Heat Stroke, and Climbing in the Shade!

View from Buena Sombra, Desplomandia

What a week this has been so far! Saturday we had a rest day, and we actually slept in until 9 and then did some stuff around the place where we're staying. I wanted to take a nap because I was still jet lagged, so I went up to our tent to read and sleep for a while. I knew it would be warm up there, so I opened up all of the flaps and hoped for a breeze every now and then. I don't know how long I slept for, but the sun came in the tent, and was shining on my side for an extended period of time. When Matt came up to see how I was doing, I was massively dehydrated and feeling pretty terrible. On top of that, my face was completely red, and my whole right side burning hot and red as well. I think I got either sun poisoning or heat stroke, and I suffered for the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday before starting to feel better. 

The one good thing about Saturday though was that Matt and I took a hike up to the Poema de Roca cave in the afternoon (we thought that maybe if I got out moving I might feel a bit better). The cave is very impressive with a number of difficult routes that come out it, and a few routes I think I might have a chance at doing. We'll see but I look forward to getting the chance to find out.

I ended up with a massive headache, which wouldn't quit, and then Sunday just felt completely drained, like I needed about 10 hours of sleep. After eating breakfast and seeing how I did, I made the wise decision to rest for another day, and actually had a nice morning with three Irish men who were resting as well. We sat around and drank tea and chatted about the world. They were pretty cool. In the afternoon Matt actually came back to see how I was doing, and we went out for some lunch. We also tried to go grocery shopping, which is difficult here on a Sunday because everything is closed. We weren't too excited about that, but we've been making due. These towns are so small that they don't have ATMs and there are also no credit card machines in any of the stores or restaurants. You have to have cash for everything, which is difficult to get when there are no ATMs. 

Yesterday I woke up and I felt great! I made the decision to start drinking only bottled water because my body wasn't doing well on the tap water, and also I think the rest I got the two days before really helped me to overcome my jet lag and heat stroke. The temperatures are getting pretty warm here, so we decided to try to find some shade. We ended up at this nice crag called Desplomandia, which is a bit of a drive, but high up in this pass and looking out over green lakes (the minerals in the water combined with the sunlight make the water a brilliant green)! It is another beautiful place to climb, which I think will just be the case for the rest of the trip. 

The sector we climbed at is called Buena Sombra, which means Good Shade, and indeed it is great shade! So good we need to wear pants and big puffy jackets to stay warm in between climbs. The coolness is welcome though after climbing in the sun. I think we might be seeking out shade more for the rest of the trip. I sent my hardest climb yesterday, a 7a (5.11d) which was very exciting! I got it on my second go, and thought it was pretty hard for the grade. Everyone who climbed it agreed yesterday that it should probably be rated a 7a+ (5.12a). It was still fun though with some pretty technical movements which I enjoy a lot. 

I also flashed a 6c called Yogur de Coco, which climbed out on a big tufa with a puddle for a jug at the top of it! The hold was so good that it didn't matter that there was a bowl of water waiting for you. 

Today we headed out to the same place. Aaron had to take the day off because his skin is pretty sore, but we did have the company of the British boys we met here at La Finca. They are really funny, and provide great entertainment all day. They climbed with us yesterday as well, and are unfortunately going home to England tomorrow. We'll definitely miss their positive energy, but it has been great to get to know them a bit. The climbing today was pretty fun, and I onsighted two climbs including a 6b+ (5.11a) called Buena Sombre. It ended up being a pretty solid send, and I really enjoyed the whole route. At the top of the climb you had to get up into a humungous undercling inside a tufa, and then climb on crimps for a few meters. The end was a jug haul to the anchor. Super fun route! 

I also got on a 7a+ that I think I will get my next try. I have it all down except for one move. I will definitely get it the next time we go there when I am fresh. I ended up falling at the crux today and biting my lip a little. Its sore, but I think I will make it! We are all looking forward to a rest day tomorrow when we can let our bodies and skin recover a bit. I think we are going to head in to Granada and check out La Alhambra which is a really incredible mosque there. I went there when I was in high school, but I think I will appreciate it a lot more this time around. 

Anyway, things are going great here! I really look forward to getting some more climbing in and sending more hard routes!! It is awesome to see all my training and hard work paying off. I feel really strong, and it is being validated in my climbing!! Crushing!! 

Rest Day Numero Uno!

Climbing "Life is Sweet" 6c

Today is my third day in Spain, and after two days of climbing jet lagged I am excited to have a rest day to recover and get completely adjusted to the time and way of life. It is so beautiful here, and I am looking forward to exploring a little of the countryside and maybe a couple of the little towns further into the valley. 

Yesterday we went back to the Makinodromo and climbed for the day. The hike in there is so long (over an hour I think) but it is well worth it for the views and the quality of the climbing there. I got on another 6c and got it clean my second go. I got half way through the crux (hardest part) before I fell on my first try, and I worked the moves until I was able to succeed in getting it. Then after a rest and a snack I got on it again and sent it clean. It was very exciting because the crux moves were harder than 6c I think, but the climbing before that, and the length of the climb (it is short compared to the others) make it the grade its at. 

In order to get through the crux, you have to trust some pretty polished feet, and really relax on a slopey pinch. Once you get the slopey pinch, you have to bring your left hip into the wall and get a high left foot to step up and reach a slopey rail with your left hand. Once You have the rail you get a couple of seconds to rest, and then you get your feet up and get a slopey crimp with your right hand and pull up and get your heel on the slopey rail with your left hand. Once you get the heel on there you're locked in and you are able to go for the "thank god hold" that marks the end of the crux. From there you do some laybacks and pull into a small cave to clip the anchors. It really was a stellar route, I really enjoyed the climbing on it (there were a few spots where you could wrap your entire hand around tufas!). 

At the end of the day I got on a 7a+ (5.12a) which is the hardest climb I've ever been on. I got three quarters of the way up the route before I couldn't go any farther. I was leading the route, and am still scared of falling on lead, so there was a move that is very big and powerful, and my head just wasn't ready to commit to it yet. So in the end I came down and will get back on it tomorrow when I go back! I think we are heading back there on Sunday to continue to work the projects we've all got right now. 

Everyone is climbing really well right now. Aaron has sent some more 7b's and Matt sent his 7c+ (5.13a) project yesterday. This makes the 5th of the trip! He's climbing super strong. And I have been climbing harder than I ever have. So it is very exciting to be out there every day, and in such an inspiring setting at that. I really think I could climb here every day and be happy for a long time. We shall see how the rest of the trip goes, maybe I'll never leave! 

We've met some pretty awesome people here so far, and will hopefully have some friends visiting us someday so we can show them where we come from and our own climbing! It is really awesome to come back to the hostel every night and talk to everyone about how their days went while we're all fighting to get our dinners cooked and eaten. The community here is really welcoming, and it feels like we've got a big family of friends already! 

I think it is needless to say that I am really looking forward to the rest of our time here. It has only been three days and it is already incredible! The sun has been out every day, and the climbing is world class. What more than that and some of the people you love around you could you ask for!? 

Espana es Dulce!

Matt and I at Makinodromo!

The title of my blog for today, for those of you who don't speak Spanish, means Spain is Sweet! After delays, near missed flights and very little sleep, I finally made it to Spain, and found my baggage and met up with Matty and Aaron yesterday (Wednesday). I don't think I've ever been more relieved to see someone I know more than I was when I walked out the exit of the baggage claim and saw Matt standing there waiting. It was so great to see him, and the three of us have been having a great time since I got here. 

The drive to the Finca La Campa (the hostel we're camping at) was so beautiful. The scenery here is so breathtaking. I feel like I am constantly looking around in awe that I am here. It feels almost like a dream. We are camping up on top of a hill, surrounded by grey and orange cliffs on the horizon. We wake up and walk out of the tent, and there are views that people pay millions of dollars to have. We've got them for a mere 9 euros a night. Along with the campsite, we have access to all of the common areas including the kitchen and showers (which are both key). Another great thing is that there is internet! So I will be able to update often!! 

Last night I didn't sleep very well despite being exhausted from the trip over here. I think it was the combination of being in a new place, and also the dogs and other animals that decided to make themselves heard in the valley throughout the night and morning. It will be interesting to see if this is something that happens every night. 

Today we went to a cliff called the Makinodromo. There are two ways to get there. The first way (and apparently more legal way) is to park in a communal lot and hike in and across the train tracks, to a trail that then takes you to the top of a mountain, across a ridge line to the top of another mountain and down into a valley where you then have to hike up the majority of another mountain to get to the cliffs... This all supposedly takes between 30 and 60 minutes according to the guidebook (but when Aaron and Matt tried to do it before I got here, they hiked for longer and didn't find it). The other way to get there, which during the weekend is guarded by la policia and ok during the week, is to park and hike to the train tracks, and then walk through three tunnels to the trail head where you then hike a nice 30 minutes up to the crag. This was our chosen route today, and it was pretty sweet. We only saw two trains the whole time we were hiking by the tracks, and we were completely safe from them. So unless it is the weekend, or we're going to a different crag. we'll be hiking in through the tunnels. 

Snoozing at the Makinodromo.

I was feeling pretty tired once we finished our hike in. So when I finished climbing the warm up route, I decided to take a nap. So I lay out my pack, and put on my puffy coat and slept for about an hour, maybe more. It was really nice to get some rest and I woke up feeling much better and very refreshed. 

After the nap and some food and water, I watched some sending by Aaron who onsighted a 7a+ (5.12a) then it was my turn to climb again. I got on a climb called Life is Sweet (6c or 5.11b) and I flashed it with a little beta from the boys! It was the most incredible climb I have done to date, and my first lead of the grade! It entailed pulling on to the wall and then climbing up this crazy hanging tufa! Once on the tufa you continued up and laybacked it through the next clip and then traversed out to the right to get some really nice pocketed climbing. The moves were all pretty big up there, but the holds were all good, and it felt so nice to be up there! The limestone here is so cool (this is my first time climbing it) and I think I could grow to really love this type of climbing! 

That was my last climb for the day because I am pretty tired, but Matt and Aaron climbed for another couple of hours with more onsights and Matt almost sending a 7c+ (5.13a). We are going to go back there again tomorrow. There are a lot of other routes that look really incredible and I think I might even get my first 5.12 if I try hard enough!! Crushing! I am really excited about being here! I've got another 10 or 11 days of climbing (we'll rest for two or three of those days) and there are so many crags it is hard to choose where to go. This looks like it has some of the coolest lines on it though, so we are all pretty psyched to spend another day or two or three there! 

So it looks like all of my training has paid off. I felt really solid on that climb today and really enjoyed it a lot. I feel comfortable on lead, my head is very calm while I am up there, and my body just feels strong in general, which can never hurt in this sport. We'll see what the rest of the trip has in store, and if today is any indication of how it is going to go there will be a lot more sending to tell about!! 

Anxiety and Spain!

In a little less than four hours I am going to be getting on a plane and beginning my journey to Spain. This is going to be my first trip there since I was 16 and I am so excited to be able to share it with both Matt and Aaron. This is also my first international climbing trip, so I am doubly excited!

The past few weeks have been pretty rough. I have dealt with an anxiety disorder for nearly five years now, and for some reason in the past two months it has gotten completely out of control. I was having upwards of 20-30 attacks a day and they were even keeping me up at night. After Matt left it got to the point where I couldn't handle them anymore, and I did something I hadn't done before. I reached out for help. This was something I'd always been scared to do for fear that I would find myself alone and wondering what to do next. But instead of being alone, I was suddenly surrounded by two of my closest friends with thier love and support. I went to my doctor and got an ssri to help me rebalance the imbalance in my brain, and today I can honestly say that I feel really good!

With some work and the continued support of the ones I love, I think I will be much better in the coming months! It feels really good to make it through entire days without one anxiety attack, and I look forward to keeping it that way!

That said, I am also really excited that I get to see Matty tomorrow! It has been three weeks now, and it is going to feel so good to have his arms around me again. I've been packed for a couple of days now, just waiting for today to come so I could fly away to see my baby! From the reports he's given me the climbing is incredible and the weather forecast looks so good for!! 70 degrees and sunny! And with any luck it will be full blown spring when we get back in two weeks (good luck right?)

Anyway, I will be updating this while I am on my trip! I look forward to sharing all of the adventures to come!

Hasta Luego!

Rock Climbing Valentine!

Matt and I went to Rumney this weekend for a little rock climbing adventure! We looked at the forecast for the weekend and with the outlook as good as it was we couldn't resist! The little sun icon that said 30 degrees was enough to make our hands sweat just thinking about being on the rock. 

After a Valentine's morning filled with roses, tulips and pink tri-cams we drove down to Rumney. In the parking lot the wind was howling and the air freezing. I was definitely wondering what the hell we were thinking going rock climbing on February 14th. I bundled up as much as possible and threw my pack on and we hiked up to Main Cliff. We could hear laughter from below and upon arriving found our friends Jay, Kayte, Pat and Madeline! The cliff being both overhanging and concave makes for a protected little haven out of the wind. It is also south facing, which means the sun is a welcome addition to the mix! 

We decided to warm up on the classic, Underdog (5.10a), which was my first lead of the grade! Last season I was scared shitless on this climb, and cruxed out on it many different times. Saturday though, I was calm and collected and actually able to enjoy the moves and see the beauty of the climb itself! I found all of the good rest spots, and had no problems with moves that gave me a lot of trouble last season! It felt good to be warming up on something that seemed so hard for me not even a year ago. 

I also got on my project to date, Peanut Man. I didn't send it, but I did get through the crux moves before my hands went so numb I couldn't even feel whether or not I was touching rock (I was... and not in the right spot). I was impressed that I not only remembered the moves, but was able to do them smoothly. It definitely wasn't easy, but it felt better than it had in the past which was super! 

The sun leaves Main Cliff sometime around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and once this happens both the air and the rock cool off to the point of being uncomfortable and only climbable by the fully dedicated. We're not quite so dedicated so we decided to move on once the sun was gone and ended up at Bonsai (hooray!) which was dry to our surprise. This cliff, while overhanging, is not protected from the wind, so the temperature difference was impressive. I was cold just hanging out even though I was in the sun. Matt and I decided to get on my other project, Peer Pressure when we saw that the classic Masterpiece had a large ice flow at the top of it. Peer Pressure is a super fun 10d which kind of traverses up a corner system and had full sun exposure while we were up there. I was able to get through the climb despite my freezing fingers to the top! I think the next time I am there I will lead it! I've got all of the moves dialed, I just have to get it on lead!! 

That night we went out for Thai (thigh) food with the friends we climbed with all day and had such a blast! I really love the friends Matt and I have. They're all incredible people who are forever entertaining and fun! All of that added up to be one of the best Valentine's Days I've ever had. It also very closely mimicked Matt and I's first date together where we went climbing all day, then swimming, had dinner and watched the sunset on the ferry ride home. So romantic. 

The next day we woke up feeling tired and sick, but decided to go to the crag and climb anyway. There were a lot of our friends there Sunday too and it ended up be a really fun day despite the tiredness. I didn't feel as strong or as good as the day before, but I have come to accept that those days happen, and to really just enjoy the experience of being on the rock and to learn whatever I can from it. 

We met up with Matt's parents for dinner on the way home, which was really nice. I think they really appreciated the opportunity to see Matt before he left on his trip. Speaking of which, Matt leaves tomorrow (Tuesday) for Spain!! I am excited and sad at the same time. Excited that he has this opportunity and will definitely have the time of his life over there. But sad because he's only been here for two weeks and I looove it so much. Living with him is such an awesome gift! He makes me happier than anything ever and having that at my fingertips has spoiled me rotten. I just have to keep in mind that it is only for three weeks, and then I am joining him there! I'll just miss the poop out of him until then. 

I look forward to having some more rock weekends before I head out for my trip. So long as the weather is similar to what we had this past weekend I'll be out there as much as possible! We'll see what happens, but I am sure it will be great either way!

'Tis the season for training...

That about sums up my life the past few months. Since the snow hit the ground and I can no long get on the rock, I've been in the gym, trying to get ever stronger for the send fest that will happen this spring. Yeah, I've dabbled a bit on ice and even went skiing a couple of times, but I can't get the longing for rock to leave my system. 

Matty wrote up a plan for me to follow in the gym. I have actually been pretty good about sticking to it and really trying hard with all of the workouts. It feels so good to go to the gym and really work hard, and leave feeling satisfied that I'm one day closer and that much stronger for the up-coming rock season. The best part about it is that I am really seeing improvements in my climbing. I'm getting much better about resting, and actually finding rest positions. My foot work has improved drastically along with my body position on overhanging routes. I am starting to work on powerful moves (through bouldering circuits) and have found myself better able to send V3's which used to be so difficult for me. 

All of these factors are adding up to a super psyched girl ready to get on some rock and crush the hell out of it!! Good thing we're going to Rumney this weekend! It is also a good thing that in three short week's time I'll be on my way to Spain where I'll join Matt and Aaron (who are leaving next Tuesday) for a nice 16 day vacation full of climbing! I don't think I can describe how excited I am fully, but it is really going to be an incredible trip! I've been reading the guidebook and reserving campsites and just generally getting a good psych going for this trip! 

So we'll see how the next three weeks go, and until I get on that plane I have many more nights at the gym to go...

Vermont Living

So it is official! I have been living in Vermont for a year now!! I moved here during the very last days of 2007 and now in the very beginning days of 2009 I am doing a bit of reflecting! 

2008 was an incredible year! Yes, it has definitely had its ups and downs, but those ups and downs are what has made it so great! I started off in quite the downward spiral and had more than a few people worried about me, but as time has passed I've become more happy than I ever thought possible! 

Working at Sugarbush last season was really great! I got to ski more in a season than I probably had my entire life, and improved so much! I made some friends there, and got to spend a lot of time taking care of myself. I really spent that time trying to figure out what it was that I needed from life and the people who were in mine. Sadly that gig ended and I had to move on to find something new. 

Along came the Howard Center where I've been biding my time ever since! Living in Burlington has been really great. I love the city and the people. Summer time here is really incredible! This past summer was made even better with the people I met at a potluck in May. There I met some of the people I am still hanging out with, and of course, Matt! I honestly think it was fate that brought us together, and love that will keep us together for a long time to come. I was so excited about meeting him, and then a month later even more excited when he called me. Ever since June I've been floating on cloud nine with him and it doesn't seem like I'll be coming down any time soon. 

We've had so many fun adventures together already in the 7 months we been dating, and the fun just keeps coming! I've climbed in so many new places and pushed myself so much harder than I ever though possible. I love the experiences I have with him! We have so much fun together and enjoy each other so much! Life really is incredible! 

Autumn here was absolutely beautiful. The trips we took to the Adirondack mountains and all over New England were so incredible with the colors and the perfect temperatures! Our Thanksgiving trip got changed around a bit because of snow down in West Virginia, so we went down to Slade, KY instead to the Red River Gorge! This place was absolutely incredible! The climbing there was world class and the people so welcoming. We had a blast! Thanksgiving meal was served at this place called Miguel's where they cooked a bunch of turkeys and other goodies and served until they ran out! What an awesome time! 

Since being back from the Red we've kind of been laying a bit low as far as trips are concerned. But we are still getting out on a regular basis. Ice season has started (along with ski season) and I have started climbing a different medium for the first time in my life. I enjoy it! It is still scary for me, and I am definitely not great at it yet, but with time I think I will gain a lot of really good skill (I have a great teacher) and be able to go fairly far with it if I try hard enough. We'll see what happens, but I am looking forward to a lot more of it in the coming winter. 

On the home front, Matt is almost here full time! In a little more than two weeks we will be officially living in sin together! I absolutely cannon wait for this to happen. We've been waiting for that day to get here for 5 months now, and it has almost arrived! I think we're both more impatient about it now than we have been the entire time It is going to be so good to have him here every day and to not be relegated to the telephone day in and day out. He's the best thing to ever happen to me, and I am so happy we are able to share our lives together! yeah! 

Coming up we have a couple of pretty awesome trips planned. In February Matt is heading over to Spain for 3 weeks at which point I will join him for another 2 weeks. We'll be down in an area called El Chorro together. It is in the South of Spain near Malaga. The weather is going to be nice and warm, and hopefully dry (it tends to be the rainy season in March there... but we will see) and we'll get to do a whole bunch of climbing! 

Once we get back from Spain we'll have a couple of weeks before Matt leaves again on another trip, this time out to Yosemite for a while. I am hoping to join him for 5 or 6 days around my birthday so we can do some big wall climbing together! We'll see if I can get the time off of work, but I am keeping my fingers crossed! 

So life is good, busy as heck, but definitely the best it has ever been! I'm so happy, and have so many things to look forward to and to be grateful for. It is almost overwhelming. But I am taking it all as it comes, and soaking it up because I know I deserve this, and happiness is what we're all looking for in the end, so why not enjoy it!?