My feet are planted firmly on the rock, hands gripping the rope. My friends are beaming some light down for me, but everything besides myself, the rope and the rock has been swallowed by midnight darkness and fog. There are no trees, ground, or people. Just me, the fog, and the rock face. It's like being wrapped in some kind of warm fuzzy nothingness, and it's a beautiful feeling.
"Whatever you do, don't take your right hand off that rope," my friend told me before I went over the edge for my first rappel.
My heart is racing, but I'm far from fearful. It's exhilarating to force your body to do things that it instinctively dreads. My mind trusts my harness and the rope and the BFR (big fucking rock) I am anchored to... it understands the physics and the systems of things. My body doesn't. There is no fighting that epi dump of instinctual fear when walking backwards off a cliff, and why would you want to? The contradiction provides that lovely rush of risk that is like no other feeling in the world.
I rappel down until I'm about 5-10 feet from the ground and it's still barely peeking through the murky shadows. I'd like to ascend a tad and return to dangle there in divine suspended animation for a bit longer, but I can't. It's someone else's turn to give it a go.
about me
- Lucid
- United States
- I'm an EMT/CNA that just got hired as an ICU tech. I have a bit of experience in the PACU, OB-GYN, and as an amusement park EMT. I just finished my prerequisites for nursing school but due to financial situation will be working full-time for a while before going to nursing school. I live in a little house in the ghetto with the love of my life and two rescued puppies.
4 comments:
There is nothing like rappeling. I used to teach it. If you are ever out this way, I will teach you how to go aussie style (face first) or commando style (upside down). Both are awesome. And night rappeling is cool. Shepp
AWESOME STUFF!!!!
Unfortunately for me, my last rappelling outing resulted in three breaks in my left arm.
You're my new hero.
I've climbed a lot of really BFR (like 2000 feet off the deck, two days on the rock type deal), on rock and ice, sketchy run outs and everything, and rappeling still scares the bejeburs out of me! Congrats on conquering it!
I miss rappelling! So glad you enjoyed it :)
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