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Leslie will need to explain why this one was taken.
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Think hard about what the bug splattered on the windshield means for all of us.
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The adventurer finally finds a hat.
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Another attempt, just after the crux, moving into position for the second throw. Above the left hand you can see the slot used to anchor the body while the right reaches for the flake.
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Now, moving to Seattle, he knows he might not get the chance to challenge it again for a long while. So, despite the fact that he hasn't climbed much for two months, he carefully reviews the beta (specify hand/foot locations used) through the years. Here, he places his hands as they would be right after the crux. The large slab of flake at the bottom is the start, followed by the two chips above it and to the left. Next the left hand is thrown to where you see it here, and the right raised to prepare for the second throw.
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More flowstone
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Here, I attempt the throw from a lower hand. The flake is just out of frame at the top right.
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I don't know why. Ask her.
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On a hike to the Emerald Pools.
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Here is the moment just after the second throw, right hand on a decent flake while the left is in a nice slot. All I had to do was pull the lip, but I fell. Oh well, it's nice to have something to come back for.
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The theme for the day: falling at the lip throw. Here in the upper right you can clearly see my goal. It's tricky to hit it just at deadpoint and control it. Next time I will come better prepared, and Mushroom roof will fall.
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Who knows? Just cool.
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Here we are at Saguaro NP. In the distance you can see stick-like things that are the actual big-ass cactus from which the park gets its name.
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Really. I got a picture of the red cliffs. No, I did. It's fine.
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We needed to take a picture of this ridge because we hadn't seen anything like it the day before or the day before that.
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More popcorn.
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Some beautiful flowstone.
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It's neat because of the mirror, see?
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The tar pits themselves. Stinky yet not at all scenic.
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A year later, the two travelers see the other ocean together. We've now traveled the entire length of Our Great Nation together :)
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Again, I defer.
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A couple of the stunning, finger-like projections of stalagmites we encountered.
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The roof of the first large room. The flash does a poor job of lighting it up, but that is some testament to the shear size of the place. Tourist Mecca, perhaps, but worth a stop.
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Bryan carefully considers his oldest, greatest foe: Mushroom Roof. Five visits to Hueco Tanks, and he has never been able to top it out from the starting hold. From the start, he has made it to the lip, and from the second hold, he has topped it out, but never linked it in its entirety.
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The fore-mentioned red tree.