Pleasure and Pain

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=115417" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="096c8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Christmas Wish"><U>A Christmas Wish</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Highway Story"><U>A Highway Story</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Study in Contrast"><U>A Study in Contrast</U></A></div> <div> <B>Pleasure and Pain</b></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Economics of Tobacco Use"><U>The Economics of Tobacco Use</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=F9r5/o1QIJU&offerid=11446.10000035&type=4&subid=0" target="new"><IMG width="125" height="125" alt="Shop at www.playboystore.com" border="0" src="http://banners.playboystore.com/125x125/holiday/7.gif"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=F9r5/o1QIJU&bids=11446.10000035&type=4&subid=0">  </b></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Recon Doc's Command Post</b></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recon Docs Command Post"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Christmas Wish"><U>A Christmas Wish</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Highway Story"><U>A Highway Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Study in Contrast"><U>A Study in Contrast</U></A>   |   <B>Pleasure and Pain</b>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Economics of Tobacco Use"><U>The Economics of Tobacco Use</U></A></div> <div> Pleasure and Pain</div> <div> What is it about the art of climbing rock that drives me to risk my life doing something so inherently dangerous? Is it the risk? Was I just born with the need to challenge myself? Why do I do it? I ask myself that all the time, especially when I am about three quarters of the way up and my muscles are on fire, my fingers are bleeding, and I can't see the next move. </div> <div> My favorite place to climb is Joshua Tree National Monument in California. And I'm not alone in my love of the place. Climbers from all over the world flock there to climb. Behind Yosemite, it is the most popular climbing area in the world. The rock there is beautiful and cruel. Giant boulders of quartz monzonite beckon the climber. The rough, granular nature of the stone is great for traction, but unforgiving to the flesh. </div> <div> I set out early in the morning so I can get a few climbs in before the rush. By midmorning I'm astounded by the number of climbers on the rock. Non-climbers abound, just there to watch, question and take pictures. I pack about three thousand dollars of gear into my pack, carefully inspecting each piece as I go. I trust my life to this gear after all. A good, high carbohydrate breakfast gets washed down with coffee so strong its like syrup. Two beers get packed into the cooler with some ice for the post-climb celebration. That is a tradition that absolutely cannot be broken! Then its off to the rock. </div> <div> I climb solo more often than not. Its more dangerous. There is no one to help, or to blame, in the sticky situations. I pick the climbs the day before, choosing those that I can hike, or scramble, up the backside to the top. It is safer climbing solo if you can set a top rope. At the top I set my anchor, throw my rope over, and rappel down. </div> <div> Back on earth, I pick my gear carefully. I am tempted to take everything, but weight is the enemy here. On the other hand, getting stuck halfway up without the proper gear could ruin my entire day. </div> <div> The choreography of climbing - that blend of movement, balance and equipment - is beautiful to watch. But accomplishing this "perfect blend" is an entirely different matter. I am, by no means, and expert climber. I'd call myself and advanced intermediate climber, and some days I feel more like a beginner. As I climb, I focus always upwards. My concentration is centered so intensely on the moment at hand that everything else ceases to exist. Where is the next hold? Where can I put my foot? Breathe. Okay, now transfer the weight of my body smoothly over to my right let and step up with the left. Don't stop. Okay, now time to place an anchor. Prayers for divine help play in the back of my head at the crux - the hardest point in the climb. </div> <div> The reward is worth the struggle. Once on top, relief and joy flood through me. I did it. I am safe. I have another story to tell. </div> <div> Climb on! </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>