Love Birds ...

Climb today, and two love birds came along ... Ryan and Erika.  Ryan is a mountain marathoner from Alaska, and Erika from Cd'A, and likewise athletic.  They swung into town after skiing up north in time to link up - so we went. 

At the parking spot Erika asked where we were going - referring to which of the mountains surrounding us - and upon getting out of the car I pointed out Thin Red Line, on the left, steeper and higher, and the Power Climb, to the right, easier ... and then I asked which one (they were interested in).  She said `Thin Red Line'.  Interesting.  "Okay, then, Thin Red Line."

The bottom of the route is still a bit ill-posed.  I haven't found the best way through the rocks and fences - but we ascended anyway - keeping a pretty good pace except for fences, and occasional pics.  Erika was keeping (track of) time - and my brain was tired so I couldn't take differences to see how we were doing along the way.  But eventually we crested the last false summit - and a `mound' of a top loomed before us, on now much gentler slope.  I did something I never, or perhaps rarely do ... I loosened my coat and let it fall to the ground - and then I RAN the fifty or so yards to the top.  We were essentially all together, but theoretically the move caught Ryan off guard, and I was all alone to the summit.  I thought.  But within about a yard or so of the mound Ryan passed me like a deer and beat me by fraction of a second.  A minute later Erika summited.

What a fabulous climb.

Erika and Ryan were evidently getting cold, or anxious, or both, so we didn't linger too long.  A few pics and we were on the way down.

What a fabulous climb!!!

Oh, ... 42 minutes. 1700 vertical.