Bill Lester, with whom I have climbed for nearly 30 years.  A truly great climber, Bill is the type of guy who knows no fear, laughs in the face of danger and spits in the eye of death.  In other words, you need to keep an eye on him. Yosemite Valley, September 1989

 Bill beginning a lead low on route.

Sorting gear on their incredibly spacious Dinner Ledge about a third of the way up the route.

Visit by the Mayor of Dinner Ledge, South Face of Washington Column.  Two arrived and I, undoubtedly in violation of an array of federal regulations and greenie mantras – fed them peanuts.  Even though he wasn’t belaying me, Bill was asleep, so I reached over and put peanuts on his head to see if I could get the Ringtails to climb up and eat them.  I kept this up for an hour or so with Bill nary as much as stirring.   The next day, while hanging in slings,  I asked him how well he had slept.  He said OK but he would have slept better if I hadn’t spent the night putting peanuts on his head.

“Hi there!  I’m cute so I hope you don’t mind if I nibble on your rope”

Bill jugging on freshly-nibbled rope.  I didn’t tell him so he wouldn’t worry.