I live right near this thing. Pass by it every day on my way to and from work, yet never took the time to so much as hike up to it.

Well, today that changed.

Daycare closes at 5:45pm sharp. I worked in Reno today, off at 4:01pm, and having not climbed in quite a while, decided it was high time I at least hiked up to the base of this little nubbin. I parked the car, shouldered the gear and set off. The approach is short, and there are some beautiful little wild floweres interspersed with the sage. There's a few rocks lining the "trail" that lead to the top of the outcrop. By then, it was 4:50. Uh oh. Against my better judgement, I picked my way down to the base.

Figuring this was solid granite, and by the looks of it a very easy route I'd picked to follow, I set two cams and the Silent Partner, then decided my steel-toed boots would be just fine for this thing. Truth is I didn't want to take the extra time to switch shoes!

I set off, placing a handful of cams and one nut along my way to the top. Didn't bother with back-up knots and such, just jamming on up to beat the clock. Checked time at the top (where there was one old semi-rusty hanger). 5:16pm. Eek! Clipped the bolt, slung the knob, 8-ed the rope to the "anchor" and rapped a single side, cleaning as I went. Hit bottom, un-knotted everything, then threw a couple klemheists on the double strand and clipped one to the harness. Schlepped myself up and pulled/coiled rope. 5:32pm. EEE God! I can KNOT be late to daycare! Grabbed gear and GO! Jogged down the trail to the car (being careful to stay, uh, mostly on the trail) and checked the squirts out of daycare at exactly 5:45pm.

Phew! Got home just in time for beer-thirty. Not bad, considering some days it takes me an hour just to scope it out at the base and clusterf**k an anchor together. Next time I'll bring the wife. Or a beer.