Bell Ringing
Posted on October 7, 2005 Posted by John Scalzi 15 Comments
At the local pumpkin festival, they have this fake rock wall that’s about 30 feet tall, with a buzzer on top you try to get to in order to ring. And here’s Athena at the top of that wall, ringing said buzzer. Actually for the second time, since the first time I was just busy whooping it up. Clearly, the kid doesn’t have an issue with heights. And before you all berate me for letting her climb up 30 feet, she’s on a tension rope. No danger of falling fast enough to hurt herself.
After the feat, it was time to celebrate with the customary treat of climbers everywhere, a tradition begun on the icy summit of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay their very selves: A deep fried Twinkie!
It’s cherry syrup, you sickos.
I hate those self-tensioning ropes, they screw up your balance (especially if you’re light like Athena). Would 6″ of slack in the rope kill them? (yes, yes, I know, they’d need someone actually on belay and those people invariably feel the need to haul you up the face).
Too bad you don’t live at the base of a massive mountain—she could be come the next 14-Year-Old-Female-Climber-Everyone-Suspects-Of-Being-A-Space-Alien.
Did you notice that it costs $2.25 each time (3 tickets) to go on those kiddy rides?
That’s pretty impressive. I’ve been climbing walls for about a year, and 30 feet is about where I remember that I’m afraid of heights, and my legs start shaking. I can sometimes make it past there, but it’s always nerve wracking. I wish I’d picked up the sport back when I was young enough to be invincible. I’d be used to the heights now.
K
Jim writes:
“Did you notice that it costs $2.25 each time (3 tickets) to go on those kiddy rides?”
That’s why I got her an armband for $15. She went into the “fun house” ride six times and it paid for itself. That’s not counting all the other rides she went on, too.
deep-fried
twinkie
thinking about that gives my heart hiccups.
Deep-fried Twinkies to eat?
I now have a new goal in life.
Am I mistaken or is that deep fried twinkie covered in powdered sugar and… the blood of a virgin doe? Oh wait… you alredy explained… cherry syrup.
Now try:
Am I mistaken or is that deep fried twinkie covered in cherry syrup and the powdered bones of a Native American Medicine Man that died on New Years day upon reaching 115 years old at the conclusion of a 23 year fast? And in a former graveyard where they ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES?!?!
Oh wait… you said Pumpkin Festival… not Halloween. I get those confused all the time. (I don’t wonder why.)
Wow. That’s a wonder kid there. I think she’s some sort of genetic uberfrau sent to rule the earth. I am truly afraid.
On the other hand, I think she’ll be able to look back (or look at while it’s happening) and see she’s got one of the coolest childhoods ever.
Oh I’ve done those kinds of climbing walls where if you give them a moments hesitation, they will haul you higher. Heh. go athena, what a brave girl.
At my school they have a rock wall that is called “the beast” and it has 7 sides and is a million bajillion feet tall. heh. I climbed it and I didn’t realize exactly how high was until I rapelled about half way down and looked and realized how much more I had to go.
for those interested climbing is way more in your balance and your legs then in upper body strength. it’s a cool sport.
Tenzing Norgay! National Geographic had a great exhibit on the pair here in DC a couple of years back. Good stuff.
It’s cherry syrup, you sickos.
Whew, for a second there I thought that was the murderous clone again, and that would have meant… it doesn’t bear thinking about.
And here I thought only the Scots deep-fried their sweets…
This is a local fair we’re talking about. They deep fry everything, including pickles. Mmmm… deep-fried pickles,
Did you get her a nice espresso to wash down that deep fried Twinkee?
She could’ve made 60 feet on her next climb.
I’ve not had the deep fried twinkie yet – but the local fairs and carnivals here also offer deep fried snicker bars…
My nephews love the rock wall they have at my company picnic. It has this hydrolic thingy (technical term) that helps adults and bigger kids get down easily. The smaller kids – well it helps pull them up. Not that thy don’t have to actually climb with some effort, but the smaller kids climb further up than the bigger kids and adults.