Herndon Climb time: 2:35:59

A wiry volleyball player from Pennsylvania had the honor this morning of scaling the Herndon Monument, signaling the end of the freshman or "plebe" year for the Naval Academy Class of 2011. This year's time of 2 hours, 35 minutes and 59 seconds was more than an hour longer than last year's time of 1 hour, 32 minutes, 42 seconds.This year's Herndon Climb was slightly different from past years, because upperclassmen did not soak the plebes - and the ground around the monument - with a garden hose while they attempted to make the climb. Although the monument was greased in 100 pounds of lard courtesy of 1st Company, there were no mocking messages written into the lard, as in past. Full story...