BEAR, Bear, bear! .................and Jack's Canyon

[Suz]

I took a pretty uneventful drive up to Jack's Canyon on Saturday, following behind Matt and Liz. It was a typical drive for this time of the year and one I do enjoy. I think we left the Valley around 10:30ish. A few miles past Strawberry we started noticing what seemed like a lot of cars either stopped along the side of the road or right in the middle of the road with their hazards flashing and the people inside looking outside the windows ---typical tourists.....I thought!

Then maybe 10 minutes later I noticed a brownish-blackish moving blob along the side of the road, (this was the main highway, I might add) slightly hidden behind a rock. I was pretty sure it was a dog...what else could it be?? There were no other cars around so I started wondering what a dog was doing out there all alone. And if you've ever been with me when this stray dog thing has happened before you would know that I was slowing down and contemplating picking up the dog with sort of a rescue in mind. Well as I was slowing down the "dog" was speeding up............and now running alongside Matt and Liz...who appeared to be speeding up. I suppose if a big hairy blob was galloping alongside my car I might speed up, too. At this point I was realizing it wasn't a dog at all! A bit awe struck now I was able to sort out that it was a BEAR, Bear, bear!!!! All of a sudden it skidded and tumbled in sort of a somersalt fashion across the road right in front of my almost stopped car. Matt and Liz flipped around and came back, we got out with our cameras to look for it but saw nothing. Geez, sorry there are no pictures.......it was rather amazing to witness.

Jack's Canyon was a pretty little climbing paradise. It's also where Matt and Liz meet and got engaged. There was a nice trail down the steep canyon wall that dropped right in front of Casino Wall. It was like a Climber's Jackpot for sure. It's a windy canyon with lots of "s" curves and a gazillon bolted areas.....just like an outdoor climbing gym. There were other people set up and climbing in various places. We took a walk down the canyon to a sweet little shaded spot a little above the creekbed. Matt geared up and climbed up the wall to set up the rope. He was faster than I have seen anyone do in my short little climbing life. In fact, it typically has taken long enough that I brought a magazine to read---but there was no time for that. I really wanted to watch Liz do the climb before I attempted it but they quickly explained that they had a routine and a logical order that required me to go next because it was Liz's job to pull the rope on her climb so we could move on to the next climb. I think I spent about 4-5 hours trying to figure out how to get ON this wall to just begin the climb. Matt and Liz came to my rescue giving possible hand holds and foot ideas. Eventually I jumped and Matt hoisted me up (I think). It felt good on the rock and rope but at some point I decided I had climbed high enough (perhaps a bit overwhelmed with the height) and decided I was ready to come back down before making it all the way to the top. I carefully watched Liz do the clmib. I think she said "sh*t" when she got to the part where I stopped but quickly moved past that area and cleared the rope and was back on the ground before I even had my shoes off. We moved on and did one more route on this cliff face. I did manage to get started a little faster but again felt the need to stop. This time about 10 feet before the top with a foot cramp, and hip cramp and a toe thang ---which was a little further up than the last one. It started to sprinkle a bit and the sky was changing. We headed back towards the Casino wall and finished up with something I could be a little more successful climbing. We each took a turn. While Liz was on the wall we were treated to a double rainbow, more rain, a little thunder and then lightning. Liz decided to pull the rope and we boogied out of there. Matt and Liz stayed and camped, I think. They were meeting up with some other friends for another day of climbing. I headed home so I could spend a day with Gma.

The toe thang turned out to be a blood blister on my big toe right at the edge of my toenail. FYI you really need that spot of your toe for climbing. I sliced that baby open when I got home and have never been so happy to see blood coming out of my foot! Gotta get that healed up before my climbing class!!!

It was a great spot to play! Thanks Matt & Liz for sharing one of your special places with me.......I REALLY, REALLY enjoyed it.

[Davis2001R6]

No Bear pictures = no proof

[Suz]

Where is my witness????

[Matt Hoffman]

Sorry. I've been busy cleaning up the house for the realtor that is coming tomorrow.

There really was a bear. It was running along the Beeline about 5 miles south of Clint's Well. I was driving so I didn't get any pictures. It really was cool though.

We did stay and camp. My friends all showed up. We had a big fire, and ate and drank lots! The elk were bugling and the coyotes were howling. What a way to end my time in AZ.

Suz, you climbed phenomenally! The first climb we did on Saturday was called Walk in the Park, 5.9. Then we did Looking Sharp, 5.8. These were both on the High Life Wall. Then we moved on to the Casino Cliffs and climbed Progressive Slots, 5.6.

Today, my friends and I climbed Back to Basics, a tricky 5.9, and Best Seller, 5.9. These two climbs were on the Cracker Jack Cliffs. Then we moved over to the Swiss Wall, where I climbed an unnamed 5.10a. My friends climbed a fun unnamed 5.8. Then I tested my strength on Bored of Inquiry, 5.12b. I fell a couple of times, but I eventually got it. Good stuff.
It was really hot up there today, so we left after that and ate dinner at Mama Joe's in Strawberry. That's some good Italian food!

Thanks for coming out to play Suz and J9. You guys rock!
_________________
"Your day-glo ballet days are over." Ancient chinese proverb.
http://web.mac.com/climbingsponge/Matt_Hoffman_Images/Welcome.html

[Davis2001R6]

Sounded like some fun climbing. Cool about the Bear too, even if there is no picture evidence

-TIM-

[Suz]

It was such a fun day. And Liz recovered my little itsy bitsy olympus flash card that I thought was forever lost under the seat track in my car PLUS I got my own personal Carabiner engraved with Liz and Matt 10/18/08.......just like I was at the wedding.

Tim----you should be taking that climbing class with us.........you're gonna need those skills in July when we all show up to do the Matterhorn with you.

[Suz]

Wow, ....great pictures from Liz....it's a little freaky to look at myself up on that wall! I got a few good shots but am having a little computer challenge, I will post them as soon as I can get it figured out.

[Shawn]

[jdahling]

[Matt Hoffman]

[Suz]

Dang, someone is actually reading these posts?

[azbackpackr]

Yikes, you started the day with a 5.9 and you're a newbie? You are doing great for a newbie! I could never do a 5.9, but could do an 8. I was never very good at it, anyway, and now I have no one to practice with, so I think I will take that rock climbing class in Yuma in January. (I'm taking the kayaking class in November there.) I only wish there was a rock gym in Yuma--or in my town!

[Matt Hoffman]

I didn't open the guidebook when we started climbing on Saturday. I seriously thought the first climb was rated 5.7, or 5.8. No wonder the start was kinda hard.

Suz is a natural though. Once she learns some technique, she'll regularly climb 5.9 and probably 5.10 too.
_________________
"Your day-glo ballet days are over." Ancient chinese proverb.
http://web.mac.com/climbingsponge/Matt_Hoffman_Images/Welcome.html

[Suz]