When we reached the Manure Pile parking lot, Beth's tandem bike was waiting. Much to her delight, Dean and Timmy had ridden it through the Valley to speed up their triple linkup, and had simply pedaled over to come fetch us down the East Ledges. Never one for an undramatic finish, Beth set off to ride over to El Cap Meadow with Dean in order to retrieve a car.

Before noon, we were all back at the meadow where we'd started only five days before, this time surrounded by piles of stinking wall gear instead of clean wall gear. As Russ and I gingerly began sorting through the piles, people circled around Beth to congratulate her. It seemed that all of Yosemite knew she'd been on El Cap and what she'd done. Mark Wellman happened to be in the Valley and was amazed to hear that Beth was doing this climb so soon after her accident, and in such a short time on the wall.

Frantic organizing gave way to lounging in the meadow. Beth and I gazed up at the Zodiac together, this time with the eyes of climbers who'd just been there.

"You know Steph," Beth said, "I don't feel like that climb was about me or any one person. It was about just being on El Cap with friends and the five of us all helping each other."