Friday glee has the right baseball caps

[rydra_wong]

The Friday post of glee is where you get to tell us about your climbing-related happiness this week.

It can be a new achievement or adventure, or just that you climbed and had fun; it can be that your favourite climbing wall is expanding or that you bought new rock shoes or that you found a cool ice-climbing vid on YouTube. No glee is too small -- or too big. Members are encouraged to cheer each other on and share the squee.

N.B. Please feel free to post your glee on any day of the week; the Friday glee is just to get the ball rolling.

To enhance this week's glee: Sonnie Trotter in Siurana.

Comments

[superborb]

I learned to lead belay this week and am officially lead certified at my local gym! Yay!

[wpadmirer]

Congratulations! Lead belaying scares the shit of me, so I haven't taken the course.

[superborb]

It's not as scary with a grigri -- with an ATC, it's kind of terrifying, especially since I climb with guys who are all much heavier than me...

[wpadmirer]

I don't know if they teach it with a grigi at my gym. I'd have to ask. Yeah, that's the thing, I've seen the belayer go flying up with a climber's fall. EEEEK.

[emperor]

Our wall has ground anchors and sandbags so light climbers can belay lard-arses like myself without taking unexpected flying lessons :)

[wpadmirer]

My friends who were showing me lead belaying had no anchors. After I watched her get hit in the head with his gear when he fell and she went so high she met him about five feet off the ground, I decided I didn't want to try it. (grin)

[superborb]

I thought lead belaying with an anchor was a bad idea because then you can't move to avoid the climber.

[rydra_wong]

Normally, with an indoor anchor you'll attach yourself to it with a sling or the rope so you've got a "leash" of a metre or two -- enough room to move around and dodge the climber if they come flying in your direction, but short enough so you don't actually get dragged into the first bolt (or high enough that they deck).

[wpadmirer]

My friends were preparing for climbing in Yosemite, so they were not using anchors. They made the climbs. I just hate to think how much flying she did.

[rydra_wong]

As long as you don't hit anything (including the climber), I actually find the flying quite fun. Just lock down your brake hand and prepare to go for a ride. *g*

[wpadmirer]

She seems to like it. I think I'd need a partner I knew really well and trusted, and right now I don't have that.

[rydra_wong]

I do find lead belaying the scariest thing, far scarier than actually leading because you're so totally responsible for someone else.

[wpadmirer]

Yeah, that's what would terrify me.

[emperor]

Hurrah :)

[rydra_wong]

Yay, congratulations! \o/

[wpadmirer]

My gym is still closed, so I worked out at the fitness center. But then I came down with a terrible cold. It was bad enough my boss sent me home on Tuesday and I didn't work on Wednesday.

I'm blaming not being able to climb for all my woes.

[emperor]

No climbing for me this week. Oh well!

[wpadmirer]

I send you sympathy.

[rydra_wong]

Sadface!