Love in the Era of Dirtbags
When we went on a date on a granite wall, we realized that it's our love of sleeping in the dirt that keeps us together.
He parked his truck in the middle of the street at 2:00 am, and smiled widely when I jumped into the passenger seat.
“Let’s go night-climbing,” he suggested.
“I left my headlamp in Fort Collins,” I dashed his dreams.
It was only my second rock experience, and I wasn’t sure that I was ready to wrestle with granite in the dark. Instead, we pulled into the only place in town that had coffee: The gas station. It tasted a little bit like burnt coffee grounds, but I was pretty confident that I was going to need caffeine to stay awake. So, I handed the clerk a couple bucks and forced it down.
We drove down Clear Creek Canyon, noticing the temperature shift. But we didn’t mind the chilly air. He was the kind of person that would sit on a restaurant patio in the middle of winter to feel crystals forming in his hair. And I stopped whatever I was doing to look at the mountains no matter where I was. The wilderness helped us find eachother.
After missing the parking lot, he made a U-turn and parked his truck near the creek. It was still pitch-black, and our late-night adventure was making our eyelids droopy. So, we sat in the truck and talked into the night.
Eventually, we slammed the doors shut behind us in preparation for the climb. He hopped into the truck bed and organized his rack while I sat Indian-style under my sleeping bag. When he decided that the sun was coming up (even though it was still pitch black), I slid off of the tailgate. We hiked up the approach trail, watching Clear Creek ripple in the darkness.
When we reached the wall, he reminded me how all the gear worked. It took him a staggering 5 seconds to climb to the top, placing cams as he went. When it was my turn, I shivered at the base of the climb. The rock was cold and jagged against my fingers. I placed my feet on the ledges and tried to mimic his graceful motions.
At the most complicated part of the climb, I turned around to see his encouraging face beaming up at me and a sense of relief flooded over me. He gets it, I thought.
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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