Here's to a Great Fall Season (trip to the Falls Aug 28, 2010)

Climbers: Calvin, Angie & Tony
Weather: Warm, but not too bad

It's been a long summer. Yesterday, I reflected on what has seemed like a summer of record temps, extreme humidity and general unpleasantness in the Midwest. Team Saucisson has been quiet as a result, with some trips to other locales, but mostly gym climbing and injury healing the rule of the season.

With the temperatures the way they were, I leapt at the chance when I got a call from Tony asking about a trip to the Falls on Saturday:

T: "Hey buddy. You see the temps for Sat?"
Me: "Yeah. High of 90, looks pretty good."

Funny how 90 degrees previously would have made me scoff at any mention of going outdoors to climb, especially at Jackson. Well, a summer of no outdoor climbing, no trips out west, and suddenly, I think 90 degrees equal sending temps. Welcome to desperation.

We got up early and were on the road before 5:30. Angie had never been to the Promised Land, and was excited to go see a new area, so we headed there. We didn't do much climbing; just old main-stays like XOXO .10b for the warm-up; Angie worked on Fashionably Late .11a, Tony re-visited Balance of Power which he sent a while ago, .12b/c(d?) and I worked Hubba Hubba, .12a/b(c?). Sending didn't happen, but we ran laps, relearning beta, coping with the heat and just loved the outdoors. Props to Angie for attacking FL on lead and getting more comfortable. Props to Tony for completing his one-year intensive graduate program in nursing and for looking like he hasn't missed a step. Tony 1-hung BoP his second and third go. By contrast, I thrashed up HH two times and dogged BoP so badly my rope-mates were looking for moral victories when trying to avoid embarrassment about compliment my climbing.

Around 4:30pm, we ran low on water and headed out with roughed up fingertips, throbbing digits and smiles on our faces.

The Fall is coming. We've got a Labor Day trip to the Red, the HCR 24HHH comp, a November trip to Hueco and other exciting trips this fall. Here's to a Great Fall Season!

Team Saucisson on the Woody

Here is how Team Saucisson can spend a few hours "speed climbing". The only time you might see Yusuf climb really fast!!!!
The video is, of course, courtesy of Yoli our photographer extraordinaire.

Speedy Woody Sesh 2010 from Yolanda Chen on Vimeo.