Last week, (18-24 April) Chad, Jeremy and I were honored to be asked to help teach the EHART (Eastern High Angle Rescue Training) class for the National Park Service and other federal agencies in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway (near Linville Gorge). The high elevations, the long days, the SNOW(!), the awesome group of professionals, with whom we were working.. and the chance to do dangerous things in high places was all a balm to our collective souls.
There is nothing like rappelling late into the night, in a cold, 50+ mph wind off of a mile-high swinging bridge...to be followed by a headlight-lit rock climb... no this is not recreation... it's training. (though I can see how it can be confused for fun!)
..the bottom line is it is all about learning, and teaching others, how to save the lives of those who have gotten themselves into untenable situations in the mountains.
As members of the training cadre, we took, and take a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that the skills we were teaching will someday make a key difference in some unknown person's quality of life.
.. and smooth is fast..
..therefore, Slow is Fast!
