I Had Fun Climbing
I had fun climbing yesterday.
Well, I usually have fun climbing, that's why I do it, but this was different.
I've been climbing outside for four years now, and I would realistically say that 99% of that time has been spent bouldering, suffering, shredding the tips, brutalizing the tendons and devoting intense focus into figuring out the puzzle of difficult movement. It has become very clear that this is my calling in climbing, and I think it will be for a very long time, but i've been forced to take a break from that style due to injuries, conditions, psych, etc.
Instead i've been trying out some different kinds of climbing, and I am excited to see where it takes me for a little while. At first I thought the change would be from bouldering to sport climbing, but in reality it's a change from type two fun climbing to type one fun climbing. I've realized lately that what i'm most into when it's 85 degrees out and I have a bum finger is to do easy, adventurous, quality climbs during which you can enjoy the moment, appreciating the whole experience and not thinking about pain or skin, or conditions.
This is exactly how my day at Rumney went, it was just an enjoyable experience all day long. We started off by doing an adventure 5.10 to warm up, and then climbed a nice crimpy climb called Venus on a Halfshell. After that we napped in the sun while Nick worked hard climbs at Monsters. Though i'm inspired by his efforts, and would love to be that fit and psyched on hard routes, I don't think it'll ever be me. We shall see though, maybe if I get some actual endurance i'll get psyched. Later in the afternoon we walked up to Waimea and had the whole crag to ourselves, which was amazing, and Nick sprayed me down on Technosurfing, a classic 12b with a little bit of everything on it. All I can is that climbing multiple five star v4 boulder problems up a beautiful wall for twenty minutes in perfect, golden light, is an experience i'll remember for a while. I managed to do it on my first go, which was nice too... maybe the punt life is over.. haha nah. Doug and I finished off the day by "free" climbing the 150ft 5.3 slab Clippidy Do Da, as the sun set over the mountain.
Well, I usually have fun climbing, that's why I do it, but this was different.
I've been climbing outside for four years now, and I would realistically say that 99% of that time has been spent bouldering, suffering, shredding the tips, brutalizing the tendons and devoting intense focus into figuring out the puzzle of difficult movement. It has become very clear that this is my calling in climbing, and I think it will be for a very long time, but i've been forced to take a break from that style due to injuries, conditions, psych, etc.
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| Venus on a Halfshell 5.12c Photo by Nick Orange |
Instead i've been trying out some different kinds of climbing, and I am excited to see where it takes me for a little while. At first I thought the change would be from bouldering to sport climbing, but in reality it's a change from type two fun climbing to type one fun climbing. I've realized lately that what i'm most into when it's 85 degrees out and I have a bum finger is to do easy, adventurous, quality climbs during which you can enjoy the moment, appreciating the whole experience and not thinking about pain or skin, or conditions.
 |
| Nick on Boogieman 5.13d |
This is exactly how my day at Rumney went, it was just an enjoyable experience all day long. We started off by doing an adventure 5.10 to warm up, and then climbed a nice crimpy climb called Venus on a Halfshell. After that we napped in the sun while Nick worked hard climbs at Monsters. Though i'm inspired by his efforts, and would love to be that fit and psyched on hard routes, I don't think it'll ever be me. We shall see though, maybe if I get some actual endurance i'll get psyched. Later in the afternoon we walked up to Waimea and had the whole crag to ourselves, which was amazing, and Nick sprayed me down on Technosurfing, a classic 12b with a little bit of everything on it. All I can is that climbing multiple five star v4 boulder problems up a beautiful wall for twenty minutes in perfect, golden light, is an experience i'll remember for a while. I managed to do it on my first go, which was nice too... maybe the punt life is over.. haha nah. Doug and I finished off the day by "free" climbing the 150ft 5.3 slab Clippidy Do Da, as the sun set over the mountain.
 |
| Doug way up there.. |
I am interested in doing some longer, easier climbs this summer, and maybe even do some easy trad rigs, and just enjoy some different facets of the sport while my body heals up from years of reckless abuse.
Kai
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