6 May 2011, 7 PM
I drive down the dirt road that leads to the Sand Gulch camp at the Shelf Road climbing area looking for the Paradox Sports camp site. I’ll be spending the weekend climbing and hanging out with a bunch of athletes that wear prosthetics. I have no idea what to expect, and I don’t know anyone, so I approach the group cautiously. I don’t want to do or say anything stupid for at least the first five minutes of the weekend.
I walk over to the campsite fire pit and see a bunch of people sitting around drinking beer. The first person who talks to me is a guy named Rob. He says “You’re sneaky. We didn’t even hear you pull up.” I am surprised since I had, moments before, been blasting the Buena Vista Social Club. I am not sure what to do next, so I say “I’m here for the Paradox event. Is this the right place?” Laughter ensues from the group, and that’s when I notice that Rob is a double amputee. I feel like an idiot.
Chad comes over and saves me from further social embarrassment by introducing himself and welcoming me to the group. He’s the organizer for the event. Since the sun is going down and the first thing I’ve said was stupid, I decide to walk away from the group and put up my tent. Chad waves his hand around the campsite and says to pick any spot I like.
I find a place behind a tree and begin setting up my tent. The evening before I had taken it out of its sack and tried to set the poles up. I thought, at the time, that I was unsuccessful because I had had two glasses of wine. But now, with the wind picking up, I realize I’m just too uncoordinated to get the poles in the right holes.
My tent is flying around like a kite on the beach. I’m glad I’m behind a tree where no one can see me. I realize I’m going to have to ask for some help. I shove the tent in a bush so it won’t blow away and walk over to the group. “Are any of you experts at putting up a tent?” I ask. Everyone stares at me without saying a word. I imagine them wondering who invited the moron who can’t put up a tent even though she has two legs. Then Chad comes over and says he’ll help me. The two of us manage to get the tent poles in the right holes. I joke “it’s a two person tent because it takes two people to set it up” and Chad laughs. He’s probably being polite but it makes me feel better.
#
Chad and Timmy O’Neill make curry for dinner. It’s the last time that weekend that I get to use the fork I brought because it gets appropriated by the kitchen crew for food preparation. Unlike the rest of the group, who for the most part brought plastic camping utensils, I brought a real fork. I feel bad watching them work but Chad insists that he and Timmy will cook the food and do the clean up so we can all relax and enjoy ourselves.
Timmy is one of the founders of Paradox Sports, and possibly one of the funniest people on the planet. He’s also an amazing climber. I looked forward to his obnoxious comments as I attempt to climb something Saturday.
Chad builds a fire and we settle in around it. I sit on a bundle of wood because I don’t have a camp chair. Puppies and dogs wander the camp site. We’re just starting to talk about climbing plans when a crazy woman comes up to the site and says there’s a fire ban, and that if we don’t put out our fire immediately we’ll get a hundred dollar fine. We have a quick discussion about how we could split the cost of the fine between the 10 of us. Chad decides to be responsible and put the fire out: “It wouldn’t be good if it got in the news that Paradox set Shelf Road on fire”.
We’re all sad because the wind is picking up and the temperature is dropping. Christa, one of the Paradox athletes, suggests we put a lantern in the middle of the pit and pretend it’s a fire. Meanwhile Chad calls the sheriff’s department and finds out the woman is incorrect about the fire ban. Although there is a fire close by that they are monitoring we are allowed to build one as long as it’s in a ring.
In a few minutes we have a fire again and after discussing our climbing plans the conversation turns more personal. Most of the people in the group know each other so they talk about past Paradox events. I start talking to Rob about traveling in Greece and Turkey. Then Gabi, a ski instructor who works with amputees, joins in the conversation. He, like me, showed up alone and is a first time attendee of a Paradox event. He’s hoping to develop a relationship between his organization and Paradox.
Most of the group turns in early. A few of us stay up talking until midnight. I finally head to my tent and climb into my bag. It’s my first time sleeping alone in a tent and I can’t get warm. The wind blows the tent fly and it sounds like monster foot steps outside. I wonder if there are bears at Shelf and if bears are attracted to cans of Coke, since I’ve stashed one outside my tent fly. Further, I’ve accidentally set my tent up on a slope, and find myself waking up every few minutes because I’ve rolled off of my sleeping pad and into the side of the tent.
Around 3:30 in the morning I hear Chad talking in his sleep even though his tent is a fair distance from mine. He’s saying words, some real, some nonsensical: “apple” “four” “spoon”. I pull my bag around my face and try to sleep.
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