Thirty-eight done ... 14 to go...

What: #71 Rock climb outdoors

When: October 25th-26th
Where: Red River Gorge, KY - Muir Valley
Why: A bit over 2 years ago, as part of my inaugural list, I joined some co-workers to try climbing. These co-workers - now two of my dearest and closest friends thanks to our time spent getting to know each other during climbing and other fun outings that grew from it - have always encouraged me to improve and to push myself when I climb, and they knew that one day I'd need to try climbing outside of the gym. It wasn't really a lack of desire or any fear that kept me from doing it; more like the logistics. There are not too many locations in the Midwest that work for good climbing, so it was going to take a weekend trip to make it happen, and finally that weekend (scheduled months in advance!) was upon us.

Heading to Kentucky, I was excited to think about a chance to climb outside in the fresh air, among the amazing fall colors we've been blessed with this autumn, and with a guy I totally trust; this was very key. Zach (who we knew when he managed our climbing gym) has dedicated himself to climbing in "The Red" for the past few months and knows his way around the valley and the routes and has always been known for his hyper-safe ways, so this was the perfect person to be our guide. We met up at Miguel's Pizza (*the* place to hang out/camp/eat as a climber down there) and listened as he described the first place he wanted to take us, and it sounded perfect for my first climb.

As I took my first few moves, it was definitely different than climbing indoors; the texture is better, the options for where to place your feet are much more varied, and the time it takes for each move is longer as you try to discern the next placement for your hand. And I loved it! My first climb, "Casey" on the Animal Crackers wall, was an incredibly fun 5.8 with a hidden second-layer to climb over the top, and it was a blast! My next climb that evening - a 5.9 at The Boneyard - was really fun to watch my friends climb, but didn't play to my strength, which is more balance versus the ability to pull myself up the first 6-foot roof, and so I was too tired to do much else, and still getting used to grabbing for the plates on the wall and trusting that they won't crack off in my hand.

With two climbs under my belt (harness) that first evening, and a delicious dinner of pizza and Ale81, I woke up the next day ready to see what else I could do. Our first climb of the morning was on the Guide Wall - a 5.8 + route - and I loved it! This, however, is when I realized how cold the rock wall can be and how crazy it is to climb by relying on your finger strength when, in fact, you can't feel your fingertips. Yet, it hardly mattered because I was having such a blast! From that first route of the day, we did the next route on that same rock wall, starting with a tricky crack move, ending with the same amazing view. After this, we took a break to hike up to the top of another rock wall and see the panorama of that section of the valley; it was so beautiful!

Resting halfway - Amazing photo by Zach

My next two climbs really made me work on them. The 5.10a that I tried would have been a route I could have climbed in the gym, but I have a lot less fear of taking a fall in the gym, knowing it's a flat wall with only a few obstacles if I hit it. On the rock face, the idea of falling and cracking my knees into the rock wall or scraping my hands and legs against jagged edges of rock did not appeal to me, so I was much more cautious about reaching for a move and quickly wore myself out, taking breaks after every couple of moves. Then, on my final ascent, I pushed myself to get to the top of this route. The beginning was fun, the middle was tricky (climbing a crack that had me worried about taking a fall and getting my hand or foot stuck to cause some serious damage), and then the top was a great climb up a series of plates. The overhang - a spot I mentally trip up on even now in the gym - did cause me to pause, worried about swinging out if I fell, but I had great encouragement to just go for it, so I did, shook out, and kept going.

This whole weekend was a fantastic trip, with lots of laughter and good food, and I'm proud of the successes I had on my first outdoor climbing trip, and can't wait to do it again in the spring!

Thirty-seven done ... 15 to go...

What: #60 Call to request a song on the radio

When: October 13th
Where: Gaylord, MI
Why: The radio has always been a comfort to me; my clock radio in my bedroom growing up was a window to the world of classical music, indie DJs, country music, and lyrics for an angst-ridden teenager. My first purchase with money I earned baby-sitting as a teenager was a stereo system (3-disc CD changer, dual deck tape player!) with a remote control; I was giddy! My free time was often spent - as so many of my peers can likely relate - waiting to catch and record my favorite songs to make mixed tapes that I'd listen to until they wore out, or that I'd give as gifts, prized possessions to this day (altho it turns out that the tapes do not hold up very well over decades).

Nowadays, there is almost instant access to any song at one's fingertips, and I think there is something lost in the novelty of waiting to hear your favorite song, the anticipation of those first few notes that can instantly perk up any mood or bring back any memory. That is why I wanted to call to request a song, to know I could look forward to hearing my selection, but not knowing when it would play; an exercise in patience in such an immediate-gratification world. 

I've made plenty of phone calls to radio stations over the years, hoping to win NKOTB concert tickets as a middle schooler, then other concert tickets throughout the years, but to no avail. Perhaps, I hoped, I'd have better luck calling to request a song. On a country drive, I heard a DJ mention that he was taking callers, so I dialed up Tom Kent of 92.5 The Fox in Gaylord to make my very cheesy request. Any guesses?

Here it is, in all of its awkward glory!

 

Thirty-six done ... 16 to go...

What: #9 Visit Michigan’s Dark Sky Park

When: October 11th &12th
Where: Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Why: I have access to great wide expanses of farm fields without much light pollution, so I've seen my share of shooting stars, rising moons, and clear constellations. I have books on stars, access to a telescope, and sky maps on my phone. I've taken astronomy classes (not easy to stay awake in a dark room as a college student, just so ya know), have attended many events at local planetariums and observatories (have viewed Mars' ice cap and Saturn's rings!) and have visited both the Griffith Park Observatory and the Adler Planetarium. Oh, and I recently got up before sunrise to see the lunar eclipse! So, it seems clear that I enjoy the night sky and astronomical events.

Clear night skies at the Headlands

Thus, a couple summers ago, I made the trek to New Brunswick to see the dark sky preserve on a night that was promising a meteor shower. The weather was not cooperative and it ended up being a very rainy, wet, cloudy night; this did not dampen my interest in seeing an amazing night sky. I can recall a few times that I have seen incredible stars: on Amantani Island in Lake Titicaca (the first time I ever saw the Southern Cross), in the Sahara during my visit to Morocco, and I had hoped to see incredible stars this past summer in Wadi Rum, but was thwarted by an amazing full moon. Fortunately, I found out that there is an International Dark Sky park in my own home state!

View towards the Mackinac Bridge

It's called the Headlands, and is on the northernmost tip of the Lower Peninsula. That part of the state is beautiful during the day, and it was a treat to be there at night. The Milky Way was more visible than I had ever seen it in person...it spanned the entire sky like a rainbow of cloudy star clusters! I was able to go out two different nights and see a dozen or more shooting stars, many satellites (so many...how very different from even a decade ago), and be surrounded by others who sought out the same peace and tranquility of star-gazing. I hope to return when they complete the construction of the on-site observatory in a few years!

McGulpin Point Lighthouse near the Headlands

Thirty-five done ... 17 to go...

What: #42 Get myself something that is monogrammed

When: October 9th
Where: Etsy
Why: When I was in kindergarten, I had my school picture taken in a monogrammed sweater. The last initial in the middle really didn't set well with me; I don't like things out of order. I think that's why I've avoided monograms from that point, but lately, having something monogrammed seems like a very real adult must-do, and as it seems a lot of this list is about doing a few more "real adult" tasks (like buying fancy cheese!), I thought I'd tackle this one. Most people seem to get items that are monogrammed when they are getting married, but I don't believe in waiting around for that to treat myself.


As I contemplated what to have monogrammed, a lot of jewelry popped up, but I'm not really a big accessories gal, and I didn't really want monogrammed towels, nor did I need a monogrammed tote or lunch box. I did want a monogrammed umbrella, but I'm not sure that they make those (I just really don't like my current umbrella, so thought that would kill two birds with one stone). Unsure of what to do, I went to Etsy, the perfect online place to find other ideas for monogrammed items, and instantly fell in love with monogrammed boot socks! I love my boots - so much that they help me transition into autumn and then winter without too much ire - and having socks that complement the boots seemed like a great idea! I found a really cute store - "Marking Our Home" - and they were able to make my dream of having awesome socks that are both functional and fabulous! In fact, on my first day of wearing them, I had two compliments on how much people liked them! There are so many cute socks out there right now; just look at this page of adorable pairs! I was specifically looking for actual socks - not just cuffs or leg warmers - so that narrowed my search, and I'm very happy with what I got.

Thirty-four done ... 18 to go...

What: #24 Purchase an app

When: October 4th
Where: App Store
Why: Now on my third iPhone, it seems I am finally comfortable enough to purchase an app. For those who know me, indecision is my tragic flaw, so it has taken me awhile to pin down my choice. One area my phone could help boost is my to-do list completion. I tend to put all tasks into my Calendar app, but it becomes very cumbersome to sort between the tasks and events and birthdays and happenings, and then the day passes and the tasks are gone with it and, well, let's just say that a bill or two has gone unpaid and severely added to my stress. After asking a few friends what apps they recommend, I realized they all had really great suggestions for camera apps, workout apps, and to-do list apps, so I searched around and found "Fragment" (but it was free), "Field Trip" (also free), and finally "Zippy" for $0.99! I intend to put it to use right away to deal with this stack of bills, notes, invitations, etc.