The Most Challenging Cave Climbing

Day 193 – it was a very hot day today and since our hiking group leader did not feel like giving up just because of that, he suggested we will climb down and up again the deepest cave in our country and the most challenging one. We figured that deep down the earth in a cave full of stalactites and stalagmites where water is constantly dripping from the ceiling and along the walls it will be nice and cool. It was actually chilly at times. It is a very technical climb since it is very narrow at places and boulders that fell all over and we have to maneuver around them, and there is this big drop all the time to our left that one unsure step and send us there (well there was a little railing and that point but the gaps were so big between the rungs that we’re still not sure if it would hold us. And now add to it complete darkness – we all had head flashlights, which was a great idea – and add also the wet soil under our feet that created a clay like substance so we hiked slipping and sliding, holding well to one latch before letting go of the previous and all helping each other how to maneuver the tightest or more complicate spots. In places we had to climb down metal rungs, at others we had to slid or crawl, lie on our back or hug boulders.  In short it was awesome!! This was the most challenging climb I ever did and I loved every minute of it. We came out of it covered in mud hands, legs and butts and it was wonderful. It took us three hours to go all the way to the bottom and back up and it is very interesting to realize that the challenges going down are completely different than the ones we faced going up. The first is about not losing our footing and not skidding, the latter is about pulling ourselves up, mostly with our arms, and if you think about it philosophically, it is so true every vintage point along our journey gives us a fresh and totally different angle on a situation or an event.

I just came home about an hour ago and took my little dog for a walk and now I am done with my blog and can go, take a shower and crush.

I am thankful for an amazing day. I am thankful for the most challenging cave I ever climbed. I am thankful because now every hiking challenge will be doable. I am thankful that in the middle of a very hot summer day we found our cool little oasis of quiet, calm. I am thankful for the most special coffee I ever had – made at the bottom of that cave it was the coolest thing ever!