don't call it a comeback: baking in the sun
For the last weekend before my big trip I knew I needed to do something big. I also knew I only had one day because my sister, who I haven't seen in a couple years and who is pregnant, was in town and I'd be spending Sunday hanging out with her and the rest of my family. So what could I do on Saturday?
I had a few ideas in my head but was having a hard time finding a partner. Fortunately, Oscar came through for me again. With the restriction that we had to stay in cell phone range so he could bail if his pregnant wife needed his help, I knew we had one clear choice: Davis-Holland to Lovin' Arms, at Index.
I'd climbed this route before, so I felt comfortable about it. Still, it was considerably harder than anything I had done all year.
I also knew Doug and Moira were planning on climbing it that day too. When we rolled into the parking lot, we saw them walking out. They had bailed because it was too hot! Well, I had climbed this route in too-hot conditions before. Moira's parting words to me were "Remember, climbing is supposed to be FUN!" I pointed out that she hadn't climbed with me very much.
We made our way up the steep, hot approach trail. I had asked Oscar if he wanted to lead any of the route, and he immediately said yeah. Then he said, "I'll see how I feel." Once at the top he felt like letting me start leading, and since the first pitch is the easiest, I figured this meant I was the leader for the whole day. I welcomed it.
Unfortunately I had forgotten my carabiner full of nuts, so in all the thin sections I had to make do with small cams. This wasn't really so bad except for pitch 5, where the crux really needed a little tiny stopper. I placed some pretty craptacular small cams and then hung out visualizing the moves above me for a very, very long time. Then, I did them! As before, the so-called cruxes on this route both went down pretty easily, it was the more sustained and slightly easier sections that made me work harder.
It was hot and I didn't have a camera so I just snapped a few crummy pictures with my cell phone.
Looking up at the crux of Davis-Holland.
Worried about lack of nuts.
Oscar starting P4 (P1 of Lovin' Arms) which was the hardest pitch in my opinion.
Oscar topping out on P5, which was the trickiest with the worst gear.
I topped out on the final pitch into cool, pleasant shade of a forest. I had led the entire route, with no falls, hangs, or pulling on gear! This spring and early summer I had a really hard time getting back into climbing, and I realized I had forgotten what it's like to be strong and confident. It felt really good to have rediscovered that, and to see how quickly it can happen when I get down to hard work. I brought up Oscar and we high-fived. "That was cool." I snapped a summit shot, and he said he didn't think he looked "rapper" enough.
So I took another one.
Thanks so much Oscar, for helping me get back in shape. I hope I get to do the same thing for you some day, once you've got the whole father thing dialed in!
I had a few ideas in my head but was having a hard time finding a partner. Fortunately, Oscar came through for me again. With the restriction that we had to stay in cell phone range so he could bail if his pregnant wife needed his help, I knew we had one clear choice: Davis-Holland to Lovin' Arms, at Index.
I'd climbed this route before, so I felt comfortable about it. Still, it was considerably harder than anything I had done all year.
I also knew Doug and Moira were planning on climbing it that day too. When we rolled into the parking lot, we saw them walking out. They had bailed because it was too hot! Well, I had climbed this route in too-hot conditions before. Moira's parting words to me were "Remember, climbing is supposed to be FUN!" I pointed out that she hadn't climbed with me very much.
We made our way up the steep, hot approach trail. I had asked Oscar if he wanted to lead any of the route, and he immediately said yeah. Then he said, "I'll see how I feel." Once at the top he felt like letting me start leading, and since the first pitch is the easiest, I figured this meant I was the leader for the whole day. I welcomed it.
Unfortunately I had forgotten my carabiner full of nuts, so in all the thin sections I had to make do with small cams. This wasn't really so bad except for pitch 5, where the crux really needed a little tiny stopper. I placed some pretty craptacular small cams and then hung out visualizing the moves above me for a very, very long time. Then, I did them! As before, the so-called cruxes on this route both went down pretty easily, it was the more sustained and slightly easier sections that made me work harder.
It was hot and I didn't have a camera so I just snapped a few crummy pictures with my cell phone.
Looking up at the crux of Davis-Holland.
Worried about lack of nuts.
Oscar starting P4 (P1 of Lovin' Arms) which was the hardest pitch in my opinion.
Oscar topping out on P5, which was the trickiest with the worst gear.
I topped out on the final pitch into cool, pleasant shade of a forest. I had led the entire route, with no falls, hangs, or pulling on gear! This spring and early summer I had a really hard time getting back into climbing, and I realized I had forgotten what it's like to be strong and confident. It felt really good to have rediscovered that, and to see how quickly it can happen when I get down to hard work. I brought up Oscar and we high-fived. "That was cool." I snapped a summit shot, and he said he didn't think he looked "rapper" enough.
So I took another one.
Thanks so much Oscar, for helping me get back in shape. I hope I get to do the same thing for you some day, once you've got the whole father thing dialed in!