Meadows + Valley  6/24-7/2/89

6/26:  Drove to Tuolumne with John Imbrie; it was cloudy and started hailing
as we tried Darth Vader's Revenge, so we went down to the Valley and did
the first 2 pitches of the Central Pillar of Frenzy.  It was windy there also
and eventually it sprinkled on us a bit.

6/27:  Did the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Turret (5.10c, 17 pitches, then
we just rapped off).  Cloudy and windy kept us cool.

6/28:  Lucky Streaks 5.10 on Fairview, my favorite route in Tuolumne.  Windy
but had wind jackets and hauled water + food.

6/29:  Ballroom Dancing 5.10b on East Cottage Dome -- steep knobs; a bolted
version of Edging Skills or Hospital Bills (B.D. is just left of that route).
6 bolts plus #6-7 Rocks.  John tried out his Friction Loafers following, but
needed his Sportivas instead.  Table of Contents 5.10d -- a true test of the
Friction Loafers (John led; they passed with flying colors).  Then on to
Darth Vader's Revenge where John passed the Tuolumne runout test while I
removed several unsightly slings from bolts.

6/30:  The Sting/Hoodwink 5.10b, sunny in the morning, planning for Oz in
the afternoon.  As it was, it took us a little longer than expected, so we
did Fairview Regular in the afternoon.  Most of the delay was caused when
I tried the wrong roof -- I wanted to traverse the arch to do the Hoodwink
roof finish, but I tried the left variation to Rock Lobster instead -- it
has 2 pins, just left of the bolt way.  I could crank the overhang moves
(on cool jugs), but not the final move onto the slab.  When I realized there
was only one bolt up there instead of 3, I came down and we did more
traversing to the proper Hoodwink finish (also fun).

7/1:  Dreams 5.11c -- we were looking for a harder friction test for the
Loafers, but our chosen 5.11a was occupied.  Dreams was nearby and indicated
as quality, which we figured should be worth a few motivational points.
John led, but couldn't figure out the crux left-leaning blank dihedral.
I went up and it turned out to be an edging crux on a partially hidden
foothold, with a long reach (one fall).  The gold face climbing above was
also great and well protected.  John still had trouble with the dihedral
in his Sportivas, but got the upper face.  I turned back after 2 bolts on
the next pitch as the gold was fading and it was getting more runout.
We then went over and did Oz, getting the full warmth of the afternoon sun.
John led (cruised) the crux corner pitch, and did the crux moves of the final
traverse pitch but reversed them so we could just rap.  Watched the toprope/
hangdogging of Roland and his blond belayer on the two new face routes to
the right -- he's not very close to redpoint yet, after 6 days.

7/2:  Lean Years 5.11a, John's first 5.11 lead (and mine too).

Total booty score for the trip -- 5 wires, 3 biners, 10+ slings, one watch,
one double 9mm belay plate.  The tremendous volume of groceries (mostly cans,
with no stove to heat them) was somehow consumed, to our surprise.

Clint