Flagstaff, AZ iz great!

Flagstaff Arizona has secrets. Here goes: I'm not convinced it has rattlesnakes, yet there are signs everywhere, warning of there near-abouts. Natheless, there is no need to leave me voice-mail messages convincing me that they are a real threat since I am a petrified (scared, not frozen stiff) snake-fearer and will always shine a light before stepping at night, even if I'm in the Arctic Tundra! What other secrets does Flagstaff have? Well, a lot of places that are worth going to in Flagstaff are found on Fire Roads (e.g. FR 9378Y) and roads that are a) mislabeled b) not labeled or c) both of the above. What a drag. Not a drag race. A slow race. Where you don't know where to go and you guess the wrong roads. Or you use the right road but don't know it.

That's what we did. We tented and car-slept on a road, as pictured above the previous paragraph, halfway to the climbing destination I hoped to find so badly, and I didn't know that it was that very road we slept on! Thus, after one day of driving to Flagstaff and hiking and asking outdoor shoppe workers how to get there, all of which semi-failed, we tried something else. Ask locals, and go to the visitor's center for a good map. This is when I realized my silly half-discovery that I knew just how to get there. It was just on a different road than the road given me thanks to online climbing directions. PHEW!Kevin, Alisa and myself went to boulder. And boulder we did! All day! We parked, ate and camped by the Triangle Boulder in Priest Draw boulders. Above is Kevin on top and Alisa gearing up for the many routes this parking lot boulder has to offer. It was awesome. Kevin and Alisa worked a stiff V2 called Bat Roof in this awesome roof-cave. Below's a picture of both of them on different parts of the same problem. Their technique and abilities shined! And it was shady! Go figure!
Bouldering was all we did with Kevin in Flagstaff. That and hike. And hike! And spot elk. Lots of elk. Elk are very large. We thought one was a moose at first, which makes no sense: we're in AZ. Oh, and we played with dogs that ran up to us and our cars. Oh, and I tried to climb Carnivore Direct, V9, but got shut down thanks to being worked, and the problem giving me two flappers and a finger-bruise! OUCHERS! Oh well - superb route, fun moves! Here's a bicycle move near the finish!

There's more to Flagstaff, AZ than bouldering:
Flagstaff also has some good sport climbing at The Pit, featured above with Kevin on top and myself standing below, admiring some nice sport routes, some of which we climb! Nice picture Alisa snapped!

But you'll hear about that later! We're off to have some dinner! And then eat some more!

-N8