the .raw story : moab
Wild, unworldly, awe, vast, massive, indescribable. Those are the words I associate with Moab. I've been to Moab a few times and its definitely a place that needs multiple trips of visiting & exploring to even grasp what it has to offer. Full of orange/red faced walls that dominate the roads, soft sandstone climbing walls, soft red dirt that you almost feel like bathing in and canyon drives that feel like they go on for miles.
The first time I experienced Moab was the first time I actually climbed a rock feature that didn't make me bleed or leave my fingertips raw. The walls were soft, porous & addicting to the touch. They were warm, dry & pleasantly enjoyable to climb. I felt the crack. I now knew what climbers meant when they say they're addicted to the crack. Crack climbing is about overcoming yourself, truly facing your strength and moving your body in ways you've never felt before. The walls on Wall Street are overwhelming and as a climber all you want to do is get out of the car as fast as possible, run your fingers over the smooth features & feel the energy that radiates from the wall.
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Along with the sheer beauty of the place, Moab's Wall Street has a community feel to it that keeps you coming back for more and more. As a climber you belong there and you're surrounded by that sense of belonging. Even though its packed with people, they're all there enjoying the same exact thing you are craving to do. You're in this together. You meet friends instantly. There's a mutual energy exchange among the fellow climbers and you quickly feel it once you pass that final turn entering onto Wall Street.
The second time I went to Moab I felt a much different energy but still similar feeling. This time I think it had to do with the people I was along with the beauty that surrounded us. We're all well aware of the pandemic that hit early 2020. And as that hit, I was on a siblings camping trip up in Moab with John & his sisters. While planning our trip months in advance, we had no idea how much we were going to need that escape before the crazy hit. It was exactly where we needed to be during that time. We were away from the chaos on another world laughing around a campfire and dancing among the red dirt. We overcame some fears & climbed some sandstone walls, shared deeps stories, explored the washes behind our campsites & even walked under a few arches here and there. This was the last time we would see each other for quite awhile. Surrounded by red rock features, snowy mountains in the distance, love & laughter, Moab provided us exactly what we needed at that time.
