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Click to read
our individual diaries:
Meghan
Danielle
Rory
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Meghan McDonald
New York,
NY
Birthday:
June 21
Hometown:
Nashville, TN
Bio:
Click
here
Contact:
Meghan@alt9.net
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Diary
entries: |
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Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
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Week 10
July 18 - 24 |
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DATE:
July 18 |
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ENTRY:
Up at 5:30, once again. I'm getting to
like this. Well, not really, but I like
having a long day to work with.
Today was very well worth it. My Dad and
I played cards for nearly two hours
after taking a look at all the new sheds
and work they've been doing to fix up
the ranch. It's pretty
unbelievable out here. You've
gotta love it to live the life and they
do. In fact, I forgot to mention
that for the next six years my brother,
Cody McDonald, is going to be the county
commissioner. I wish I could have
been around for the campaigning. We've
passed through so many towns with more
homemade election signs than people. I
bet it would have been a sight to see out
here, although I'm sure the signs Nancy
made were pretty unbelievable. I'll
settle for the official Cody McDonald
for County Commissioner notepads : )
It was
unfortunately time to head out of town
after showing off our new tents to
everyone. It was a very teary
goodbye. I don't get out here
nearly enough or for nearly as long as
I'd like to. I always think this
time was the hardest to leave and this
time it may have been. I couldn't
ask for a better family. I love you and
I'll be calling lots- maybe even to you
Cody, crazier things have happened.
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DATE:
July 19 |
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ENTRY:
We took my Dad's advice today and set up
camp in daylight. Hmm, what a concept.
Today was definitely the day to do it,
otherwise it would have been yet another
car night. Just about 15 minutes
after setting up and getting lunch made
the clouds rolled in and the thunder
started shouting- into the bright
orange tent. I know it rained
pretty hard, but I didn't notice all
that much. I was knocked out cold. I
guess these 5:30 mornings finally caught
up to me. I'm really looking
forward to climbing out here in Vedauwoo,
so go away rain, go to Montana, they can
always use more of you. |
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DATE:
July 20 |
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ENTRY:
Veda-who?? Where are we? Ah, the middle
of Wyoming, far from phone service of
any kind, but minutes from some amazing
bouldering. It poured down last
night, but we stayed dry and this
afternoon Danielle and I ventured across
the road just minutes from the
interstate and hit up the "School Yard."
Some of the best climbing of the trip.
The rock was shale like, but it didn't
flake off as much as I feared it would.
The sky was a brilliant blue, clouds
twisted and turned all around, and the
red layered rock beckoned to be climbed-
and that we did. We were sending
problems all over the place! Today
was one of those very needed confidence
building days. We figured we
deserved a reward, so it was off to
Laramie to see Pirates of the Caribbean
II. You have to splurge every once in a
while. I'm proud to report that I had
absolutely no popcorn. |
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DATE:
July 21 |
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ENTRY:
More Vadauwoo climbing today. Danielle
and I finished just about every problem
at the School Yard, minus the crazy V10
or 11, whatever it was. Then after
a nice breather and some good lunch,
macaroni and cheese style, we all set
off for some new climbing. We were
pretty much shut down. I can't
understand how the rock can be so
different just six miles down the road.
Rather than having endless crimps and
plenty of footholds this rock is just
about like Bishop only not as high,
thankfully, but just as smooth and
blank. We got on a few things,
managed to finish a couple, and then
backtracked to the School Yard to rework
some of the morning's climbs and to get
on a few new ones. We all climbed
well and sent a lot of problems. My
favorite of the area was a V4 roof that
had a little bit of everything in it,
really balancy, some big high steps,
crimpers, a nasty start move, a lot of
fun. We all worked it!
It was
time to make our way out of Wyoming, but
before we could leave we took our first
shower at a gas station. It was at
Little America. Apparently this is the
main attraction of the area. There were
signs for miles and miles advertising
it, although nothing mentioning the
amazing showers. |
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DATE:
July 22 |
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ENTRY:
We stayed at the worst motel last
night, it was horrible, but we were too
tired to say no. You can be sure
I'll never pull over at a Budget Inn
Motel again. I was up all night at the
slightest noise thinking the car was
being ravaged by thieves. No
thieves, but plenty of noise. Then, it
was up at 6:15 to meet Kim. You may
remember her from the New River
Rendezvous as the one who kindly
supplied us with all the chewy
Gobstoppers our hearts could desire.
Funny how things work out. Kim managed
to plan her annual Colorado trip to hit
right when we were getting to town.
So, at 6:38 we took off from the Budget
Inn and headed out Highway 36 to Boulder
to meet Kim and her friend Kate. I
had very high expectations for the
bouldering and I'm sure if given the
time all my expectations would be
surpassed. For us, we only had a day, so
we hit up some hot spots, realized it
was actually just plain hot, and took
off for the water at Eldorado Canyon.
What an amazingly beautiful place.
We got some much needed down time,
enjoyed the view and the water, very
cold I might add, and took off once
again for Denver. This time, no
hotel. Instead a very upscale frat house
type home (thanks Greg- good luck with
the games!). But before the lights went
out for us tonight we were in for a
treat, care of Kim- the O.A.R concert at
the pavilion. What a day. We'll be
seeing you again Kim for sure! |
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DATE:
July 23 |
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ENTRY:
Goodbye Colorado, hello Kansas- we're
off on our longest driving stretch of
the trip and that's saying something.
I'm disappointed I didn't get to see my
good friend Colette in Boulder, but I'm
pretty lucky that it's going to work out
seeing Ashley in Missouri. We
still don't know where to camp yet and
I'm guessing there won't be any phone
service there either, so it might be
quite an adventure looking for Ash and
her family in the middle of the night.
Don't worry, we'll be there, I promise! |
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DATE:
July 24 |
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ENTRY:
So that was a really really far drive.
Further than we thought it would be.
But instead of driving around helplessly
looking for Ashley, we decided to stay
on the interstate and meet up at a
hotel. The floor has never felt so
good. Then it was off to Elephant
Rocks. Pretty amazing setting. You
pull into the parking lot and the rocks
are right there. I mean right there no
more than twenty feet away. Great
for people as tired of approaches as we
are. There in the Picnic Area as
they call it we got on a few pretty cool
problems. Then we took the Braille
Trail up to the top. It was great.
About every thirty feet or so they had
signs telling about the area and the
rock- written and in Braille.
There was also a really huge sign in the
beginning reminding people to stay on
the trails to prevent even more erosion.
It's hard to follow that one when you
see a shortcut that would save you
nearly twenty minutes, but with a lot of
thought we stayed on the trail the
entire time. Anyway, back to the rock on
top- it's amazing. You would be
hard pressed to find one that actually
resembles an Elephant, although we did,
but they certainly meet them in size.
High, just above the tree line, it was
beautiful pink granite everywhere you
looked. But to tell you the truth we
appreciated it more for the beauty than
the climbing. Granite rips you up in the
heat of the summer. We did enjoy a
game of hide and go seek through the
boulders. Very fun. |
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(The writings in these
blogs are our personal
views, not those of any of our sponsors,
so
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emails!) |
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