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The Sharp End of Eden: Rock Climbing at COA CHRISTIAN WAGNER
PHOTO CREDIT: HAMIDA SHAHAB
Thoughts stop, fear stops, breathing stops - all is silent and immersed in the essence of simple movement. ‘Mindlessness’ is so often synonymous with carelessness but in this situation you are much more “mindless” than “mindful.” Your hands are thinking; your feet are calculating their next strategic move and yet your mind is forgotten- a mere hindrance to the present situation. Thinking here is certainly careless. It is hard to say why we climb. What is it that happens in the time it takes for a rope to wind it’s way up a cliff face? For me it has always been about the little details: that one perfect crystal to stand on, the two finger pocket to hang from, the way brass has of sitting just right in the narrowing crack. I live through those moments. They remind me on some primordial level of what is really at stake in our lives. We all could use a wake-up call -- a little shot of adrenaline with our morning coffee. It’s too easy to get imprisoned by our minds, contract cabin fever of the soul. Lets get out there! Get to know the intricacies of the granite, the sound of the peregrine flying silently by, the view of the waves far below. Let’s make our way into the most unlikely of places, standing where few ever have. Most of all, let’s enjoy ourselves! Let’s tap into the perfection that only the details can bring us. I think our new bouldering wall is a great launching point. I hope we can use that space and what happens there to build a strong climbing community once more here at COA. It existed in the past but has begun to fade in recent years and I am not sure why: The granite is still there, the same bold lines remain unclimbed, the same feats unrepeated. There is a whole world of challenge and excitement literally at our fingertips and very few of us get out to experience it. COA’s new bouldering wall is located in the Witchcliff garage adjacent to the bike program space. All community members are encouraged to come use it daily. We would like to wholeheartedly thank Millard Dority and the B&G crew for supporting the project as well as Ryan Bouldin for his extraordinary contributions and encouragement. So come on by for an hour or so. Give your self a daily challenge; meet new friends; go new places. You’ll be surprised what you might end up finding.