Tequila Sunrise
In Mexico we got a new climbing leader as Dave had to return to England with
‘bad leg-itus’ Dunc took over the mantle with Fi and this is his
first mail home. All Fi’s stories can be read on the sister Global Challenge
site.
Warm welcomes, tearful farewells, moments of true joy and sickening frustration. This is the stuff of daily life on the Big Red Truck - and we've had more than a fare share recently. And so it is that BiRT rolls on; dateline Mexico City... Without much of a do it's straight off; Monterrey, Hidalgo and El Potrero Chico - two thousand feet of sun-drenched, palm encrusted, bolted limestone faces and pinnacles. Climbing heaven!
Here
we meet up with the friendly faces of Gary, Steve, Mel, Wayne, Aine, and the
much grown hot rock baby Kira. The Gaffer (Dave) is there to wave us into
the campground, new found crutches and all. After what feels like so many
driving days people are literally climbing the walls. The summit book of La
Estrallita (12 pitches, 5.10b) soon reads like the truck passenger list, with
a notable full-moon night-time ascent by Gary, Danny and Rip. Aine seems particularly
keen, having logged 4 ascents! 
Timewave Zero (23 pitches, 5.12a) received attention from Gary & Steve. Mark & Monkey gave it their best in bad circumstances; a close encounter with two rattlesnakes, and a night suffering torrential rain, thunder and lightning on the twelfth pitch bivvy ledge was enough to beat a hasty retreat at first light. Fi excelled in her first lead on a Buzz Rock bolted line, showing no fear after taking an initial 7m lead fall.
Mel had plans to flew home with Dave, just a tad over her allowed baggage limit! At her insistence we had a powdered-milk eating competition followed swiftly by a rousing chorus of Wish You Were Here, by the 'Floyd. Some of the lyrics were a little muffled in between bouts of gagging, giggling and choking, but it was a plaudable effort. But it's not all been plain sailing mind you. Fi and I were kept pretty busy early on, making friends with the hospital staff in Monterrey - we should have got a loyalty card! Dave was, to his surprise, admitted into hospital and held prisoner there for 14 days before being flown home escorted by a nurse! His leg wound was reopened, cleaned and packed out twice a day for the duration. He only went into town to pick up some antibiotics!
Between
visits to the Gaffer we brought Jonny along for a foot x-ray to add to his
collection and a chance to race wheelchairs around the sterile corridors.
Back in the Potrero and the group slowly got the hang of Tarantula-bating,
when the evening shade brought them out by the dozen. We also learnt to check
the shower block for scorpions before committing behind that locked door.
Out of nowhere the group rediscovered the long lost arts of bottle-pushing
and stepping over the broom handle - an admirable way of wiling away those
long evening hours. Of course there was the usual fire-poi, and the new addition
of a slack-line - how else would you break an ankle and not be able to climb?
Our diurnal forays continue and the communal tick-list grows.
The Mark/Monkey combination have an epiphany on their return to Timewave Zero. Naturally, the forecast front sweeping south from the States shows it's face early and brings cloud and rain on their day of departure. After 3 hours of watching the pressure drop they head off for a second attempt.
Cool and fine though the night is, it seems it is simply not meant to be. A loose block is dislodged on pitch ten. Dropping straight down the fall-line it misses the belayer by less than a metre, slicing the rope half through in front of his face. Their (Jonny's) rope is now twenty metres shorter and another descent from the bivvy ledge seems prudent. Converted believers in pre-ordinance for the time being, the duo swear to not return.
The girls leave us [boys] for a road-trip within a road-trip, taking their air-con, wood-panelled, Dodge sofa to the Barranca Del Cobre (Copper Canyon) for a five day sojourn.
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In
between getting shit-faced, farting and talking about football ('cos that's
what the boys do when the girls are away), Gary and Wayne begin and end a
collaboration with Magic Ed (local activist) on a new route in the bowl above
Jungle Mountaineering.
Daily afternoon trips up fixed lines with jumars and lead climbs with water-filled backpacks turn into shift work to get the 5 pitch route completed. The bolting of pitches one and two were completed smoothly - that is if you count cleaning loose rocks and flakes the size of small cars as smooth work! The project, however, is abandoned when it becomes clear that the objective dangers are too great - and so they all live to new-route another day.
And so it is, with people growing stronger by the day, and Checo (campground manager) repeating ever-growing beer runs that we sign off until next time. If we ever get this milk powder un-welded from the roofs of our mouths we'll talk to you from the USA.
