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ye-es
I saw a short film of a woman free climbing -- absolutely free, no rope whatsoever anywhere -- some huge rockface in Australia. At times she had to work her way across overhangs, hanging from the rock, or rather NOT hanging from the rock. Just stunning.
Never done that; never fallen any distance. Was it a life-changing experience (even if that amounts to "I will be far more careful with the rest of my life")? I've 'frozen' halfway down an iceclimb (my one&only, a frozen waterfall in a canyon in the Rockies, done in socks because you get a better grip) and had to be talked down, but at least I was talked down. I can still remember reaching down and realising my foot couldn't make the step unless I let go of whatever I was holding with my hand, and not trusting that foot to hold when it touched whatever I had to go to next. Up is so much easier than down ;-
Go on, be macho. I know you're really a Man in Tights :-)
Husband did a skydiving course in his relative youth, before I knew him. Graduation day or whatever it was, parents on the ground watching, he jumped, main 'chute failed to open, he had to use the emergency 'chute. No fun whatsoever, apparently, and his mum didn't enjoy it either.
regards sarah
-- Think of it as evolution in action.
