So, as you may have already read, I got back into Mexico on Dec. 28th, just in time for a couple days of climbing and for New Year's Eve. I didn't have an established climbing partner for the 29th, so I just got on my climbing gear and wandered into the canyon, hoping to find a climbing party to crash.
Since it was so hot, I went into the Virgin Canyon, which is shaded all day. Sure enough, I found a group of 3 that let me climb with them, namely Amy, Daniel, and um, someone else. Okay fine, I forgot who the third was. Anyway, I ended up climbing several 5.10s, and also found myself on toprope on a 5.11b and a 5.11d called Don Quixote. DQ is a dihedral climb with an arete on the left side and a blank face on the right, which is incredibly pumpy, with a long awkward stemmy crux where your feet could slip at any moment. I fell twice, but I was amazed that I even made it up the route at all, considering how hard it was. A good friend of mine here in Mexico has advised me that a potential project is a good one if you can just barely make it up, falls and all, on your first try. So... considering I climbed it (poorly), and since I thought the route was super fun, I decided to consider it for a project. I mean, why not?
I took a rest day on the 30th, doing lord knows what. Same thing I always do, likely, which is get on my computer, answering iSyncr WiFi emails, etc. But on the 31st I went back out there with Daniel and Amy to go play on the Wonder Wall. We were gonna take a nice easy day, but I hurt myself on the very first climb. I was leading a 5.9 I've done a bunch of times, and was moving my left foot up, and wasn't watching where my left knee was going and I slammed it right into the wall, HARD. After cursing loudly, I finished the route, but on the ground my knee started swelling and I realized I couldn't climb anymore for the day. In fact, when I got back to camp, I had to ice my knee as I couldn't even walk on it.
Fortunately, by the time the new year's eve festivities started, my knee had loosened up a little, thanks to some ice, rest, and advil. So after dinner I started drinking at La Posada, starting with a Pancho Villa and a caguama of Sol. It was super ridiculously crowded in the kitchen, but it was fun sitting around and talking.
After a bit I realized there was karaoke in the restaurant, so I walked over there and took a look at the song listings. I've been kinda hoping to sing a karaoke song by Juanes for a long time now, and finally, here in Mexico of course, they had not just one but TWO songs by Juanes, so I signed up right away to sing A Dios le Pido. There was no line... so I went straight to singing it.
I think the crowd was pleasantly surprised that here was this gringo singing, and not only that, but I knew the tune and the words. I then found out I was only the second person to sing so far, but after that it seemed like people really got into it. Several other people sang, including Chris and Erik, and Luis and Debra sang Summer Nights together, and then Erik and Jess sang Yesterday by the Beatles together.
Anyway, I sang the other Juanes song a few minutes later (Es por ti), and then headed over to Pandora for the BIG new year's eve party, put on by Edgardo. There was a big bonfire, and electronica, and tons of people. I think some people estimated around 120 people at the party? And I believe it. It was pretty crazy, and crazy fun, but by 2am or so I stumbled, I mean walked, back to my tent =)
The next day, I grabbed some pozole at Los Delfines, as apparently that's a new year's custom in Mexico. I must say it was delicious. I had a chance to speak some spanish there, as well as at El Buho, where I ran into this guy I had met at the market about a year and a half ago, Milton.
I spent the next three days doing little other than answering emails and speaking spanish, since my knee hurt really badly, especially going up and down stairs. It's actually really hard not to climb here, because people are always asking you if you went climbing that day, and give you a hard time if you haven't, kinda.
So anyway, on Jan. 5th, I decided to get back out there, and just to toprope everything, and be mindful of my knee. So I climbed six routes in the Virgin Canyon with some people. Lo and behold, some people had Don Quixote up on toprope, so I begged them to let me go for a lap on TR. My intent was to practice it again, trying to learn the moves. It almost seemed harder this time, but again I made it up with two falls. It was a great day considering I was just getting back into it.
Two days later I got back to the Virgin Canyon with Ryan, who had agreed to help me project Don Quixote. He led it, and I did a lap on TR, with another couple of falls. We let some friends climb it (after all, this was a hard project and really our only agenda for the day), giving ourselves time to rest after the first pump. Then Ryan climbed it without falling like a champ.
I got back on after trying to psyche up. I am very proud to say that I managed to climb it this time on tiara without a single fall. It was quite a thrill, and I definitely came close to falling, and I was ridiculously tired and out of breath by the time I pulled the roof, but I was super PSYCHED to get my first clean 5.11d, on toprope or otherwise.
Anyway, now that I've climbed the route on toprope, the only thing that remains is to lead it without falls. This won't be easy; it will be a little bit tougher having to clip draws on the way up, and it will require a lot more confidence. I tend to get scared leading hard routes where I might fall, but I need to psyche up and get my lead head in the game, and I should be good to go. Honestly I don't think the clipping will be too difficult, so confidence is the name of this game. Hopefully, I'll nail it soon.
You can do it! You'll do it when you're ready.. which I bet will be soon. How about this: you're not leaving Mexico 'til you send it! ;)
ReplyDelete5.11d, so crazy. proud of ya!