Downhill Racing

Today was predecided to be adventurous.  I rested yesterday in order to attempt my project at the Zoo, one of many different cliff lines, or crags, here at the Red River Gorge.  Hippocrite, given the grade of 5.12a is a short beautiful line consisting of powerful moves between good holds.  Mentioning the Zoo around Miguel's brought a stiff warning and a few horror stories of bees along the trail.  This, however, was not enough to deter me from my route seeing as it will most likely be several months, if not more, before I return to climb at the Red.  I woke up around 8:30 as I have most mornings this past week and joined in a communal breakfast buffet scraped together from all the ingredients the three of us (Matt, Brea, and myself) had at hand.  Then it was on to the Zoo. Despite the massive number of bee casualties reported to us, I was the only one stung on the way up the trail...We kept going.  My ambition had got the better of me and I'd rushed out of camp without warming up on the hang boards mounted by the picnic tables 'round back.  My first two burns on Hippocrite reflected my time away from climbing throuhout the rafting season.  I finnaly pieced the route together, giving it a total of four attempts...still a project.

Hiking out brout our predestined adventure to fruition.  Once again I was towards the back of the line a few paces behind the rest of the group when I hear, "AH, Hornets!"  Having already been bothered by the vile creatures earlier in the day, I froze immediately.  I looked at the small buzzing objects before me and then back at Matt who was following a few feet behind me.  We looked at each other and charged forward to meet out fate (pain).  Only three steps into my poor decision my legs were on fire and both Matt and I were cursing up a storm.  I then tumble headlong down  the steep hill, pack and all.  Rolling three times end over end with matt not far behind, my friends ahead of us can't help but laugh at the site they are wittnessing.

A few benadryl and a long stent in the hammok later, I can see the humor and stupidity in it all.  We are all still moving with nothing seriously damaged except for our egos and that can only be for the better.  I've read it and heard it repeated all my life that any great adventure is only made more memorable by the bad experiences.  Here's to adventures of every kind, may they be extremely forgettable.