A younger, very strong climber recently moved into our neighborhood. He's a great guy (many of you have met him). Both Joel and I have been climbing with him a lot this summer. And he's the type of climber I really like to hang out with; he's got great ethics, a great sense of style and he enjoys climbing anything fun, from class four to 5.12.
I'm older and more experienced than him, but he is unquestionably stronger than me. We climb, communicate and hang out as equals. And yet the email he just sent me about Lurking Fear kinda blew me away (even though it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know mind you, it's just the totally factual way he meant it).
He and I were talking about how he'd spend one day, next Tuesday. One day.
I can't take Tuesday off to climb with him, so he was debating between doing bolt replacement up here, or climbing in Yosemite Valley. And he said: "I need to teach class at 5 PM in Columbia. The glory of doing a lap on Lurking Fear is that I know I can make it home in time."
Yeah, a mixed free and aid, Grade VI El Cap route. From here it's an hour and twenty minute drive each way. He's got one day.
I feel so weak and worthless. Damn kids these days.