7a+? Check!

Climbing my first 7a+, Cosas Caseras

Right now I am sitting outside of La Finca la Campana and having a rest day with Matty. We've been climbing a lot, and I am psyched to have a day to relax and catch up on some things that just don't stop even though you're on vacation. Relaxing is nice, and I think we will go for a walk with the Finca dog (Oso) in a bit and maybe take a trek out to the Camino del Rey. Anything is possible on a rest day! 

Thursday was probably the best day I have had yet! We went back to the Buena Sombra crag in Desplomilandia and climbed for a full day. I started off on a nice 6a+ and then got on a 6b. After belaying for a while and hanging around with the boys and some spanish men who were also climbing, I got back on the route I had been working there. It is called Cosas Caseras and is rated 7a+. 

It is a really cool line that starts with a crimpy boulder problem to some slabby moves. You have to balance really well otherwise your feet might pop or you might not be able to hold on with your hands anymore. Once you get through this section though you have some easy climbing to a really good rest before the second crux (hard part) of the route. The crux sequence is really cool because you have to get your feet really high and pull into an undercling that is in the middle of a big bulge. Then you have to cross through to another undercling where you clip and then get your feet under you and throw for a big hold. Once you get this big hold you have to do a bunch of crimpy moves to some really good holds and a nice rest before you  finish the rest of the route. 

I ended up sending it on my third time on the route (first time on Thursday) and am really excited to have finally reached a goal I've had since I first started climbing. For a long time I didn't know whether or not I would be able to climb a 5.12a (7a+) and now that I have, it seems like the only way to go from here is up (no pun intended). I really think I can continue to get better and to consistently send harder routes like that. I just have to keep up with my training and continue to try harder stuff, and eventually it will come to me. 

Yesterday we went to a cave called Poema de Roca, which means Rock Poem in Spanish. It is a really beautiful cave with very aesthetic lines. It was an incredibly hot day yesterday and I am experiencing the joys of being a woman right now, so I had a particularly hard day. I have a difficult time with pushing myself hard when this is going on, and I didn't really climb up to my own expectations. But it is ok,  I think once I get some rest in me today, and get back at it tomorrow and Monday I will feel much better. We'll see what happens. 

Regardless I am very happy with the way this trip has gone. The weather has been perfect, and the climbing has been so great! I really feel lucky to have had this opportunity and to have had Matt here to share it with has made that much better. I look forward to traveling with him a lot more in the future. We are starting to look into moving here to Spain for a year or two and maybe even working out another big trip for something this coming fall. 

Two more days of climbing, and then another day of traveling and then it is back to the real world again. I feel very refreshed after this trip, so hopefully it won't all come crashing down again when I get back to work. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed about teaching in Spain, and hoping it happens sooner rather than later.