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Show iG AN ACCOMPLISHEDrock climber, Erik Weihenmayer knew that his father, a novice, was scared and struggling. Again and again he heard the older man lose his hold, swing out on the ropes, then smash against the rocks. The Day Took My Dad UpTh Last summer,Erik finally talked his dad into it. But it was more than “a stretch.” Lookingstraight up the daunting rock face the morningofthe climb,Ed,a formerWallStreeter, wasincredibly nervous, his hands soaked with sweat. Experienced climbers were struggling. Three times he tried tostart but failed. “The hardestpart was20 feet up,”said Ed, whohasa bad RIK WEIHENMAYER (pronounced wine-mare), 31, of Denveris oneofthe toughest and best rock climbersin the U.S. He’s also a guy whoenjoys being withhis father. So one day, he said: “Hey, Dad, why don’t yourock climb knee fromanold football injury. As the with me sometime?” Ed Weihenmayer,59, happens to be in top phys- ical shape. Formerly captain ofhis Prince- tonfootball team and a helicopterpilot whoflew more than 100 missions over Vietnam, he’s nowanavid tennis player and cyclist. Father andson had skydived together, eventrekked through jungles Proud of each other: Erik Weihenmayer where natives had been headhunters a generation before. In 1998, they rode a tandem bike 1200miles from Hanoito HoChi Minh City. But rock climb?It (left), 31, and his dad, Ed, 59, with Erik's German shepherd guide dog, Seigo. rock bulged outward, he asked his son: “Do youthinkthis is over my heat Erik can dopull-ups with hisfingertips. He's limber. But Ed wasa novice. His legs werestiff, and he was scared. He wasquiet too, which worried Erik as they climbed. Erik searchedfor encouraging words: “Oh, you're warmed up now.” ButEd kept falling. He’d swingout on the ropes. Once, he smashedhis face Ed was incredibly nervous, his hands sounded risky...and hard.“It’s going to soaked with sweat. “Do you think this be a stretch,” Erik admitted as he de- scribed the 200-foot-high Wind Ridge in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. is over my head?” he asked his son. EY Ed and Erik Weihenmayer in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Father and son have skydived together, trekked through tandem bike 1200 miles in Vietnam. But against the rocks, Belaying him from above, Erik heard his father hit, “Are you okay?" heyelled. All Ed could think of was the fact that he didn’t wanttolet his son down. Finally came the moment of relief when Ed saw his son's hand reaching out for himfromthe summit “Wasit fun?" Erik asked when it was all over. Not really. “It wasexhilarating,” Edsaid, “but | wasstretchedto mylimit.” His real emotion? “Thankfulness.”” And Erik? You wouldn't know this from anything that preceded, but Erik persua him to try. B Y LOU COVER PHOTOGRAPHBY JAMES SORENSEN SHOWS ERIK WEIHENMAYER CLIMBING THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS GUIDE WAS PROVIDEDBY THE COLORADOMOUNTAIN SCHOOL “Everybody focuses on me beingthe happens tobe blind. Being blind hasn't stoppedhimfromclimbing mountains, leader and being blind,” he said. and he doesn’t think he deserves any My dad. Hefell a bunchoftimes. But he particular medals for doingit created his ownrouteup.” AN N “But whodid they respectthe most that diy’ Ww AL ‘b KER PAGE 4 OCTOBER 31, 1999 » PARADE MAGAZINE |