I’ve started climbing. Top rope and bouldering. More bouldering than top roping. I like them both!
It began outside. My friends took us scrambling atop the rocks and up a wall in Joshua Tree. I hurt my leg repelling down a less traveled monolith near Skull Rock. The adrenaline didn’t care. I was having fun.
Scrambling on the rocks is the most unadulterated play I’ve found as an adult. Trying to find a path from here to there and failing. Who cares! Keeping balance on the boulders is the fun of it. Finding a hidden path through where we could have walked around is bonus.
Back in Kentucky I joined a gym immediately. Craving my lunch break so I can go hang on the wall and build my strength. Im terrible at it from the outset. Seeing my confidence in my skeleton increase every few days is rewarding. Learning to use my legs and reserve my arms is challenging. Being bad at something is life giving. There’s nothing but room to improve.
I’m taking my coach’s advice to resist the urge to buy all the gear. I’ll start with a chalk bag. Then maybe a harness. Shoes might come first since I’m bouldering more than top roping. A harness in time.
Published: 2022-12-15