Back on Belay

Crossing the river after climbing at The Appendage

Rappelling after setting a top-rope

The past couple of Thursday mornings I've been getting up early to go climbing with an old friend, Tom Lindsey. Last week Tom took a few pictures so I could share them here. (Thanks Tom)

It has been 4-5 years easy since the last time I've been on a wall. It was fun to chalk up the hands and lead my first climb up Red Slab. (Not a big deal) Last week I decided to lead something a little harder, a 5.8 called "No one top ropes the Bulge." For those of you climber types, you know that a 5.8 is nothing, but I'm fat and weak so that's about the right level for me. It's all about how you get to the top, right?

Anyway, I was leading this climb and I got just below the 3rd bolt (20-25 feet up) and I ran out of holds that I could keep a grip on. I didn't like the idea of falling at this point, but I signaled to Tom that I was likely to come off. Then it happened, I took a good whipper. Fell 10+ feet, and ended up at about Tom's eye level. In fact, I was really there next to his eyes because the force of my fall pulled him right into the wall.

I think that was probably my longest fall. It got my heart going, but it seemed pretty text-book. Anyway, although I'm not going to make it tomorrow, I look forward to my next climbing trip. I really want to go back to pay a visit to the Green Monster.