Trust the Rope

I do this to myself. I get into these situations thinking, it can't be all that hard. And then it is.

For example, one night I decided to walk up to the drugstore to get medicine for my daughter. She had gone to bed and my mom was reading on the couch. It was a warm night and the store was only a mile or maybe a little more. I decided to walk and take my dog for company. I get to the end of the street and she busts out of her leash and TAKES THE HELL OFF. In the dark. On a 45mph street. Man, that dog pisses me off when she endangers her own stupid life. It takes about 20 minutes to convince her back onto the leash, and we keep on for the store. At some point, it strikes me how dark it is on this night. I can't even see my feet. Wait. I really can't see my feet. There's no sidewalk or shoulder, and these cars are going really fast. How did this seemingly simple walk turn into a life threatening ordeal TWICE? I made it there and back, but I sure did get spooked.

Fast forward. Last Thursday, I'm on the bus headed to the airport. I got a bike flat on the way to work this morning. My friend has my luggage so I'm using this terrible, old bag. I worked all day. I have a moment where I have to complain loudly about the cost of airline baggage. Then I hauled thestupidbag across town to the bus station. I rode the bus and got sick from the fumes and heat. I get to the airport, and my flight has been cancelled. This seems like a pretty normal thing that happens to people because she got me on a different flight to someplace else. It means my best friend is going to have to pick me up earlier and drive farther, but I'm going to get there. I'm just really unamused.

This particular journey is topical because of the reason for the trip. I've decided this year to take on my fear of heights and learn to climb mountains. This is a metaphor for life of course. I've climbed so many mountains. I'm going to climb actual mountains now. This weekend I'm going to climb ice.

In typical fashion, I said yes to this trip before I'd ever actually climbed rocks, walls, or mountains. I can climb a tree. Not the same. The first day on the ice, I was enraptured by the beauty of the thing with the hiking and the snow and the FROZEN WATERFALL. The shoes and ice axes didn't phase me a bit. I felt empowered. The second day? I got about  8' from the top and said um. no. I'm coming down. Now. I'm scared.

But they wouldn't let me down. My friends simply said No. We won't let you down. Get to the top and enjoy the view.

I've climbed a few times now, and that plunging feeling hasn't begun to suck less. I've fallen and gotten caught. I've gotten to the top and enjoyed the view. I'm not on this journey alone. My friends have my rope.

See more on flickr. Go do it for yourself at Northeast Mountaineering.