Nazgul, V10

Tahoe: there is a fairy-tale climbing area 20 minutes west of the lake.
The 8a.nu route logbook will confirm this place exists.

Truckee: is, coincidentally, the same town Mr Bretterson and I twiddled thumbs in after his van died of a broken hea-...part on the drive home from California's bouldering mecca, Bishop, where the van had already died twice (making Mr Bretterson's wallet look alarmingly more anorexic than before, and vein on his right temple throb in a very interesting way).

Because of this I recognized the summer homes and cottages, huddled single-story buildings that squatted between trees as we drove through the main town. We found the county court house, and spent five hours listening to minor infractions of the driving kind, and left very last, at long last, near 11am. Then Ilia (a psycho and lovely companion) and I, undeterred from a hard day of climbing, drove the winding 20 minutes to

Donner Summit: where we took part in another form of punitive action involving a small blue prana chalkbag and two small mad pads.

The day in Donner Summit was slathered liberally with speechlessness as we were thrust into disbelief, then slowly digested by the picturesque and diverse scenery. In the line of sight of long-sought lines on rocks, left just right, in spots where the light plopped down on their lichen-blackened faces, we snacked the grub and snuck some grabbing on the boulders west of a town called Truckee.

There, in the beautiful and unbelievable Saddle Boulders, Ilia sent Midnight Train. Only a little while before had we heard the train itself... And I sent a V10 Ilia had pointed out in the guide just that morning - had savored its name, liking the sound of it: "Nazgul."

Small hop to three half-pad tiny crimp; slightly tinier tiny crimp; larger tiny crimp; dyno to jug.

The scenery that engulfed us was, in my companion's words: "Like someone took Yosemite, and shrunk it." On the first boulder we dropped our junk, I took out a pen and promptly sat down to record things.

[To be Cont'd]