Groom Gathering #3
Posted by admin in Just For Fun on Oct 26th, 2008 | 0 comments
It was a different summer for the usual Groom crew this year. With two marriages in June, endlessly high gas prices, Josh in Tennessee, and others just plain busy, we spent very little time together in our forest. Still, we knew we would always have the Groom Gathering.
Brian booked the campground for late September. While fall temps were late this year, it was a perfect day and night on September 20. By mid-day dozens of climbers were wandering Groom Creek testing routes and jumping on old favorites. Small groups picked out their spaces, and while there was no large gathering at the boulders, by sundown everyone knew where to be – beside the keg and barbeque.
Brian and Jenny staffed the gas grill they brought up just for the event. Little did we know the campground had a makeover in the summer with deluxe new charcol grills and a shiny new firepit. Dale tapped the keg and Josh was the cruise director – showing off the official Groom Gathering T-Shirt and leading any willing participants in a round of new Groom Olympic events.
Before sundown, there was bocci ball, then after dinner Josh unveiled the new event – boulder pad wresting. Soon Josh had skinny, young climbers wrapped like tacos in boulder pads and throwing themselves at each other. It brought out the testosterone and when he threw in the prize of a free “Flex It Out” shirt, the competition got serious. Boys were falling like trees in the forest, their opponents jumping like crazed Mexican beans over their bodies. Finally, a winner was declared and the group followed Greg and Dale into the woods for a round of night bouldering.
By the time we attempted Humaneering, the keg was empty and we were all too drunk and tired to climb anything or anybody. We woke up the next morning, not to pancakes, but to another beautiful day in our forest. Groups picked up camp then made their separate ways, to climb, get breakfast, run errands, and sheepisly smile at the silliness that stays between friends, forest and rock.
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