Saturday, 7 of us from GT Climbing headed up to Boat Rock for some trail clean up, an event hosted by the Southeast Climbers Coalition. We placed mulch and picked up trash with other volunteers from the Brownie Girl Scouts and the kids of Urban Core Climbing.
Following the clean up, we changed shoes for some granite crystal climbing. It had almost been a year since my last visit to Boat Rock and I almost forgot how much I love it. Boat Rock was where I first learned how to climb.
Three years ago, when I was just learning that people actually do climbing outside (not just indoors), Dustin and Radhika brought me to Boat Rock. It was my first bouldering trip and I loved it. Following that first exposure, I was hooked and pretty much became a Boat Rock local. I didn't visit other crags. I didn't rope climb. I only Boat Rock'd.
In the winter of 2008, Dustin and I took a night bouldering trip to Boat Rock. In the moment in which I was topping out Eagle Slab, a freak accident occurred. We aren't sure what happened, but Dustin claims God shoved me in the face as I was topping out. Anyway, I came tumbling off the climb and took a nasty fall on my back, missing the crash pad by several feet. The doctor put me on muscle relaxants and I took a break from climbing.
In February 2009, I quit climbing. There was a lot of emotion about not being able to overcome the V3 plateau and frustration is no fun. It seemed that I had not progressed despite climbing every other day. And for me, progression is imperative. My life carried on without climbing. I played video games. Sulked about clothes and boys. And facebook'd a whole lot.
September 2009, my father had his first stroke. He was in a coma for nearly a month. And I cried a lot then. I thought about dropping grad school and spent a lot of time sleeping off the hurt.
October 2009, Jonathan appeared. He brought back climbing into my life. He practically dragged me to the Tech Climbing Wall and forced me to sign up for the Halloween Bouldering Comp (which I lost miserably). Coming back, I was worse than ever. Being out of shape and emotionally unstable, I was barely climbing V1s. But Jonathan kept challenging me by putting up new problems at the wall and encouraging me to do them.
Thanksgiving 2009, my father had his second stroke. Our family spent the rest of the winter in the hospital and in nursing homes.
By this time, climbing had become a crutch of mine. It was important to take weekly trips to get a break from life. And it was important to compete. January 2010, I sent my first V5 at Boat Rock (Keeper of the Boat Sit). And 2 weeks later, I marched into the nursing home ward to show my dad the Misty Mountain crash pad I had won at the Float the Boat Comp. At the end of the day, I would bring bruises, cuts, and prizes into the ward to show my dad. Even though he slept through my long recaps.
For me, the 3 hours spent climbing this past Saturday gave me back a lot of confidence. It also made me think back about the last 3 years (which I've also done a lot of recently).
Paint Can (V5) is one that's I've always joked that I probably have to climb V10 in order to send it. Andrew McDowell put me on Paint Can during my second trip ever to Boat Rock. And in the last 3 years, I've never reached the top crimps. Saturday, however, with a little bit of a boost from the boys to the starting holds, I sent it first go.
Not too long after, I sent Lost Boys Throw (V6). A climb that felt pretty much impossible for me this time last year. My last attempt that day, every hold felt absolutely perfect. I think that's the kind of moment I live for in climbing... when you touch the rock, everything feels like it couldn't get any better.
Also, I resent The Surgeon (V5). It's a beautiful, but also an annoying climb. Mostly because it requires a lot of trust. Because sometimes you can't wait for every hold to feel perfect. Or for the perfect time to climb. On granite slab, you just have to take a deep breath, trust your feet, and move.
Oh yeah. And happy birthday, Jonathan! Wish I could've gotten you something as special as climbing for your 23rd; but since you already climb, all I got you was a darn 0ยบ sleeping bag.
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