A lot of people ask me what a typical day-in-the-life on the road is like. It’s a hard question to answer. Some weeks I’m at one of our office locations, cranking away at articles behind a desk from 9–5 like the rest of the world. Other days I’m driving for hours up and down backcountry roads and interstates, en route to the next destination. But a lot of those mundane days are broken up with fun stuff, and even when I’m stuck in the office with my spread of notes before me, three cups of coffee deep, I’m usually writing about one of my most recent adventures, so it’s really not that bad.
In May, I hit the road for Brevard, N.C., to do some research on this month’s road trip issue. In particular, I was in town for one thing: Looking Glass. Probably one of the most iconic climbing destinations in western North Carolina, Looking Glass is located in Pisgah National Forest and can be seen from multiple overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a striking granite monolith that rises from the forest floor, reflecting the sun’s brilliance overhead (hence the name).
I’d never been to Looking Glass Rock before, and decided I was overdue. With the help of brothers and climbers Jonathan & Michael Dull, we shimmied up the 300-foot multi-pitch route Rat’s Ass before the inevitable afternoon showers rolled in.
Gotta say, some days, I really do love the view from the office! Can’t beat it.
