I had never repelled before, so I was nervous - especially since some of the outdoor rock climbers (who should be comfortable in a harness and repelling) seemed nervous.
Emily and Chris set up two different lines, and they went down first (without a belay, and to show us how). Then we went down the lines one by one, always belaying the person after us.
When it was my turn, the line going through some trees was open. Tommy helped me connect to the rope, and then Chris helped me get started. The idea is to keep your feet wide, keep your weight back in your harness, use your left hand for stabilization, and keep your right hand on the rope behind your right hip.
Starting my first repel! (photos by Jakub using Manuel's camera)
I was a bit unstable at the beginning of my first run, but got down with no issues and felt pretty confident by the time I reached the bottom. I did four more runs, two on the tree route and two on the other route, which had a small overhang. I got faster and more confident on each run, and was going as fast or faster than most people by the end. I think I caught on quickly!
After a short lunch break, we met at the outdoor center to pack equipment and food. I was in the food team again, as I knew my group's meals best. Chris gave us a sheet with everything that each group's meals needed, sorted by type (ie, meats, fruits, dry goods, ect). We checked to see what items we already had, and then left for HEB. Zack, Jakub, and I gathered the necessary fruits, vegetables, meats, and items without a category. Our final bill for everything came up to just under $800.
Once we returned, we sorted the food into the 18 planned meals and packed everything into dry boxes. We gathered our personal gear and finished around 7:30pm.
I always thought repelling looked so cool .. What an awesome experience!
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