We find a so-so Italian place for dinner and rack out early, with Frogland on our minds for the following day.  The Black Velvet Canyon access roads are being worked on, but Mark has done some studying and is confident of getting us in there. 

We're driving a rental Kia Sorento - a sort of watered down SUV - which actually has all wheel drive and a bit of clearance, and Mark as done some off-roading is his misspent youth.  So we do indeed make it. 

Here's the formation, with the belays starred.  Six pitches, the two hardest going at 5.8; 770 feet according to the guidebook, or about 230 meters.

And below is the frog that someone scrathed into the pitch 1 belay.  Not really PC, but kind of cute.
And again, leading Cram It (5.9) at the Happy Acres area - another excellent route.  I lead the adjacent 5.9 clip-up, Todd's a God, which is also good, crimpy fun, and that's our day.

Brandt drops me at the hotel - the conveniently located and reasonably cheap Suncoast Hotel - , where I catch a swim and a big dose of so-so mexican food. 

I try to stay up until Mark's arrival, but can't make it.  Leave a message for him at the reception desk to meet me in the coffee shop at 7:00 a.m., hit that big bed and I'm out.
Not too many years ago, as my friend Mark and I were standing at the bus stop, seeing our kids off to school, I said to him, "You like the outdoors - you should come climbing with me sometime."

I think his wife probably hates me for that.

Cut to early 2008.  Mark has a business trip upcoming to the States.  He's quite a serious guy, but he recognizes opportunity when he sees it.  So he schedules his trip around the fall session of the Splitter Camp crack climbing clinic at Indian Creek.  Then, he starts wondering if he can't persuade someone from our little Tokyo climbing crew to join him.

Now, I'm a notably less serious guy than Mark.  In fact, a forehead tatoo reading "vacant" might not be entirely out of line.   And my response goes something like this: "Hell yeah, man, but let's stretch it into a ROAD TRIP!!!"

I think his wife probably hates me for that, too.
Desert 2008
(Nevada & Utah, Sept 27 - Oct. 11)
Not too many years ago, as my friend Mark and I were standing at the bus stop, seeing our kids off to school, I said to him, "You like the outdoors - you should come climbing with me sometime."

I think his wife probably hates me for that.

Cut to early 2008.  Mark has a business trip upcoming to the States.  He's quite a serious guy, but he recognizes opportunity when he sees it.  So he schedules his trip around the fall session of the Splitter Camp crack climbing clinic at Indian Creek.  Then, he starts wondering if he can't persuade someone from our little Tokyo climbing crew to join him.

Now, I'm a notably less serious guy than Mark.  In fact, a forehead tatoo reading "vacant" might not be entirely out of line.   And my response goes something like this: "Hell yeah, man, but let's stretch it into a ROAD TRIP!!!"

I think his wife probably hates me for that, too.
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I dig around on the internet for a partner to fill a few days before the working component of Mark's trip ends, and hit it very lucky indeed.  So on September 27 there I am with a pile of gear on the platform of the Narita Express, headed for the airport.

I've done this often before, but every time it feels like Christmas and summer vacation rolled into one.  SWEET!!!

Not long after, I'm in Red Rocks, roping up with my new partner, Brandt.  We're off for a two-pitch, bolted, getting-acquainted route called "Man's Best Friend" (5.7) at the Sandstone Quarry pullout.

Here's Brandt leading pitch one.
And following pitch 2. 

Fun, casual route.
Not only did Brandt pick me up at the airport, but he's got the dinner and breakfast thing wired, right down to the garlic toast.

Home sweet home at 13 mile campground, with Brandt's rig in the foreground and my little yellow ID tent.
The welcoming committee.
The weather looks doubtful, and we get about 30 seconds of rain as we drive the loop road.  But we also get a double rainbow by way of good omen, and by the time we reach the rock, all is good.
At left, Brandt follows heavily featured easy ground (pitch 2 or maybe 4?) and below he leads (pitch 5?).
The next day, we're interested in something a bit taller, and Brandt aims us at Lady Luck, a seven pitch cruiser (5.7 hardest pitch - mostly much easier) up in First Creek Canyon.
I feel some pretty big gratitude to Brandt for driving out to climb with a stranger, but my attempt to say thanks by picking up the tab for the dinner boufet at the Red Rock Casino goes awry.  More specifically, we catch a speeding ticket from a ranger lurking in the dark on the campground approach road on the way back.  Damn!

20 MPH in a 15 zone, or something like that, and the bill is over 100 bucks.  I try a half dozen times to get Brandt to let me split it with him, but he turns me down, saying that he was the driver.  I still don't feel like that was quite right.  Brandt - I owe you one.
We finish up with a final day at the Red Springs area in Calico Basin.  The plan is to get in a few single pitch routes, then Brandt will drop me at the hotel where I'll meet Mark, and hit the road back to Joshua Tree, where he lives.

We start off with a 5.7 called Bottoms Up, and Brandt gives me the lead.  It turns out to be awesome fun - highly recommended. 
Here's Brandt after pulling the little overlap onto the upper section.
And again, leading Cram It (5.9) at the Happy Acres area - another excellent route.  I lead the adjacent 5.9 clip-up, Todd's a God, which is also good, crimpy fun, and that's our day.

Brandt drops me at the hotel - the conveniently located and reasonably cheap Suncoast Hotel - , where I catch a swim and a big dose of so-so mexican food. 

I try to stay up until Mark's arrival, but can't make it.  Leave a message for him at the reception desk to meet me in the coffee shop at 7:00 a.m., hit that big bed and I'm out.
Over coffee and cholesterol, Mark and I catch up and decide that Cat in the Hat deserves our attention.  It's easy (5.6); it's classic - let's do it!
Here we are on the walk in.  The odd couple, or maybe the Bobsey Twins?
I run pitches one and two together, which are good fun, then Mark leads three, which is a ledge traverse and some munging, followed by a short steep section.  I lead four which is black varnish and burning hot, but nice climbing; and Mark gets stuck with the very short pitch five traverse. 

So far, I've had all the good leads, which doesn't seem fair, so we give him the front end again for the final pitch five, which turns out to be by far the best pitch on the route.

Here he is, taking it to the top
Now this is how business trips are meant to be!
We find a so-so Italian place for dinner and rack out early, with Frogland on our minds for the following day.  The Black Velvet Canyon access roads are being worked on, but Mark has done some studying and is confident of getting us in there. 

We're driving a rental Kia Sorento - a sort of watered down SUV - which actually has all wheel drive and a bit of clearance, and Mark as done some off-roading is his misspent youth.  So we do indeed make it. 

Here's the formation, with the belays starred.  Six pitches, the two hardest going at 5.8; 770 feet according to the guidebook, or about 230 meters.

And below is the frog that someone scrathed into the pitch 1 belay.  Not really PC, but kind of cute.
Here's Mark leading pitch 2...
...following pitch 3...
...leading pitch 4...
...and following the classic chockstone pitch (pitch 5).
Goofballs, on top of a stellar route.
We made the next day into a semi-rest day, leaving time to run errands and chill a bit.  I think Mark might have been willing to do something more ambitious, but it was my sixth climbing day in a row and I was feeling it.

We started out with a few quick, easy sport routes in the Black Corridor.

I don't really have any good pics from the climbing, but here's Mark practicing his intrepid adventurer look on the walk in, which is short but pretty.
And here's me shoe-ing up for something easy, after Mark had already hung the draws.  (I think it's 757 2x4 (5.7), which was our last route after we both did Bonaire and Bon EZ.)
The next day is a driving day.  All the way from Vegas to Indian Creek.  Can't remember how much time exactly, but eight hours or more.  Ack.

Here's Mark, piloting our trusty Kia.
Self-portrait: "Still life, with nitwit".
Next stop is Indian Creek, Utah, and the Splitter Camp crack climbing clinic.  To check it out, click "Next" below.