Up the hill sits the classic La Boule which consists of a very technical crux move leading into a crimpy topout. Olsen was attempting it, which inspired me to give it a try. Herm sprayed me down with beta for a flash attempt. I pulled on and did the first move, coming to the crux which consists of taking a slopey left hand gaston, manteling your body onto the bulge and reaching out to a right hand gaston shoulder, then swinging out establishing your left foot on a high foot and crossing right hand to a crimp. I found the right position for the crux and moved through it quickly. Next was the crimp section which I found to be not hard but just painful. After all of this I was standing on the top of La Boule. Flashing classics is always inspiring to me just because of the background behind these boulders. They are the gem of the areas. Carrying my psych over to another classic, Mithril, I had no expectations on how it was going to go. I did the upper crux first try and thought that it was going to be possible. All I had to do now was climb the fist move and Mithril was in the bag. The chilled air and dry wind led me to the 3rd ascent of Mithril. I was so pleased to start the trip off with such classic sends. Brian Capps sent a classic 7c+ called Sweet Home Alabama that same evening. What makes this bloc special is the height and purity of the problem. It is something that you would see in So Ill, very open and tall with an obvious starting jug and a sketchy mantel up top. I was not there to see the send but from what I heard, it was the scariest thing Brian had climbed. The sun set was beautiful that night and now it is time to go cook dinner and be in the company of good friends.

Laura, in response to my challenge to send something hard in Cresciano (she has always avoided sloppy problems and Cresiano has not much else) had set her sights on an 8a called Petit Pas Tapen. It is the second half to the famous La Rondeur des tes Seins. It is low to the ground but powerful and technical with a long lock to a sloppy crack rail feature, a series of bumps and then a long move to the finish. I was surprised when she declared confidently that she would send it, knowing the powerful nature of the bloc. After seeing how she intended to do it (skipping the slopey rail and using all of the crimps on the face) I knew now why she thought this problem was possible. Even though this version seemed like straight forward crimping, it atually was quite involved. The first move was a test of accuracy, having to stab into a slot crimp for the left hand. After this the next step was to set your right heel onto this diagnal crimp, hold the tension, then move right hand to a flat edge bringing the foot high and left while using the momentum to carry the body upward into the finishing jug.