Today we woke up early in the Nevada desert. The days have been warm and sunny, about 75 degrees, perfect for climbing. We pulled ourselves together and caught the bus for our 8 am clinic. Tim’s clinic was Intro to Sport Climbing. Of the 100 cracks in this area, he somehow got assigned to the same climbs we did yesterday. It was a little disappointing that he wasn’t on new rock but at least he now knows that area inside and out.
Meanwhile I took my “Getting Over Your Fear” class. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the climbers were all levels. Some folks had fears about lead climbing, others friction climbing, and more like myself just starting out, were nervous about ALL climbing. But the class was fantastic. The instructor was good, but it was actually a fellow climber who really helped me. I climbed with a girl named Sondra. She is German and has been climbing for 14 years. I never learned what fear she was working on conquering, but she scaled the vertical pitches like a cat. When she wasn’t climbing, she offered advice about technique. The classes we’ve had so far have focused on the basics, but Sondra talked about finesse. It was just what I needed, and I was able to scamper up my climb without even pausing. It was a great confidence booster.
We came back for a relaxing afternoon of napping in the sunshine and running errands in Vegas. We were joined on our errands by Shannon who we’ve climbed with the last 2 days. She is a physiologist who teaches at Cal State. She is one of many great people we’ve gotten to know over the last 2 days. The energy here is incredibly positive and the people are very friendly, we’ve made some terrific friends.
Tonight we went to big Rendezvous dinner sponsored by North Face. We are taking a hiatus from the entertainment to listen to North Carolina win over Louisville and then we’ll head back out for live music. The folks here know how to throw a great party, so it will definitely be a good night!
What Say You?