The DC-Baltimore Trib met at the Sandy Spring Adventure Park ropes course in central Maryland for our Q1 on a chilly day in April. We gathered by the fire pit at the entrance to the park for hugs and introductions with new members. It was the first ropes course for most of us as we inched along the thin metal lines and dangling wooden blocks forty feet above the ground. What seemed so precarious in the beginning began to feel more comfortable as we developed confidence, sharing tips and strategies with tribmates on nearby landing areas. We climbed rope ladders, walked tight ropes, crawled, balanced and zip-lined into the evening, enjoying the physical challenge and that special connection we can only get from our First Descents community. -Emily “Footloose” Smith