Slab and Crack
Choosing what to climb with Dan follows a familiar pattern: I will suggest something I consider feasible; Dan will dismiss it as too easy and suggest something I consider too hard; We’ll try it in spite of my reservations; Dan will somehow drag us both to the top (or at least to a safe escape). To make matters worse for me, Dan remains happily unaware that being over-ambitious is even possible, leading to an even bigger discrepancy in our proposed objectives. I wanted this pattern to change. I wanted to out-ambition Dan. So on a Saturday in November, Dan and I already driving towards the Peak, though not yet having discussed what to climb, I took my opportunity to think big. One route came to mind that I would love to climb, but I’ve always rejected it as being too difficult for me. Even better, I knew that Dan was intimidated by it too, and so he wouldn’t be in a position to over-rule it. Barely able to contain my fear, excitement, and smugness at beating Dan in this stupid ga...