The Climb.

*Disclaimer* 

The thoughts, views, and actions of this blog is not intended to represent or missrepresent the Massage Envy Brand in anyway.  I am exercising my American 1st Amendment right to speak freely on my own positive/negative choices in my own life.  While currently not employed by the ME Brand, I am very grateful to all opportunities that have been presented by being a CMT/LMT with the ME Brand.
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Has anyone ever taken a calculated risk?  One that requires you to climb a mountain (literal or metaphysical).  I have, both in the States and in Australia.  

Que Miley Cyrus right now.

"I can almost see it

That dream I'm dreaming but

There's a voice inside my head saying

You'll never reach it,

Every move I make feels

Lost with no direction

My Faith is shaking but I

Gotta keep trying

Gotta keep my head held high"

I did not know when I went down to Florida in 2017 Massage Envy conference if I had made the right choice.  Sure, I landed an amazing opportunity as a Technical Trainer for the launch of Total Body Stretch.  But, wanting to escape the clutches of the mundane that Indiana became, to me, was top priority.  In going back to the ME brand I wanted to clear the air and heal from a really bad relationship, advance my career, and all while earning enough money to leave the country or at least the State (I was 10k+ in debt not including student loans).  ME changed my professional life by presenting not just a job, but a way to live an amazing life.  However, I needed to go on my own sort of Walkabout.  Which is not as popular a phrase for Aussies as Mick Dundee suggests.  What a Bogan (Hillbilly/redneck) he turned out to be.  Really, a true Aussie would say to take a Gap-Year or to Fuck-Off.  Who knew the Aussies were so blunt?!  But, this is exactly what I needed.  Just trying to get a chance to restart and rekindle my own soul so I can continue to grow.   

Work selfie 2017, USA

"There's always gonna be
Another mountain
'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes Im gonna have to lose"

Life is filled with “just then" moments.  Whether you believe, as I do, in a deity or not is arbitrary.  When I needed a means to get out of where I was in my career and life I became the Technical Trainer.  After I headed back to the original clinic I started at. The ex was still working there. My careful and calculated risk went down hill in going back to that clinic.  The threat the ex made back at the conference befell this uphill mountain of a climb.  Things were said, the damage was done, and I felt I needed to leave both my paycheck, health care, and dream to save my massage license.   I did fall.  But, I got back up again.  Time minus thirteen months till my flight left.  Time to climb.  I ended up at a clinic that provided the ways and means to climb this bloody mountain of a goal - a dream.  Combined with teaching as an adjunct and still privately practicing massage, no one was going to stop me as long as I cashed my paychecks (another story on that one.)

Keep singing Miley...

Drive to Mount Beerwah, QLD 2018

“There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb”

There are six States and two territories that make up Australia.  I have now been to two of them.  NSW (New South Wales) where Sydney is located and QLD. Queensland is stunningly rugged and reminds me of a mix of California and the Carolinas.  A must for any hikers bucket list.  Growing up in Indiana there are no real mountains other than the circumstances we create for ourselves. 

                

“The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking…”

Mount Beerwah 2018

I was invited to go on a climb by the wonderful family I am staying with (another “Just then” story on how I met them).  Their daughter (newly turned eighteen-year-old) invited me out for an “easy” climb.  There was a time where I would have passed on the invite.  "Not my thing" type of logic.  Well, you can’t live a life in the romp without living. But the Romper did stay behind. I knew enough that I would need better range of motion on this easy 40-degree angle hike/climb.  

“I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going…”

The next morning we were off.  Not me driving, we picked up her mate she both goes to school with and works with at a fruit grocery.   Followed by a bit of convo of differences about Aus and the U.S.  About 30-40 minute drive time later we arrive at the base of the hill/mountain that help make up the Glasshouse Mountains.  Gorgeous scenery.

  My eyes and ears are everywhere.  Wildlife is designed to kill everyone out here… Especially fruit bats/flying foxes (another “just then” story).  It is, after all, springtime in QLD.  Beautiful make shift steps lined the steady up hill journey to get to the base of the rocks.  Loaded up with a couple bottles of water and sangers (Sandwiches). All three of us began a leisurely climb… My bum it was easy.   Never rock climbing before (other than inside a building) I tried my best. About 3-4 meters up I felt myself begin to lose grip and slid down… The distinct sound of the souls of my shoes, fabric of my clothes, and hands scraping against the solid stones were heard. A slight gasp from my fellow climbers and I found myself at the base again.  Slight blisters on my fingertips and very minor cuts on my legs.  But did I stop?  Nope, that would have been safe.

“And I
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, 'cause”

Getting annoyed, like I was, at this point that Miley is playing in my head during this whole bloody thing?  

~30 Meters up from Base point

The girls climbed down and eventually we were all led to a bush path up the rocks.  It was much easier to grip a tree branches and/or root systems to climb up.  Plus the loose dirt helped in the going up part.  But it was the knowing I would have to get down at some point that made me stop after about 30 meters up (~90+ feet).  The bush path dissipated and we started to transverse the rocks.  I like to lift heavy objects at the gym, but I was completely gassed.  I was trying to be as tough as woodpecker lips... But Just like that kid that fell outta the tree ya know, he just wasn't in it.  (The Honey Badger, Nick Cummings anyone?!).  Alas, I couldn’t get my legs up and my handgrips started to give way.  Plus, how in the bloody hell do you get down from up here?!  No way will I go out like Justin Timberlake in that movie Friends with Benefits… The one where a helicopter had to get him airlifted down. 

~30-35 Meters up from Base Point

So I simply said with a smile to the other two, “Go on without me.  I’ll be ok to get down.”  During the beginning of my decent I thought about having to leave that clinic and, in turn, any better outcome with the ex… I am an idiot sometimes.  Over estimating my ability then, and possibly for this climb down.

“BUT I GOTTA BE STRONG…”

Whilst passing another Aussie climber headed down it was suggested that I scoot on my bum against the rocks and then use my feet and hands to help guide me down.  Holy shit!  It was working!!!!  

Sing with me folks!!!!

“I GOTTA BE STRONG… IT'S THE CLIMB…” 

But the technique works if you target the most rugged patches of rock.  I transverse myself to what I thought was the side where the bush path was.  

Sometimes   I   am    a    fucking    idiot.

"There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb (yeah)"

Come to find out, I was not at the bush path.  Nowhere close.  I was gassed and still had a good 8-meter climb down (25+ feet) so climbing back up to get over more wasn’t going to happen.  There were no more rugged rock paths to help me down anymore - not really. About another 1-2 meters directly down from me was a small tree and just enough space to land my feet on.

Dear god, please don't move this little patch of dirt.  Chris Farley's Black Sheep comes to mind.

"There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move..."

It worked! I slid down and landed right on it. God doesn't want me to die on this bloody idiotic idea of an adventure after all!!!!  But, when you get a solution you also give way to another problem.  I was still at least 5 meters from the base/bush line, and there was a rounded cliff about 1-2 meters down from me.

Calculated risks folks... I scooted down the rocks where there was little to grip on to... Almost there, close to the rounded cliff, and that's when my hands and feet slipped.

“IT’S THE CLIMB!!!!!”

You could hear two distinct sounds ripping through QLD's bush.  First set of noises were the sounds of shoes, fabric, and skin scraping against the rocks in a desperate attempt to slow my body down.  The second, a very Yankee bloke saying rather loudly, "AH, FUCK!!!!!".

“Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about
It's all about
The climb
Keep the faith
Keep your fait”

I bounced off the rocks and rolled into the bush (forest area).  Counting my stars that I didn't roll further down.  Next, I checked to see if I had any breaks or needed stitches.  No to both.  Finally, post fall stopped Miley singing in my head.  By all that is true and holy, thank you God.  Truly, it is the little things in life.  The adrenaline rush no manifested itself as slight tremors in my legs.  Continuing to look myself over as I got off the bush (actual bush, I think) and found blood on my hands, legs, and more than likely bum too.  I didn't check my bum then.  I was after all in public and I am a classy broad.  Hurt?  Defiantly.  Worth it, no regrets.

Right hand Post Fall 2018

Left Bum Post Fall 2018

Left hand Post Fall 2018

Back at the pavilion area, away from the uphill path (no air evac for me after all... Well, none with a helicopter), I rinsed my hands with rainwater.  Then used my shirt to wrap up my left hand.  I sat down and waited for the the two girls to climb down.  When I saw both bounding down, all excited they just climbed up that rock (truly, well done!) I simply asked for two things whilst holding up my hands.  I need a stop at the nearest bottle'o (liquor store) and a chemist (pharmacy).

A short time later I found myself at a beach and drinking a cheapish bottle of red vino,   Slante´ Moh (Irish for "To good health/Cheers").  We changed over to swimwear.  They jovially ran to meet the water.  While I continued to consume the wonderful nectar of that entire bottle and doing my best to make sure sand stayed out of those field dressing wrapped wounds even though there were still bits of black debris in/on them.  

Too much Vino to remember, 2018

Bandaged left hand, 2018

It was just day two of being in QLD.  My PIDC  (PADI Instructor Development Course) started three days later.  Wounds and all here I go!  The only real issue I kept having with those fresh wounds - my bum.  Same size as my left palm in size and no real way to keep it bandaged other than my compression shorts sticking to it.  Yeah, folks... Just rip the bandage off that painful area a few times a day.  However, full steam ahead!  Just another adventure living life in the romp.  

Oh!  Don't tell my mom.  She might worry.

~~~©Dustin J. Casey 2021~~~
~Dustin Casey