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Climbing the Walls
Jun. 10th, 2004 10:04 pmSo since Yoko's out of town until August 1, I needed something to keep me busy. Being the nut I am, I went and joined Iron Works, a rock-climbing gym in Berkeley. I got a nice discount because I have my EMT cert, and they're waiving their initiation fee this month, so it all came out all right.
I went last Thursday and assailed three climbs. The first was a straight scramble on up to warm up; it took me a while to figure out what I was doing, but I managed to make it to the top. The second involved hooking my elbow on a ledge and leveraging myself into reach for the rest of the climb; again, it took a while, but I made it. The third was rated as a 5.6 (and what the hell does that mean? well, really, it means it's supposed to be harder than a 5.5 and easier than a 5.7. Boy, wasn't that helpful!), and it involved climbing up around an jutting bit; my arms were aching, and it took me forever to get it done, but I managed not to give up. My arms were killing me the next three days.
On Tuesday, I went again with a coworker. I started on a 5.4 that involved coming up and around a corner, and oh, man! was it a pain in the butt. II felt so bad for my coworker having to belay me so long, but I kept my eyes on the goal and made it to the top. Next, after a break, II assaulted the 5.6 that I'd finished on before. This time I went up it like Spiderman! Really, I didn't pause at all on the way up, which was really amazing. And then, to my amazement, my arms stopped aching the very next day.
All of which is to say I am jazzed about rock climbing now and can't wait to go back. W00t!
I went last Thursday and assailed three climbs. The first was a straight scramble on up to warm up; it took me a while to figure out what I was doing, but I managed to make it to the top. The second involved hooking my elbow on a ledge and leveraging myself into reach for the rest of the climb; again, it took a while, but I made it. The third was rated as a 5.6 (and what the hell does that mean? well, really, it means it's supposed to be harder than a 5.5 and easier than a 5.7. Boy, wasn't that helpful!), and it involved climbing up around an jutting bit; my arms were aching, and it took me forever to get it done, but I managed not to give up. My arms were killing me the next three days.
On Tuesday, I went again with a coworker. I started on a 5.4 that involved coming up and around a corner, and oh, man! was it a pain in the butt. II felt so bad for my coworker having to belay me so long, but I kept my eyes on the goal and made it to the top. Next, after a break, II assaulted the 5.6 that I'd finished on before. This time I went up it like Spiderman! Really, I didn't pause at all on the way up, which was really amazing. And then, to my amazement, my arms stopped aching the very next day.
All of which is to say I am jazzed about rock climbing now and can't wait to go back. W00t!
