I reject your reality, and substitute my own.

It's all planned

I was extremely disappointed when I wasn't given a spot on the Mount Rainier climb that was scheduled to go up last weekend.

For the past few years, it's been my goal to climb Mount Rainier on the summer of my 18th birthday. Sort of like a culminating project of school, scouts, and all the bruhaha that goes along with the 18th year, I imagined a summit of Rainier as sort of a crowning achievement to all that I've done. Originally, the plan was the pay the some $800 ridiculous fee offered by various guiding services for a shepherded trip. That plan had many holes in it to begin with, starting with an obvious lack of fundage. However, upon joining the Mountaineers (Boy Scouts for big boys), a whole new world of trips were opened up.

There was a trip scheduled for June 6-7, last weekend. I was psyched beyond psyched to sign up for it, and called the leader. It was to be led by someone from the Seattle branch of the Mountaineers, rather than from the Olympia branch, so I'd not met this man in person. However, upon calling him, I was told that "I really just made this trip for my friends in Seattle. So thanks for telling me, I'm closing registration now." More than a little miffed, I disappointedly resigned myself to a weekend of no climbing.



Come Saturday, the rain began to pour and pour and pour. The snow level dropped to 3,300 feet. Looking out the window at the torrent of water flooding our driveway, I was very happy not to be climbing at that moment. Miserable is not a word sufficient enough to describe how I would have been feeling if I had been in the middle of clipping onto a fixed-line on Disappointment Cleaver, soaked to the bone. I decided then and there that God was watching out for me, and hadn't let me gone on that trip on purpose. Either that or it was retribution to the Seattlites for not allowing me on their trip. Just kidding.

So when my July 18-20 trip to Eldorado Peak was canceled due to leader injury, I had mixed feelings. I wasn't sure if God had something better in store for me, as it's kind of hard to imagine that such a great coincidence could happen after being disappointed by trip cancellations twice in a week. However, things are planned more in advance than I thought.



Just ten minutes ago, I received an e-mail with an updated climb list offered by the Olympia Branch this summer. Mr. R, my favorite instructor in the Mountaineers, with whom I also go to church with, is leading a Mt. Rainier summit climb on July 18-19! Seems as if someone was watching out for me all along, letting me get on a trip with good company and fair weather. I'm very excited.

thinkandrew

posted by Andrew @ 9:17 PM