Date: 25 May 2002
As a way of celebrating the end of the semester before everyone left for their summer occupation, Bryan, Leslie, Jeff, Ali, George, Doug, Chris, and Hong all went out to Hueco tanks for sun, good food, and a bit of climbing. We took quite a few pictures.
- IMG 1971
Breakfast Location: Hueco Tanks State Park There's just nothing like grapefruit juice. - IMG 1974
The back seat Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Well, it was damn early. This picture begins a long series of Jeff photographing us being cute. - IMG 1975
Napping some more Location: Hueco Tanks State Park As we passed the last real trees and entered the wasteland of West Texas, as Hong's Penske truck swerved periodically onto the shoulder/oncoming traffic, we slept (fortifying ourselves for the climbing ahead, of course). - IMG 1980
Striving for intellectual betterment Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Despite our periodic truculence, Jeff quizzed us on GRE vocab sedulously (the secondary definition). Did you know that "inveigle" was a word? Did you know it means "to jack up?" - IMG 1984
Dinner, the first Location: Hueco Tanks State Park After a hard day of driving and watching videos about how not to desecrate art, it was time to carbo-load with the help of Leslie's spaghetti sauce. - IMG 1986
(sigh) Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan, like the true obnoxious boy scout father that he may someday become, decided it would be really neat to take pictures of Leslie when they woke up at 5 a.m. - IMG 1988
Hong and his Truck Location: Hueco Tanks State Park - IMG 1992
Hong, unfurling Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Isn't "unfurling" a neat word? I also like "mendacity" and "inchoate." I blame Jeff. - IMG 1993
What he was unfurling for Location: Hueco Tanks State Park The multi-pitch climb (Hueco Syndrome, a 5.10-) with which Bryan and Hong kicked off the trip. - IMG 1994
First pitch Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Hong at the top of the first pitch (about 90 feet up). - IMG 1997
El Fin Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Bryan rappels (whee). - IMG 2004
There she goes Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Just walking down the cliff. Backwards. - IMG 2015
Or not Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Back up, briefly. George talks him through it. - IMG 2020
Getting there Location: Hueco Tanks State Park We managed to find the most difficult possible way to get to this bouldering place. Hong tackles it with aplomb. - IMG 2021
Navigating the crack Location: Hueco Tanks State Park We inch our way into the gymnasium. - IMG 2022
Jeff gets excited Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Somebody hold him back. The crash pad is still in the crack with Chris (not for long, as Bryan decides it's a good idea to throw it at George while George is holding Bryan's camera. Which crashes to the ground and breaks. But is ultimately fixed.) - IMG 2023
Doug in the crack Location: Hueco Tanks State Park One by one, they file through. - IMG 2024
Still in the crack Location: Hueco Tanks State Park There was a handy little rock. - IMG 2025
Chris in the crack Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Tossing George's backpack. - IMG 2026
Leslie, with that same grin Location: Hueco Tanks State Park This is one for the parents. - IMG 2027
Hong, looking sexy Location: Hueco Tanks State Park Hong tackles some bouldering problems. - 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.