DAY 1 - A Rocky Reunion

Oh Threshold! How I missed you. It looks mostly the same as when I left in mid-December, but a few new routes stick out.

First, I eagerly eye a new VB - the yellow route at right - it got some nice big holds and starts with your body wrapped around a corner, I thought this might be as good a place as any to get back on the wall.

I jumped up on the wall, and to my surprise, the climb was easy - the holds were large enough to really haul myself around on, and I flew straight to the top. With this little feather in my climbing cap, I looked for another wall to conquer.

My buddy, Chris, spots this tough looking V0 on one of the trickier walls - an experienced climber, Chris takes this V0 like it were a ladder.


He makes it look so easy, I can't help but jump on it myself.

I get an arms length from the top-hold and freeze. Vertigo, maybe, or just nervousness. The next hold is a right hand a few feet up, it's tricky and I'm already more than ten feet up. I'm trembling and about to down-climb this now terrifying problem when I think I hear Chris shouting "come on! you got it! keep going!" but when I look to find Chris, I learn that he is not the one shouting. I think it should be noted that climbers are the friendliest and most encouraging people - there i am, trembling like a dork, and this guy is pantomiming hand movements at me and shouting encouragement. "reach! you're almost there!"

Finally, I take a deep breath and make a grab for the right, pulling myself like a fish onto the deck, floppy but accomplished.

Hands torn and breathing hard, I feel pretty good about these two, while perhaps not technically challenging, they let me get back up there and round out some pretty high climbs.

And who knows? Maybe I'll climb again tomorrow.

Peace,
a