 |
| from the internet (claims to be free download wallpaper) |
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Rock Climbing
Thankfully there are no pictures, but I tried rock climbing for the first time ever in my life last night. A couple friends were willing to "teach" and a few of us newbies were anxious to learn the ropes. (Ha ha ha get it?) It was actually incredibly fun. Not only that, it was far less scary than some of the "scrambling" I've done in Glacier National Park (ok, I haven't really done anything objectively scary but that further emphasizes how unscary rock climbing was). I am really hopeful that rock climbing (not that I plan to take it up as a primary hobby or anything) will 1) help me with my fear of heights, 2) help me better learn where to put my hands and feet thus giving me confidence scrambling without rope, 3) help me practice climbing with the safety and comfort of rope (which should transfer to climbing class 4 stuff that doesn't really require rope but requires some basic ability to know what to do without freaking out) and 4) be another fun way to get some exercise. Also, I should mention there's a lot of gear involved and well, gear.
I think it will be even more fun with actual climbing shoes -- sneakers are a bit limiting. I expect I will be lucky to get out one or two more times this season but who knows. It's amazing how new and novel activities can rejuvinate one's interest in being outside and doing stuff. Not that I ever really tire of being outside and doing stuff, but sometimes the fervent enthusiasm just sort of wanes. I highly recommend trying new and possibly ridiculous seeming things. Because, why not.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I did rock climbing before I did running. I never lost fear of sheer drops. But I am all for trying new things! Now I just need to quit my 4 jobs and find time...
Yes if only we had nothing to do except recreate.
I went through a brief rock climbing phase. Summer of 2002. I also borrowed my friends' equipment and climbed in cheap running shoes. All of my climbs were top rope but I worked my way up to a 5.8 (I was assured this was a very easy 5.8) and learned to belay, although never actually belayed anyone on my own. I took two falls during this time that really shook me, even with the safety of the ropes. Another incident that dampened my enthusiasm happened when I reached the top of a climb and was preparing to rappel and my friend Paul yelled up at me *not to move.* Apparently he had mis-rigged the belay somehow and if I had fallen at all during this climb, I would have gone all the way to the ground. That's the main thing I didn't like about climbing ... absolute dependence on my flaky friends. Oh, and a lot of waiting around.
But yes, yay for new things. I'd probably give it a try again with the right partners.
Yeah Jill I definitely am going with safe people! That would put me off climbing forever.
Post a Comment