After not climbing at all last year (I think), I finally started early this year. Mark got sick of hearing me complain about spending all that money on climbing gear and not using it. When he finally asked me to go climbing a few weeks ago, I gave him even more crap by saying that I had no idea where my climbing gear was because I hadn't used it in SO LONG! I told him I would have to dig to the bottom of my closet to find my climbing gear. Poor kid, he can never win with me! Oh well, who can?!
The first time Mark and I went climbing was to the local climbing gym. I wasn't a fan of climbing on a fake wall because I totally sucked on the fake walls on the cruise ships. To my surprise, I did very well. I climbed about four different courses and then my arms were all tuckered out. It felt so good to get back on the wall and climb. After Mark ties me up with the rope (his favorite part), I always look up to the top of the wall and say, "I have to go all the way up there? How is that ever going to happen?" Then I blink (or so it seems) and I'm at the top. Here's an action picture from the climbing gym. Luckily Mark's hands were busy belaying me so he couldn't take any butt climbing pictures of me.
The second climbing adventure actually happened last weekend during a freak warm day here in Salt Lake City. (That day is all but forgotten under a few feet of snow that has fallen since then.) We climbed on a short wall in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It was actually the same place where Mark first took me to climb. Piece of cake! Mark's friend and her son joined us for the climb. Again no pictures of me, too bad!
We ended the outdoor climbing night by (illegally) having a fish fry. We were caught by the ranger, pleaded ignorance, and got off with a warning. Who knew that when the sign said, "Closed for the Winter," they mean you can't start a fire?? We do now!
