"Life is a journey, not a race."
Each time I go out climbing, I always bring back a new Sue. I guess that's why for me, I love it so much.
I learn so much about myself and others.
Like this past weekend, for example, I climbed with a new friend. :)
Each time I go out climbing, I always bring back a new Sue. I guess that's why for me, I love it so much.
I learn so much about myself and others.
Like this past weekend, for example, I climbed with a new friend. :)
It was hard. I am always concentrating on other stupid shit like, "I'm not fast enough...I'm too slow" or "I'm too weak" or "I suck at this". I need to go at my own pace and just stop comparing myself to others. I mean, why compare yourself to someone who isn't a beginner anyways? That is like pure torture! And who cares what others can do and what you can't? Focus on what you can do and use it to the fullest. Anyhoo, I need to focus on gaining confidence, right? How will I do that if I keep knocking myself. Sometimes, I am my own worst enemy.
Anyways, I am motivated by kindness and love (especially 110 feet up on a granite wall). You can be tough on me, but do it kindly and with lots of love, and I'll get better. :)
And that pretty much goes for anything with me I think. (except for roller derby...yes, I went and scoped it out tonight finally...and when Leia yelled out, "Good work ladies!" and then "Move ya bitches" as they were all just warming up on laps...I was instantly quite aroused. I guess I do like some aggression afterall. lol)
After talking about all kinds of stuff with my partner/friend, Billy, this weekend, I learned a lot about myself. I learned about some things that I like about me (weird to hear, huh? yeah, well, I've always kinda had this problem of not liking myself too much), and I also learned about some things I could change. That is always good.
I love talking about things and hashing out over stuff that bugs me with an open- minded person who is kind and loving and very humble and who genuinely likes to help others.
It was a refreshing weekend.
We climbed at Looking Glass on the Nose. This was my 2nd time climbing the Nose. It was freakin' cold though. Yes, I am a wimp when it comes to cold weather of any kind. I put my shoes inside my fleece under my arm-pits just like Mark told me awhile back. It really helped warm them up. I felt good starting out. Mid way, I was getting really cold. My fingers were actually burning and I couldn't feel my toes anymore. There was no sun on the Nose yet. As I reached the top of that first pitch, I wasn't even enjoying myself anymore. I was hurting. I didn't fall though. But I couldn't feel my toes and at the same time, they were throbbing. Not sure if that makes any sense. And it wasn't like it was super freezing or anything, but it could've been in the upper 30s or lower 40s in the shade up at 110 feet high with a chilly wind blowing. Regardless, I was cold! I just wanted to rap down. At that point, I just didn't care about climbing. All i could think about was how much I was hurting. Anyways, so we sat up on top of the 1st pitch just hanging out for a bit talking. I loosened up my shoes, and the blood started flowing again! Aah!
Billy taught me to tie a clove hitch knot this weekend, and I learned (again) how to tie the prusik and how to rap down. I haven't done that since back in October. I seconded him and cleaned his gear. I also have not done that since October. So, even though we came down from that particular climb on the first pitch, I learned a lot.
We moved over to the Sun Dial Crack. The sun was out and on that side really good. It was sweet! I felt so much better.
starting up:
I look like I am in pain here! LOL
It was freezing though!!!
View from the first pitch down:
The Sun Dial Crack is a 5.8. I only made it up to the 2nd pitch. The 2nd pitch was hard! I still didn't fall once but I did have to pull up on a sling though. I know...cheating! I couldn't find a hand hold and wasn't comfortable with my feet and was mentally breaking down so I grabbed the sling and pulled myself up to the cam. Anyways, as I was climbing the 2nd pitch, this chic, Mary, raps down from another climb. Anyways, she says, "You're doing great!" And I had Billy above me saying the same thing. :)
My ankles get so sore. I really need to start running or something. Not only would that help my ankles get stronger, but it would help my endurance and help me on the approaches. I need to work on my breathing as well.
Besides just working out at the gym over the last few years, I've never been involved in playing sports. Climbing is probably one of the hardest things I've ever done...hiking the approach, carrying a heavy pak, carrying heavy rope or gear, learning about gear and knots and physics, etc., learning footwork and balancing, working those legs and working my mind, pushing myself mentally, belaying uses your upper body, learning how to trust, endurance, focusing and cognitive thought prcessing, etc.!!! Anyways, it definitely helps with my anxiety issues that I have. I feel stronger in many different ways each time I climb. I actually feel high or buzzed. I actually get sad when we drive out of the forest. :(
The climbers I have met so far have all been really great people. I hope I continue to meet such kind folks! There was a man there climbing solo on Saturday. Anyways, a girl from Charlotte was leading and she took a fall. She broke her ankle. The man helped her, and Billy and i also heard her when she fell. It didn't sound good at all. Billy yelled out over to the Nose area to make sure everyone over there was ok. He would've come down. Then another man who was just out hiking also pitched in and helped. It kind of makes me wonder sometimes why people just aren't always this kind and loving towards each other?
Why does life seem to be a rat race?
And then it makes me wonder, or rather, realize, that people are in and out of your life for a reason. Whether it is to teach you something new or to help you out in a time of need. Whether it is so that you learn something about yourself...something you can change to become a better person or something so that you can stand up and fight for what you truly believe in. Or to hurt you so you can know what it's like to have a broken heart and how to heal it on your own. Or for you to do something wrong unto someone else and have to learn what it is like to gain a person's trust back and learn what it is like to forgive and to be forgiven. We are all connected somehow in this universe of sorts.
I also truly believe that what comes around, goes around. People should always be willing to lend a hand. You never know when you might need it one day.
Anyways, I loved climbing with Billy. He is a great teacher, a natural born leader. He is humble and kind. He has a great heart. He genuinely cares about others. He is a great person, and now he is a friend of mine. I accidentally left my favorite jacket up there...:(
So now, that just means I will get to climb with him again. :)
On the way up the 1st pitch at a nice resting place:
My ankles get so sore. I really need to start running or something. Not only would that help my ankles get stronger, but it would help my endurance and help me on the approaches. I need to work on my breathing as well.
Besides just working out at the gym over the last few years, I've never been involved in playing sports. Climbing is probably one of the hardest things I've ever done...hiking the approach, carrying a heavy pak, carrying heavy rope or gear, learning about gear and knots and physics, etc., learning footwork and balancing, working those legs and working my mind, pushing myself mentally, belaying uses your upper body, learning how to trust, endurance, focusing and cognitive thought prcessing, etc.!!! Anyways, it definitely helps with my anxiety issues that I have. I feel stronger in many different ways each time I climb. I actually feel high or buzzed. I actually get sad when we drive out of the forest. :(
The climbers I have met so far have all been really great people. I hope I continue to meet such kind folks! There was a man there climbing solo on Saturday. Anyways, a girl from Charlotte was leading and she took a fall. She broke her ankle. The man helped her, and Billy and i also heard her when she fell. It didn't sound good at all. Billy yelled out over to the Nose area to make sure everyone over there was ok. He would've come down. Then another man who was just out hiking also pitched in and helped. It kind of makes me wonder sometimes why people just aren't always this kind and loving towards each other?
Why does life seem to be a rat race?
And then it makes me wonder, or rather, realize, that people are in and out of your life for a reason. Whether it is to teach you something new or to help you out in a time of need. Whether it is so that you learn something about yourself...something you can change to become a better person or something so that you can stand up and fight for what you truly believe in. Or to hurt you so you can know what it's like to have a broken heart and how to heal it on your own. Or for you to do something wrong unto someone else and have to learn what it is like to gain a person's trust back and learn what it is like to forgive and to be forgiven. We are all connected somehow in this universe of sorts.
I also truly believe that what comes around, goes around. People should always be willing to lend a hand. You never know when you might need it one day.
Anyways, I loved climbing with Billy. He is a great teacher, a natural born leader. He is humble and kind. He has a great heart. He genuinely cares about others. He is a great person, and now he is a friend of mine. I accidentally left my favorite jacket up there...:(
So now, that just means I will get to climb with him again. :)
On the way up the 1st pitch at a nice resting place:
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