Last night we finally decided to find some climbing in Austin. We opened our Austin Rock book and found that Gus Fruh park was close. When we got there, we had to cross over a stream that was waist deep in the middle. Jeana had Kate in a backpack (shown below) and I was holding Audrey and trying to keep my backpack (with the rope in it) above the water. Half-way across I had to hoist Audrey up on my shoulders so I could keep the backpack from getting wet. There were a bunch of people swimming around and I know they were just thinking, “Ten bucks says he trips and drops her in the water!”
We found a route called Wyoming Women which is just to the left of where I’m positioned in the picture below. That route didn’t have any bolts but the route just to the right, Heir Apparent, did have bolts. Just above my helmet and a little to the right is the first bolt. The first bolt was probably about 10 feet from the ground – high enough to make me nervous to fall.
It was getting late in the evening (for the girls’ schedule) so we decided not to get out the rope and our harnesses. The girls were a little restless and we didn’t feel completely safe attempting a climb at that moment.
Audrey quickly got introduced to mosquitoes and was generous in our vocal outburst of pain and fright. She spent the rest of the night wrapped in a blanket and hidden in my cap to avoid any more encounters with what she regarded as a ruthless beast.
Kate only tipped over once in her backpack. She occasionally got upset with the pestering insects but for the most part did pretty good sitting there.
Jeana also bouldered up on Wyoming Women/Heir Apparent, but she didn’t want to take too many risks because Audrey and Kate weren’t completely happy and cooperating by the time she got her turn to climb.
Finding the climb and wading a stream gave us an adventurous night. I need a little more adventure in my life. Oh, and I need a little more climbing too.