Maria & Strictly

Hooked up with Gregory for a day of climbing in the Trapps! I hadn't seen him in a really long time, and he is a good friend.

Gregory led up the first pitch of Maria (5.6), and I led the 2nd pitch.

I led the first pitch of Strictly From Nowhere, and he led the 2nd.

Weather was beautiful, sunny and breezy, t-shirt weather. Threatened to storm on us, but never delivered.

I am having to come to terms with my climber self as I am now, versus the way I remember being. I have to retrain my mind and body to be used to being scared, or being in scary situations.

I hadn't done Maria in a very, very long time. The 2nd pitch is very nice, steep and juggy. I have to get used to high places again, learn to trust that my feet aren't going to pop off for no reason.

On Strictly, just before the crux, a place a solid nut in a vertical crack. As I moved up into the crux, the nut lifted itself out. My next last piece of gear was a *long* way beneath. Now I've climbed Strictly probably several dozen time, there was no reason that I was going to come off. But I felt the panic rising in my body, felt week in my arms and sweaty in the fingers and scared. I put in a green alien, blind, and down-climbed back to the ledge. Beefed up my gear situation, and went up again. Crux still scary, but it went just fine.

Baby steps.