn't have work yesterday, so we decided to try to get in a nice full day of climbing. We ended up getting on Something Interesting/The Dangler, Keep on Struttin, and Double Crack, all of which were just absolutely amazing climbs.

Something Interesting and the Dangler is a link-up that Ian and I did last Friday, and I was super excited to have Matt try the Dangler. I feel like it is a pretty good head-game test-piece. You are out over nothing, upside down with one hand and one heel on, try to place gear and clip a rope. It really is a super heady climb, not for the weak hearted. And Something Interesting is a real nice, long warm up with two thoughtful cruxes. Matt really enjoyed leading Something Interesting, and did it with no problems. He also did a great job on the Dangler, which goes at 10a (it's still mind-boggling that it has been called a 5.8). I asked him if he wanted beta, and he said no -- "Only if I scream 'Beta! Beta!'" It didn't come to that, although he did hang several times. I think he was slightly disappointed with his performance on it, but, I mean really, it is a really hard lead, and I certainly am in no position to be leading it right now. I barely seconded it clean (although I did -- woohoo!), and it was my second time climbing it in a week!

After that we headed on down the crag and got on Keep on Struttin' 5.9 The first pitch, which is 150 feet long, goes at 5.8, and so I got to lead it. The start is nice and facey, and the crux is pretty low. After that, it's still facey and a little run out, but good fun climbing nonetheless. It was also filled with lichen, which at first I was put off by, but after thinking about it, it was nice to not have every hold all chalked up. It was almost a little more adventuresome. The next to pitches are each pretty short, but there is some fuuuuuun moves in them. They both have their own roof, and they are both pretty different. The crux on the last pitch felt like I was being birthed, and I got to do a heel-hook mantel, which was pretty sweet. We hung out at the top for a while and talked with a local guy who was belaying his friend -- he gave us some pretty good beta on the Lost City. "Don't expect much under 5.10" was the long and short of the Lost City. Good to keep in mind for next year.

We asked the guy up at the top of Keep on Struttin' for a good 5.8 or 5.9 and he sent us to Double Crack. "It's a 5.8, but it's really pumpy. Don't worry, it sucks up gear too." That sounded good to me, because I was kind of in the mood to get a full workout in. It was also pretty cool to get way down at the other end of the crag. We passed a bunch of 11s and 12s on the way that looked haaaaaard.

So, double crack is a vertical crack that runs 160 feet up, and it's best to do in one pitch. The crux is low to the ground, but, as mountainproject.com says, by the time you get to the end of the climb, every move feels like the crux because you are so pumped. MP also said (which I agree with) that there is no single move easier than 5.7 and no single move harder than 5.8. It's up there with one of my favorite climbs in the gunks (so far). I handled it pretty well, although it was on this climb that I have come the closest to taking my first trad fall. It was at the crux, I was above gear, trying to get in a red cam, and was having trouble holding on. Not to mention I was sweating buckets, I didn't have any right foot at all (I was smearing pretty hard, and it kept slipping -- Matt thought for sure that I was coming down), and I spent a lot of time trying first to get in a yellow cam before realizing the red was a better option. It was an awesome climb in the end. I placed 17 pieces of gear, and we had to rapp of a somewhat sketch chockstone that had only one sling and two rapp rings on it. Out of three stars I would give this climb 3+. Great stuff.

More 5.8s...

ANOTHER beautiful day, more awesome climbing. Matt and I got up early again, and went out to do Three Doves (5.8+) and Annie Oh!(5.8). We have been recently using the stairmaster, which isn't even too bad, and it saves a bunch of time.

We got to the parking lot, which was empty, walked up to the carriage road, and found our trail to the cliff no problem -- as if we were locals or something. We didn't even have to use the guide book! Woohoo! The pitches for Three Doves, which we decided to get on first, are 5.8- and 5.8+, and so I led the first pitch, and Matt led the second. It had nice fun sustained climbing the whole way with a somewhat spicey crux. I felt totally comfortable on it the whole way, which is really encouraging to me. I've also noticed that I am getting much better at knowing what piece of pro can go where. Instead of spending eons on a hold, trying to figure out how I can protect my moves, it's more that I am climbing, seeing a good spot to place gear, placing it quickly, and moving on. Very exciting.

Matt's pitch was really really good too. One of the better pitches we have climbed so far I would say. It starts off somewhat gentle, but then it turns into a nice facey, delicate climb the moves up under a roof and has a nice traverse. Really good climbing for sure.

Since Annie Oh! is right next to Three Doves, we were just going to do that right after. But, someone had started to climb it while we were on Three Doves. No worries though, there are lots of cool climbs in the Gunks. We decided to do CCK Direct, via Erect Direction.

Erect Direction goes at 5.10c, but the first pitch is a 5.8. It is a really cool and unique Gunks pitch. It has a vertical crack that goes all the way up, and it is also quite vertical. It's a 5.8, but it is pumpy. I got through it no problem, using all the draws I brought up, and placing almost all my gear too. I had a really good time on that pitch. Yay suns out guns out.

Matt's lead of CCK Direct (5.9) went beautifully. It is one of my favorite climbs that I have done in the Gunks so far, and he handled it with no problems. The only hitch was about three-fourths the way up he had placed a yellow alien, and started to climb above it. Neither of us know how, but somehow it popped out very soon after the put it in. This left him like 20 or more feet above his last piece. He placed another alien in another crack, and things were smooth again. Very fun climb!

5.8 Onsight

THIS week, Matt Way's work schedule seems to be very conducive to climbing, so we have been doing a lot of it. Yesterday we got up kind of early and went out and did a climb called Snooky's Return 5.8 PG. But before we did that, we stopped at the local gear shop, Rock and Snow, and got 50ft of webbing, and now we have a slackline in our back yard. Yay! (We bought it with money we got from returning beer bottles. Also yay!)

Matt and I had been talking the night before about me maybe leading the 5.8 pitch, and when we got to the climb yesterday morning, we didn't even really talk about it -- it was just assumed that I was gonna lead the harder pitch (the other two go at 5.7). The climb starts on this beautiful long crack that runs up about 100 feet. On either side of the crack the rock is somewhat smooth, so feet are sometimes hard. Matt led it no problem. Great pitch.

I led the second pitch after that, which goes up a ways (without gear for a while -- scary), and then it traverses slightly left. After the traverse is the crux. Just before the crux I put in a marginal .75 cam, and I started to climb above it. The holds to get to the crux are a tiny crimper, and a three finger sloping pocket, and then a big horizontal crack. I was pretty scared to make the move, and started to make it several times, backing off with timidity every time. I wasn't sure of my feet, my hands my gear -- anything. I looked around for a while, and found that I could get in a bomber #3 nut in a horizontal if I slotted it right. After I got that guy in I was much more confident with my gear, and pulled the crux no problem. Wooohooo.

We climbed the last pitch too, which is a 5.7, but kind of a one move wonder over a roof. Even though the roof is fun, I wouldn't recommend the last pitch.

We had a little bit of time before Matt needed to be at work, and I sort of got onto this bouldering kick recently, so I suggested checking out the boulders at the Near Trapps. From the small amount of exploring we did, the boulders looked really cool. We worked to V3s for a while, and both sent one of them within a few tries. The one we didn't get was a cool dihedral facey thing that I definitely want to go and try again. We also sent a V2 with a nice little dyno in it. Fun stuff.

Modern Times and Bonnie's Roof

TODAY we did two ultra classic climbs. Modern Times goes at 5.8+ and Bonnie's is a 5.9. Luckily for me, they both have a 5.7 pitches, so I got to lead a pitch in both climbs.

Modern Times has this facey start, and goes way up to the GT ledge, pulling a roof for it's crux. The entire pitch is like 150 feet, and the crux is right near the top of the pitch. I had the crux move protected with a marginal .3 BD cam, which I wasn't too excited about -- pulled the move no problem though. Pitch two was super exciting. It's somewhat of a one move wonder, and many would argue that it is really sandbagged. Matt led it though, and did a pretty good job -- although I think he could do it much smoother with the beta he has now. I followed it and got two bomber knee-bars up in the huge roofy section.

Looking at Bonnie's Roof from the ground is really intimidating. You look up and see, for 130 feet, these awesome stacked/tiered roofs. It works up this nice crack that follows the roofs up. Matt led the 5.9 pitch, and his second, third and fourth pieces of pro were the #13, #12, and #11 nuts. Super cool. Other than dropping some gear, he did a great job on the 9 pitch.

The second pitch was fun too. It traverses out to an arete, and then pulls up to the top. On the traverse there are all sorts of loose rocks and flakes, and it's super exposed with real delicate hands (all the feet are there). Very exciting climb with nothing below you for a long, long way.

Dan Ellis learns to boulder

TOOK a trip up to Peterskill today to practice some cruxes. There are some cool problems up there that I've been working and I wanted to get Dan on some real boulders. The only other time he's been able to do any other climbing with me was on some lame boulders in Central Park.

We went over to a place that I'd been to before -- a section called Terror Dome, and I sent a V2 called Lotsa Matzo that I had worked a couple of months ago and had gotten no where on. This time I just cruised it, no problem. I can definitely tell that I'm starting to get stronger, which is really exciting. Dan worked about half way up the boulder, which is about where I got last time I tried it. Not bad for his first time out!

We went over to the Outbreak Boulder after that and I worked on VD, which is a V3 with a really burly dyno way high up. Sent it on my second try. Yay! And I also got the first move of Midget Maker too! Double yay! Today was a day for sending -- not pretending. Can't wait to send some V4s!

Katie Spring comes for a visit

THIS weekend, we have had all sorts of visitors. Katie Spring was visiting from SLU, Hattie's sister is in from California, and Dan Ellis and Amber came up from the city. What a full house!

So anyways, Katie came in on friday, and we just kind of chilled. It was just me, Matt and Katie in the house on friday (everyone else came on Saturday), so we just kind of chilled. But we made some sweet plans to go to the cliff on saturday morning. Unfortunately, the weather didn't really want to cooperate. But, luckily, the cliff seems to dry out pretty quickly, and even though it rained until like 9 or 10, we were able to get up to the cliff around noon and start climbing.

We had some great plans to get on a climb called Sixish, but the cliff was more crowded than I have ever seen. There were a bunch of morons all over the place hiking around on closed trails and just doing stupid things. But, c'est la vie. After looking for a while for a climb to do, we decided on doing Wrist, a 5.6 (we had already done the second via Arch). I lead the first pitch, which was really cool, despite there being some loose rock about half way up. The first part has a nice crack that you climb up, and then the second part has a nice off-width crack. Got to place the #4 cam which is pretty exciting.

Katie hadn't really done much climbing before, but she handled the fist pitch like a champ. Matt and I were familiar with the second pitch, which has a big ol' roof in it, and we were fairly confident that Katie could handle it. Matt lead the pitch, and then Katie went up with me close behind her. She got up to the roof and almost pulled the crux on her first try, and then came off. We had a hell of a time getting her back on, but after some creative gear use (she stepped into a sling I put on my rope), she got up there. We got to do a nice long rapp because we had both ropes, which is always exciting.




I had to leave quickly after that to go get Dan and Amber, but Matt and Katie stayed and did Dennis, which they said was pretty good.

Something Interesting/The Dangler

IT"S been a few days since I have updated, and there is lots to say! So I guess on Friday, Ian and I went out and did some climbing at the trapps. We didn't have too much of a plan. There was a 9- that he was looking at, and he wanted to get on MF too. I suggested maybe the Oscar and Charley link-up too, which looked damn good.

We went to the cliff, and it was pretty crowded with people...tourists and climbers alike. We decided to get on a climb called Something Interesting, which is a 5.7+. Good climbing with two cruxes. I didn't have too much trouble with either crux, although the first one took me a minute or two to look at and figure out. I set up an atypical anchor, because there was a guy already up there, belaying someone on Three Pines. I used two nuts, slung a pinch, and placed two cams. Probably a little overkill, but better be safe than sorry I guess. I asked Ian how my gear was, and he said it was OK, but it could have been much better. I really need to work on getting great gear in, and not half-assing it just because the climbing is easier than my level. Ian led the second pitch, which has some fun moves right off the deck, and then it's like 5.4-5.5 climbing after that.

When Ian got up to the belay ledge after the first pitch he pointed off to the side and said, in passing, "Oh, that's the Dangler over there. It used to be a 5.9, and I have heard it rated as low as 5.8. I think Dick Williams calls it a 10a. I've bee wanting to do that for a while." The Dangler is, as the name might suggest, a climb that is strictly a hand traverse out on this huge roof with nothing beneath you. Great gear, but scary none the less. After we rappelled off the second pitch of Something Interesting, I said to Ian, in passing, that we should do the Dangler. And he said ok. Such a rad climb. He had to hang once, but other than that he pulled the pitch no problem. I followed him and got all the way out, and tried to pull the crux and I think I got suckered too far right. Got the crux the second time I tried it. Really really fun, and we had an audience too.

After that, Ian and I were feeling pretty good about ourselves, and decided to hop on a 5.9 called Land's End. It had a G rating in the book, and the moves didn't look too bad from the ground. Ian started to lead it, and we soon discovered that the beginning is run out by like 20 feet, and then there is another huge runnout section that climbs up these hollow flakes. Super sketchy climb that deserves probably at least an R rating. We bailed after the first pitch and said let's get the hell outta here.

We wanted to end the day on something really really good, so we went over to Oscar and Charley and we did that. Awesome 5.7 climbing on both pitches I led the first pitch, and did a pretty good job sewing up the gear. I placed a tri-cam, but it turns out they can be put in upside down! Oooops! Other than that, bomber gear, and bomber anchor.

boulder boulder boulder

WHAT do you do when you have to work at 11:30 and you live in the gunks? You go bouldering for an hour of course. Matt and I checked out some of the boulders on carriage road this morning at the trapps. Did some pulling on a couple of different V4s, all awesome problems, all close to being solved.

After doing some warming up, we got on a climb called Hugh Herr Roof which is a V4. It starts way under this roof. You do a few moves to get to the lip of the roof, and then there are some slopers and you just fire to the top. All of the feet under the roof are way polished so it's kinda tough. Great problem though.

Since we only had a little bit of time, and we both have bouldering A.D.D., we skipped over to the Lorax V4 and worked that for a little bit. Really cool moves under this big overhang. There is actually a toe cam involved, and maybe a knee bar. I had some trouble with the last few moves, but I think it is definitely reachable.

Pictures

I'm working on getting some pictures up. Unfortunately to get pictures up here means I have to take pictures. Every time I tell my climbing partner to grab his camera, he says great idea, and then forgets to grab it. No worries. I live here! I have lots of time to take pictures. Don't worry though, I will get some soon.

Steppin it up a notch

AFTER the success Matt and I had on P38, Matt was inspired to try out a 5.9 So, what else should we do but get on Directissima and High Exposure.

Directissima is a 5.9 PG, with awesome awesome awesome climbing. It kind of wanders, and goes around a few corners, so it is broken up into 4 pitches -- the last pitch being High E. Matt led the first three, and I led High E.

Matt climbed up the first pitch, which is about 50 feet. There are some nice finger cracks and a small roof, which all had fun moves. The second pitch is a real delicate traverse with sparse feet. This is the 5.9 pitch and Matt had fun leading it. He got a ways out on the traverse and put in a .75, clipped real quick and had me take. That was pretty exciting to have to weight some gear. Guess what?! It works! He got through the traverse and started up the crack where the crux is. There are two fixed pins there, but they are old and a little sketchy. He got almost through the crux and had me take again. The climb was probably one of the most pumpy we've done so far (yay getting strong). After a brief rest, he pulled the crux and set up an anchor. I seconded it clean, but certainly had to be very deliberate with my feet! Great pitch.

The next pitch is a stellar arete climb that goes at 5.6. Fun moves and great exposure.

Then comes High E. High Exposure is THE MOST classic climb in the gunks. The move up over the roof is an awesome blind reach, and all the gear is there. Unbelievable climb. I led it ok, but was certainly very tenuous going over the roof. After that it was smooth sailing with fun, exposed climbing. Wooo-hooo!

A full rainy day

SUNDAY night I had made plans to go climbing with a guy named Ian. Matt had met Ian (a student at St. Mike's) in Mexico on a climbing trip, and found out later that he was going to be living in the gunks, post graduation, as a climbing guide. So, what's a climbing guide do on his days off? Goes climbing, of course!

The weather, however, was not very cooperative. It had rained all sunday night, and I figured there was no chance of climbing. There was even some rain early morning. I called up Ian though, and asked him what he thought. "Definitely worth checking out" was the response.

I was feeling pretty good about leading and decided I was ready to try out a 5.7. Matt was at work and was going to meet up with us later, so Ian and I decided to get on Arrow and Limelight. These two mega-classics are right next to each other, and both have some sick climbing.

We did Arrow first, which is rated 5.8, but the first pitch goes at 5.6. I led this, but was never really sure if I was on route (later, we figured I was on the whole way). Good climb. Gear was sparse at times. I'm starting to realize that that's what Dick Williams PG gear rating means. Ian led the second pitch, which has a real saucy crux, right at the end, above a nice spinning bolt. Woo-hoo! Oh, and also, the clouds were whipping right over the cliff when we got done with Arrow. You could see all the thermals that the birds play in -- very neat!

Got down from Arrow, took a few steps to the left, and got on Limelight. Limelight is a 5.7 PG, and Dick Williams describes it as "Wonderful climbing on beautiful clean rock!" He's right. Ian led the first pitch, 5.6-, with no problems. At one part of the climb he got to place the #3 and #4 BD cams consecutively. Pretty bomber. I got on the second pitch and handled it fairly well. It started to rain a little bit when I got up to the cruxy spot, but that just made it all the more interesting. It took me a while to figure out the crux, but eventually I got through it, hakuna matata.

I think 5.7 is a good spot for me right now. My homework for the week is to figure out all the 7's I want to do. (Not bad homework, aye?) Limelight was just saucy enough to get me excited, but not so much that I was a head case.

After getting down from Limelight, we went and met up with Matt. We decided to stay in the Uberfall area, in case it started raining. Matt led Ken's crack, which is a 5.7, but nice and sustained climbing through the whole (albeit, short), climb. Williams is funny in his description: "A beautiful crack climb that is often the toprope scene of exasperated beginners, who will use desperate face holds to avoid the seemingly insecure finger crack. Ken led this with just one long ice piton placed about half way up -- wow!" I seconded it, and we scrambled down.

In passing, Ian had mentioned earlier that there was a 10b that he wanted to get on that had a G protection rating. After Ken's I causally mentioned, in passing, that he should get on it. He said sure. The climb was called P38. It's a two star 5.10b with a G pro rating, and it is a very heady climb. The first 40 or so feet of climbing is where all the fun is, and it's mostly this weird shaped crack next to the smooth facey stuff (a lot of water runs over this spot). Ian started the climb, grunting and slamming in pretty bomber nuts, and an alien. He got up to the crux, sank a #8 stopped, and started to climb above it. "You got it! Come man, you're almost through it! Come on you got it!" I yelled up to him as he worked the crux. He was on the last hold, and he yelled,"I don't got, I don't got it! Falling!" I was looking up to a falling rack of cams and a big human body, and then the rope tightened, he swung to the wall and was caught by the #8. All in all it was probably a 10 foot fall or so. Pretty legit. I got to toprope it after and did it clean. Very exciting!

plastic pull

I went up to SLU this past weekend. What a trip! College-land really is a different world with different rules. Wooo-hoooo...college....no parents!!!!!! Of course, while I was there I had to pay homage to the gym that spawned me. The ol' Munro Family Climbing Wall. Most of the old routes were up from last semester, which was cool cause I got to see how in shape I am. I felt like my endurance was nice and strong -- I could just hold on to a hold for a really long time. But general strength I think has decreased a little. Not to worry! Climbing in the gunks is siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!!

CCK...siiiiiiiick....

KATE W. is here for a couple hours or so. I'm glad that princesses are always princesses. That's pretty rad. Speaking of rad -- today Matt and I did a climb called Cascading Crystal Kaleidescope. It goes at 5.7 + , and it is an awesomely exposed climb. I led the first pitch, pretty good climbing, relatively easy. I tried focusing more on climbing instead of placing gear.

Matt did the next two pitches. First a real overhanging roofy section. Then a real humdinger of an airy traverse. I can't wait to lead those pitches, and the direct variation looks pretty rad too.

X-mas in September?

WHO likes new climbing gear? I doooooooo. Matt and I just ordered a Cheap Bastard crash pad, 20 'biners (excessive, I know, but they are for extendible slings) and I got a .3 and a .4 black diamond C4. Can't wait till they get here!

Arch and Maria

YESTERDAY, Matt and I got to get a little more serious about pulling down on some quartzite conglomerate.

We decided to get on a climb called Arch first thing. It's a 5.5 PG moves through a COOL roof section on the first pitch. Very COOL moves for sure. We decided to link up with the second pitch of Wrist, 5.6 G which was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. You may be wondering about the excessive 'awesome' emphasis, but don't worry, there is good reason. First of all, I led the pitch, so that's always an added rush. And second it had a way COOL roof. I got up to the roof and checked it out, put in a red C4 and went out this roof/arete. I got like half way out, got scared, did some down climbing, backed up my red with another yellow C4, and tackled the crux again. This time I managed to scramble over the edge. Super fun pitch, which by the end, with little gear, I got to see what it felt like to run some things out.

Maria, which is a 5.6+ PG, is three pitches all different, all awesome. The first pitch has a nice long traverse which Matt led - even got to place some tri-cams. I led the second pitch which was a nice corner with some roofy/cruxy spots. Definitely got to feel what it was like to be above gear, slightly pumped and nervous about placing a bomber piece of gear. Got through it in the end, and even built my first anchor! Yay! Matt lead the third pitch with was a big ol' roof.

I love that the gunks has killer roofs in every single grade.

Rocks....siiiiick....

The first couple of days...

SO, finally got moved into the new house in New Paltz the week of August 21. Took a while to get settled, but thinks are finally coming together. Matt and I have been able to get out a couple of times since moving in.

Charlie came down before school started back up and we did some climbing in the Nears. It was my first time over there so that was pretty cool. Charlie linked the first and second pitch of a climb called Disneyland, 5.6- PG. Awesome climbing. Then we did a climb called called Layback, 5.5 PG which was pretty cool. It had a weird chimney in the beginning, which Matt led. And I got to lead the second pitch, which was my second lead ever! Woohoo! Again, great climbing.

We did a little bit of bouldering at Peterskill periodically throughout the next week or so, which was nice. Certainly got antsy to do some more leading.