Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

As of late, Paige and I have had a difference of opinion regarding climbing. I acknowledge it for what it is-the greatest sport ever. Paige disagrees. It isn't so much that she hates the sport, but she doesn't like it enough to do it for very long. Alas, when she's done with her three climbs for the week, she tends to gets really, really bored. The problem is compounded when we are in the same middle-of-nowhere place day after day after day. Places like New Paltz, NY and Jasper, AR aren't exactly overflowing with things to do. So in the interest of marital bliss, we decided to split up for a weekend recently while I went climbing and Paige caught up with her friends in Ann Arbor. We would rendezvous three days later in Indianapolis at Paige's cousin Heather's house.

So, we left Rochester and bee-lined it over to Ann Arbor to spend a night catching up with Maggie, Kat and Lloyd. After brunch at the Flim Flam (oh yeah, the diner was called the "Flim Flam"), I bid Paige adieu and took Emma for a weekend of camping, climbing and hiking at the Red River Gorge down in Kentucky.

A scant six hours later Emma and I found ourselves hiking through the beautiful hills in and around the Red River Gorge. We spent the three days climbing in the morning and hiking in the afternoon. The Red River Gorge was a breathtaking place with a higher concentration of overhanging walls, cliffs and natural arches than I would have ever expected possible from a small town in Kentucky. With so much climbing potential, it was no surprise that there was already a small village of tents, hippies and full time climbers in a field next to the local pizza shop. Needless to say I had no problem finding climbing partners. For those that are familiar with the area and/or interested, I spent two finger aching days climbing at the Gallery in the Pendergrass Wilderness Area and the Left Flank & Fantasia in the Daniel Boone Forest. By the end of the three days I was filthy, hungry, sore and overall quite content to spend a few days resting in Indianapolis.

Overall, the split up worked out phenomenally. While I never cease to amuse myself with hilarious quips and commentary along the road, I think I ceased amusing Paige somewhere around Beaverton. The three nights apart allowed us both to do what we wanted, without dragging the other person along. Our only regret is that we waiting so long before flying solo from time to time.

Emma romping along the cliff

Grey's Arch

Waterfall


Sunrise