Field Op Code Name-SYNCRO

It has been a sort of a tradition for the last few years that on the day after Thanksgiving Ms. Arcen and I take off to accomplish something pastoral and epic.  You know, some father daughter bonding time out away from it all where things are quiet and you can actually hear the earth spinning on its axis.  Last year it was the cold ride of the Virginia Creeper Trail and in 08 we spent the day hiking up in a snowy Grayson Highlands State Park, the highest territory in the great state of Virginia.  In 07, the first year I started this blog we stayed close to home that Friday and made our transfer via an urban RIDE/BUS/RIDE/SWIM/RIDE. Time, one of the four dimensions I understand is passing rapidly, all I have to do for confirmation of that is look back at how small my kid was just three years ago.

This year the weather thwarted our Black Friday pastoral plans so instead we spent the day doing chores and impressing each other with our math skills.  St. Lissa was called out in the wee hours of Sunday morning to assist with her 8th birth which left Ms. Arcen and I the time to utilize the rain check on our annual post Thanksgiving adventure.  We decided to pack the pack and head over to Crowders Mountain for a hike up the region's most distinct monadnock.  Once up along the main ridge our hope was to find an empty wall suitable for Ms. Arcen to practice her rock climbing\self empowerment skills. 

Just as we pulled into the semi crowded lot at the Linwood Road access, I noticed a pretty girl in the bright sun standing on one foot, stretching an arm high into the sky perfectly straight and pulling back on the leg not holding her up.  Interesting.  We drove on by and found our space close to the facilities and commenced to gear up for the mile and a half hike up to the summit ridge.  While I was messing with the pack behind the UN Montero, a gentleman and the pretty girl approached with the confidence of familiarity.  The fellow stuck out his hand and introduced himself as the Blair that contacted me about a year ago after he had started checking in with the Traffic Stop down Atlanta way.  Since then he has moved to Belmont to be closer with Beth, whom he then introduced us to.  She was the one radiating strength on one foot with a single hand reaching for the sky when we first pulled into the lot. 

How's the syncro?  I am not sure how it is, but I know that it is constant and has infinite powers when received.  We quickly figured out that the four of us would head up together and see what the day had in store.  It was really great to meet these two progressive thinking folks and spend some time ambling over the top rocks and inner walls of Crowders' main with them.

On the way up the stairs Ms. Arcen tells Beth just how much she loves horses and that she cannot wait to bring her horse Majesty down from Maggie Valley.  Beth has no doubt that the kid likes horses. 

Blair drops a short steep as Beth looks through the lens. 

Blair's face reacts to the impending doom if he makes one false step. 

As Blair uses his butt muscles to control his descent, Beth laughs. 

Ms. Arcen showing off her favorite cave. 

I did not have enough webbing to safely tie her in on a tall wall near her debut wall, so we decided to hike back the practice wall.  The bolts were occupied by Peyton and his climbing partner which gave us time to sit in the sun and enjoy a beverage.  Blair and Beth took off on the rest of their day and about twenty minutes later the bolts became free.  I anchored the line and then we headed down to the base of the crack.  No pictures of her on the wall, I was too busy being her belay.  She made five attempts on the same crack from her last time there and was unable to get passed a problem about 15 feet up.  Interestingly enough, that problem did not bother her on that last experience.  The rock was cold, we were in the shadows.  It was exciting to see her try, and not want to give up.  She seems to enjoy the feeling of being up there and on it. 

She pulled off her shoe to make an adjustment, that is when I saw her gnarly big toe poking out of a stinky sock.  Yikes, get to mending child!

Ms. Arcen made this image(the next one too) of me undoing our tie in. 

No one told me that my right short pant leg was bunched up in my harness thigh strap. 

Dad, you are such a dork with your short shorts on one side.  Photo: Random Lady up top.

On the walk down the sun was low, the light through the woods was shadowy and above us bright against the upper walls and trees.  We talked about the day and how nice it was to meet Blair and Beth.  Ms. Arcen said, "Dad, can we not go anywhere without someone recognizing you from your mistake ridden blog?  Why does that happen all the time?"  I told her, "Come on, that has only happened a few times.  It's not like I am Dicky or Arleigh."