During high school I was an avid rock climber. A few friends and I were particularly interested in bouldering, a form of rock climbing in which no ropes are used but climbs are under 25 feet and highly technical. We would frequently visit McAffe's Knob near the Home Place (I know you know what that is haha). It is regarded as one of the best bouldering sites on the east coast and is highly valued as a climbing site. One weekend, a few friends and I went camping for the night. We enjoyed a fun night camping about half way up the mountain. I didn't really know everyone who came, but we all quickly became friends and conversation was flowing. The experience we had the next morning was very intense. We woke up, pretty groggy and feeling rough we climbed to the top of the mountain after some oatmeal. The partying the night before put a wrench in the plans of climbing so we hiked straight through to the top. When we finally emerged from the forest, we noticed there was no view where there should be an incredible vista! The clouds were so heavy and think out that they barely allowed you to see the edge of the cliff. The effect it produced left us all speechless. We all sat down and took in the surreality of the situation and I think all of our appreciations for nature increased. It felt very liminal, and with the view obscured it felt like a very transcendental place. You couldn't tell how high you were or what the world around you looked like. The mind was able to project itself onto this emptiness creating an interesting form of contemplation and reflection.
- December 2, 2013
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