Why sleep in a tent when you could be home in your own bed?
Why take a "shower" in a freezing river instead of a warm water at home?
Why climb in the heat, the rain, and the humidity?
I can't really answer.
There is no crowd cheering you on - just your belayer.
There is no reward on top - just another project around the corner.
There is no money to be made - just spent.
There is no fame - just person climbing a piece of rock.
So, why then?
There are friendships to be made - that strange connection all committed climbers have.
There are experiences to be had - wrong turns, scary climbs, and beautiful places.
There are things to be learned - cultures, beta, and living life.
There is the addiction of trying hard on your projects - how you combine focus and power.
Looking in from the outside it probably appears that the committed climber is someone who has lost their way in life. No money, no steady job, no permanent address. Looking out from the inside it appears that many "normal" people fall into the trap of going to school, making money at all costs, buying a big house, vehicle, and then fill it with things. It seems maybe they miss seeing the world, meeting amazing people and making memories that will last a lifetime. Memories - experiences that can't be bought, sold, traded, or acquired any other way than just simply going and doing.
So, again - Why?
Just because it seems the best way to live.
Now we are off for three weeks of living out of a car.
Three weeks of climbing, making memories, meeting new friends, seeing new places, and re-visiting old places.
Three weeks of trying hard, wearing out skin, and going to bed completely exhausted.
Three weeks of experiences that you can't put a price on - only the committed will understand.
