Shut down...

TODAY was the first day I wasn't able to finish a climb. But let's start at the beginning. Matt and Ian and I went to meet up with Wendy (Matt's friend from the Petrero) at around 9 this morning. We headed over to the Ant's Line area and did a climb there called Sleepwalk. I led the first pitch (5.7) with no problem; there was a nice runout near the bottom too. Ian led the second pitch, which goes at 5.8 and is actually called Cool Hand Dukes. It's a nice overhanging jug hall, and actually really fun. It would be a great second pitch for Ant's Line. Matt and Wendy did Lichen 40 Winks 5.7+ and said it was fun.

Since we were in the area, we just stepped left a few feet and jumped on Insuhlation, which goes at 5.9. I led the first pitch, which is basically worthless except that it gets you to the real climbing. It goes at 5.4 and I placed one pink tri-cam and one green C4. Good stuff. Ian led the next pitch which is where the meat of the climbing is. It was really fun steep climbing. I think I got to use a two-finger pocket. Lot's of fun climbing.

We rapped down to the ledge where Insuhlation starts and on the way down I noticed a cool looking climb off to the left of Insuhlation. We looked in the guide book and it was another 5.9 called Obstacle Delusion. It looked really good so I decided I would try to lead it. I climbed up a way, and got up to the first little roof. I put in two small Alien-type pieces (not sure what they were, they were Ian's), and made the first move out. It was hard, but I was doing ok with it. I got up to the next horizontal, and I was pretty pumped -- the climb is really steep. I slammed in two purple cams, and had Ian take. I need to rest. That was the first time I ever weighted my gear before -- it was quite the feeling. I rested for a minute and then went up higher. All the moves where pretty tough, I'd say that bottom part was the crux. I started to move up higher and higher, with pretty good gear bellow me, and the wall was getting steeper and steeper. It was definitely overhanging. I got up to a point and put in a cam that was pretty good (I wished I had had another one to back it up though), and started to climb above it. I was holding on to a small crimp, and and side pull, with one high foot and another tenuous foot, and I got scared to make the next move. I down climbed and thought about it, and decided I was too pumped to try it. Ian lowered me, and then he finished the climb.

It was a good experience to get shut down. It means that I am pushing harder. Now I have a climb that I can try again later and see if I do any better one it. Woohoo!!