My First Time

     "Ooh, Mum," Primo says gleefully the other day, poking the back of my arm, "your flab is fun!"
     Lovely, I think.
     Secundo defends me: "Actually," he says reasonably, fingering the same piece of flesh, "that's just muscle that's not tensed."
     Out of the mouths of babes.
     "Ach," my mother scolds me when I recount the story, "you're not going to worry about that, are you? You're old enough to have flab!"
     Thanks, Mom...
      At fifty some people take a hot air balloon ride, or jump out of a plane. It's a time of life to push harder, sharpen the focus, and let go from the inside out.
 
           "Come with me and Jay," Andy suggested. "We're doing Mother's Day, on Cascade Mountain. I think you'll like it."
     I trust Andy. It's summer. I said, okay.
     "It's eight pitches, an approach, and a bitchy descent down steep scree, including a rappel," Andy gave me the beta.
     I didn't change my mind. But I couldn't sleep well last night and had nightmares, anxious about today's climb: my first multi-pitch. Amazing that after thirty years of living in these mountains I can still have a monumental first like this.
     It was fun, I feel high. Nothing like a good day in the mountains to erase all residue of stress and dis-ease. I can't say I wasn't terrifired a few times--the "sweet" traverse that Jay loved mid way up dropped my stomach like an elevator sliding right off its cables -- but I guess you can actually come to like that sensation: a pure rush of fear that leaves you breathless. Me, anyway.

     So here's to a first ascent at fifty, and many more to come. All in the hopes of keeping that flab at bay.

Contemplating the route (along the right side of that sharp corner of the right buttress).

Hiking up to start the climb.

A little nervous while suiting up.

 

Eye candy along the way: Betula Occidentalis, or water birch, one of my most favourites.

 

Climb on!

Don't look down.

One pitch.

Most of the time I loved it! Occasionally I was terrified.

Climbing as a trio gave me confidence--thanks, Jay.

Crossing Cascade Falls on the way down.

Canada Day on Cascade Falls.

We went through a magical gate to a powerful portal. Can't tell you what we discovered there. Check it out yourself.

A labyrinth.

Another first of the season: a showy western wood lily.