Centerpiece will go down!

I went to Rumney on Sunday with Scott. It was a nice first day out there this season. I was determined to take a whipper, having neglected to do so on the RRG trip. So, poor Scott, I got on a lot of harder stuff. He gets the gold star for belaying!

A run-down of the routes of the day:
a few slabby, technical warm-ups...
Curly for President (9, rp)
Holderness Arete (10b, rp)

then something to get my muscles warm:
Rhinobuckets (10a)-- took a nice whip at the third bolt when my wet shoe skidded off
Romancing the Stone (10c, rp)

then a first time on this one...
Milktoast (10d, lead)-- sharp and tricky

and the bain of my existence...
Centerpiece (10d, up to 2nd to last bolt)-- took a good whip at the top when I pumped out...

Junko (8+, tr)-- fell at the bottom I was so damned tired
Clip-ah-de-doo-dah (3, followed)-- in my tevas, giggling

Here is a pic of the upper portion of Centerpiece. There are better pics on the web-- just google "Centerpiece Rumney."

I was determined to lead Centerpiece, a route that had my knees shaking for the past two seasons, even on TR. Its super-pumpy! I hopped on it and braved my way through the first crux. At the second, I got intimidated, downclimbed to my bolt and a quasi-juggy rest, and removed my fleece with my teeth. Then I braved it and made it to the third crux, below the last bolt. All of the sudden, the route goes from overhanging slopers to a dihedral. Staring at the bolt, I hugged the boulder moaning and shaking until I fell off, taking a good ten foot fall and, forgetting to bend my knees, banged my right ankle. I tried the top a couple of more times before I was completely out of juice and was forced to abandon a few beaners and retreat.

After that ordeal, I was slap-happy and exhausted. That is when Scott broke out his camera so here we are getting on Junko and Clip-ah-de-do-dah.