Hueco Tanks Day 2

"Look at those [Yoli's] triceps." - Scott
"No, that's just where I get my allergy shots. It's always swollen." - Yoli
"Where can I get allergy shots that do that?" - Calvin

Day 2 found us wandering over by the Melon Patch to warmup before hitting T-Bone Shuffle, V4. Christian, as I understand it, has sent V0- to V10+ at HT, but has somehow skipped V4 in the process, and this was a temporary, yet important goal to cross off the list.

Melon Patch is another 4 star V0+. Claaaaaaaaasssic. Just look at the backdrop. Big props to everyone getting on the climb, and especially to Carine for styling this climb and keeping focus. It's a touch highball and has a very poor landing.

Christian showing us the way on Melon Patch

Jaime watching her man send Melon Patch

After working on some other warmups, we worked a few problems while waiting for a group to finish on T-Bone Shuffle. John and I sent Butterdish, V2 on the "Warmup Boulder", Scott stayed warm on a variation to the right while several ladies did Bitch Magnet, V0.

 Soon, it was time for the T-Bone. Christian, Scott, John and I all sent this problem in 1 or 2 goes, but the epic send goes to Yoli. T-Bone starts with an obvious jug and poor feet; you campus to big slots and immediately traverse to the left around an arete - all decent holds. After traversing about 8 feet, the crux is a sequential right heelhook at the waist, big move up right to a sloper jug.  Here's the beginning:

Angie starting T-Bone Shuffle, V4

Set your feet and do a slight deadpoint directly left to a sidepull crimp:

Angie going for the sidepull, T-Bone Shuffle

Now reset your feet and you have a choice.


Choice 1: you're 5 8" or taller and use a high left foot dropknee, hard lockoff right and pull straight up. Here's what I mean:

Jaime on T-Bone

 Choice 2: You're not 5 8" or taller and you set your left foot and do a dynamic move to the jug.

John doing the big move - Yes, I see the irony of the taller guy doing the big move and the shorter person trying the dropknee

.

Angie and Jaime both worked hard on this problem and were inches from success. Strong work! Some of my favorite moments were watching the excitement and nervousness from Yoli, Angie and Jaime - battling the fear of the fall initially (there's a very poor landing), focusing on the deadpoint crux, working beta, each nailing the crux, then attempting to put it all together. There were alternating shouts, dead quiet, some swearing and great climbing burns. Very inspiring!

 I think this was our highpoint of the day. Afterwards, we hiked back over to check out the Martini Cave, home to such infamous climbs like (D)Esperanza V14/15; Left/Right Martini and Baby Martini, V6. Mad props to Christian for almost sending this at least twice, with John and Scott nearly getting through the crux several times. BM has a bit of an unfortunate ending, where you slither onto a small boulder (which is greasy and slippery), but there's no other possible finish, so it's understandable. However, the roof climbing to get there is just incredible.

Scott working hard to send Baby Martini V6

I knew I wasn't going to send BM, but I had a good time working the moves and watching the guys refine beta. Christian got so close; that guy's got mad strength.

The consensus was that we weren't feeling sendage on BM, so what did we do? We thought a couple of V7's were in order: Classics like Babyface and Daily Dick Dose. The ladies worked this with us and Eric also smartly did some fun V0's and V1's (nice flash Eric!).

DDD reminds me a bit of Leatherface at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Both are V7's, and both are horizontal climbs on thin holds with very similar crimper cruxes.

Scott on the crux opening of DDD, V7

Scott got very close to hitting the massive jug - sooooo close! My attempts were abject failures, but I had fun. :) Scott, Christian and I also tried Babyface - now this is a classic looking climb! We'll be back; suffice it to say it wasn't the best climb to finish on at the end of a long day. What a great climb!

Later that evening:

"Do you guys have any vitamin I?" - Calvin. 

"No." - Carine and Jaime. A few minutes later..."What's vitamin I?"

Also later that evening (these are all verbatim quotes):
"Where's the strap on? The strap on works me so hard and gets all the knots out." - Jaime

You'll have to wait until Day 4 to see the strap on. Sorry.

Here's the Day 2 ticklist:
On the Coprolith boulder by Melon Patch it's The Sphincter (V0), Dingleberry Jones and the Lost Crusade (V0), Hard Wipe (V0-), The Hashmarker (V0-), and Feces of the Ages (V0).

Melon Patch (V0)

Bitch Magnet (V0) - YC Onsight, and all the girls +Eric and CH sent. 

T-Bone Shuffle (V4) - CR Flash, SS Flash, CH Flash, John K (2nd?), YC (Jaime and Angie worked on it)

Baby Martini (V6) - Nobody sent.

Cheapskate (V0+) - Carine

The French Route (V0+) - Carine

Daily Dick Dose (V7) - Nobody sent. (SS, CH, Yoli, Jaime worked on it)

Babyface (V7) - Nobody sent. (SS, CH, CR worked on it)

Aftershave (V0) - Carine Onsight, Eric Flash

The Used Blade (V0+) - CR Repeat, Jamie Flash