I spent months preparing for this night. I tracked the falcons. Researched the route. Repelled from my living room. Plotted and planned until I knew The Rock by heart. Headlamp, check. Walkie-talkie, check. Climbing gear, check. Mace, check. Ninja outfits, check. Tonight was the night. I was going to climb Morro Rock.

As soon as we began the ascent up The Rock, we were encircled by hundreds of noisy cackling birds, outraged at our uninvited visit. Darting kamikaze falcons attacked and screeched at us the entire way up, but the overzealous flying rodents were no match for us. We discovered a stairway carved into the rocks, left by the Chumash Indians who used to freely climb up and down the rock to worship their Gods, before the falcon freaks, fear mongers, and local police, deemed The Rock ‘off limits’. The stairs and the dulled light of the moon, led us to the very top of The Rock.

The views were spectacular. I took off my face mask, wetsuit, and harness to bask in the glory of standing on top the elusive off limits rock.. Uh oh, last call was quickly approaching.. Time to go! The celebration is my favorite part