I awoke early in the morning to a dimly lit sky and to a torrent of rain slapping my wet tent. Rob & I have experienced summer thunderstorms in the afternoon but never a storm of this severity and at this time of day. Most folks call these monsoons, and then some call them toad floaters. I curled up in my ultralight sleeping bag trying to stave off a rainy day chill and began to nap until the rain subsided – first it waned to a patter and then it was gone. The cliffs were drenched with rain and runoff and our gear was soaking up the moisture. It seemed today was to be a rest day.
Rob & I drove to town and waited patiently, java in hand, at a local coffee shop. We shared stories of climbs and talked about the cliffs we have climbed at and have yet to climb at. My mind reeled at the possibility of long enduring climbs in iconic locations. We are considering an alpine climb here in Colorado towards the end of our tour. Check in on this later as our dreams turn into a multi-pitch adventure at 14,000 feet!
The clouds started to thin, we decided to venture outside and get a few climbs in before the day was over. We climbed poorly but had fun practicing a few routes near camp. The sun was getting low and the valley was cooling off. We played cards under candlelight until we exhausted our pent up energy.
