I'm that guy that chose the path of travelling as much of the world as possible in my early 20's before seriously trying to find a job. I'm very blessed to have visited most of the places I want to go to and have pretty much tried all my hearts desires. For the most part, if I haven't done it, that's because I didn't want to. I can say that the idea of climbing up the side of a gigantic bolder wasn't something I would typically pursue in my everyday life, but in a place as beautiful as Joshua Tree… when in Rome right?
As we left sunny San Diego, we hit the road in good spirits heading to find the desert of Joshua Tree, California. Leading up to this point there's been two reactions;
1. What the heck is a Joshua Tree
2. Omg so lucky, bring me with you
Truth, I fall under option #1 so I had no real expectations.
Joshua Tree was a completely new experience for me and after all the sun in San Diego I was digging the mild and sometimes overcast climate. Joshua Tree just has a calming vibe to it and this city kid was appreciative. The trees the people and the weather all seemed somehow in sync, easy does it.
Settling into our homestead modern no.1, in a sparse little place called Pioneertown just minutes away from JT (JT=Joshua Tree) was nerve racking for this city boy who finds comfort in the sounds of traffic and construction vs. rattle snakes and coyotes. At the same time the serenity that comes with sitting by a fire or in a hot tub in the middle of the desert is priceless.
So this giant bolder I spoke of in the beginning called 'Cap Rock' the same rock that some say are petrified dinosaur poo, is even bigger in person. So now the nerves get going through my gear fitting, my mind wonders during the instructions, through all this I say to myself "I ain't doing this."
Chloe and I decided on 'Rock Paper Scissors' to determine who went first. She won with Rock, figures. I literally paid attention to her every step and when she struggled I struggled with watching. When she was emotional, I suddenly had to pee and by the time she made it to the top, I had decided "I ain't doing this."
Honestly, the Cliffhanger team cliffhanger guides; a married couple Seth and Sabra and an intern looking to learn the ropes (literally) were so welcoming and oozing with good energy and the only reason why this story gets better. Couldn't have done it without them, keep reading.
Breathe, step, feel, trust, risk & repeat to the top. Before I knew it I was way too far up to come back down. There was a point that I thought "I ain't doing this." However I made it to the top and only because there was a balance of trust and risk. The experience was challenging physically & mentally but was rewarding spiritually. I had to create a path for myself based on my height, shoe size, comfort level, confidence and personality. The technique to get there and end goal are the same for all of us but the execution is completely dependent on being able to trust yourself to take the risks necessary to reach the top.
Thank you Joshua Tree for pushing me to get to know myself better.