Yosemite:  Pieces of Eight, Terminator, Crack-a-go-go   5/11-12/91

Fighting post-wall burnout, John and I were hoping to do the West Face of
El Cap.  Fortunately, it was snowing as we drove into the Valley on Friday
night, so we breathed a sigh of relief and set about cragging the next day.
I led the first pitch of Pieces of Eight 5.10c (it was in the sun and I figured
Joel would never want to do it since it's a slab -- on Middle Cathedral).
After 2 gripping tries at leading the first 5.10 runout, facing decking into
the snow cone, John led up the Powell-Reed corner, so I got a semi-toprope,
but I still had to crank the second runout.  Fortunately, it started raining
as John neared the belay, giving us a good excuse to retreat, although the
pitches above didn't look as bad (at least you wouldn't hit the ground or
a ledge anymore).  Searching for sun, we went to Pat+Jack, where John led
Tricky Fingers 5.10c-, and I led The Tube 5.11a-.  Ended the day with Reed's
Direct 5.9, John cruising the crux pitch (we got trashed on this back in 10/84)
.  On Sunday, it got sunny again and we climbed at the Cookie.  John led
Terminator Right 5.11a- hand (more like 5.10c it seemed to me), then we tried
to toprope Terminator Left 5.11b+ thin/lieback.  My best was one hang.
Then I led Hardd 5.11a (my nth trip but I like it); John had 2 hangs.  Watched
Steve Schneider try to link Cookie Monster 5.12a and Cookie Cutter 5.13b in
a single pitch with photos (he took falls at 2 places).  Toproped Crack-a-go-go
5.11c- (much harder to lead than tr, I guess); John had 2 hangs.  John led
Peruvian Flake 5.10a to finish the day (I didn't follow, being too burned out).
I'm ready to take a vacation from climbing for awhile!!