Acadia National Park: Day 4

It's A.N.P. Day 4. Matt and I enter the park for the last time this trip, park in the road, put the camera on the sideview mirror, and set it to take a picture of us. The small, pocket-sized guidebook for A.N.P. Climbing proclaims a single boulder in the parking lot for Beach Mountain with a problem that just begs to be climbed. It's just a tad further down the road and parking is not a problem.

Two weathered climbers hop out of the car and hit the routine of hauling climbing shoes and crash pad out of the back seat along with a jug of water. The car is practically opposite the boulder. People come and go as the two climbers set up for a short boulder problem. Some people merely hike along the path. Others still have their learning caps on from childhood and their curiosity can't be kept in: "What's that, a tent?" or "Got some chairs in there?" Some people know that it's a pad for catching you in the godawful case that you do fall, but don't know that we only use it for short problems: "That's scary; be careful!" They must think we're doing El Cap with just a crash pad, or jumping 8 stories out of a building onto a sheet held taught by the local firemen. Matt and I were born at night, but we weren't born last night!

Matt finds a crackline going up the frontside of the boulder. It's a hard line and Matt cranks his way up it after a few goes, avoiding a bee - or hornet - on the top.
I find a fun and easy line, also up the frontside of the boulder. JTree method of run'n'jump is now in effect, just in time for two women who pulled up beside the boulder to witness a cat.
That boulder didn't stand a chance. It was the only challenge for the day. The car gets quickly passengerized, and the road starts moving beneath the tires again. There's an interesting bridge somewhere between Mt. Desert Island and Winthrop. Cars, trucks, and bikes park and take pictures. This is the latest, hottest, freshest off the press picture of Matt and I. I look at it and think of this latest trip to A.N.P. with Matt, a good buddy who's come a long way! I hope Matt keeps up his contagious attitude and his developing climbing skills to boot!