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 ther 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, undoubtably
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.