The rain didn’t let up. It went from heavy fog to steady rain. After driving the 8-mile dirt and gravel road up the canyon and back to get familiar with the area, PB&J was a muddy mess. There is no way that we would have been able to climb in Ten Sleep for a couple of days, so we decided to make our way to Wild Iris. This is a limestone climbing area near Lander, WY. The weather forecast was better there. After gassing up, we headed out for the 3-hour drive.

As we drove up the grade to access the dirt road to the Wild Iris cliffs, the clouds got lower. By the time we turned on the final road, we were driving into a heavy fog. We scouted out the rock to make sure it was dry enough to climb. It was! We rushed back to the Jeep to grab our gear, but after one climb, light rain moved in. We warmed up on a climb called “Phat Phinger Phrenzy.” I told you rock climb names are strange. When the rain came, we tucked tail and headed back down to set camp up. Thankfully, the weather is supposed to be better for the next few days.

After choosing our parking spot, the rain had almost stopped. Maddie and I jumped out to get the awning set up before more rain moved in. We didn’t make it. 45 degrees, rain, thunder, and lightning, along with a gusting wind made things interesting. We divided and conquered. While I was hammering stakes, Maddie was tying the next guy on the awning. By the time we finished, we were cold, wet, and in the clouds. Hopefully, things will be dried up before we decide to head out for the Tetons. I hope that I can get Chris’ Jeep clean.

We finally heated up our leftover hotdogs and hamburgers from the meal Sunday. Chad would be appalled that we ate them with no condiments, but they were great. We are still working out a system to move and store things. Right now, we are far from efficient. Here is how the kitchen is working out.

Maddie was freezing last night. She had on almost all of her warm clothes. Here she is working on her Vlog. The yellow fleece pants are circa 1998. Reinforced knees and full-leg zips…these things rock. She took them over when I caught the “chest in drawers” disease. Over the years, she has taken several pieces of my old climbing clothes.

It rained until we were in bed, nothing too hard but steady. We weren’t sure if we needed to give the weatherman what for, but we woke up to a sunny but brisk 38-degree morning! Hopefully, today will bring several pocketed limestone routes our way. This was our view when we crawled out of the Jeep.

Romans 5:3-5 ³ Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.⁵ And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Paul speaks of severe persecution in this Passage. Most Christians in our first-world country don’t know much about persecution. For us, our bacon being overcooked or the dry cleaner missing the spot on our tie equates to suffering. I’m not going to say that Paul would totally agree, but when we can take stained ties and burnt bacon in stride as we seek to show Christ in everything that we do, the process in Romans 5:3-5 will be taking place. May we fully grasp that hope in Christ does not disappoint!

Because He Calls, Old Climbing Dad