Cross Mountain (A True Short Story) (1184 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 1.71 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Yes (View user info) at 2004-05-22 11:38:38 EDT
Cross Mountain
The cold clear water splashed all over my face, its revitalizing cool washing over me on this hot Nevada summer day. The earthy mineral taste of the water pouring out of the tank felt so good, so right. I could've stood there all day, but time was wasting. It was eleven in the morning and we both knew the longer we waited the hotter it was going to get.
I wet my hat and sloshed it onto my head; the icy water rolling down my back made me shiver. Then I filled my canteen, and turned around to face the brutal brightness of the late morning. For being such a plain wasteland, the desert floor sure is bright, at least to an eight-year-old boy. Kevin was waiting, one sarcastically fisted hand resting impatiently on his hip. I took a deep breath, the faint and very pleasant odor of sagebrush gently tickled my olfactory nerve. Hitching up my green army belt like a cowboy, I sauntered over to Kevin, slapped him on the back, and started towards the mountain.
Without much dialogue, we began to ascend the mountain we had both climbed together at least five times before. Back and forth, back and forth, that is what climbing Cross Mountain is. It is built in shelves of rock, and when you're eight you can't scale even the smallest of its cliffs, five to seven feet tall, so you have to walk around the shelf you're on until you come upon a less daunting rise that you can at least see over. Most of the time getting up is fairly simple, but almost always results in scratched and bloody knees, really just normal kid stuff. You have to grab on to a rock on the top and hoist yourself up onto the next level, however, you usually end up pedaling for purchase with your feet and hit your knees on the jutting rocks, that's where most of the scrapes come from.
We had been climbing for about twenty minutes when we came upon a cliff that seemed to only get taller the further around we went. We decided, without ever speaking, to just go back around and climb, no, scramble our way up the menacing five-foot tall rocky crag. Kevin got up without incident, he was small and strong, I was Big and strong, so I had a harder time with it. I got a good grip, bent my knees a little and jumped. I got my first foot hold easily but as soon as I put my weight on my second... SNAP! The small brittle outcropping of sandstone had broken. I fell, landing on my back with a thud, and rolled twice. I lay, face down, in the dirt, breathless and a little embarrassed. I got up, spat out the dry, but moldy tasting, dirt in my mouth and dusted off my pants and shirt. Noticing, but not showing, the pain as I flung my elbows back and forth, telling me that I had pretty bad scrapes on both of them, and seeing the bright red blood ooze out of my knees. I turned as I stood and saw that I was mere inches from falling about seven feet into a nasty unforgiving bunch of cacti.
That was the only setback in the day's climbing.
User Reviews
Submitted by podium (user info) at 2005-03-22 18:48:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-06-21 15:48:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
finally, another climber...who else on ubersite rock climbs or attempts to? i'm going to CA on friday to have a go at mt. whitney.
Submitted by Beer_bong (user info) at 2004-06-21 15:27:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You need to post a picture of your pooper.
Submitted by Beer_bong (user info) at 2004-06-21 15:22:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
You look like Horatio Sanz
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2004-05-25 01:17:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow. I never thought I'd see the day where you posted your picture.
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2004-05-24 10:50:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
damn, i am DEAD sexy, anyway, hope you enjoyed the story and my mug, catch ya on the flip side, werd.
Submitted by conrad (user info) at 2004-05-23 11:10:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Alright
Submitted by sublime (user info) at 2004-05-23 01:03:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oh i'd do ya, in the pooper!
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2004-05-23 00:54:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
YES HAS Revieled HIMSELF!!!!
WOOO!!! YES WOO!!!
Submitted by mystiamoon (user info) at 2004-05-22 19:14:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DoctorMonoculous (user info) at 2004-05-22 15:16:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Dr. Monoculous approves of Yes!
Submitted by CunningVision (user info) at 2004-05-22 14:01:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That was supposed to be a two. Sorry.
Submitted by bargled (user info) at 2004-05-22 13:53:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Climbing = t3h roXor.
Submitted by CunningVision (user info) at 2004-05-22 13:04:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
That would have sucked. Falling into the cacti that is.
About eighteen years ago (holy shit!) some friends and were playing some sort of game, chasing each other throught the neighborhood, over fences and shit, and I jumped a fence and landed right on a cactus patch. Not fun. The game ended right there.
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2004-05-22 12:15:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is more for the picture, than the story.. but it was good too.
suddenly, all the "Yes's recipes" make more sense!
you crazy bastard, Yes. I'd run if I saw you coming to help me with a flat tire.
But I like you.
Submitted by Dufflady (user info) at 2004-05-22 12:08:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
For putting a story with your picture. A decent one at that.
Submitted by Tom (user info) at 2004-05-22 11:55:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
...my preciousssssssss
Submitted by Donitsu2002 (user info) at 2004-05-22 11:47:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WAIT! now i know who you remind me of.... the crazy dude from New Found Glory... freightening.
Submitted by Awko (user info) at 2004-05-22 11:47:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I'd let ya do me.
Submitted by Donitsu2002 (user info) at 2004-05-22 11:47:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You remind me of.....
damn a crazy person or something.
Funny story though, woulda sucked to have fallen.
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2004-05-22 11:39:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
your first look at Mr. Yes himself... muwhahahahaha