Hi All,
Yesterday (Thursday) was our 2nd climbing day in Maple. We essentially went to the same three places, Minimum wall, Pipe Dream, and the warm up area. After climbing we headed home where Grill Master Chris made everyone delicious burgers. Rita and Peyton helped prepare the toppings and Claire made coleslaw out of lettuce.
The highlight of the night was the making of the Avatar show intro – remade starring John as Ang. The film was directed by Niko and featured Maya and Merrit and many of the little ones as the “Fire Nation”. Prepare yourselves for a whole YouTube deabeut of the real intro, re-make intro, and a behind the scenes special!
This morning (Friday) Claire, Micheal, Chris, and Marisa left at 5am to make the journey to Moab for a life-changing experience: SKYDIVING. Claire originally had the idea on Thursday when she went around asking all of the 18+ if they would ever skydive. Little did we know she was serious. They originally wanted to book it for Saturday but the only time they had available was Friday at 8am. It was everyone’s first time except for Micheal, who has been twice before. To make a long story short, I will summarize each person’s experience. Claire: Literally falling from the sky and still looks like a model. Micheal: Had infinite amounts of fun. Chris: Chill as a cucumber until it was time for the jump. Marisa: derp-ing the whole way down. They all want to go again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.
The climbers explored a new wall today called the Demascus Wall. We had a group at Demascus wall, Pipe Dream, and a new wall of an unknown name.
Here are what a few of the kids answered to the question, “What did you climb today?” Note that we did not know then name of most of the routes we climbed, only the grades.
Claire: “I went SKYDIVING! And fell on my warm up”.
Tate: “I sent nothing, I belayed a lot of people and projected a few 12’s”.
Kiara: “I climbed 4 routes, 2 12c’s and 2 12b’s and also belayed Kyle [Ellis] twice and almost got killed once”.
Favorite: “Uhhhh I sent 2 12a’s and I got on a couple of 2 12c’s and topped them both!”
Bob Dylan: “A 12b”
Big Mike: “I sent a 12b and I tried another 12b.”
Merritt: “I did an 11c in Pipe Dream and took some sweet photos”.
Graysonjason: “Nothing. Well, I did a 10b. That was really fun. Then there was this 12c that was really hard. It was called “12c”. I topped it.”
Jessica: “Today was my worst day. The hardest thing I sent was I onsighted a 12d and then I did 2 12c’s, and a 12b. Then I projected a 13a and almost got it. Twice”… Poor girl.
Niko: “I did Diggler, 13a and then I did all the moves to Wyoming Sheep Shagger. Dope.”
John: “I tried Diggler and just didn’t do it. I went to the unknown cave with Peyton and Eric and did a 10 and then flashed a 13”.
Maya: “Um, I rock climbed. I one-falled The Great Feast, 13c”.
Lolo: “Um, I guess I did 3 pitches on Diggler, and tried to onsight a 12c, The Tree Route, and I fell”.
Katie: “I did not climb a single thing today. I went to the second draw of a random climb so that I could take pics of Grace and Emerson. Then I went on an adventure hike and fell down”.
Rita: “I did a 12b, I dont know what it’s called”.
Momo: “I did a 5.AMAZING. I’m proud”.
Grace: “I did a 10 and then Ellis threw a waterbottle at my eye and I lost all my motivation. I also tooks some really coiol photos”.
Oceana: “I did a 12 and then I did a 12b but I couldnt make one of the moves. I also sent a 12a second go”.
MagHag: “I did two pitches. Both 12’s and I have no idea what they are called. I also hiked with Karen”.
Kyle: “I was awesome today. And, I tried to beat the downhill record and it is inmpossible. I onsighted a 5.11 and I was really proud of myself because it had some really hard moves on it!”.
Nerr: “I did a 12a at Pipe Dream and 4-fell Diggler on my onsight go, which was kind of exctiting”.
Niko, Chad and Kyle decided to race down the mountain from Pipe Dream, which is the farthest crag up the mountain. It is a little over a mile from the parking lot and the final times were: Niko: 5.5 mins Chad: 3.4 mins Kyle: nowhere close to either of those. It was quite the sight to see them bounding their way down the steep and rock terrain without hesitation.
For dinner we went to one of the three resturaunts in the cite, Pizza and Pasta. Everyone is now back at the house, nice and full and happy. Tomorrow we are getting up bright and early to depart Mt. Pleasant and head to SLC, where the training for Nationals will begin! Tomorrow, Roman arrives and Marisa leaves.
Goodnight!