Crazy Steve�s climbing gear contained a set of overalls that the goatman never used.� He claimed to like having the wind blowing over his lower half.� I never really pressed him for more details.� Still, the overalls that Steve never used would come in handy now.
It was a difficult task to unsling my backpack and remove the overalls all while hanging from a rope in the damp darkness.� I took great care not to drop anything and after a bit of contortion I had Steve�s clothes out of the pack.
One spike seemed as good as any other so I chose the nearest and wrapped the overall around it.� I was able to ball up the material and neutralise the danger of the spike.� It wouldn�t help me if I crashed hard into the wall.� I would certainly be stabbed, but it should provide enough protection to make climbing past possible.� I�d already been impaled once this evening and I wasn�t too happy about that.� I wasn�t looking to increase my count.
Climbing past the spikes with one of the neutralised proved to be easier than I anticipated.� Once I was past the pointy ends, the spikes themselves were excellent footholds.� So much so that I was able to untie and reset my anchor point.
Fixing my rope to the to the spikes would mean that if I fell, I would only fall part way down and hopefully wouldn�t hit the ground.� I really hoped it wouldn�t come to that.�� As safety precautions go, this was a long way down the list, but it was better than nothing which was my only other choice.
I fastened the other end of the rope through my backpack with the idea that if I did fall the pack would spread the impact of a sudden stop.� Providing the stop was caused by the rope, this is.� A sudden stop at ground level would be fatal.
Threading the rope through my pack also meant that I could play the rope out as I went up.� My sole consolation was that I wouldn�t fall any further than was necessary.
As it turned out, I had cause to be very grateful for the precautions I had taken.� I had made good time and was about halfway between the spikes and where I predicted the top of the wall to be.� I was probably about three quarters of the way to the top.
I had raised my left lag to take advantage of an outcrop of stone, but when I put my weight on it, I could find no purchase.� My footing gave way and despite digging my fingers into the stone my momentum dragged me sideways and I slipped from the wall.