Ain't 17 No More...

... or even 31.  It happens.  You get older.  You may not think so but you do.  The saying "You're only as old as you feel" is certainly a good one but after the adventure described below, my feelings aged a bit :)

My son, David, and my daughter-in-law, Samantha, take pretty good care of themselves.  They're both runners and both seem to enjoy just looking for ways to challenge themselves.  A few months ago they found that a nearby college had a confidence course set up.  A confidence course is what used to be called an obstacle course.  They've been to it a few times and have found it fun to challenge themselves on it.  During my last trip over to visit them we all went there together.  Samantha being pregnant observed the activities taking the pictures below.  The pictures are kind of small... click on them to make them bigger.

Note my encouraging grand daughter, Hannah, who stayed with me all the way lending her support.  Okay... let's go!  A straight wall, maybe 8 or 9 feet tall to get over.  Just run, jump onto the wall, grab the top, and pull yourself over, grandpa.  Right.

 



Ta Da!!  David had already leaped over this thing.  Samantha hates this wall but remains determined to get over it.  In all fairness, she's certainly in shape and her heart is in the right place but her attempts have been hindered thus far by two particular parts of her anatomy.

 

I'd say that this difficult challenge was the only one that could, in any way, be thought of as fun.  Just so you know, the log rolls perhaps a quarter turn either way, and I think there was a total of three of them in succession that you had to get across.

 

Here I am demonstrating perfect form as I scamper up this rope-climbing wall.  Perhaps 'scamper' is not the absolutely correct description but at least I didn't fall.

See?  All the way... up and over!

 

Not as high as the first wall but this one slants toward you.  Another success!

 

 



Again slanted, this time rails instead of a solid wall.  Of course David had already flown up and over and now assumes his position of coach.  I must say that when I was doing this I didn't notice the look on David's face. 

 

Up and over!  David is not discouraging Hannah from climbing.  Samantha and David both encourage Hannah to get involved in physical activities.  No... I remember his words being something like "Hannah stay to the side so grandpa doesn't hit you when he falls."

 

David moving quickly to get over one rail, under the next to the end.

"Three points of contact!" David repeated this direction several times to no avail.  I was trying to maintain as many points of contact as possible so I wouldn't fall off the first rail.  I may have made it to the 2nd rail but certainly no farther.  Again... that look on David's face :)

 

Without question, my biggest disappointment of the day!  Although near the end of the course I had walked down to this rope climb obstacle first thing.  This is where the "Ain't 17 no more" kicked in big time.  There was a time, some 47 years ago, when I could scamper up a hanging rope hand-over-hand fashion, never needing my feet to grip and leverage the rope.  Well, that was then :)  I got up maybe 3-4 grips when my hands just couldn't take it. 

David showed me how to get my feet involved properly first by quickly moving up the rope and then with a static demonstration.  It was good advice but it didn't help.  Really bummed but I shall return!!

 

Nearing the end of the course David pretty much flew across the monkey bars. 

This is when I realized I wasn't 31 (David's age) anymore either!  I think I made it to the 3rd or 4th bar :)  You'll notice in this photo and many preceding that my granddaughter Hannah was right there cheering me on.  Some might have considered it laughing.  I considered it cheering.  Thanks, Hannah!!