127 Hours

Yesterday Vol Fan and I went to the movies.  The theater in Ventura has an 'Early Bird Special' matinee, $5.25 for the first matinee of the day.  So we went to see 127 Hours.  It is the movie based on Aron Ralston's accident while hiking in Blue John Canyon in Utah.

Yes, you know the story. Ralston went on what he thought was going to be a day hike in a remote slot canyon.  As he was descending into one section of the canyon, he encountered a rock hung between the sides of the canyon.  He tested it with his foot and found it stable.  He descended over it.  Once over it, he grabbed it for stability.  The rock rotated and came loose.  He and the rock fell the rest of the way into the canyon.  The rock landed on his right arm, pinning him in.

Ralston stayed pinned for 127 hours.  He tried and tried and tried to move the rock from his hand.  Even rigging up a hoist with his climbing ropes.  He tried chipping away the edge of the rock with his multitool.  He chipped and chipped and chipped.

Meanwhile hours and days passed.  He rationed his water, even collecting his urine.  But eventually, the water was gone.  As hallucinations set in, he had a vision.  A vision of a future - a vision of a son.  That hope for the future made his decision.  He would get out of that canyon, no matter what.  And there was only one way to do it.  He had to leave his arm under the rock.  With the dull blade of the multitool, he cut away the arm that had trapped him.  After securing what was left of his arm in a sling made from his backpack, he made his way out of the canyon - even doing a 75' rappel.

The movie ends with shots of the real Aron Ralston.  He vision came true.  He met his wife 3 years after Blue John and his son was born earlier this year.

The story just sends shivers down my spine.  And the movie was certainly intense.  Not really gruesome or gory.  Just intense.  Intense enough that 4 people left during the movie.  I left feeling like I needed a good stiff drink.  [Kudos to the director Danny Boyle and to the actor James Franco (it is basically his face that you look at for the entire movie!).]

But the movie also left me feeling something else.  And I would have to describe it as triumphant.  The power of the human spirit is amazing.  The power of hope for the future can conquer anything.

I also learned that I will NEVER go hiking without telling someone where I am going and when I should return!