A rotor blade comprising: a platform , the platform having a pressure side slash face and a suction side slash face, with the pressure side slash face being circumferentially spaced apart from the suction side slash face; a shank extending radially inward from the platform ; an airfoil extending radially outward from the platform , the airfoil including a leading edge and a trailing edge ; and a cooling circuit defined within the rotor blade , the cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of exit channels disposed along the trailing edge of the airfoil ; and a first bypass conduit and a second bypass conduit , the first bypass conduit extending radially inward from a first inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a first outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the second bypass conduit disposed radially inward of the first bypass conduit and extending radially inward from a second inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a second outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the first bypass conduit and the second bypass conduit each being positioned radially inward of the plurality of exit channels and each being disposed entirely radially outward of the shank , and each being disposed to extend at a sloped angle with respect to the plurality of exit channels . a platform , the platform having a pressure side slash face and a suction side slash face, with the pressure side slash face being circumferentially spaced apart from the suction side slash face; a shank extending radially inward from the platform ; an airfoil extending radially outward from the platform , the airfoil including a leading edge and a trailing edge ; and a cooling circuit defined within the rotor blade , the cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of exit channels disposed along the trailing edge of the airfoil ; and a first bypass conduit and a second bypass conduit , the first bypass conduit extending radially inward from a first inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a first outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the second bypass conduit disposed radially inward of the first bypass conduit and extending radially inward from a second inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a second outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the first bypass conduit and the second bypass conduit each being positioned radially inward of the plurality of exit channels and each being disposed entirely radially outward of the shank , and each being disposed to extend at a sloped angle with respect to the plurality of exit channels . a plurality of exit channels disposed along the trailing edge of the airfoil ; and a first bypass conduit and a second bypass conduit , the first bypass conduit extending radially inward from a first inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a first outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the second bypass conduit disposed radially inward of the first bypass conduit and extending radially inward from a second inlet disposed in the cooling circuit to a second outlet positioned on the pressure side slash face , the first bypass conduit and the second bypass conduit each being positioned radially inward of the plurality of exit channels and each being disposed entirely radially outward of the shank , and each being disposed to extend at a sloped angle with respect to the plurality of exit channels . <EOS>