I Just Had to Get Out of the Office

While working at the Bozeman Chronicle some 20-odd years ago I was offered the chance to take part in an adventure race.

Not knowing exactly what an adventure race entailed, I nonetheless jumped at the opportunity to get out of the office for a week.

A multi-discipline, team affair, the race consisted of mountain biking, hiking, rafting, riding horses, and rappelling along a 200-mile course through the surrounding mountains.

I was quite comfortable with everything except rappelling, about which I knew nothing.

My three teammates, however, were all experienced rock climbers, and volunteered to...