North Arete 5.7

Yeah, no lie. We freakin blew the takeoff out of Bridgeport yesterday after a three day rockstar trip. What's the last thing you want to hear your pilot say as you approach the end of the runway, trying desperately to gain speed in a small cessna loaded with forur guys, four sets of tele skis and four big packs say? "Come on Baby....come on Baby....hold on!"
So yup, we blew the runway and ended up in the weeds.........then something in the right landing gear caught fire. Good to have two firefighters on board. Jeff grabbed the Red Bull sized extinguisher and doused the faring covering the landing gear as black smoke and legitimate flame shot up under the wing. disaster thus averted, we set about finding a way home. A nightmare ride North with a local ex-meth addict brought us to Reno. And oh yeah, we live in Fresno, so we rented a Ford Tempo and shot the horn, arriving at 3:30 am after a "14.99 Prime Rib Dinner" and a few hands of Blackjack at the Silver Palace downtown.
I'm not much of a gamblin man, but I figured a hand or two was in order after surviving my first plane crash. Oh yeah, Matterhorn Peak rocked. Great camp, fun climbing in the East Coulior, though she was a bit skinny, perfect bluebird summy, and fresh corn all the way home.
So here I sit with a bit of rental car lag, a sunburn and a story of the time we almost didn't walk away.
Good day to be alive if you ask me.