Just Don't Look Down!!

We'll be back soon, turned out to be two days later.   This climbing stuff gets in your veins and you can't get enough!!  I love the challenge ... just to see if I can do it.  Admittedly I am the oldest at the climbing gym ... Ofie is 5 years younger.  Beyond that, I don't think I have seen any women over 35!!!  Of course they can climb circles around me!!!!

Here is a picture off the website that shows more of the inside.  The structures are called walls ... covered with hand and foot holds.  You can climb to the top using any holds you want, but most people try to follow the route.  Some routes move around corners and out as you ascend.  Those are my favorite!!  There are several ways you can climb ... bouldering uses no ropes ... just you and your hands and feet.  These walls are not as tall, so when you fall, you won't break something.  Top ropes are what we use ... attached at the top around a pulley so if you fall, the rope stops your descent.  Lead ropes are attached to your belt and lay on the floor.  As you lead the way up the climb, you attached the ropes to clips in the wall.  Quite a fall before the rope catches you if you slip.  This type of climbing is what Ofie and I want to learn.

My theory is that if you are afraid of heights, just don't look down.  After one warmup climb at 5.7, I spent the rest of the day on 5.8 climbs.  I completed one hard climb with two overhangs just because this guy remarked that he couldn't do it ... he just kept falling at the second section (He's behind Ofie in the picture below).  That's a challenge in my book.  Yes it was really hard .. I was hanging on for dear life using every bit of strength I had ... but I was going to do it no matter what!!!!  Ofie just laughed at me!!

Wish I had more pictures, but we always have to ask someone to take them for us.  Belayers have to keep both hands on the rope.  We have several people who want to try climbing ... they saw our pictures on facebook ... so next weekend we will be back.  Once we get them started, it's 5.9's for me!!!!!