This film is like a sonata, where the characters and stories are like carefully composed themes and motives that recur and interact to form a whole work. It felt a little rigid to me at points, but it ultimately shuns the clichés it flirts with and effectively expresses the elusiveness of the one thing we’re all supposedly pursuing.
Referred by Fast Forward
This is an exposition on some facets of global oil power struggles. It seems to revel a bit in the complexities of the issue, but ends up presenting some interesting perspectives. It’s written by the same author as Traffic, and follows a similar format. It was interesting enough to make me curious about the book it’s based on, See No Evil by Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer.
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It’s sunrise season again! This morning is the first of the summer that I leave before sunrise on my commute. Heron Lake is enchanting, reflecting the pale dawn rouge through a layer mist created by the cold, dry air.
There is another brief rain shower early in the morning, but then it seems to clear up, so we hike back up to Mount Boner where Ann takes her turn leading Shaking the Pope’s Hand 5.7. There’s a freezing wind blowing, so we decide to hike further in to Ironsides. It’s cold there too, so we scout around a bit, but eventually settle down there, where Ann leads Gypsy in the Palace 5.8. This her most sustained lead yet, and she’s rightfully thrilled to do it almost perfectly (one short hang at the first crux). I follow her up this, then continue up Fire Widow 5.10c, which bucks me a couple of times, but I feel good about finishing. On that note we call it a day, happy to have discovered this spot away from the ATVs and gunfire so prevalent lower down.
We drive up the South St. Vrain creek despite heavy cloud cover, hoping for the best. I retain my optimism, but we set up our tents before starting the hike, just in case. About five minutes into the hike a steady drizzle convinces us to have a beer in the tent before climbing. This works like a charm, for clearing up the weather, and for putting Ann to sleep. Sean and I hike to Punk Rock and Mount Boner, while the weather clears up nicely.
We climb Thieving Bitch 5.8 to start, then Sean cranks out his first ever lead on the excellent Shaking the Pope’s Hand 5.7. I love watching someone experience the thrill of leading for the first time, and Sean is totally stoked. I manage to redpoint Confession 5.11b, starting over after falling off once. My confession on that one is that I probably reached through the one-move crux. It allows me to toprope Smack the Cold Booty 5.11b, a much more sustained, pumpy, and rewarding roof climb, and Side Effects 5.10c, a nice steep face. Ann shows up, well rested, and we climb Five Finger Discount 5.9, a fun, puzzling little route. At this point the drizzle starts in again, but we leave feeling pretty good.
Liz, Doug, and I all get out of work early and return to Crystal Wall hoping to get at least a couple of routes in before dark. We’re greeted by scant sprinkles and a small rattlesnake, but otherwise have perfect conditions for climbing. Doug manages his first outdoor lead on a fun 5.7ish route around the right side of the wall. I claw my way up the 80-foot 10b on the main face, overgripping and falling a few times, but still enjoying the route. I would love to get up here once a week to work on these pumpy things.
It’s amazing how the War on Drugs has disappeared from the spotlight since this film, yet it still grows every year. This is a well-deserved bashing of that war that is also a very good movie. Many perspectives are represented, the drama is believable, and the fall guy isn’t the straw man so many indictment films use. The characters do occasionally break into unlikely polemics, but they’re kept short and relevant.
I was snared from the very start by the Mexican border landscape where the entire movie takes place. Having twice been dropped off on the border with a backpack and left to hike north, these images of the Sonoran Desert really stir up the feelings from those days. The story that takes place there has big helpings of ironic humor and good characters, with a bit of a raw edge and a sort of neo-frontier vigilante justice. The best modern western I can recall.
Dad has half the day free, and agrees to show us the hike up to The Bishop near the Cathedral Spires. This area was closed for raptor nesting the last time we looked, but today the parking area is busy when we arrive.
The recent rains have made for a mushroom extravaganza. I photograph eight of the most intriguing-looking varieties, and at times the forest floor is a mat of tiny caps.
We hike an old mining road for a ways, then head up to The Bishop. This is a steep, rocky approach that would be a serious grunt with a pack full of climbing equipment. We see why people do it when we reach The Bishop - it’s an inspiring formation. Just a few cracks make their way up the sheer east face. A narrow chimney leads straight through the middle, allowing access to the equally imposing west face. We hang out and scramble around for a while before starting the descent.
We meet Dad at Pence Park with his friend Tom for an afternoon hike. The sky is full of clouds, but we start optimistically up Bear Mountain, and reach our favorite overlook there without rain. The rain and lightning are kind enough to wait until we’re a good ways down the mountain, where we soon take shelter in Tom’s house to wait for Sarah to come pick us up.
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