October 16, 2005 - Detours

When at first you don’t succeed, try…try again.

Paul and I headed up to the Gunks for another shot at climbing. We had crisp temperatures and a breeze. The 45 mile per hour gusts the meteorologists were predicting never materialized. The hawks and falcons, on the other hand, were out in force. Paul and I managed to climb “Bonnie’s Roof” and “High Exposure”. I’ve done each of these climbs many times, but it only takes dripping water running down the key holds to make it a little bit more exciting. Overall, it was a nice way of ending the climbing season for me. The notable missing component was Trang. Just about one week earlier, we tried to get onto these climbs but the “third wettest October in recorded history” got in the way.

What also got in the way for us was a detour on the way to the cliffs. First, I thought it was bridge construction…or perhaps road construction. It took a closer look to realize that the river and the road had become one. The detour did give wonderful views of the ridge…a perspective I hadn’t enjoyed before.

We had one last delay on the way home. While taking the detour to get back to the highway, we came upon the scene of an accident. Unfortunately, Paul and I were the “first responders”. Paul was a paramedic a little while back and was adequately prepared with gear in his truck. Apparently, a car had decided to make a turn while a couple on motorcycles decided to go straight. Unfortunately, it was quite obvious that on the road, he with more steel wins. The man’s injuries were minor. The worst thing for him was to have his leather chaps cut off by the paramedic so his leg could be examined. His wife’s leg will need some creative carpentry by an orthopedist. All in all, I believe that they got off lucky. Some surgery and rehab and their lives will go on. Their heads and spines appeared fine. Those are the things that change lives of those injured, and their families.

There was one last detour…a short pit stop at an apple orchard’s roadside stand. It was a reminder that we’re in the Northeast. And in autumn, the Northeast’s got its perks.