Today was a real rest day. We lolly-gagged, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Tami's, then walked into town to buy some groceries at the market.
In the evening, we made some spaghetti in the community kitchen. It was a great thing we did, because we happened upon a chocolate making demonstration by some climbers. They had purchased three types of cocoa beans at the market, roasted and shelled them when we showed up.
We learned about the value of the beans - they are traded among the indigenous people in the region. We took turns turning the crank that smushed them. The beans were sent through the crank three times. Amazingly, it turned into a liquid of sorts the more it was cranked.
For some other beans, we used the rolling method using a molcahete of sorts. After the beans were ground up, we put them in some trays/molds. Then we smacked the molds on the table over and over again. This turns the chocolate into a glossy more liquid state. It was bizarre to see that tapping the molds on the table would produce such and effect. After all the bubbles came out from this, the trays were placed in the refrigerator over night.
The people demonstrating brought out some already completed chocolate to show us.
Not only did we look at the finished product, some hot chocolate was made that we all got to taste. It was really really good!
People were eager to help clean the tools used. Cleaning meant eating and left-over chocolate! You can see one climber working hard cleaning (licking her fingers!) and another climber from New Zealand (Ian, Scout's dad btw) enjoying some hot chocolate.
What a fun evening to stumble into!
Tomorrow is a big day. We're getting up early and going to climb Time Wave Zero - a 23 pitch route - for our last climbing day here. Should be a blast!
I woke up knowing I really needed a rest day. Instead we ate and hiked all the way up the Estrella Canyon to get to a climb called Super Nova. Granted, it's not that long or steep of a hike, but it felt difficult after yesterday's hike!
Super Nova is an 8 pitch climb - the crux pitch being the first one. One gets warmed up very fast and really rudely on the route! The rock on this route is different than the other routes we'd done. Rather than being the typical sharp, light-colored, frictiony limestone, it was darker, and slick. Clearly when it rains, this route is a water fall.I have to say, and Dave agrees that the route was rather boring. It can be characterized as 1) reach up, 2) grab slick slanting horizontal, 3) pull down, 4) repeat. Eight pitches of this.
I was really tired from the day before and Dave felt he could use a rest day so we decided we would do that the next day. This time, it'd be a 'real' rest day! No photos of that excitement - other than walking into town to get some groceries, we really did just rest and make some chocolate. It was excellent!
We got up slowly and headed into the Chico. To our surprise, Space Boys, and 1100' 5.10d (11 pitches by the book) route was unoccupied.
Very surprising. So, off we went. It was a bit cool at the base but after a few pitches, it was very nice. We cruised, switched leads here and there. And I only whine a wee bit on the power crux move. Very pretty face climbing for sure. I really enjoyed it.
While on it, we watched some friends from British Columbia ascending Dope Ninja. I got a few photos of them on it and was able to send it to them. It's always fun to get a photo like this.
Can you see them on the route? :)
We hung out at the summit for a while enjoying the view, then began them many rappels back to the base. For these, we simul-rappelled to save some time.
It was cool getting to do this climb mostly because I thought we'd never have the opportunity. Every other days the thing was crawling with climbing and rapping climbers. On one occasion, we saw NINE people on the thing.
Pretty crazy given the amount of loose rock on it. It's not really a good one to be on with people climbing above. Not a soul other than us was on it for our ascent which was really nice.
The following day - the 4th - we cragged. We spent some time at the Wonder Wall and in Virgin Canyon. We did what I thought was the best pitch of the trip - Bad Cop, No Donut (.11c). I just loved the climbing on this thing! We did many other climbs up to 5.12...well, I should say Dave got on the 5.12 pitches. I belayed on those. I was getting tired and very much ready for a rest day. We didn't take the camera out with us on this day.
The next day was a rest day. Well, at least it was for Dave the super human. As a mere mortal, I found it as much - nay, more - work than climbing! We decided to hike up to the top of El Toro. Camp is at about 2,000' and the top of the hike is at about 5,000'. Not an easy grade - it was steep - for a hike either.
Especially in 90 degree plus weather. And the cactus. And thorns. And barbed-wire. Dave charged right up it with a big smile on his face.
I whimpered, bled and grumbled, but I made it. The photos are funny because I can't even fake a smile. I was crabby and my feet were KILLING ME!
The view was pretty from up there. It almost made up for the heat stroke and being crippled. :)
A fun thing about climbing is all the people we meet. It is common to go to an area - even out of the country - and see people we know from home. And it is super fun to meet new people as well. Here in Potrero, it is especially easy to do this since climbers are generally found in a small area near the walls.
Not only are the people fun, but the dogs are as well. (Yes, that is me, the dog-chicken saying that). Take Scout for instance. He is an 11 year old Jack Russell Terrier whose home is in Canada, just north of Spokane, WA. This dog LOVES to fetch a stick and return it. Dave threw the stick so many times, and Scout returned it so many times that the dog was limping after a while. This didn't dissuade the dog - he didn't want to stop. I thought they should stop before the dog keeled over dead of a heart attack.
See how Scout is draped over Becky's shoulders? This is the way they hiked! Given the man-eating (and dog eating evidently) pit bull en route to the wall, Ian, her companion says putting Scout on her neck is like putting bacon on her jugular.
Then there is Doofy - Dane Bass' - dog. She is a two year old cattle dog of some sort that Dane got near Chihuahua, Mexico. This dog LOVES to chase the frisbee. She can catch it in mid-air and return it. When she brings it back, she drops it on the ground so one can pick it up and throw it again. If she drops it a couple of feet in front of the thrower, the thrower need only say "I can't reach it" and she picks up and deposits the frisbee at the thrower's feet. She does this though it seems apparent that she knows the thrower is just being lazy and could very well pick up the slobbery frisbee! Very cute dog for sure.
An interesting character we met while here is Bob. Bob (maybe his last name is Harper) lives in Paris now though he originally is from the U.S. He started climbing in the Gunks decades ago and is still cranking. The day we took his photo (as he enjoyed a glass of wine) he'd flashed (completed the climb on first try, no hangs, no falls) a climb he'd has his eyes on. It is rated 5.10c which isn't a walk in the park! The best part of the story is that this same day Bob was celebrating his birthday, he turned 76. I know 50 year olds, hell - 30 year olds - who dream of being in such good shape to be able to climb this hard!
A constant companion while dining at the Posada (and a visitor to our front porch) was a beautiful gray-haired, green-eyed kitty. She ate ANYTHING. French fry? No problem. Avocado? Yummy. Fish? INSANITY!!!! And she is playful cat too - though her razor sharp nails made it hard to wrestle with her. We both are sporting some claw marks from our slowness in getting away from her cat-play.
In the Posada eating one night, in walked some friends from Boulder. We had dinner with them a few times, and one of their friends from Salt Lake City - Kim. All very nice people who ensured some really interesting conversation. Kim was especially fun. He posts on Supertopo.com occasionally. He introduced us to his 17 year old son - via his son's blog. Check out this kid's artwork at: http://millersforpetessake.blogspot.com/. I really love the watercolor stuff.
Kim and his family live near the City of Rocks in Idaho. Next time we're out in that direction climbing, we'll definitely visit with them.
We spent several morning and one dinner at Homero's across the street. Homero (in cowboy hat) and Milton (in white t-shirt) are great fun and make a yummy breakfast. Milton spent 10 years in the Houston area where he went to high school and worked for UPS. He's interesting to talk with.
One of our trips into town, we thought we'd be funny and take a photo next to a man-like thing in front of a pharmacy. I walked up to it and turned for a photo - just at it moved! I nearly peed myself. We didn't realize a man was inside of the suit at all. Super funny!
On another trip into town, we picked up some food at the market. I like Mexican markets - they have FOOD in them. No other stuff to clutter up the store. Easy to make decisions and get in and out. And none of those @#$@#!$$ self-checkers. Those things make me SO angry...
And look at the photo of the kooky character in found in Mexico - the one drinking a Sol beer. Look at the size of that beer - and what it's done to that poor fellow! Haha!
It was another hot night in the tent. It is suppose to cool off soon. I like the heat, but it's been crazy hot here lately! We lounged around then headed over to Homero's for another delicious Milton-made breakfast.
We piddled around a bit more before heading into the canyon. Today's plan is to do some single pitch sport climbs. We ended up at the Virgin Canyon where it was cooler than we expected. It was actually a bit too cool. We did five routes (5.9, .10b, .10c, .10c, and .10c). The .10b was the hardest 5.10b ever!
By then, we were way too cold so we moved across the canyon to the Mini-Super Wall for a couple of pitches in the sun. We did a .10b and .11b then headed back to camp.
The next day, we decided we wanted in the sun. We were tired of being cold. So we walked in to head for the sunny wall - which was still in the shade. To our surprise, Snot Girlz was open so we decided to climb it.
I did this climb ten years ago. I lead the even numbered pitches and recall really enjoying them. I recall the first pitch being awkward and not so fun, but nothing awful. This time was different. The first pitch is as slick as snot. I'd think it was named for that, but it didn't used to be that way! Now, after 70 billion ascents, the limestone has been worn to a glass-like polish. Nasty.
We proceed up, freezing the whole way. What's up with the cold weather?!?!? Got to the top, then rapped down as fast as we could hoping the wall at the base was warmer. And happily it was.
It's kind of sad to see some of these climbs so polished from use. I'm glad everyone gets to climb them, but surely some climbers must wonder why all the fuss about some climbs given how slippery they now are. Once upon a time, there was texture on these routes - so much texture that they actually shredded one's tips. I'm glad I got to climb some of the stuff before they were so glossed over (e.g., Snot Girlz and Pangea).
We walked up the hill. Dave linked two pitches of some climb (Cherry Pie? A 10b+11b). I did the first pitch only. No need killing myself on the second given the style of climbing.
Then we walked back down the hill to two additional climbs. They were 'okay'. I was ready for food and relaxation. We did finally get to see our first Tarantula. Their holes are all around the tent, but before today, they'd been hiding well. It's not a flattering photo of this young one (butt shot). Still, we saw one!
Also, we grabbed a couple of photos of the neighboring camping place - the Pagoda. They advertise a "fitness center." We went in to check it out. It wasn't quite what we had expected!
Today was a real rest day. We lolly-gagged, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Tami's, then walked into town to buy some groceries at the market.
In the evening, we made some spaghetti in the community kitchen. It was a great thing we did, because we happened upon a chocolate making demonstration by some climbers. They had purchased three types of cocoa beans at the market, roasted and shelled them when we showed up.
We learned about the value of the beans - they are traded among the indigenous people in the region. We took turns turning the crank that smushed them. The beans were sent through the crank three times. Amazingly, it turned into a liquid of sorts the more it was cranked.
For some other beans, we used the rolling method using a molcahete of sorts. After the beans were ground up, we put them in some trays/molds. Then we smacked the molds on the table over and over again. This turns the chocolate into a glossy more liquid state. It was bizarre to see that tapping the molds on the table would produce such and effect. After all the bubbles came out from this, the trays were placed in the refrigerator over night.
The people demonstrating brought out some already completed chocolate to show us.
Not only did we look at the finished product, some hot chocolate was made that we all got to taste. It was really really good!
People were eager to help clean the tools used. Cleaning meant eating and left-over chocolate! You can see one climber working hard cleaning (licking her fingers!) and another climber from New Zealand (Ian, Scout's dad btw) enjoying some hot chocolate.
What a fun evening to stumble into!
Tomorrow is a big day. We're getting up early and going to climb Time Wave Zero - a 23 pitch route - for our last climbing day here. Should be a blast!
