Mexico, April 2001

Here is the pile of stuff I took, sitting in my living room, April 13.

2009-02-21T18:08:09Z

Nathan Hoover
Here is the pile of stuff I took, sitting in my living room, April 13.

April 14, the view of the Zocalo from the roof of our hostel in Mexico City.

2009-07-20T14:04:32Z

Nathan Hoover
April 14, the view of the Zocalo from the roof of our hostel in Mexico City.

April 15, Sean filming Kris in Chapultapec Park, Mexico City.

2009-02-21T18:07:52Z

Nathan Hoover
April 15, Sean filming Kris in Chapultapec Park, Mexico City.

Kris riding boulders in the park.

2009-02-21T18:02:05Z

Nathan Hoover
Kris riding boulders in the park.

Dropping 8' onto a flat, hard rock, for the camera.

2009-02-21T18:05:28Z

Nathan Hoover
Dropping 8' onto a flat, hard rock, for the camera.

The result

2009-02-21T18:05:27Z

Nathan Hoover
The result

Kris attracting the attention of a couple of clowns.

2009-02-21T18:08:12Z

Nathan Hoover
Kris attracting the attention of a couple of clowns.

Suddenly there's a huge impromptu show in the park

2009-07-20T14:24:14Z

Nathan Hoover
Suddenly there's a huge impromptu show in the park

Making Kris do silly stuff

2009-06-05T21:08:34Z

Nathan Hoover
Making Kris do silly stuff

This was a skit about Tarzan and Yane

2009-06-05T09:18:18Z

Nathan Hoover
This was a skit about Tarzan and Yane

Dueling with balloon swords on unicycle in a park in Mexico. Will wonders never cease?

2009-02-21T18:08:13Z

Nathan Hoover
Dueling with balloon swords on unicycle in a park in Mexico. Will wonders never cease?

Shooting on some interesting rocks in the park

2009-07-20T13:19:54Z

Nathan Hoover
Shooting on some interesting rocks in the park

A fraction of a second before Kris fell all the way into the green slime of this lake.

2009-06-05T09:00:21Z

Nathan Hoover
A fraction of a second before Kris fell all the way into the green slime of this lake.

3 stories up on a skinny ledge

2009-07-20T12:45:03Z

Nathan Hoover
3 stories up on a skinny ledge

Pure mental power = no problem

2009-06-05T09:04:49Z

Nathan Hoover
Pure mental power = no problem

Another line

2009-02-21T18:05:04Z

Nathan Hoover
Another line

Monday morning, April 16, we have to pack all our stuff into this tiny rental car to drive to the mountains.

2009-07-20T12:27:32Z

Nathan Hoover
Monday morning, April 16, we have to pack all our stuff into this tiny rental car to drive to the mountains.

Our "practice climb", La Malinche, from the car

2009-02-21T18:05:50Z

Nathan Hoover
Our "practice climb", La Malinche, from the car

How the unicycles travelled

2009-06-05T21:11:15Z

Nathan Hoover
How the unicycles travelled

Summit of La Malinche from 12,000', the highest point of our pre-climb exploration.

2009-07-20T12:33:41Z

Nathan Hoover
Summit of La Malinche from 12,000', the highest point of our pre-climb exploration.

Sunset from 12,000' - time to blast down to camp.

2009-07-20T12:49:25Z

Nathan Hoover
Sunset from 12,000' - time to blast down to camp.

April 17, summit of La Malinche, Sean and Matt waiting for decent light to shoot.

2009-06-05T08:39:59Z

Nathan Hoover
April 17, summit of La Malinche, Sean and Matt waiting for decent light to shoot.

Summit photo - the Mexican peaks generally have large metal crosses on the summits.

2009-07-20T12:35:11Z

Nathan Hoover
Summit photo - the Mexican peaks generally have large metal crosses on the summits.

There's our elevation. A nice little jaunt up from under 10,000'.

2009-02-21T18:05:54Z

Nathan Hoover
There's our elevation. A nice little jaunt up from under 10,000'.

Just below the summit rocks, we can ride

2009-06-05T13:12:50Z

Nathan Hoover
Just below the summit rocks, we can ride

Matt and Sean near the summit

2009-07-20T13:41:48Z

Nathan Hoover
Matt and Sean near the summit

Looking back to the summit - Kris riding.

2009-06-05T10:56:34Z

Nathan Hoover
Looking back to the summit - Kris riding.

Fastforward about 6 hours of hard filming and riding. Kris passed out in the parking lot.

2009-07-20T13:48:12Z

Nathan Hoover
Fastforward about 6 hours of hard filming and riding. Kris passed out in the parking lot.

April 18, Kris riding a scenic wall in Tlachichuca, 8,600', at the base of El Pico de Orizaba.

2009-07-20T12:11:49Z

Nathan Hoover
April 18, Kris riding a scenic wall in Tlachichuca, 8,600', at the base of El Pico de Orizaba.

With El Pico itself in the background

2009-02-21T18:05:11Z

Nathan Hoover
With El Pico itself in the background

Another shot

2009-07-20T12:37:08Z

Nathan Hoover
Another shot

Sean shoots stills too

2009-07-20T12:40:30Z

Nathan Hoover
Sean shoots stills too

Hanging out in the Reyes' "climbing ranch" in Tlachichuca.

2009-07-20T14:02:27Z

Nathan Hoover
Hanging out in the Reyes' "climbing ranch" in Tlachichuca.

April 19, packing for the drive up to Orizaba

2009-02-21T18:03:03Z

Nathan Hoover
April 19, packing for the drive up to Orizaba

Brief breakdown on the road to basecamp

2009-07-20T13:54:43Z

Nathan Hoover
Brief breakdown on the road to basecamp

Looking up towards the peak. Click "original" and then you can see our basecamp hut at 15,300'.

2009-07-20T14:05:26Z

Nathan Hoover
Looking up towards the peak. Click "original" and then you can see our basecamp hut at 15,300'.

This is the end of the line for the truck. About 14,400'. We walk from here.

2009-02-21T18:03:55Z

Nathan Hoover
This is the end of the line for the truck. About 14,400'. We walk from here.

This shows the south face of Orizaba from basecamp, 15,300'. Our climbing route is up the ridge on the left.

2009-06-05T12:26:59Z

Nathan Hoover
This shows the south face of Orizaba from basecamp, 15,300'. Our climbing route is up the ridge on the left.

Kris far above the clouds

2009-02-21T18:02:46Z

Nathan Hoover
Kris far above the clouds

We took April 20 as an acclimitization day. Juggling on the Fausto Gonzales Gomar Hut.

2009-07-20T13:23:10Z

Nathan Hoover
We took April 20 as an acclimitization day. Juggling on the Fausto Gonzales Gomar Hut.

Our unicycles paying homage at the shrine in front of the hut.

2009-07-20T12:29:54Z

Nathan Hoover
Our unicycles paying homage at the shrine in front of the hut.

Inside of the hut

2009-07-20T12:29:29Z

Nathan Hoover
Inside of the hut

Sunrise at 18,500' on El Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl). Temp: cold, way cold. Camelbaks and water bottles frozen solid.

2009-02-21T18:07:46Z

Nathan Hoover
Sunrise at 18,500' on El Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl). Temp: cold, way cold. Camelbaks and water bottles frozen solid.

5am on April 21, we are on top of the world! Or at least 18,500'.

2009-07-20T13:56:04Z

Nathan Hoover
5am on April 21, we are on top of the world! Or at least 18,500'.

Francisco and some broken down crosses

2009-06-05T10:02:18Z

Nathan Hoover
Francisco and some broken down crosses

Getting ready to ride

2009-02-21T18:06:56Z

Nathan Hoover
Getting ready to ride

The crater and clouds over 2 miles below

2009-07-20T13:09:34Z

Nathan Hoover
The crater and clouds over 2 miles below

Orizaba's shadow on the smog

2009-07-20T12:34:08Z

Nathan Hoover
Orizaba's shadow on the smog

Kris on the summit

2009-07-20T12:46:28Z

Nathan Hoover
Kris on the summit

Sean shooting

2009-07-20T13:27:08Z

Nathan Hoover
Sean shooting

Close-up of the shadow

2009-02-21T18:04:07Z

Nathan Hoover
Close-up of the shadow

The well-equipped mountaineer.

2009-07-20T13:34:02Z

Nathan Hoover
The well-equipped mountaineer.

Self-portrait on the summit

2009-07-20T13:36:54Z

Nathan Hoover
Self-portrait on the summit

Matt and Sean shooting. We rode this section many times.

2009-02-21T18:01:56Z

Nathan Hoover
Matt and Sean shooting. We rode this section many times.

I juggled on this spot in 1976 too, a quarter of a century ago.

2009-02-21T18:02:22Z

Nathan Hoover
I juggled on this spot in 1976 too, a quarter of a century ago.

April 23, driving to Veracruz on the Caribbean coast

2009-07-20T12:48:57Z

Nathan Hoover
April 23, driving to Veracruz on the Caribbean coast

Trials down by the water in Veracruz

2009-07-20T12:59:28Z

Nathan Hoover
Trials down by the water in Veracruz

The sequence made it into the film

2009-07-20T12:53:50Z

Nathan Hoover
The sequence made it into the film

Matt and Kris eventually had to go ask at the hotel desk for help in getting this tequila bottle open. Must've been the excess oxygen in the air.

2009-07-20T12:44:55Z

Nathan Hoover
Matt and Kris eventually had to go ask at the hotel desk for help in getting this tequila bottle open. Must've been the excess oxygen in the air.

Veracruz at night from our rooftop tequila-sipping spot.

2009-07-20T12:43:41Z

Nathan Hoover
Veracruz at night from our rooftop tequila-sipping spot.

Another night scene

2009-06-05T20:57:44Z

Nathan Hoover
Another night scene

April 24, are we in Australia? No, on every other switchback going up this pass, you have to drive on the left to avoid the extra-steep inside corner of the switchback. Scary at the cross-ov ...

2009-06-05T07:33:37Z

Nathan Hoover
April 24, are we in Australia? No, on every other switchback going up this pass, you have to drive on the left to avoid the extra-steep inside corner of the switchback. Scary at the cross-ov ...

Shooting alongside the road

2009-06-05T13:17:34Z

Nathan Hoover
Shooting alongside the road

Kris gliding

2009-02-21T18:01:56Z

Nathan Hoover
Kris gliding

April 25, sunset over the Gulf of California on the way home after a great trip.

2009-07-20T13:26:07Z

Nathan Hoover
April 25, sunset over the Gulf of California on the way home after a great trip.