(See what I did there? Double meaning. I’m clever!)
After at least 7 years of not climbing anything harder than a ladder, I went to the Boulder Rock Club last night with Peter, my former co-worker and now neighbor, and his fiance Ann. I wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was certainly mildly depressing motivational.
The first hit to my ego was just digging up my old gear and trying on my old harness. I got excited when I realized it was a size large, but then I realized that’s “large for climber types” and not “large for fat American types”. And so I had to wander over to the world-famous Neptune Mountaineering shop and (*sigh*) get myself an extra-large climbing harness.
At the gym, I climbed a few “ladders” (nothing past vertical, thanks) in the 5.7 and 5.8 range, and it was plenty tough for me. I’m only mildly sore today, but I was embarrassingly exhausted after my four climbs. My one attempt at playing in a bouldering cave convinced me that being overweight and understrong are a bad mix. Hauling my 200+ pounds around by my now-sissified fingertips just wasn’t going to happen. Meanwhile, Ann, who is a tiny pixie of a person, was flinging herself up 5.9s and a 5.10 or two. Why do I always choose to climb with these annoying Asians? 
(That’s an inside joke, y’all.)
It was cool though. I suppose I’ll try to keep going (I bought a new harness, after all.), and hopefully this will add an extra kick to me current “get the hell back in shape” regime.
Hey, I resemble that comment… I mean, I resent that comment. Was that me you were referring to or some other annoying Asian? I haven’t climbed in at least 5-6 years. It’s all about the singlespeed mountain biking now anyway.
http://www.friendsofwompatuck.org/landmine.htm
Um… Yes, Hanh. You were my Asian friend in Mass., were you not?
As for the singlespeed bikes — you crazy! But at least you have something keeping you moving. Recently all I’ve had has been… um… getting tattoos?
>> Hi Jacob:
>> I work for Perry Evans @ Local Matters. We are attempting to get
>> all the local Denver Bloggers together for a discussion of some new
>> blogging tools that Local Matters is launching. It is tentatively
>> scheduled for next Thursday night in Lodo.
>>
>> Can I get an email address from you for a formal invite?
>>
>> David Haupt
>> VP, Consumer Marketing & Development
>>
>> Local Matters, Inc.
>> 1221 Auraria Parkway
>> Denver, CO 80204
>> 303 572-1122 x234 Ofc
>> 303 669-2068 Cell
>> dhaupt@localmatters.com
Um… Riiiight. (The above was published purely for my own amusement.)
NOW you start climbing…WANKER. You know, if I had had a climbing partner at Insight, then I may never have joined the Marines. j/k GREAT to hear that you are climbing again. If you are ever in San Diego…I’ve found at least one place to climb, but I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for more. Best wishes and climb safe!
Oh, and at least your wife doesn’t have bigger cajones than you do when it comes to run out climbs. Let me tell you…that’s more humbling than 100 lbs pixies flying up routes.