Climbing

Derrick and I went climbing again this morning. Since climbing is one thing that we both enjoy and do, more or less, together, and it is good for both of us, I've decided to go more regularly. Today was the first "regular" visit.

Towards the end of the morning (we only climbed for about 90 minutes since Tara and Derrick had something to do at 1:30 back up in Bartlett) Derrick managed to top out one of the routes, twice. I finally toped out the same -- more or less -- route. Admittedly this was one of the easier routes (a "5.EASY" if we'd followed one set of holds, a 5.6 on the other, and we both mixed and matched a bit), but still topping out feels good.

I also got certified to belay Derrick (and anyone else), but have to use the auto belays for my own climbing.

At the end of the morning, the financial part of the climbing plans got thrown for a bit of a loop. There were cards advertising a sale on 1 year memberships for one weekend, March 7-9. With the sale price, an annual membership drops to just about 3 times the cost of one 10 visit card. So if Derrick and I go more than 15 times in a year it would pay to get the membership. I've got a month to think about it.

I'm also thinking that it might be nice to be joined down there by someone else who is of comparable size to me, and over 13 -- Derrick fails on both accounts -- who could belay me, and I them. At this point the tentative plan is to hit the gym in Warrenville at about 10:00am on Saturdays when Tara works, and possibly other Saturdays when there is nothing else interfering. Our next visit wouldn't be until March 8 since we've got Capricon and a vacation two of the next three weekends, and I'll probably have a 1:15 belt test for Karate on the other. Should anyone be interested, let me know and I can give you more details.