the coriolis effect

I was never a mountain goat in a previous life.
5 days in the Tatras, 3 days of real hiking, back in Krakow with Dahm although Piotr and Marta are keeping on keeping on up in the mountains. We reached 9 peaks over 2000 meters, and a couple others just shy. The weather was stunning, the views lovely- when I dared look up:)
I learned I like ascents, and am decently fast, if only in an attempt to outrun any encroaching sense of vertigo. Descents however- its patently unfair that all the time estimations give less time for stumbling downwards, and the point system doesn't award anything for each 100 meter descent, like they do for ascents. I sort of hate them.
Our last peak was Giewont, the most popular and famous peak in Poland. Not terribly high, it attracts all sorts of daytrippers (hordes of them were heading for it this morning). Dahm and I were within striking distance this morning, but the last bit up and down features chains and nearly vertical rock slippery from years of scrambling feet. No idea how some of the people we saw made it to the huge metal cross bolted on top. A bit ironic that the "easiest" peak has been made treacherous by the sheer number of people beating any sense of traction out of the rock. But hey, the ascent from the front face of Giewont, one shelter poster warned, is the death of most people who try to climb it.
But yes, Tatry- great company, a challenge, something wonderful about staring at a towering mountain at 9 am, and finding ourselves at the top by noon....