Arrowheads Make Me STUPID!
Yeah....thats right! Im once again reminded of that Saturday. I had just finished some business an was in dress cloths but decided since I was near a large river that had been flooded, I would see how much bank washed out. Sure enough, the river had dropped way back and a known camp had washed away in a large chunk, leaving a straight up, 40ft bluff bank.
I peeked over the edge and could see several rocks protruding from the bank about 15ft down. Now one was almost sure an arrowhead. I got my binoculars out of the truck and looked closer. Yep it sure looked like the base of a Gary sticking out. Now how was i going to get there? I remembered that i had a 30ft lariat rope in the back of the truck. Many times, I had dropped a rope down a steep bank to help pull myself back up in the past. NO PROBLEM! I secured the rope at the top and pitched her over the side. It reached about half way down but well past the rocks. Now this wasnt a big normal rope. Nooooo, it was one of those skinny synthetic materialed ropes.
I leaned back and dropped over the bank. Thats when I realized that the first 8ft or so was actually undercut and I was out of reach of the top before i could even get my feet against the bank. I replayed past events in my mind as it was a lot harder than I remembered. Not only because the skinny synthetic rope was getting super hot and hard to grip but because the last time I had done this (seemed like yesterday) was probably 30 years ago and I was at least 75lbs lighter! I began to understand that I was in trouble. The only direction to go was down or sideways.
I made it down to the rock and adding insult to possible injury, it wasnt a 3 dollar Gary after all. Just debitage. If I continued down, I would get to the end of the rope and still be 20ft above a rocky waters edge. I tried going up again...not possible as the slick dress shoes i was wearing wouldnt give me ANY traction to help climb. What a predicament i was in! the clay wall stretched 80yds in both directions! At the South end, there was a big slide that cut the angle to about 75 degrees instead of the 90 I was on but once again, 80yds away.
As my arms began to tire, I knew I had no choice but to try my luck at climbing across the wall to that more sloping spot. reluctantly, I eased down to where a few irregular lumps stuck out from the wall and kicked out a foot hold before turning loose of the rope. Now Im clinging like a squirrel to the bare wall. I had a quick but intense prayer meeting and started looking for places to kick out a hand or foothold. Gradually, I worked my way all the way across to the loose slide! There were clumps of clay everywhere to grab but they were all loose. Inch by inch I worked up toward the top. After an eternity, I got to the top of the slide and discovered it was about 7ft to the lip and that was undercut! Im 6ft4 and the tip of my reach is just over 8ft when I tiptoe so I stretched as far as I could and could feel weeds on top. I wrapped as many as I could around my hands and wrist before pulling as hard as I could. I took another look at the hard 40ft to the bottom and heaved! I got my chin to the top and started pulling with it also until I was able to roll out on top!
I just lay there trying to catch my breath and thanking the Good Lord for about five minutes. I think I learned that lesson for now!
Steve
Yeah....thats right! Im once again reminded of that Saturday. I had just finished some business an was in dress cloths but decided since I was near a large river that had been flooded, I would see how much bank washed out. Sure enough, the river had dropped way back and a known camp had washed away in a large chunk, leaving a straight up, 40ft bluff bank.
I peeked over the edge and could see several rocks protruding from the bank about 15ft down. Now one was almost sure an arrowhead. I got my binoculars out of the truck and looked closer. Yep it sure looked like the base of a Gary sticking out. Now how was i going to get there? I remembered that i had a 30ft lariat rope in the back of the truck. Many times, I had dropped a rope down a steep bank to help pull myself back up in the past. NO PROBLEM! I secured the rope at the top and pitched her over the side. It reached about half way down but well past the rocks. Now this wasnt a big normal rope. Nooooo, it was one of those skinny synthetic materialed ropes.
I leaned back and dropped over the bank. Thats when I realized that the first 8ft or so was actually undercut and I was out of reach of the top before i could even get my feet against the bank. I replayed past events in my mind as it was a lot harder than I remembered. Not only because the skinny synthetic rope was getting super hot and hard to grip but because the last time I had done this (seemed like yesterday) was probably 30 years ago and I was at least 75lbs lighter! I began to understand that I was in trouble. The only direction to go was down or sideways.
I made it down to the rock and adding insult to possible injury, it wasnt a 3 dollar Gary after all. Just debitage. If I continued down, I would get to the end of the rope and still be 20ft above a rocky waters edge. I tried going up again...not possible as the slick dress shoes i was wearing wouldnt give me ANY traction to help climb. What a predicament i was in! the clay wall stretched 80yds in both directions! At the South end, there was a big slide that cut the angle to about 75 degrees instead of the 90 I was on but once again, 80yds away.
As my arms began to tire, I knew I had no choice but to try my luck at climbing across the wall to that more sloping spot. reluctantly, I eased down to where a few irregular lumps stuck out from the wall and kicked out a foot hold before turning loose of the rope. Now Im clinging like a squirrel to the bare wall. I had a quick but intense prayer meeting and started looking for places to kick out a hand or foothold. Gradually, I worked my way all the way across to the loose slide! There were clumps of clay everywhere to grab but they were all loose. Inch by inch I worked up toward the top. After an eternity, I got to the top of the slide and discovered it was about 7ft to the lip and that was undercut! Im 6ft4 and the tip of my reach is just over 8ft when I tiptoe so I stretched as far as I could and could feel weeds on top. I wrapped as many as I could around my hands and wrist before pulling as hard as I could. I took another look at the hard 40ft to the bottom and heaved! I got my chin to the top and started pulling with it also until I was able to roll out on top!
I just lay there trying to catch my breath and thanking the Good Lord for about five minutes. I think I learned that lesson for now!
Steve
That reminds me of a few close calls I have had. I hate it when I walk down to the river and it's high, rolling good but a fresh gravel bed on the other side untouched after the river dropped! I tried crossing it once like that about 7 years ago. Got swept off my feet and carried around the bend and luckily hit a shallow spot where I was able to pull myself ashore. I found a $3 Gary that day.
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