My father had a lifelong fear of heights.
I didn’t know this.
Utah Summer. yogafaith.org
I took him on an open cable car ride that climbed a mountain in Park City, Utah.
It was just one of the adventures I’d planned for him and my 2 brothers during their summer visit in the 1970’s.
We also took them to a rodeo, and a Willie Nelson concert. Not memorable.
But the 20 minute ride that took us from 6000 ft. at base to the 10, 000 ft. summit in an open sided gondola was most memorable.
Apparently.
My teenaged brothers were delighted, leaning out the open windows, gently rocking the car on that narrow cable, taking in the mountain air and sunshine.
Mason Maloof Designs.
My dad was turning white as a sheet. I noticed, but I assumed it was the heat.
He didn’t say a word, a front of fearlessness that was so characteristic.
Here is how I found out about his acrophobia.
At a party some twenty years later, he turned to some family friends with these words.
“Yep, I have a fear of heights, and my daughter there (pointing at me) took me to the top of one of the tallest peaks in Utah.”
He smiled at me as I sat in my version of shock and awe.
I had no idea.
vanbytheriver 
Evidently he wasn’t too scarred by the experience. 😃
Not at all. ☺
What a brave man and so sweet to go along and not say a word. A wonderful memory, Van.
I suspect he was putting up a strong front for his sons, Diana. But, he never objected when I told him what we had planned. So typical.
Wonderful….
Thanks so much. ☺
Nerves of steel!
🙂
M
Always, M. It sustained him through many things. ❤️ His was an uneasy life.
An experience he will never forget. 🙂
He spoke of it often, once the secret was out…who knew ? ☺
Oh my, hands sweating just reading this Van!
I know, truly.❤️ I found out much later that my adult daughter had anxiety about heights, right after we talked about going to the top of the Empire State Building, NYC. ☺
woooo no thanks! haha
You’re not alone, Lynn. Thanks for sharing. 💘
us Dads are like that with our daughters. always hafta put on a brave face even if it almost kills us. my daughters aged me too. 😉
Understood, Jim.☺ The roads up to the ski area also made him nervous…sudden curves, deep drops off the side, no guard rails, etc. But… he was the one who taught me to drive…so there was a bit of pride. ❤️
What a guy!
I could write a post about him every day leading up to Father’s Day, Elyse, and beyond. A character. ☺
Does a fear of ferris wheels count as acrophobia? I don’t like heights, either!
It must be. Or maybe it’s the fear of losing your lunch, getting stuck at the top, etc. ☺
Losing my lunch is more closely aligned with roller coasters, but close enough. 😀
Ha. Rollercoasters were ok…but this one ride…the Octopus. I still shudder. ☺
The older I get, the less my lunch wants to stay put after a roller coaster ride.
I’m impressed he could do it. I am not afraid of heights but my sister is and nothing could have gotten her up there.
It surprised me to find out so many years later, Laura. Not sure how he pulled that one off ? ☺ Thanks.
Your father is more stoic than I am. No one is ever in any doubt about my fear of heights. My brother-in-law still mocks me for feeling wobbly at the top of a steep grass verge that was probably only two or three feet high.
Oh, my, and there are many hills in Scotland. I sometimes wonder where/how that fear evolves, Laura ? With my dad, it might have happened during the many flights on small WWII aircraft ? Not sure.
I imagine that could very well have been the crucible of your dad’s fear, Van. In my case, I’m just a weenie. I may have mild vertigo since I certainly feel wobbly up high. It’s about perspective for me so I felt entirely fine at the summit of Scotland’s highest mountain but was queasy on that grass verge. It’s definitely, therefore, about the interplay between balance and vision. I also need to feel firmly planted so a mountain is good but the Empire State Building not so much. Typing this out I realize none of my rationale is actually, well, rational but fears rarely are. Now I could tell you from where my clown phobia stems but the fear of heights is definitely just part of my nature rather than nurture I think.
Those clowns…no explanation needed ! ☺ Thanks for sharing, Laura. 💘
Wow, what a brave man. He did not want you to be disappointed. Is that wonderful! I know how it feels when the panic rises I am afraid about heights too, but it got better over the years! I even stood on the edge of Grand Canyon and looked 3000 feet straight down. Nothing between me and the canyon. I am sure it was only the excitement to be there. Because only a few months later I was standing on a church tower with 90 feet and almost dying… lol!
Getting any where near the Grand Canyon…has been a cure for quite a few, Erika. That was brave. ☺
I was surprised by myself. I did not even feel courageous. Great experience!
🌄 ☺ 🌄
Haha!!! 😃
Oh boy. I don’t know if I could fake bravery when my kids are grown. I’ve gotten away from it these last few years. Your dad has my admiration.
I’m not sure that I could have done it. But, I was fortunate. The only phobia I had was about commitment…it took some hell, but I got over it. ☺
Haha! I had that one too. And I got over it too. Developed new ones! 😜
Wonderful post.
Thanks.💖
Classy man, you’re dad..:)
Very true, George. Thanks. ☺
Hahaha… oh poor him! But I bet he loves thinking back to it!
It became conversation fodder for a long time for him, Sandra. ☺ (But, he never needed my help for that. )
Oh boy…
It’s amazing how we see our parents as human beings as we get older! Mine was a stoic character too 💛
He was one of the best ever at showing/sharing his humanity.❤️ Thanks, Val
And all for his Children. That’s what make dads so special, Van.
It was all “on the job training” for him, Hugh. His father was gone by the time he was 8 years old. Makes his efforts all the more impressive, and garnered so much respect from his 6 children. Thanks. 💟
I’m with your Dad
It ranks way up there on the list of common fears, Derrick. 💘
Yep. This post is a bit long, but I think your Dad would have identified with it: https://derrickjknight.com/2012/07/14/vertigo/
So interesting to discover the origin of all this. It made me think of the element of age. My husband once walked on steel beams at multi-story power plant construction sites…no issues. Lately, he doesn’t feel secure on our roof. It does change over time. My dad was in his 50’s for this incident. Thanks for the link, and as always…about your gardening ! ☺
Thanks, Van. I think we get more sense as we get older 🙂
I wonder why he didn’t decline. I guess for the same reason I went on a Segue of Sarasota with my family. He didn’t want to ruin the fun. I was just awful. The tour leader put me in back so I wouldn’t kill anybody but myself
☺ No spoilsport, you ! A segue…that would scare me, too.
How interesting that it took him 20 years to tell you. He went on that ride out of love, didn’t he?
I’d like to think so, Robert. Love and more than just a bit of pride, no doubt. ❤️
Probably both…He sounds like a good Father and a good man.
Thanks, Robert. ❤️
He’s such a good solid sport. He didn’t want to spoil the fun and I think he did it out of a good portion of love and not to lower himself before your eyes; pride. Warm read Van. It now makes me wonder about the things my dad might have feared but remained calm in the face of them.
That kind of strength was always there, even if we were unaware at the time. ❤️
Van, I love your memories. I, too, freaked out when I took a gondola up Mammoth Mountain. Terrified me. Did it more than once. Just white knuckled it.
Wow, Kitt. Not sure he’d have done it a second time. Good for you. ☺
The beauty at the top of the mountain was too great not to enjoy more than once.
The secrets our fathers keep… 😯
Isn’t it the truth ? 💛 💙 💜
Poor dear…how scared he must have been. But he was a great sport…and seems to have taken it rather well
A tough spirit…always. 💛 💙 💜