Reaching New Heights

Another dull week. Not much to tell. What can one expect of a student? But everything changed on Friday afternoon, upon arriving at the local ATM, cash was dispensed!! who knew that such high rates of happiness would accompany the plausibility of purchasing bread? Not I, for one.

Saturday morning, we had made plans to join Nathanaël for café. He is a pleasant fellow with whom we made acquaintance last Saturday afternoon at the Medieval Festival. We sat outside at a cafe à la Place Jean Jaurés beneath the shade of a great tree. He told us of the wonders and mechanisms of an activity entitled via ferreta. Truth be told, we neither understood to what he was refering, though there was climbing involved. With the invitation extended and accepted we had little time to wait.

We agreed to meet at 15h30 at the samll sport shop Expé to rent the proper equipment. Costing us each 12 euros. His Ford Focus then transported us safely to the house a friend in the small village of Rochtaillé, deep within the alps. Melanie and Adrian we not yet prepared for the adventure of the afternoon, and apparently neither was Melissa, for her new non-running running shoes were deemed completely inappropriate. She was then handed, not too subtely, a pair of Adrian's canoe sized shoes. The voyage further into the alps only confirmed that our assumptions of an afternoon of wall rock climbing were absolutely incorrect.

We unfolded, unload ourselves from the <> car to an incredible view of nature. We hiked a short distance till Nate retrieved the harnesses from his pack and then held them out so that we could don them properly, along with the ever stylish helmets. Utilizing the clips attatched to the harnesses, we attatched ourselves to the 3/4" diameter cable for caution sake - for we were strictly hiking in the mountains and to prevent the need to sue anyone for bodily harm.

As events would take us, we were prepared to scale the side of a french alp. litteraly. There were times when there was nothing but mere strength to hold us up (and the safety cable). The difficulty level was not to complex, for even two unathletic, in round like shape, were capable. Once achieving the other side of the mountain, we unclipped ourselves and climbed down the cliff. With an incline of maybe 45 degrees, we reached the bottom, but only after falling and sliding and, for me at least, confirming the need launder my pantalons once again for the new acquired mud stained bottom. Fortunately there are no photos to record this moment, though there are plenty for the duration of the mountaining.

After returning to Melanie and Adrian's we were welcomed to a drink before Nate delivered us back to Littre. It was quite the afternoon. Our characteristics and capabilities would have completely obliterated the though to find and/or pursue such an activity, therefore we will be greatful that Nate and Adrian had the patience to wait for us throughout the entire climb. Exhausted we fell into bed at an early hour.