- IMG 2028
Hong, loving the jugs Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Hong heel-hooks a gigantic hueco. - IMG 2030
Jeff and Ali head for home Location: Hueco Tanks State Park A long day ends, and enough time is budgeted to go to town for ice. - IMG 2032
Did I say "ice?" I meant "candy." Location: Hueco Tanks State Park A stop at Walgreens for sunscreen resulted in George, Bryan, Leslie and Ali fanning out and independently filling their arms with crap (pringles! coke! snickers! cookies!). We reunited at the cashier looking slightly shamefaced. Then, as though we'd been in the desert for months (rather than less than 24 hours), we tore into the food before we were out of the store. - IMG 2036
Jeff, all tuckered out Location: Hueco Tanks State Park And, so kindly, giving up his hammock. - IMG 2045
Leslie reads, upsidedown Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Right, so this one was misrotated. And/or, Leslie has magic powers that enable her to stick to the ceiling. - IMG 2051
Hong harnesses himself Location: Hueco Tanks State Park On the schedule for the morning was a climb everyone could (theoretically) do: Head Fox, a 150 foot 5.10. - IMG 2052
Bryan, fearless leader Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan led the climb, giving all of us (okay, me) heart palpitations as he climbed without protection to the first bolt, 30 feet up. - IMG 2054
It begins Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Little does Bryan know he won't be down for four hours (it is now 10:15 a.m.). - IMG 2055
It continues Location: Hueco Tanks State Park See those nice big huecos on the rock just beyond Bryan? Yeah, he didn't use those. Most of the rest of us did. I'm not saying Bryan's stupid, just a little...challenged. - IMG 2056
It continues Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Necks get very sore when you're out climbing. - IMG 2057
It pauses Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan stops for a photo op at the first bolt, some ungodly distance from the ground. - IMG 2058
It continues Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan climbs the rock (lather, rinse, repeat). - IMG 2064
It nears completion Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Can you tell that Bryan's girlfriend was taking the pictures? Lots and lots of pictures of little tiny Bryan creeping gradually up the rock. - IMG 2065
It is finished Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan gives a victory wave. - IMG 2066
Hong folllows suit Location: Hueco Tanks State Park As Bryan belays from the ledge. - IMG 2069
Location: Hueco Tanks State Park - IMG 2071
Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Doug watches as people mill around in harnesses and helmets. - IMG 2072
george dazzles us Location: Hueco Tanks State Park George does a bang-up job on the climb (we were all predicting swift and utter failure). - IMG 2073
Location: Hueco Tanks State Park - IMG 2074
George and Jeff, for scale Location: Hueco Tanks State Park George continues his assault on the rock while Jeff surveys the territory (what, Jeff, no recorder today?) - IMG 2077
George starts the climb Location: Hueco Tanks State Park In a world that defies chronological laws, George begins to climb (clearly the pictures aren't purely in order). - IMG 2078
Probably George Location: Hueco Tanks State Park But who knows, really. - IMG 2079
Almost certainly George Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Because who else would wear all black in the El Paso desert? - IMG 2080
Jeff, I presume Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Sometimes it's just difficult to identify someone by his ass. - IMG 2082
Like lizards, they move to the shade Location: Hueco Tanks State Park The sun comes out; the climbers seek shelter. - IMG 2083
Except George Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Who basks naked on the rock. - IMG 2084
Jeff makes the climb his bitch Location: Hueco Tanks State Park - IMG 2085
Location: Hueco Tanks State Park That's probably my hand. Sorry. - IMG 2107
Rock Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Hence the name "Hueco Tanks." - IMG 2111
Jeff, triumphant Location: Hueco Tanks State Park "Vidi, veni, vici."