After drinking the rest of his 32 oz Vitamin Water (Power-C flavored) and his remaining water, Ben leads Star Action, takes first leader fall of the day. Rufus styles out Tough Shift, #19, onsight.

Ben, mustering strength trying to protect his ego, leads Try Again, but is feeling weak and backs up the crux pin with a #3 cam on the loose block under the hang, falls twice. Goes for the move again, falls again, the #3 cam blows as the microwave sized block releases from the cliff and comes crashing down. Rufus spots it in time and dodges it. It impacts exactly where he was standing a split second before. That was close. Ben, full of adrenaline, completes the new Try Again. Rufus then leads Coexistence. Ben’s not feeling it anymore and sucks down a Red Bull.

Rufus leads Interstice, then Mother’s Day Party, then MF Direct. Rufus is stunned just how sparse the protection is on the direct. Easily 5.10 R. Ben swings through and leads P2 of MF, #25. We leave the McCarthy Wall at 6pm.

We RUN, in the waning light, to P-38. Rufus, getting really worked, leads yet again and is getting a headache. Ben then painstakingly slowly leads Stirrup Trouble, topping out at the last of the daylight wanes. Rufus busts out the headlamps.

On top of Stirrup Trouble, we consider bailing on the project. Twenty-seven 5.10’s is pretty respectable. Ben suggests that we TR the last 3 climbs, or go for a 5 mile run. Rufus is prudently worried about staying awake for his drive back to NYC. Ben suggests we “just go have a look at the next climb”.

7:30pm Ben leads the challenging face climb Pheobe, #28, in the pitch blackness with a headlamp while some marijuana enjoying revelers look on. Rufus delcares it a ‘proud lead’.