Andy: Where better to climb on a frosty morning than a place called Sunnyside Bench! Apparently, this place was so-named in the early 70s as a way for male climbing bums to convince their girlfriends to come climbing. They wanted a place with an appealing name, i.e. not "death bench", or "suicide wall", or "manure pile"... so they came up with Sunnyside Bench. Sneaky climbers.
Great climbs (Jamcrack and a number of fun topropes below the Jamcrack belay), good sun, and lots of smoke. Smoke? The park service decided today was the day to execute some controlled burns. How controlled is it when the entire valley fills up with smoke? yuck!
Another highlight was climbing with Jay. Jay wondered up alone, soloed (climbing without a rope) the Jamcrack, and then asked to jump on our topropes. A pseudonym for Jay would be "homemade man". His clothes, harness, shoes, backpack, and shoes were all homemade. Top this off with a huge mane of wild hair under a funky looking hat and you've got one unique individual. Jay is a bit of a wandering soul - last year he lived in Joshua Tree National Park for 6 months! And now he is living in the valley for a month before he heads back to Joshua Tree for the rest of fall.
Oh yes, and I nearly forgot the most thrilling adventure of the day. I've been supergluing my fingers together (climbing is not good for my manicure), and today I accidentally touched my lips and tongue after putting superglue on my fingers! aaaaarrrggggg. No joke, my lips were glued together for 2 minutes before I managed to pry them apart.. .. very, very, very carefully.
Too cold and too smoky in the Yosemite (and the forecast doesn't look good), so like snowbirds we're heading south. On to Joshua Tree (by way Ventura to see some friends)