About 25 years ago, having tired of the campus bouldering circuits, I became "slightly" obsessed about the possibility of putting up a route on one of the more improbable glacial erratics scattered on our campus. I say "slightly" because the energy invested, and commitment, comes no where close to the focus and attitude that Dave has brought to the project this summer. Dave and his dog are out every morning at 7 AM ... rain or shine. If the weather is poor he works on cleaning, draining, or tarping the boulder. If the weather is nice he tapes up, and puts his heart and soul into it, for five - maybe six - good attempts.
About 20 years ago, after I had given up on the "Impossible Dream," I brought Russ Clune - Black Diamond sales rep and ace climber - out to sample the NCS bouldering circuit. Russ had quite a climbing resume as he was the first American rock climber to compete in international competitions, he had hundreds of first ascents to his credit, and he had soloed "Open Cockpit" and "Supercrack" (5.12+) at the Gunks. (His article, "Fool's Goal" in John Long's collection entitled "The High Lonesome" is a good read.) Anyway, after sampling the 5.10 and easy 5.11 routes on the circuit, he gave a half-hearted attempt on the "Impossible Dream." He did say it would "go," and that probably it would be 5.13+.
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