This Is Me Not Getting My Masters: Pure Imagination

I haven't posted about the Unpredictable's last full day in Kentucky because we encountered something for which words and photos don't do the experience justice. In order to truly understand, you will have to pack a car full of awesome people, drive to Kentucky, get lost for half a day in the back country, and then finally emerge in the midst of a breath-taking world of rock, known in the Red River Gorge as the Motherlode Region.

Like Charlie with a golden ticket we set out that morning for the Chocolate Factory, an extensive cliff best known for being the home of the two toughest routes the Red has to offer. And just like Charlie, we had no idea what kind of adventure we were in for.

We wound down through the steep hills leading to the cliff, weaving between active oil derricks, heeding the warning in the guidebook that cautions, "the steep hill is usually drivable in a passenger car...if you have doubts, climb elsewhere." Our determination was greater than our caution--par for the course for climbers, I suppose--and soon we were plunging back into the lush Kentucky woods. We were positive we were on the right trail. Pretty sure at least. Hopeful, anyway, until we came to a sign that announced we were at the What About Bob Wall. Curious and antsy to climb, we flaked out our ropes and racked up. We should have read the route descriptions a little closer, for it was only until after that we noticed the note clearly instructing us to "move on for better-quality routes." Ah well, I got a knee jam in a nasty crack, and we all left some blood on that wall. What about Bob? I no longer care to know.

Oh Meg, I miss you more than you know!

Daylight was ticking and we had only bagged two unsatisfactory routes, so we pushed on again in search of the Chocolate Factory. This was the make-or-break moment of the trip. We were lost, tired, and frantic for climbing. Someone could have complained, turned back, or turned bitter. But no one did. We all simply pushed on, knowing that just around the next corner would be rock, and when we finally found it, we were rewarded handsomely.

This is Me Not Getting My Masters

The Chocolate Factory is dizzying in it's scope and scale. It felt like all the world had turned to awe-inspiring crag. We were practically drooling as we passed wall after wall of rock that just begged for our contact. I finally couldn't take it anymore, and threw down my pack at the base of a chunk of cliff that was calling to me. I had no idea what route I was on, how many bolts it had, where the anchor might be, but I had a feeling that I had to climb it. Reachy start to stratified slab after slab sent me up and up, pockets appearing like magic just where I wanted them. I found the anchor over a techy bulge, clipped, and sat back on my harness. When I turned to take in the view, all breath left it me was taken away. All I could see were the walls of the gorge, and it was as though the rest of the world did not exist. The world had narrowed to a perfectly carved eternal playground. I wouldn't have come down except the route to the left looked just as inviting...and the one after that...

Grey and Xavier soak it in

What's amazing is we weren't even at the most impressive wall yet. Once we had exhausted that patch of rock, fully satisfying our souls, we rounded the corner and came to Pure Imagination. An overhanging, daunting, beautiful, 75-foot cliff that is the end-all be-all of climbing in the Red. Rated a 5.14c, if you can climb this wall, you are a god among climbers. This bad-ass might give you an idea of what it takes to climb this wall.

Grey sends Oompa, 5.10a, next to Pure Imagination

The day was waning, and so we just ended up sitting back, soaking in the beauty of the place. Two of the guys threw what they had left into the start of the route, and came away grinning when it tossed them off before the third clip. All was well as we hiked out, our bodies well worn and our imaginations spiraling. Next time, we told each other. We'll save that one for the next time.

A few more photos from that day: