October 20, 2007

Crowder's Mountain

So, this is where I'm climbing this weekend. A new place and another type of climbing! Yeah! I cannot wait, especially after seeing these pics!

I want to learn how to climb a crack. There is one here that's a 5.4, should be a nice beginner crack for me to learn on I suppose? It's called Gastonia Crack.

This place is not a world reknown place to climb, but it's great for beginners like me.

October 14, 2007 Looking Glass

So, yesterday I climbed 2 pitches at Looking Glass. It was so different there than at Rumbling Bald...which is where my first outdoor climb was.

Yeah, I didn't make it up all 4 pitches. No biggie though...it will always be there. I will go back. :)

I drove up to Brevard, NC on Friday night and met up with what would soon be my new friend, Mark. Sometimes you just gotta get out there and take a chance. Meet some new people. Do some new things. :)

Mark is also a rock climbing guide, so I felt really safe to climb with him. He's very educated on it and very experienced.

This is my new friend Mark:

Anyways, I wasn't quite sure of what our sleeping arrangements would be (I am broke right now), but after meeting him and talking on the phone for long intervals druing this past week, I was very comfortable around Mark. We decided we would sleep up at the trail head. We wanted to be the first ones out on the face. These were my sleeping quarters:

It was super cold that morning when we woke. Mark heated up some water for some hot chocolate, while I did my 'girl' thang and got dressed. :)


He clowned me for wearing concealer! lol (I don't care about make-up much, but I have to have concealer...oh, and some chapstick!)


Another car pulls in. It was a couple. They headed up to the approach before us. We hurried and drank our 'breakfast' and started on our way.


Mark has an awesome dog! His name is Boots. He is half lab and something else that is big and furry. I don't know, I didn't have my journal, so I forget things.



Maybe someday, my JRT will be able to accompany me on trips and such! lol


The approach was way nicer to my body than the approach at Rumbling Bald! It was also shorter! :)


We made it to the face. Our new friends, Caroline and Eric, were ascending the first pitch. (Well, Caroline was lead-belaying Eric on his first pitch.) By the time we had laid the gear down and started unpacking things, Eric had finished the first pitch and was ready for Caroline to clean it.


I get out my camera and start taking pics! Of course!!! :)


Here's Caroline and Eric:


Anyways, here's a photo of what we were going to be climbing...slab:

It actually looks a lot easier than it really is! There's not a lot of hand holds. Mostly underclings, called eyebrows. However, it gets you used to using your legs and not your arms. Perfect for beginners to practice getting more comfortable and trusting their feet.

This is a pic of what we were about to ascend:

You can't even see the 3rd or the 4th pitch in this photo!

Anyways, Mark goes over the belaying techniques with me. (I failed my belay test at the gym) But even today, I am still unsure of myself. I will take the test again this week. I want to be a good belayer! When I learn it outside and I'm doing it there, I am good. But when I get to the gym, it's as if everything I have learned just goes away. :(

Mark finally leads the way up the first pitch. I watch him place the cams. He shows me how to take them out of the wall and how to properly clip them onto my harness, hence I will be doing clean up when he reaches the top of the first pitch.

It's my turn to climb. I reach the first cam...no problemo. This pitch is 110 feet up. My first time ever doing clean-up. He talks me through everything as I go. Mark was great. A natural born leader! A natural born motivator! No wonder he makes a great guide. :)

I made it to the top of the first pitch! Woo-hoo! I didn't fall once! :)

The 1st pitch was a 5.5, but I had never been up 110 feet.

That was my view at 110 feet up. The sun still wasn't on the face yet. It was freakin' cold. My toes were numb.

Yes, I wore my socks! When Mark was off belay and anchoring for me to climb up, I was taking my climbing shoes out of my fleece. Mark told me a secret I didn't think of. He said to zip up my climbing shoes inside of the fleece until I was ready to put them on. It would "heat" them up for me, so they wouldn't be so cold when I put them on. I never climb with socks on, but my feet were already so cold! haha

Another view from the top of the first pitch:

I love how you can see how the face is blocking the sun from hitting the trees below. I didn't like how it felt though. lol

Another view:

I mean, honestly, how can you not believe in God or at least believe that there is another higher power out there? Jeez! This was amazing!

This felt so good! I was so happy! Mark got some video footage. He started filming me as I was using my snot rag! haha My nose kept running!!!

Here's Mark leading the 2nd pitch:

This pitch was 90 feet up and a 5.8.

I fell twice during the crux part of this pitch. I rested between moves and counted 1,2,3 and up I moved. Yes, I was counting out loud! Mark laughed. I was huffing and puffing as if I was having a baby or something. It was hilarious! The two times I fell was in the same spot. This one area was really difficult getting up to. Mark talked me though it though. He was my saviour! haha The 3rd try, I finally got it. I was up and homeward bound. I could not believe it. Jeez! I was so relieved. lol As I was nearing Mark's feet, he said, "Cool tattoo! What is that? a cat?" I was still struggling a bit to get to him. I said, "Yeah, whatever..." He laughed. (Usually, I'll go on and on about that tatt) Then he asked, "How many colors are in it?" I said, "I don't know dude, and I don't really care right now...I'm just trying to make it to the end of this pitch!" haha I was so tired and struggling. I used up all my energy in that crux. He busted out laughing...I explained to him that this was the same for me as a woman who was giving birth. Don't talk to me right now. LOL!!!

I finally made it to the top of the 2nd pitch! Whew!!!

When I got up, I cried. I wanted to sob, but as soon as I felt like I was going to, it stopped, and I wanted to give Mark a huge hug! I wanted to scream. I wanted to jump for joy. I wanted to get off of that freakin' mountain! hahahaha I wanted to climb the 3rd pitch.

We rested a bit. My ankles are still so weak right now. After we rested, we both decided we were kinda hungry. I wasn't sure I would make it through the 3rd pitch or not. I asked if we could just go down. This would be 200 feet for me. The highest I'd ever been.

The view:

200 feet up! Wow! This was too awesome!

This high up, it could be easy to get scared of your own shadow!!! lol

I loved how that pic turned out!

What are you doing over there Mark? haha No napping allowed! :)

Nice crotch shot!!! haha

My little taboggin' hat helped me sort of....I used my head at one point to push into the wall. haha The hat kinda stuck to the granite...it really helped. Hey, I figure, however you can get up the wall......right? lol

I did a true rappel this day. Instead of being lowered by a belayer, I did a real rappell. Mark tied us both in all sorts of ways, and showed me things I'd never seen before and things I may not remember until I do them again. I do know that little rope that is hanging around my neck in the pic above was my life line on the rappel!!! It was wrapped around the rope and put through a biner somehow and I used it as a break. If I were to let go, it would've stopped me.

We did the rappel side by side. Mark talked to me the whole way down. I was scared.

It's really cool how all of this works. There's so much to know. It's so important that you climb with very educated and experienced climbers folks! Your life is in their hands! Mark basically saved my life twice that day! (when you truly think about it) Thanks Mark! :)

That night, I stayed at Mark's at Lake Toxaway. I was tired and wanted to nap afterwards. We ended up just hanging out and talking. It was pretty cool. Lake Toxaway is so gorgeous! I loved the way my car handled the curvy roads too! haha

Mark's place was interesting! There was a huge Espresso machine in the kitchen! But everything else was so simple. To be so simple and so humble...I want to live my life more that way. And then of course, climbing gear everywhere! haha There were so many headlamps! I couldn't keep count. lol I'm not sure how many pairs of climbing shoes I saw in that house. Climbing books, a rock climbing calendar on the wall, a tub full of guide books, an acoustic guitar...

I'm pretty sure I'm climbing Crowder's Mtn next weekend. :)

"...the worst part is over, so get back on that horse and ride." - The Shins

October 12, 2007

Eyebrows at Looking Glass
Looking Glass
More information on Looking Glass
I will be doing a 4 pitch climb on The Nose at Looking Glass tomorrow! :)
This will be my very first multi-pitch climb, and I will learn how to climb on slab. I will also be learning clean up.
I am so pumped. Wish me luck! :)
This climb is classified as a 5.8. The 1st pitch is 5.5 110 feet up.
The 2nd pitch is 90 feet and the 3rd is 80 feet up. Both of these are 5.8.
The 4th pitch is a 5.7 at 180 feet up.
It's almost 500 feet up. :)

October 11, 2007 No one can steal my joy...nothing can dim these stars...

When I was a little girl in the 4th grade, my brother took karate/martial art lessons. He may have entered in a few competitions. He also played soccer.


Anyways, it's funny, I always looked up to my brother. I have never told him this...I probably should tell him. He was a musician. He owns his own production business. My parents enrolled me and my twin sister into karate while my brother was taking lessons.


I have always wanted to be active. I always liked dancing. I loved the recitals! I loved acrobats too. I even wanted to major in it but then remember the folks asking "what are you going to do with that degree?" So, I majored in business instead. Yuk! But to please myself, I also double majored in Fashion Merchandising. :) My favorite classes were production...which is kind of funny now, because that's what I finally ended up doing at 32 years old...I work in production in advertising (and...my brother works in tv production)...it's not fashion, but it's still pretty damn cool. I work in print production. I am a production assistant/manager. I work with graphics designers, press men, printing vendors, mail houses, photographers, account managers on getting print estimates for their clients, i manage all jobs through the production phase meeting deadlines both internally and externally, press checks, and yesterday I even got to go to a construction site at a luxury condo high-rise to go over design and planning for signage for that particular client. Yeah, I have a podular office! Yeah, it's a regular 9-5 job. But I learn something new every day. Every day is never the same. I hate boring old routines (doing the same thing over and over day in and day out)! I could never live out of a suitcase! I don't want to live out of my car either! I love having my weekends free! I love knowing that I go to work at 8:30 am and I will be coming home (for the most part) at 5:00 every day. I like the fact that I have picture frames on my desk of my family and friends. I like the fact that my boss gives us free massages. I like the fact that we have a pilates class in our office twice a week for the staff. I like the fact that we all do happy hour together. I like the fact that we go to art shows together. I like that we have an awesome annual Halloween party! Ok...sorry, I did not mean to go off on a tangent there...


Back to Karate...after a few months of practicing karate with guys that were half my age, one night, I was accidentally elbowed in the stomach by one of the guys. I was standing too close to him as he was going for the punching bag. My mom got mad, and she immediately took us out of the classes.


I have always enjoyed being active and doing different things, but I have never been competitive. Honestly, competition really has never been my thing, and I'm not afraid to say it. It doesn't make me a bad person and it doesn't mean I suck. I'm just the type who likes to have fun at whatever it is I do. I like to learn and get better at things, but I don't prefer to be the one who competes. Yes, it makes me wonder sometimes, had my parents not taken us out of that class, what sports would we have gotten into later in life?


Tonight, in the climbing room, I got farther up on my lay bak wall than i ever have before. I also made it up a little farther on another wall. I was finally able to do a cross-over with my arms to get to the next hand-hold.


Brian told me tonight that I needed to get angry at the wall. I started to think about that after he said it. "Angry at the wall"...yeah, that's it. Just like in my trapeze lessons...Louie told me that he wanted to see aggression when I left that platform. He wanted me to jump as if someone had stolen my lunch money. And I did it, and I got my legs over the bar and flew up and my catcher caught me. That same aggression, as I left the platform, turned into confidence. When I climbed at Rumbling Bald, I got angry at that wall. So, it's ok to feel aggression. You can still have fun even though you are angry at the wall. :)


Another thing was the way Brian said it. He didn't steal my joy at all. He's honest, but he's a very postive person. I wouldn't have taken my son or daughter out of that karate class just b/c they got hit. It's kinda like when you fall off your bike...you get back up and start peddling again (well, that's if all your limbs are still in tact. haha).


Well, this folks is my fear. I have grown up most of my life feeling as if things have been left unfinished. As if I'm not strong enough or good enough. I have been afraid to try things b/c I already think I can't do it in the first place. It's not necessarily being afraid of heights or whatever...it's the fear that I simply cannot do it at all. Does this make sense? This is why I am not and have not ever been totally comfortable in my own skin! This fear is called anxiety. There are so many types of it out there. Mine is generalized.


At 25, I was diagnosed with a disease called Fibromyalgia, aka FMS. It's a muscle and joint disease. It's non-degenerative and non-deformative. However, it is disabling. Most women who are diagnosed that young, are usually overweight and disabled by the time they reach their 30s. It hurts! Your joints swell up for no reason. Your muscles are tense...always tense and sore. You look 30, but you feel 85. Some days, you just wake up and it's like a MAC truck has hit you...for no reason at all. Then other days, it's a blessing...no pain on any part of your body at all. It's so easy sometimes to want to give in and just sleep and not do anything. Then again, when you don't do anything, it hurts even more.


I am blessed to say that I can do my yard work and trim my own hedges. I am blessed to say that I can go hiking and camping. It may take me longer to get those kinds of things done, but I do them. I am proud to say that I like working out and doing yoga. It helps me stretch out my muscles. And yeah, I might need a "recovery" day unlike most people out there, but at least I'm out there doing things. Trying new things...I am also proud to say that at 32, I have finally found a sport that I like. I really like climbing. Climbing is hard as hell, but I love it. It challenges me physically. And that part of it, challenges me mentally. The whole mental thing is not just about those who are scared of heights! If you have been told your whole life that you can't do certain things b/c of your size, b/c you are too weak, too skinny or b/c you have a muscular disease, then you know exactly what I am talking about. I'm tired of letting people say things like that to me. They steal my joy! And also, everything in life is not a competition. I just want to enjoy something and learn and get good at it. I'm not trying to set a world record. I'm also not going to put my valuable life in the hands of some climber out there that claims they know everything about climbing...I will only climb with educated and experienced people. I don't care if it means that it will take me longer to reach my goals.


I love my one star that some anonymous person out there voted on my indoor climbing pic on my www.rockclimbing.com site. It's one star out of five. The climb isn't that hard, so I wouldn't expect to get 5 stars anyways. The fact that I even got a one star vote surprised me. Maybe I interpret things differently, but when i saw that one star, I was like, "Wow, I got a star?" I remember back in elementary school when you achieved goals or did something, you would get a star...a star by my name or a star on my homework, even though one word was mispelled or a comma was out of place. I mean, none of my other photos even have a star at all. Maybe I'm in a positive dreamland or something, but to me, a star doesn't mean you suck. That star brought me a lot of joy. I'm holding onto that star.


I also don't use my disease as a crutch either. I am grateful and so thankful every day of my life that I don't have something else. It could always be so much worse. When I get out and do something and feel accomplished, it means so much to me. Sometimes, my anxieties don't help when I'm climbing next to a bigger and better guy, but hey, I'm a beginner. I just started. I am proud of myself to even be up there in the first place.


Since I have been climbing, I have noticed that I have much more self-confidence now. My self-esteem is better since my Summer of 2005 Debacle. I have learned a lot about myself and others as well.


Everything in life has a meaning. Things happen...shitty things happen...for a reason, and sometimes we may not even know the reason. But we move on. That's what we do. You fall down, just to pick up the pieces and start over again each time...but each time, with much more grace and more self-confidence the next time around. (unless you are wearing high heels) Stop using things as a crutch! Get angry!!! :) (the good kind, that is)


"I want to feel......until I'm satisfied...'cause I'm dieing on the inside. I want to let go and know that I'll be alright. Push me 'til I have to fly. I shed my skin, my scars. Take me deep out past the lights where nothing dims these stars. I'm wide awake and so alive."- Car Crash by Matt Nathanson

October 10, 2007 YAY!!!

So, it looks as if I may have found a roommate. :)

It's a guy. I'm really nervous about getting another roommate but I really want the extra cashflow it would bring. With all my anxiety, etc., I just don't know about living with other people. I like my space. But I think living with a guy would be cool. I had guy roommates back in college. They are a lot easier to live with. No drama!

Anyways, I am super stoked. I have a climbing trip coming up soon. Yeah!!! We will be climbing up at Crowder's Mountain near Charlotte, NC on October 20th. I cannot wait!!!

I am also climbing this Saturday up at Looking Glass.

October 4, 2007 Ever thought about volunteering?

Volunteer Matching

I found this cool site. It gives listings of places or programs that need volunteers.

It's not the Peace Corp., but maybe it can lead me into a direction.

I'm also going to check the American Red Cross as well and Habitat for Humanity.

I'll come up with something soon...

CASA

Habitat for Humanity

ACORN

October 4, 2007 Sending out an SOS

Share Our Suzy

(My best friend's sister)

September 30, 2007

Wow! I finally saw the movie, Troy, tonight.

I've been wanting to see this for so long now.

Talk about love and honor! (and hot Brad Pitt) haha

I love these movies!

So much passion....

*sigh*

September 26, 2007 My Backpacking Class...

Not sure yet where our trip will be in late October. I'm excited, but after tonight, I feel a bit overwhelmed.

However, it was a pretty cool class. There's a lot i knew from growing up with parents who loved the outdoors and loved camping, etc. We just never backpacked. But there's a lot I did not know about for sure that I found out tonight.

I'm just now getting back into the outdoors again. I am re-learning old things and learning new things! :)

Like how to crap in the woods! I could go a week or more w/o a shower and so not care. Seriously! As much as I love my hair and looking nice, it is such a pain in the ass to get all fixed up! And if everyone looks and smells like shit...what the hell!!! And besides, I don't wash my hair every day anyway! However, I just don't know about the crapping thing. Pissing is no big deal...hell, I used to do that right in Five Points back in college when the restroom lines were too long! But taking a crap in the woods? And I hope to God I'm not PMSing that weekend! I need to check my calendar!

And the only other thing I'm worried about is the mileage with a 30 pound pack on my back!!! Yeah! We will see if I can even walk that Sunday morning!!!

September 23, 2007 My First Outdoor Top Rope Experience

"It's not the size of the player in the game. It's the size of the game in the player!"

So...I have been climbing indoor now off and on this summer. Just a few times, nothing hard-core.

And...I have been scrambling and bouldering before.

I've just never climbed outside on a real face/wall before! Well...that is, until Saturday, 9/22. :)

My friend and (climbing friend I met at the gym), Karen, and I went up to Rumbling Bald in North Carolina. It's near Chimney Rock. This was my first outdoor top-rope experience. It was her 5th or 6th. We had a guide with Fox Mountain Guides take us. His name was Billy Day, and he was an awesome guide, instructor, etc. We both learned how to belay. He taught us a lot! I probably won't remember a whole lot until I really start climbing a lot outside and indoors, but I finally caught a glimpse of what it is like! AND I LOVED IT!!!

We climbed at The Cereal Wall and Cereal Buttress up at Rumbling Bald. The walls we climbed there were Fruit Loops and Granola, and we also climbed at The Comatose Wall in a different buttress area.

This is the first route we climbed called Fruit Loops:

It's a 5.7 (for those of you out there who don't climb...the ratings are 5 to 5.15 from easy to the hardest being the 5.15. These ratings are set according to the decimal scale by Yosemite...other than that, I don't know b/c I need to start reading a bunch of books now! haha)

Here's me tying in for my first time outside:

Funny story:

I was so excited that I forgot to fasten my helmet! lol Guess what else? Before my climb, I got to learn how to lead belay. I also carried a huge, heavy rope on my back up to the face! (Practicing for my backpacking trip in October haha) So, as i was lead belaying, I kept my approach shoes on. I actually started walking towards the face, and was like, "Oh crap! I need my climbing shoes! Sorry Billy!" lol

Cool! Rope! LOL!!! (I'm such a dork!)

Beginning my very first outdoor climb:

The harness just doesn't make a girl's ass that attractive sometimes!!! On a guy, totally different story! haha

As I'm climbing, I'm thinking..."I wonder why there wasn't a cereal called Crack Flakes?" That should be the name of this wall. But then again, I am climbing it, so I must be pretty fruity!!! My fortune cookie the other day read, "Your labors will bare sweet fruit." Hmmm...

I just learned what a "flake" is!

I really did not have very good technique until I got closer to the top.

I have to admit...I tried to look around and see a view or enjoy the moment. But honestly, I was scared out of my freakin' gore! 1. It hurts when you slip and fall. 2. I was out of breath! 3. My endurance is weak. 4. I was so glad to be at the top resting and thanking God I made it up there! Therefore, I sat there and looked down (wasn't afraid of the height) but I was so glad to be off the wall. The height wasn't bad only 75 feet up, I think. I'm used to being up 40 feet in the gym.

When I was ready, I was lowered.

Whew!!!

Jeez...the adrenaline was pumping! lol

The next climb was called Granola. It was 5.8.

I lost my handhold on the undercling and slipped and fell. I landed on the flake's ledge. I was so pissed. I put my hands up over my head and just rested my face onto the wall. Billy kept asking if I was ok. All I could do is put up my hand and keep looking the other way. I couldn't talk. I was shaken up. I felt tears starting to form. Quickly I brushed them aside and then I felt anger. I was so angry for losing that hand hold. Damn it! I felt so defeated. (I like problems. I may end up liking bouldering better) It makes me mad when I can't solve the problem so I keep on trying until I get it. I would've tried that day, but we hired a guide and we still had other climbs to do and other stuff to learn. And I was skaken up and tired. Now, I want to try it again though. Billy said I did great considering that was my first time doing anything like that. I still felt defeated. I will be back there.

We moved along over to The Comatose Wall (5.8). The approach was worse than getting to the cereal areas. Next time I'm out, I'm taking pics of the approaches. I get worn out on the approach! Brian at the gym said the approaches out west are so much better then the ones we have here in NC...I have heard different though...like hour long ones at Red Rocks! These approaches, you could easily break your ankle just on the damn approach if you're not careful. And you've got some weight on your back! You're pulling yourself up on tree roots and climbing up huge boulders...it is no longer a trail anymore...it's called a scramble.

A pic of part of our approach:

Once you're close to the wall like this, it's not as bad. It's still up hill though, and you're just so tired from the hard hike up the mountain in the woods! (with tons of poison ivy, oak and sumac...which so far in my 32 years, I've never had a reaction to the stuff)

Here is a pic of battle scars from the day:

Haha I just think it's kinda funny. I never thought that I would like battle wounds...

I wish I could transfer my joint pain into this blog!!! lol

Karen did awesome at Comatose! She climbed all the way up. 100 feet. I learned how to belay her. Billy said I was a good belayer. Yay! :)

Here's a pic of Karen:

She started the wall a different way than I did. I was so tired, I think from belaying, that I just gave in. I need to start climbing more at the gym and going on more outdoor trips now and lift weights! I've got to get a better upper body.

That's Karen climbing above the flake that I fell from. She was awesome up there! I really wish I could've made this climb! But just like Billy said, "Sue, that wall will always be there."

Here's me starting my climb on Comatose. I started on the flake part. I seem to like those for some reason. At the gym, my favorite wall has a lie back on it. Again, I like problems. I feel more accomplished when I solve them, however much more defeated if not and frustrated!

That bush is in the way, but if you look closely, you can see how the flake starts.

My hands are actually under the flake, palms up and fingers are in the crack. I'm trying to basically walk up the wall by pushing up with my hands...does that make sense? I think my butt was too far up in the air though. I should've bent my knees more. Or maybe kept my legs and feet where they were and tried to get my arms higher. It's hard though...

I also need to learn how to cross over with my arms, etc. I was just too afraid. Then I fell:

When I fell, I swung over to right a good bit. It scared the shit of me! My feet slipped and I fell onto the flake. I hit my chin on the flake part. So half of me was on the flake and the other was sliding over to other part of the wall. Billy yells out, "are you ok?" and all of a sudden, I go swinging!

I was so scared. It was as if I wasn't going to stop swinging. The rope got caught at the top and I had no slack. Then I got stuck.

(I always thought that life vests and helmets stunk b/c they were in the river. NOT! Our helmets stunk out here too. It's just called sweat!)

Trying to get back over to the flakiness:

I had Elvis Legs hard-core at this point. I was ready to be lowered...so tired. :(

Sorry guys!

I also learned that you can belay someone from above. I didn't learn how to do it, but I learned that it exists. I never knew that until this day! It's done when a leader leads a route and a second comes up behind him and cleans. The leader belays the 2nd from above.

My chin:

Watching Billy as he raps down:

Need to start saving money:

me and billy:

Billy and Karen:

Me and karen:

Billy was an awesome guide! Cute too! ;)

This was a huge day for me, and it was very exciting.

I've got to get back to that Granola wall though!!!

September 18, 2007 Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...?

When it comes to love...maybe so...but life in general?

No, I don't believe this anymore.

I watched a really good movie tonight. It's called The Pursuit of Happyness. It makes me hope that I never bitch about my life's hardships ever again. I know I am human, and I'm not perfect. But this movie really moved me tonight. This man went through so much to get what he wanted out of life. If he can do it, anyone can. It made me cry my eyes out.

"I don't believe the old cliche that good things come to those who wait. I think good things come to those who want something so bad, they can't sit still."
- Ashton Kutcher

Don't ever give up on your dreams folks! "Anyone who ever tells you can't do something is probably saying that because they have already failed at it themselves." - Paul Stanley from Kiss

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. We all have the power to make this a better place. Be the change that you want to see in the world.

September 13, 2007

Rumbling Bald, NC

This is where I'm doing my very first outdoor climb on the 22nd.

These pics I've been looking at are making me so nervous. I'm sure once I'm up there, it will be fine.

Wish me luck!!! :)

I found this:

Climbing and Bouldering videos

I thought it was kinda cool.

September 1, 2007 Learning to surf; Avila Beach in CA

Sue and Vince's Excellent Adventures:

Saturday morning the 1st of September, Vince took me surfing. I have never surfed before, and I have wanted to try it. You never know unless you try, right?

Anyways, the swell wasn't really doing anything at Shell beach, so we headed to the touristy Pismo. Vince didn't want to take me there, but we really had no choice. Any other place probably would not have been too great for a beginner!

I was so stoked about going out there! haha

We get to Pismo and we suited up. Vince let me use this awesome wetsuit. It had long sleeves and a turtle neck. I put my hair up in pig tails! (as always) We started walking toward the beach surf boards in hand! It was heavier than I thought it was going to be. He started running with the board. So I begin to run with mine to catch up.

He yelled out to me, "Hey, Sue, turn your board around so the wax is on the other side. You're a surfer now." I laughed. I couldn't believe I had the board turned the wrong way! The wax was getting all over my wet suit, etc. lol It had already began to heat up. He found a spot for us to practice getting up on the board. It was really fast paced.

My concentration wasn't really good that morning. I kept looking at all the surfers! Vince was like, "Sue, focus. It's really hot, and I'm burning up in this wet suit. I've got to get in the water soon." lol Anyways, I laid on the board and practiced getting up. My right foot naturally just came out in front. So he put the leash on my left. We got up and started running towards the ocean. I was so nervous! I was yelling out to him, "how will i know what to do?" He says, "You'll just feel it." Great!!! Um, yeah, whatever you say there! haha

As I'm running after him, my right leg keeps getting caught in the leash cord or tangled in it rather. Jeez! I'm a faller. I always fall, so I was so scared I was going to fall down with this surf board and everyone on the beach was going to laugh! (Just like at happy hour after work the other night. I decided to wear heels that day. I walk inside from the deck area at Liberty, and I slipped on the hard-wood floor and almost busted my ass in front of everybody in the bar!) (I have more falling stories but I'll save those for another time...usually involving high heels)

Anyway, we finally got in the water. Getting out there really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, it was hard, but just not the way I thought.

Every time a wave would come at me, I would put my hands on the surf board and push down and jump the wave. Just like as a kid when we used to swim with floats or rafts in the ocean. Not that bad.

Then we got to deeper water. So, I had to lay on top of my board. Vince yells out, "Start paddling", and I start doing this stupid breast stroke looking maneuver. (I don't swim. I doggy paddle and I'm a good under water swimmer) I was basically doggy paddling on the board! lol Hilarious!!! Vince yells, "Sue, paddle." I yelled back, "I am paddling." He says, "No, like this." and he starts to paddle with arms...I'm like "Duh!" I felt like a complete idiot! hahaha Too funny! I finally start paddling correctly.

I got hit by so many freakin' waves! Head bashed! They kept knocking me off the board. After like 10 times, it gets kinda hard and tiring to keep getting back up on the board and paddling out with no upper body strength.

Anyways, we finally get out to the nice part where it felt calm. That's where we waited for a swell. Vince told me I could sit on the board instead of laying on it. It was so nice out there and peaceful sitting there like that. Vince got out farther then me. I tried to watch how he maneuvered, etc. The hard part was getting myself turned around in time to catch the swell at the right moment.

One time, I got up on my knees but in like a mad second, I was turned over! lol

I just kept getting hit and knocked off by the waves. Frustrating! But it made me laugh for some reason. It's hard to swim when you're laughing at the same time.

Finally, I caught a small swell. I wasn't able to get up again on the board, however, it didn't knock me off either. I got to ride the wave in on my belly. It was so much fun! I felt like a kid. I was laughing hysterically.

Anyways, when I hit the shallow end, i decided to come on out. I was so tired after struggling in the water like that for almost an hour. I considered it dangerous for me to go back out. So, I sat on shore and watched Vince surf. It was pretty cool. I definitely would like to try again. It seems everything I want to do right now involves so much core body strength! And a lot of upper body.

The rest of the day we just hung out on the beach. It was so nice out there.

Then we went to Avila to the San Luis Obispo Harbour.

I really miss my friend, Vince!

Sorry, I couldn't resist posting this pic:

This is for Vince! haha I was taking so many pictures out there, I couldn't remember to keep putting my seat belt back on!

Jeez! Updating this blog really makes me realize how much I really miss CA!

August 31, 2007 Bishop Peak in San Luis Obispo County, CA

If you read my previous blog, and if you read about the Nine Sisters, you will know about Bishop Peak. It's the tallest out of the Nine Sisters.

This was a fun outing! We hiked up Bishop Peak and scrambled around.

We found the cutest tabby cat on the way up. Look what it's collar said!

Vince ran right across this pipe! No big deal! lol

On our way up, we came across some people top-roping.

I can't wait to climb!

Anyways, as we made our way up, we came upon this one wall. And Vince jumped on it and started climbing up. I was like, "Dude, are you crazy?"

I wonder what that wire thing was?

Of course, I wanted to do it.

But I was thinking, God this is so crazy...!

It was a bitch coming down though. It was scary. This was probably not one of the smartest things to do...but the wall wasn't really that tall though...still not smart!

I had to rest a lot on this hike! I can't wait until the day I can climb...it seems better to climb up than to hike up! No clue, but it just seems so.

This was the trail from below:

Vince ran some of it and waited on me to get to him. It was hot as hell.

Vince could've just ran up the whole thing! One good thing (among others) about Vince is that he is so positive. I mean, every time we went on an outing, he raised his hand up, and said, "Hi Five!" As we were hiking, he would be a little farther up than I and he would just yell out, "You're doing great Sue" or "we're almost there", even though I would remember him saying that "we were almost there" like 15 or 20 minutes before that. lol

The hike up to the peak was about 3 to 4 miles uphill the entire time. It was hot that day! I was however glad it was a dry heat and not a SC heat! Jeez! We weren't just walking...there were boulders on the way, etc. so it was a good work-out. And with Vince, you can't take a leisurely stroll...so we were walking a good pace, needless to say. This was great for me though. I want to rock climb. I need to do things like this. Vince being an athlete, gave me some advice while I was out there. He told me about anaerobic exercise and about cross-training. Of course, I won't be competing in any Iron Man competitions like he does, but it would help me a good bit in rock climbing. My endurance would definitely get better. It's the hike up that would completely drain me! However, I think I am so excited right now though about climbing, that once we got up to the wall, my adrenaline would pump back in! :)

Resting!

It was so beautiful out there! I love these hikes, but I will be so ready when I get to actually climb the face of a mountain to get to the peak instead of hiking up the backside. :)

We had so much fun playing around on the boulders and scrambling around. It was a huge playground for me!

House-sized boulders and stuff! ;-)

Thanks Vince for holding my camera! Not only for all the great pics, but because I probably would've dropped it! :)

Lots of boulders to hike up! :)

I can't believe I climbed around on boulders in California! When I was a whole lot younger, I remember I used to say that I would never visit California b/c of earthquakes, etc. I didn't even think about that when I was out there. I also didn't even think about sharks at all when I was sea kayaking or surfing. I was more worried about hurting Vince's board!!! lol

It's funny the things that different people are afraid of. You know? Or what we were afraid of when we were little compared to now...more afraid of earthquakes back then rather than now and less afraid of heights back then than now!

Cal Poly is down there somewhere! :)

Moving on to the next group of boulders:

I have an "Oh Shit" look on my face here! lol

Great shot, Vince! :) (It took me forever to jump over to that other boulder! I was so scared.)

We found this cave. There were all kinds of little cave or holes you could walk in to peer out over the cliff. Vince went in first. He said there were buzzards hanging out the cliff outside of the cave. I wanted to see the fuss!

Isn't this amazing? Thanks Vince for getting pics of this! :)

When I go out to climb at Joshua Tree, you better get some shoes, etc.! I want you to take my pics! :) hehe

All of these openings were so cool.

Vince scrambling around...actually, this was pretty dangerous of him to do..."be careful Vince"!

Afraid of heights???

Bringin' sexy back!

I love how these pics turned out! Awesome!I can't wait for my first time out on rock on the 22nd!

Vince caught me day-dreaming! I felt so peaceful up there. I think Vince snapped several of these photos of me. He said I looked really happy at that moment. I was! How can anyone not believe in God or a God or that there is not another supreme power out there? Who created all of this beauty? Yeah, earthquakes and plate movement, etc., but there's more behind it all...it's so gorgeous! It almost brought tears to my eyes!

The last few boulders and coming out of the last "cave":

As I'm trying to get out of this spot, Vince says, "We would be so screwed if there was an earthquake right about now!" lol

He said that there are pretty much earthquakes there every day, but you just can't feel them. They're so small on the scale! I hadn't even thought of earthquakes at all while we were up there the whole time! haha

It was neat to see earthquake remnants though at Shell Beach while we were kayaking. And in some other areas...the cracks, etc. It was interesting. I'm fascinated by earthquakes and volcanoes! I always have been.

Some climbers on the way down:

I'll be doing that one day soon!

The most famous:

I fell in love with this place!

This place saved my life after that hike! lol (protein shakes)

I was exhausted and pale and confused...Vince said he'd never seen anything like it before. He told the cashier to put a shot of protein in my Mango shake. I seriously thought I was going to faint! haha