New River Gorge

Dunbar, Karen, Gil, Rikka, and I made a snap decision to go to the New this weekend. Gil and Rikka, being quite dedicated, drove up from Texas to surprise Dunbar and Karen, who came up from Virginia. I, being less dedicated and far more prone to carsickness, flew. We spent a day at Sandstonia in Bubba City, which is like a sandstone rock gym of climbs. Dunbar and I onsighted an 11c, which was pretty cool, even though I suspect it may have been quite a soft grade. We also spent some time by the lake climbing and swimming. At Kaymoor yesterday, Gil led a sweet 5.9 trad line and Karen and Rikka both led a classic 5.9, Flight of the Gumby. There were fireworks, stories told around camp, and mysterious sandstone cliffs in tropical-feeling forests of rhododendron and hemlock. It was magical.