Eighteen down...34 to go...

What: #99 Climb at Planet Rock in Ann Arbor

Where: Planet Rock
When: June 4
Why: In high school, I had the opportunity to do
some wall-climbing and really liked the challenge. In the following years, I've had other chances to do some climbing in a variety of less formal settings - like on a cruise ship (remember my Glamour appearance?). In an effort to keep finding new ways to be active and have fun, I bought a Groupon for climbing at the local Planet Rock gym. Two of my friends are climbing there together now, too, so I went along with them to get my first day in under my belt, or I guess under-my-harness is the more appropriate term. On that note, I learned a few other terms tonight, like "jugs" and "flashing," both of which - I was assured - are real climbing terms. I also learned how to tie some good knots!

Someday I hope to climb 
the way Ashley does!

As my first time back in a climbing gym after quite a long hiatus, I went through the introductory lesson, and it didn't take long to remember some of the specifics of the process. I did a few climbs up the auto-belay just to get my nerves settled (heights aren't my favorite thing), and then joined in with my friends when they got there. I managed to get up two routes to the top, another one up over an overhanging obstacle (something I'd never done before) thanks to their great encouragement and belay skills, and then attempted a higher degree of difficulty on a later climb (a 5.8 route), but my arms had given out on me by that point. It takes a lot of upper body strength that I'm excited to build, altho less excited that I'm going to have to have stubby fingernails to really improve at all because otherwise, I can't get my fingers in the holds I need. Still, I definitely have the bug to go back again and keep improving!