What goes up, must come down.

Recently, I have been a bit nervous my climbing. In fact, I have been down right cautious. Often I clip in and rest before making the next draw. I don't do that on every clip, but certainly on the last or second to last draw.

Yesterday, I must have been feeling pretty cocky. I was doing a 10a that we have climbed many times, but I have always rested on the last draw before the anchor. I think now I know why I did that. The climb actually finishes to the right of the anchors, and the final hold -- it is a fantastic, sturdy hold. I usually grab both hands to the hold, place my feet very well, and move over to the anchor which has another fantastic hold between the two bolts.

I reached the final hold, and Sara started to feed out rope so I could clip into the anchor. I reached down and started pulling up rope. There was a kink at the second draw, and as I yanked the rope through the quickdraw, my feet came off the wall. "Take!" was all I had time to say before my hand slipped and I was in free fall. Sara didn't even have time to think. Her hand locked down the rope and she was in the air, feet forward. I came to a smooth stop and looked down.

Sara was in a bit of shock. She'd just been lifted ten feet off the ground, and I had just fell twenty. Kari, apparently just got finished saying "It's good you are using the Gri-Gri." I must agree. There is nothing like the assurance of an auto-lock so the rope doesn't let you slip to the ground.

Sara was fantastic and cool headed. All she said was, "Are you okay?" Of course I was. As I meantioned before, when I fall the end of the fall is just like a quick but smooth stop. I better get Sara into the chiropractor -- being yanked up off the ground by your midsection by 175 pounds free falling body mass cannot be too good for the back.