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Random Diary-type update
Jun. 15th, 2010 01:35 pmFrom a recent letter to a friend:
Two weeks from yesterday we drive to Nashville and get on the plane to Sacramento, on our way to Yosemite so Mark can rappel and climb El Capitan. Quite the adventure for a man about to turn 50. Our total travel time is two weeks. We have a day or so on each end for flying, and sleeping and showering in real hotels. Rental car (SUVish) from Sacto to the park. But 8–10 days in tents and going down to Curry Village to shower and eating camp food and fast food. I really do love him beyond the point of reasonableness, I'm telling you.
I will NOT be rappelling in Yosemite. This one, rightfully so, requires experience and qualifying rappels that I do not have. That and the fact that the hike from the "high" camp (Yosemite Creek Camp if you know anything about the park, it's accessed from the Tioga pass road) where we will be, to "top" camp from where they will rappel, is a grueling nine hour, 9-10 mile, carrying rigging and gear backwoods trek. That usually takes all day, then you are exhausted and sleep up top and rappel the next day. I'd rather be martyred.
There's 32 people total, I think, and not everybody will rappel every day of course. I think Mark plans two rappels and one climb up rope. Rappels are about 45 minutes, and I think climbs vary between 3-6 hours on a rope. People climb in pairs. I will be "on belay" at the bottom the first day Mark rappels. There's a whole, complicated, excel spreadsheet of where everyone is supposed to be and when.
Judge if you want. We're all going to die. I intend to deserve it.
ETA details
Two weeks from yesterday we drive to Nashville and get on the plane to Sacramento, on our way to Yosemite so Mark can rappel and climb El Capitan. Quite the adventure for a man about to turn 50. Our total travel time is two weeks. We have a day or so on each end for flying, and sleeping and showering in real hotels. Rental car (SUVish) from Sacto to the park. But 8–10 days in tents and going down to Curry Village to shower and eating camp food and fast food. I really do love him beyond the point of reasonableness, I'm telling you.
I will NOT be rappelling in Yosemite. This one, rightfully so, requires experience and qualifying rappels that I do not have. That and the fact that the hike from the "high" camp (Yosemite Creek Camp if you know anything about the park, it's accessed from the Tioga pass road) where we will be, to "top" camp from where they will rappel, is a grueling nine hour, 9-10 mile, carrying rigging and gear backwoods trek. That usually takes all day, then you are exhausted and sleep up top and rappel the next day. I'd rather be martyred.
There's 32 people total, I think, and not everybody will rappel every day of course. I think Mark plans two rappels and one climb up rope. Rappels are about 45 minutes, and I think climbs vary between 3-6 hours on a rope. People climb in pairs. I will be "on belay" at the bottom the first day Mark rappels. There's a whole, complicated, excel spreadsheet of where everyone is supposed to be and when.
Judge if you want. We're all going to die. I intend to deserve it.
ETA details
