Friday post of glee

[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 a good time; 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. Feel free to post your glee in the comm on any day of the week. The Friday post is just to get the ball rolling.

Comments

[nanila]

I took my boyfriend climbing. He had to wear trainers since he'd never been before. He wants to go again next week, so I bought him a pair of Scarpa Boosters as a surprise. Eeee!

[rydra_wong]

\o/ I hope the Boosters serve him well -- I've heard very good things about them.

[rydra_wong]

I got a V3 on the steepest overhang in the climbing wall! I've never done that before.

Also, I accepted in a calm and resilient manner that they were going to re-set the wall with the V5 that I was thiiiiiiis close* to being able to do, and did not cry or cling pathetically to its tiny purple holds until they pried my fingers off.

{*Quite far, actually.}

[nanila]

Congratulations on the V3 overhang!

When I was living in San Diego, I went to the climbing wall regularly. The guy who set the bouldering routes was 6'6". (He used to get offended whenever short people like myself commented that his routes were "reachy".) He also got bored easily, so the routes changed frequently. I had got to the second to last hold on a Friday on a V3 he'd set and was excited to try it the following week. I came bouncing in on Monday to find the wall had been stripped and re-set. I did this:



Except not in the Darth Vader outfit.

[rydra_wong]

*cracks up at the picture*

To be fair, the route-setter actually left it up a few extra weeks as a kindness to me, so I had a good shot at it.

But I'd got as far as everything but the last move on a few occasions, and it was such a gorgeous problem! *makes clutchy fingers of yearning*

[be_themoon]

;alkshg;ld I HATE IT WHEN THEY DO THAT.

but congratulations on the overhang V3! I hate overhangs, I'm so impressed when other people can do them.

[silveronthetree]

I finally registered at my local climbing wall and went bouldering for the first time in six months. It hurt a lot but I realised exactly how much I missed climbing and I'm determined to go more regularly.

[rydra_wong]

Yay! And I hope you've got hot baths and muscle rubs (I recommend Neal's Yard Arnica Salve) for the aching bits.

[silveronthetree]

Sadly I seemed to have lost my Arnica in the last move - but it is great, isn't it!

[rydra_wong]

Lovely stuff. My other secret weapon is the Neal's Yard macerated comfrey oil, which seems to have a magic effect on muscle strains and sprains.

[juliet]

ooh we have comfrey in the allotment. I should make some of that!

[rydra_wong]

If it works out well, you should post a "how-to" in the comm!

[juliet]

I went climbing twice this week again! (Both times before work. breakfast walk dog CLIMB be in work by 9. HARD but worth it! can't make it any other time)

On-sighted a V1 on an overhang, and another V1 somewhere else that went around a lumpy bit. Worked out *some* bits of a couple of V2s. Also my sit-starts are improving (they're still not what you'd call *good*, but they're improving). I appear to reliably be climbing at V1 level now, which feels like huge progress given that a couple of months ago V2 was just ENTIRELY BEYOND MY KEN.

in summary: yay :)

[rydra_wong]

Getting up early to climb is my idea of heroism (not a morning person). And yay progress!

and another V1 somewhere else that went around a lumpy bit

Now I'm trying to visualize and work out which lumpy bit in the Arch. *g*

[juliet]

The bit on the end between the two areas in the back. (Unless it was a V0? I don't *think* it was a V0!) There's a big lump halfway up the wall, and you have to go around it to get onto the top of it.

gosh, what a *splendid* description :)

[rydra_wong]

The bit on the end between the two areas in the back.

Officially known as "the prow", I think.

The red V1 there? I really like that one!

[juliet]

I think there is only one V1 there, and red is ringing a bell, so probably yes :) I liked it too!

I tried the V2 but could only do the middle bit.

[rydra_wong]

Yeah, it's got a really big reach at the start.

(Btw, not sure if you got the PM, but your wild garlic bulbs are waiting for you behind the desk at the Arch.)

[rydra_wong]

Commenting here as I doubt that this will be of any interest to anyone but you and me, but I made archtwitter_feed.

[juliet]

Oh cool; I didn't realise they did Twitter!

ION: I very very nearly climbed that V2 on the prow yesterday morning (cheated with one hand on a non-included hand briefly on the second-to-last move). Tomorrow morning I will try again!

Also totally cocked up the dark blue V1 on the front wall, twice, after which I gave up & went to work :)

[rydra_wong]

I actually find that front wall the hardest in the place, most of the time.

On the really steep overhangs at least they have to give you decent holds -- that wall, it's mildly overhanging and the holds are crappy. That's my theory.

Either that or they just set extra-meanly there so they can watch from the front desk. *g*

[tevere]

Aww, I wish we had early morning bouldering around here! But the main bouldeirng place in this whole city opens at 4.30pm, so it's strictly an after-work affair. Which always means we get home exhausted at 10.30, with fingers practically too weak to operate the brakes on our bikes...

Yay for improving sit-starts! I'm always envious of people who seem to effortlessly float off the floor.

[juliet]

The Arch only started doing early-morning opening this summer (used to be 12noon), and I am *so* happy about it. Plus v few people are there at that time, which is nice :)

I am not one of the floaty people at this point :) but compared to how I was a few months back I am a lot more floaty!

[kelachrome]

I talked myself into signing up for a trip to a local cliff. I've never been climbing before, but I've wanted to for a few years and it's a free trip, no equipment or experience necessary on my part.

Now I'm just trying not to talk myself out of it :)

[rydra_wong]

\o/

Speaking from personal experience -- this is the hardest and scariest bit. Not the trip, the bit before it. *g*

I had to get a friend to go with me for moral support before I could even go and peer through the door of a climbing wall.

If it helps, tell yourself that all you have to do is go along and not run away screaming before you take that first step up onto the rock. If you do that, you win. If that makes any sense.

(And then you can decide if you like it or not.)

[jumpuphigh]

I dreamt that I was climbing a difficult-for-me problem and succeeding. :D

[rydra_wong]

Oh, happy climbing dreams! I like those.

ETA: Also, I like to tell myself it's an omen. *g*

[tevere]

I went bouldering twice this week, and I'm definitely improving! I just touched the top of this problem (V1?) I've been working on for the last week (and then fell ingloriously to the floor, tearing a flapper in the process), so I think next time I'll be able to grab the top no problem. I'm starting to feel more confident on the walls, which I think is a great help. I can now also do a good few negative pull-ups at home on the bar, so maybe one day I'll even be able to do a proper pull-up. I know it's not all about strength, but I think it also helps with the confidence.

[rydra_wong]

Yay! I've definitely found that feeling more comfortable on the walls makes a huge difference.

I can now also do a good few negative pull-ups at home on the bar, so maybe one day I'll even be able to do a proper pull-up.

You're totally right that it's not all about strength -- for reference, I climbed my first V4 before I did my first pull-up. And IMHO, it's kind of a weird advantage to start out without lots of strength because it means you have to learn technique.

But.

Strength is nice to have too, and pull-ups are very cool. *g*

[ingo]

In two hours, I will be going climbing for the first time in a year.

Am going to have to take it ridiculously easy, though, because my neck muscles keep spasming :( But still, BOULDERING CAVE.

[rydra_wong]

BOULDERING CAVE YAY! I hope it goes great.

[ingo]

It was ridiculous amounts of fun (although I didn't make it to the BOULDERING CAVE, only the walls) although I may have overdone things somewhat.

Am definitely going back, though. And will not wait twelve months this time.

[rydra_wong]

\o/

[dira]

Today I went climbing for the very first time ever! I climbed until my arms told me I was ABSOLUTELY FINISHED, which was not really very long. But the two gym guys who were keeping an eye on me were cheerful and supportive and assured me that everyone has those moments and I'll get stronger. \o/

[rydra_wong]

OMG YAY!!! Go you! You should start a new post about your first time climbing experiences so people can cheer for you!

I climbed until my arms told me I was ABSOLUTELY FINISHED, which was not really very long.

Yup, that happens very quickly for everyone when they start climbing -- it uses a muscles in the forearms that aren't really worked hard by anything else, so they get knackered very fast.

You'll probably wake up tomorrow and the day after feeling pretty stiff and achy; hot baths help, and I've heard people recommend drinking a lot of water now.

But your body will adjust pretty quickly once you've been climbing a few times, even before you start building significant strength.