Rock & Sky: A blog about a bunch of stuff.

 
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I've picked a climb!

On July 17th 2011 I will start a 5 day trek into the Wind River Mountain Range to summit the Wyoming high point: Gannett Peak.

Almost one year ago I entered the Champion "What's Your Everest?" contest. Their question was, "What would you overcome if you had the means?" While I have lots of issues (we all know this) I chose to address my fear of heights. Climbing can be expensive, and east coast is a bit "low" compared to the mountains you find out west. I'd use the prize money to give myself opportunities to overcome my fear through exposure and training. Through Twitter I heard about an organization called Summit for Someone. #cuemusic It was perfect.

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A few thoughts have been rattling around in my brain and I thought I'd dump them out here before they get too mixed up.

While I have no idea where I will be in 5 years, I know what I love. I love teaching, I love the outdoors, I love kids, and I thrive where I can be creative. I also love not being told what to do, but that's another story.
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On February 1st, 2010, I checked my email and saw this: Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the Grand Prize Winner of the “Champion: What’s Your Everest?” contest, and recipient of the $10,000 prize for fulfillment of your goal. I'm ashamed to say the first word out of my mouth was one my mother probably wouldn't have approved.

$10,000... Who wins that?!? Who gets an email saying that someone is going to give them lots of money - and it's actually legit?? On Feb 1st, it was me.
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I climbed a mountain last weekend. No really, I did. Without the aid of motorized vehicles or Sherpa. AND it was in the dead of winter. This isn't something I typically do. I'm a self proclaimed reptile when it comes to temperatures. I just don't do well in extreme conditions, so I was even more astounded to find that I could hike with only two layers - a fleece and a softshell jacket. Amazing.

This whole thing started when Sara Lingafelter (@theclimbergirl) was chosen to go to Nepal with the Hanes Brands Everest team. She took a mountaineering course to prepare and reported about it on her blog. Katie Levey (@adventuregrrl) announced her intention to take a similar class shortly thereafter. While the idea had been planted in the back of my mind by Sara, I hadn't seriously considered taking a class myself. My man mountaineers and ice climbs. Last year I tried ice climbing to see why he likes it so much, so I figured this year I should try mountaineering, or "walking slowly uphill while not feeling well."
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Welcome to my New Year's tradition. Every year since I can't remember when I've written resolutions and done my very best to keep them. Sometimes the resolutions are goals, sometimes they are milestones, and often they are just plain goofy. The point isn't the resolution it's self though, its the goal setting and the yearly reflection. I'm a big fan of reflecting (insert astronomer joke about telescope optics here.) I believe that taking a good hard look at where you've been helps you prepare for where you are going. On one occasion in particular, it completely changed my life. But I digress...
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Note: This post is a continuation of a discussion between someone I can’t quite remember and myself, started by a post that person (she) wrote on the same topic, inspired by personal experience. If it was you, please speak up.

This week I’m back in San Francisco on travel for work. I’m using my free time to wander the city and explore stuff. Today I walked from Pier 39 to the hotel via Chinatown and a few historical sites. On that trip I encountered some of the most foul places of “rest” I have ever seen. Ok that’s a lie, but they did rank up there with my worst encounters, one of which involved banana spiders.

As I passed though these establishments, I couldn’t help but think… “Man, I wish I could pee like a man. My thighs would be so much less sore and I wouldn’t have the urge to take a culture of everything I brought into the bathroom with me.” Then I remembered: There is help!
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I ADOPTED A CRAG!

This was a little while ago, but I just got the pics off my phone and figured they were worth posting. REI and the Access Fund along with MidAtlanticClimbers sponsored the 2009 Adopt -a- Crag event at Carder Rock back in September. I went all by my lonesome, figuring I'd be busy working and would prolly end up making friends by the end of the day. I was right! I spent almost three hours rolling a wheel-barrow (Which I affectionately named Wilhamina) up and down the wooded path to the cliff. 
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The goal was to cover the ground to prevent further soil erosion and damage to tree roots. The crag is a popular place and the traffic takes it's toll. After hauling the mulch to the top volunteers would dump it over the edge, making a "mulch-fall" of sorts. Then people at the bottom would haul it again and spread it out. Amazingly, my hands hurt more than my shoulders did (yay climber shoulders!). They fed us dinner and I ate dinner with my new friends. I almost didn't go. The morning came too early and it was cold and threatening rain. So glad I did though. Climbers are such a good group to throw yourself into, especially when you don't know anyone. Its easy to meet people and talk about your adventures. I just hope that next year's event is warmer! :-P
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