Nathan – Rock Climber?

Feeding the pig.

We were having a wonderful time at the Bayou View Elementary Fall Festival this morning. Nathan started by selecting a chocolate cupcake frosted to perfection at the Bake Shop.  Then he tried out all three of the giant bouncey slides/castles.  He won several prizes at the assorted booths:  ring toss, golfing, bean bag throw, digging for gold.  It was all great fun, but there was one particular event he was desperate to try.

Rock Climbing.

The fish were biting.

He has asked Bryan and me several times to let him try this at Edgewater Mall and we’ve always said no.  We hated being party poopers, but Nathan’s had his share of health challenges–we just thought it would be a waste of money forking out five bucks for him to discover he was too small and too weak to make it a fourth of the way up.

We had purchased a Fall Festival pass for Nathan that allowed him to play all the games and try the rock climbing wall once.  He was elated.  We couldn’t say no, because it was free!

There were four levels of skill: green rocks were the easiest, reds were a little harder, then the yellow and blue were the hardest.  After getting his pass punched, he made his way to the beginner rocks where he was harnessed and began his climb.  To our surprise, he made it up willy nilly.

Nathan discovers rock climbing.

He wanted to try the other beginner climb.  We had one “star” ticket that would allow him another climb.  Once again, no problemo.  He asked if he could go again, so Bryan agreed to buy a $5 ticket.  This time, though, Nathan wanted to climb one of the hard ones.

“Look, Nathan,” Bryan said, “there’s no way you can go up the yellow or blue climbs.  Have you seen all the bigger kids trying?”

“But I know I can do it, Dad,” Nathan insisted.

“No, Nathan.  Look.  Did you see that?  That kid is taller than you and barely got halfway,” Bryan whispered.  “It’s just too hard.”

Nathan persisted and finally wore Bryan down.  So Nathan handed over his ticket and harnessed up for the blue rocks.  I pulled out my camera, hoping I could capture a shot of him reaching the mid point.  And he did!  I snapped him at midway and waited for him to slip.  The wall bows out a little there and the rocks swivel, making it more difficult to get a good grip.

Nathan coming down from the top!

But he kept going! Bryan began to coach from the ground (absolutely couldn’t help himself):  “Right foot over a little, Buddy… no… yes… right there… now grab the rock to your left…”  Next thing we knew, he was practically to the top.  If his arm had been about two inches longer, he could have hit the button.  Bryan and I were probably beaming.

Nathan wasn’t ready to quit. He asked Bryan if he could do the yellow wall.  That time, Bryan agreed without an argument even though the yellow wall bows out considerably at the top.  Nathan got about three fourths of the way and his legs flew out from the wall.  His fingers held tight to one of the rocks and he pulled his body back in, his feet flailing around until they found foot holds.  This happened about three more times–his legs would fly out, he’d hang on, and continue, until, by golly–he made it to the top!

Nathan enjoys a cupcake after a long day at the BVE Fall Festival.

Nathan can’t play football.  And he probably wouldn’t have the endurance for soccer or cross country.  But we may have found his sport…Rock Climbing.

Tags: Nathan