OK, so we looked at the forecast this morning and said, "We gotta climb outside because the weather ain't gonna get any better for the next week." Or words to that effect. So we - Lisa, Aaron and I - trundled down to Red Wing. (Oh yeah, I brought my dog "Buddy." Creative name, don't you think?)
Most of the climbing walls were too wet to climb. But our intrepid group would not be stopped. Our friend John joined our lively group at this point and we led up "Too Low for Zero" And Lisa did her first climb at Red Wing. And her first outdoor Winter rock climb. (We decided it's still officially Winter 'til next week.) Yahoo! Standing on the snow to start, using cold rock for handholds. Freezing her little paws. Then Aaron did his first outdoor lead "Danger High Boltage." Starting on the snow, going up to the first snow-wet ledge, and up to the top. Man, that's one way to work up a sweat!
Now we were cold so we went over to the 'Winter Wall' area which was sunny but windy. There we climbed "Jump Start" which, guess why it's called that, has a big jump to a ledge at its start. This was more like it: sun, warm rock, big exposure, nice people (some of them at least.)
But we weren't done; not this group. We wandered over to the 'Cyclops Area.' Amazingly enough, there were no crowds waiting to do the popular routes despite it being sunny and warm with no wind. So we chalked up and climbed "Sleeping Bat in a Ziplock Bag." A diverse climb - slopey, slabby, juggy, roofy, scary. Lisa went to the top, as did the rest of us. (Except for poor Buddy who was waiting to climb but no one would tie the rope for him. Ahhhh.) Aaron led this one and declared it was exciting. Especially the part where you climb over a roof and well above your clip. ("Roof, roof" is what dogs say when they're climbing high up past a clip.)
So that was it. We packed up and went home. Not! Next we climbed "Urban Chunks." (I don't think that description is quite accurate. There's a very tough 2nd clip which could result in a ground fall and a tough last clip. C'est la vie.) And we experimented with this technique for retreating off a sport route:
Most of the climbing walls were too wet to climb. But our intrepid group would not be stopped. Our friend John joined our lively group at this point and we led up "Too Low for Zero" And Lisa did her first climb at Red Wing. And her first outdoor Winter rock climb. (We decided it's still officially Winter 'til next week.) Yahoo! Standing on the snow to start, using cold rock for handholds. Freezing her little paws. Then Aaron did his first outdoor lead "Danger High Boltage." Starting on the snow, going up to the first snow-wet ledge, and up to the top. Man, that's one way to work up a sweat!
Now we were cold so we went over to the 'Winter Wall' area which was sunny but windy. There we climbed "Jump Start" which, guess why it's called that, has a big jump to a ledge at its start. This was more like it: sun, warm rock, big exposure, nice people (some of them at least.)
But we weren't done; not this group. We wandered over to the 'Cyclops Area.' Amazingly enough, there were no crowds waiting to do the popular routes despite it being sunny and warm with no wind. So we chalked up and climbed "Sleeping Bat in a Ziplock Bag." A diverse climb - slopey, slabby, juggy, roofy, scary. Lisa went to the top, as did the rest of us. (Except for poor Buddy who was waiting to climb but no one would tie the rope for him. Ahhhh.) Aaron led this one and declared it was exciting. Especially the part where you climb over a roof and well above your clip. ("Roof, roof" is what dogs say when they're climbing high up past a clip.)
So that was it. We packed up and went home. Not! Next we climbed "Urban Chunks." (I don't think that description is quite accurate. There's a very tough 2nd clip which could result in a ground fall and a tough last clip. C'est la vie.) And we experimented with this technique for retreating off a sport route:
Which is faster to do than to describe.
Then we drove home. Not yet! We stopped at King's Inn and had a peanut butter, mayo, lettuce hamburger. We almost did. It's on the menu. Really, it is. Plus some tasty beer. Then we went home. To bed. To get up tomorrow and do what.... overtrain at VE. Yahoo!
2 comments:
Tough starts, I gotta say. I get by with a little help from my friends. Great day. I love Buddy but I think he is hesitant to get emotionally invested in Richard's friends.It was a great day. Outside is different isn't it Aaron? You did great. The sling trick that Richard did was magical. I think we should note that we got to see the magic trick because Aaorn was so exhilerated by his lead climb, he neglected to remove some of his quick draws. Hence the magic. Richard, Do you ever sleep?
Remember I had the hamburger with the espresso beans and Red Bull sauce.
I'll sleep when I'm dead I think is an old song whose title I don't remember sung by someone I can't recall. I guess I'm too tired.
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