Indescribable

I was privileged to spend the day with our dear sweet offspring, who is an amazing rock climber; he drove us up to an outstanding place of granite unforgivingness, and was patient with his aging mother. We were able to warm up on an "easy" route, Princely Ambitions, then a bit harder one, Japanese Gardens, on the Index, Washington Lower Town Walls, a former granite quarry which has been secured and preserved as a climbing area and bird sanctuary. One looks up these steep cliffs, and wonders how a person might ascend; one starts climbing upon these steep cliffs, and continues to wonder how a person might ascend. The granite gives few clues. The day was perfect, cool winds, sun, warm rock... And as I was privileged to do a couple of years ago, I got to belay him on a route he'd been eying, Narrow Arrow Overhang; he climbed the line fluidly, and over the overhanging roof, nary a fall. Amazing to be able to watch an elite athlete up close. I tried the bottom section of this route, but it outdid me before I reached the first set of anchors. We warmed down on a classic, Godzilla, and packed up the gear. Soreness will be my companion for a couple of days, but as I told him, I am glad I can still be on at least the bottom rung of this elating effort.