Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
atreideslioness) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2009-05-18 07:51 am
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2009-05-18 07:51 am
Entry tags:
Keeping Your Advantage: Terrain and You, Week II [Monday, Period 4]
When students arrived in the Danger Shop today, they'd find it set up for rock climbing.
"Hello, students," Ghanima said briskly, giving some handouts to the TAs. "Today, we study mountains and rock climbing."
"The important thing to remember about mountains is that each one is different, depending on the size and location," she said. "High mountains, and mountains located close to the Earth's poles, reach into the colder layers of the atmosphere. They are consequently subject to glaciation, and erosion through frost action, and such processes produce the peak shape for which mountains are known. Some of these mountains have glacial lakes, created by melting glaciers. Mountains can be eroded and weathered, altering their characteristics over time, so even if you've been to an area once, it may not be the same as before."
"Tall mountains have different climatic conditions at the top than at the base, and will thus have different life zones at different altitudes. The flora and fauna found in these zones tend to become isolated since the conditions above and below a particular zone will be inhospitable to those organisms. These isolated ecological systems are known as sky islands and/or microclimates."
"Mountains are also generally less preferable for human habitation than lowlands; the weather is often harsher, and there is little level ground suitable for agriculture. At very high altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air and less protection against solar radiation Acute mountain sickness, caused by hypoxia - a lack of oxygen in the blood, affects over half of lowlanders who spend more than a few hours above 3,500 meters, or 11,483 feet."
"Today, you'll be learning how to scale these majestic landmarks." Ghanima gestured to the gear and the walls. "There's easy, medium, hard, and expert trails here today, you just have to follow the color-coded tape paths. Or, you can try making your own goals. Race each other, work in teams, or get a feel for some of the unconventional maneuvers you might have do in order to move about a mountain."
"I just ask that you warm-up on the easy and medium trails first, no matter how advanced you think yourself. I don't want anyone getting hurt during the second week of classes."
[Ya'll know the rules. The OCD is up, so you're free to roam!]
"Hello, students," Ghanima said briskly, giving some handouts to the TAs. "Today, we study mountains and rock climbing."
"The important thing to remember about mountains is that each one is different, depending on the size and location," she said. "High mountains, and mountains located close to the Earth's poles, reach into the colder layers of the atmosphere. They are consequently subject to glaciation, and erosion through frost action, and such processes produce the peak shape for which mountains are known. Some of these mountains have glacial lakes, created by melting glaciers. Mountains can be eroded and weathered, altering their characteristics over time, so even if you've been to an area once, it may not be the same as before."
"Tall mountains have different climatic conditions at the top than at the base, and will thus have different life zones at different altitudes. The flora and fauna found in these zones tend to become isolated since the conditions above and below a particular zone will be inhospitable to those organisms. These isolated ecological systems are known as sky islands and/or microclimates."
"Mountains are also generally less preferable for human habitation than lowlands; the weather is often harsher, and there is little level ground suitable for agriculture. At very high altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air and less protection against solar radiation Acute mountain sickness, caused by hypoxia - a lack of oxygen in the blood, affects over half of lowlanders who spend more than a few hours above 3,500 meters, or 11,483 feet."
"Today, you'll be learning how to scale these majestic landmarks." Ghanima gestured to the gear and the walls. "There's easy, medium, hard, and expert trails here today, you just have to follow the color-coded tape paths. Or, you can try making your own goals. Race each other, work in teams, or get a feel for some of the unconventional maneuvers you might have do in order to move about a mountain."
"I just ask that you warm-up on the easy and medium trails first, no matter how advanced you think yourself. I don't want anyone getting hurt during the second week of classes."
[Ya'll know the rules. The OCD is up, so you're free to roam!]
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
Of course she couldn't think he was too condescending. He was too... nice or something.
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
"You are," he agreed. "We don't have far left to go. Are you still up for finishing the race?"
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
"Of course," he agreed, pushing on from below her.
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
She reached the top and looked back with a triumphant sort of grin. "You're good at this" she allowed, impressed a bit in spite of herself.
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
He went quiet for a moment, looking downward again.
"Are you always so bent on winning?"
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
He was not going to sound worried. He was not going to sound worried. Okay.
"So, how are we getting down from here? Same way we came up?"
He could climb down. He could jump down. But he was half convinced that if he jumped down now, she'd follow suit. So maybe climbing was the better option at this point?
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
After a couple of tugs to make sure nothing was going to come loose, she glanced over at Zack. "You ever done this part before?"
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
Really, he was all about jumping off of things. Out of helicopters, through glass skylights, and so on. Free-fall was kind of fun.
"Maybe I'll just follow your lead."
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
"See you at the bottom."
With that she plummeted off the trail again, hair whipping out behind her as she used the rope to control her speed and move in long controlled bounces back toward the ground.
Re: The Activity: Rock Climbing!
Huh.
Girls were weird.
He lingered on that fact for a few moments, and then he started making his way down after her.