"We started at 2.30 am..."
Cy, you are the man. Anyone who can motivate 8 people to be at a trailhead in the middle of the night just plain rocks!
I spent the weekend at <a href=http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/4688>Dome Rock</a> , in the Southern Sierras, with Shortimer and some other good friends. Usually at this time of year that place gets too darn hot but the weather was cool and conditions for granite slabbin' were perfect.
I could swear I saw Deb blow by us on the grapevine going up Friday early eve. We were doing a prudent 80 or so when this bronze Xterra goes by so fast we almost got wiped out by wake turbulence.
edit for link