I had an early a.m. flight and Keith’s flight was a couple hours later. There hadn’t been time to preview the burnt slideshow; Keith was distraught but hopeful everything was in order. I boarded my plane and slept for the duration of the short flight. After a couple hours of waiting in the airport Keith arrived. We grabbed our rental car and started navigating through Vancouver enroute to Squamish. This was my first time to the Northwest coast of Canada; I had always heard stories of how magnificent Vancouver was from my Canadian neighbors Brian and Randah. I would have loved to pay homage to the stomping grounds of my good friends, but due to extreme fatigue we didn’t stop to enjoy the sights, culture, or people of the city.

We navigated our way straight to our hotel in Squamish, so that Keith could review his slideshow and put his mind at ease. The burnt dvd was a bust with fatal glitches. The following day would be dominated by re-building the show all over again, but for the time being rest was the most pressing matter. Boone, River, and Nick were around for the shoot out as well, so I contacted them to go climbing. After breakfast I cruised over to Boone’s room and he immediately questioned me where Keith was. I explained Keith’s predicament and Boone having found him-self in similar dilemmas was sympathetic. Boone, Nick, River, and I went to the boulders for a quick session, so that Boone could get back to help Keith with the final cut pro technical challenge of his slideshow.

Those two were successful in finishing the show with enough time to spare for a quick shower and a rushed dinner. In our twilight like state we had seen a sushi restaurant on the drive in, but couldn’t remember where we had seen it. We settled on a Chinese restaurant called the Lotus café, it didn’t end up being that great of an idea. Slow service and mediocre food settled as we went back to the Howe Sound Brewery. All of the photographers were getting the kinks out of the system, while I hung out with River and Nick at a window above the pub. Both boys were extremely disappointed that they were not going to be allowed into the pub for the show, and it would be there fate to wait at the window above the pub to watch from the obscured vantage.

Jordan Wright a local Canadian was the competition opener, Kai another local followed, Andrew Kourner was sandwiched in the middle (who might have been my favorite show with his timelessly classic-imagery and his documentary stylized-show), Boone came up next with his edgy style featuring some of the best athletes of all time, and lastly Keith. The competition was stiff and everyone was bringing out the big finish. Keith watched his show in critical silence. After the shows the judges left the bar to conference, it was going to be a tough call. After much deliberating they returned with the results.