mountain song

Once upon a time, i decided i wanted to climb a mountain. I had a dream that i wanted to make a reality.
To start, I tried bouldering. It's a natural origination point. It's a short climb, and you have to see your route (or problem) before you attempt it. You are not that high off the ground, so you can focus on the climb itself. It's perfect to learn technique. The first place I went bouldering was at Blair Woods in southern NH. It was autumn, the trees were ablaze, and a few folks I knew from debate and the newspaper were going. I got talked into it....by the end of the afternoon, I was hooked.
Bouldering is one thing, with a giant mattress to break your fall if the rock should choose to eject you; climbing Kilamanjaro is something all together different.
I used to go rock climbing when I was in college in New Hampshire. I always used to joke with my friends that they were baby mountains and it was good practice.
I was so serious about it I had my own shoes and chalk bag.
There is something instinctive about climbing. Primal. I never attempted a solo climb, and was always dependent on others, but that's ok. You literally are one with the surface you are climbing.
Rock climbing is a combination of visual processing and vertical ballet. The visual processing part is determining where you are going to backstep or toe hold or what kind of hand grip you are going to use. Not being focused could have a negative impact: you could slip, fall, break a limb, render yourself unconscious or worse-dead. Climbing was the first time I "got it" about meditation. I was able to truly empty my mind and have a laser like focus.
I have climbed Canyon Cliff, which is home to the Old Man in the Mountain, Toe Crack and Thin Air and of course, my favorite, Deirdre (I would say, sure I climbed myself!)
As time marched on, I moved back to NJ and my friends there were not into as many outdoors pursuits, so I lost surface interest. I still had the desire, but no one to go with. Instead of really pursuing it, I stuffed it down inside, and once in a while the urge resurfaces. Once I met the Big Man, it pretty much was over for us climbing together-nature boy he is not! He doesn't have that same innate connection to the great outdoors that I do. There's nothing wrong with it, but I would love to have the kids enjoy it as much as I do, and be outdoors as a family.
I've tried over the last several years to climb on an indoor rock wall, but quite frankly, I'm too big right now to pull myself up. I couldn't hang on nor was I was able to get a good toe hold. My current size prevents me from doing things, like climbing, I enjoy. I don't pursue things that will help me get in shape because I feel guilty about taking me time (also I have a hard time working out in front of the family). So it's a vicious cycle.
The princess used to rock climb. In fact there used to be a great indoor rock climbing place in Lawrenceville, NJ she & her friends went to in high school. I don't know if she pursued it to the great outdoors, but she and the little man would race each other on the wall at the Washington Pavillion.
Currently? I take the pictures.
One day...