Fear and Delight

Alex Honnold on Overhanging Rock near Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park

I love and hate the cover of today's New York Times Magazine:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/03/11/magazine/15Honnold-promoimage/15Honnold-ss-slide-8L1E-sfSpan.jpg

I hate it because I have a terrible fear of heights.

I love it because of the sweeping view of Yosemite and the feeling I get of what it is like to be there looking out--but in my mind I am ten feet to the right of Alex Honnold, lying flat with only my head lifted to see the view.  And I will have to be rescued from that spot by helicopter.

When I first saw the photo this morning, I involuntarily whispered, "Move back!"

I want him to move back from the edge.  I can't stand the thought of him doing ropeless climbing on Half Dome as described in the accompanying article.

The father of one of the kids in my daughter Ellen's classes in elementary school fell to his death while doing ropeless climbing with his 12-year-old son near Idyllwild, California, in the San Jacinto Mountains.

This guy Alex will eventually fall too--and die doing what he loves.

Neverthless, I have to thank him and photographer Peter Bohler for this disturbing, breath-taking photo.

More photos of Glacier Point:
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point-road/glacier-point/glacier-point.htm#photos