Off To The 'Dacks

It's going to be a long, hot drive today. We're looking at record temps in the 90s. I'm not sure what the temps are going to be like in Up-state NY, but I hope it stays nice throughout the weekend.

I'm hearing rain on Sunday, however - thunderstorms to boot. But at least I was able to get in touch with "Jello". He lives in Ray Brook, about an hour north of North Hudson where the others are camping. While this is a bit of a distance, it is OK because I can drop them off on the way and pick them up on the way back. The only problem is them getting to the crags in between. I'm sure it will work out.

"BikeMan" (this could get difficult, trying to figure out and remember all the nicknames I'm using) has said that we can possibly meet Saturday at Keene Valley on Beer Walls (great name for a crag eh?), but I suspect they are all going to want to hit Rodgers Rock with the weather being good on Saturday and not Sunday. Rodgers Rock, by the way, is apparently a massive cliff right on the edge of a lake that is only accessible by an hour-long canoe paddle (about 3 miles). It sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm not interested in paddling for an hour to get there and then an hour to get back after I've been climbing all day. I guess if I could camp at the rock then that would be OK, but I'm not camping there and so I'm not going.

It'll be nice to see "Jello" again. He's an adventurous sort who's attitude toward like can be a bit intoxicating. I'm happy he found a good job that he likes, and I'm glad I'm getting the chance to drive up there to climb with him.

Just for shits and giggles, I'm going to give some nicknames in advance to people I'm very likely to be associating with this weekend. I'm driving up "Jesus", "Naples" and her boyfriend "Lucky". I've already mentioned "Bikeman", but there's also "CellPhone" and his fiancee...hmmm, have to come up with a nickname for her by the end of the weekend. There will also be "Red" and a few others whom I don't know yet, or at least don't know well enough to give nicknames to. This could be an interesting time. Wish me luck!