Lately

We had a fabulous time in Joshua Tree! The weather was FREEZING, but we had a great fire, warm blankets, and everyone else's tent blocked the wind for ours. :) N.'s cousin D. is living there working and climbing so he said he'd catch up with us and take us up a route nearby. It was great! After D. secured a top rope, N. went first, followed by the rest of the guys. Then it was my turn! I was totally freaked out, and was about to vomit when I was half way up, when I got really mad and just willed myself the rest of the way up. I was thrilled to see that my hands were bleeding (just a bit), giving me the mark of a true climber! I had never climbed outdoors before, and it was great! I think it was only a 5.4 route. We then tried a 5.8 route. None of us got to the top, though N. got the highest! I was the only girl who tried it and I got about as far as the guys did, anyway. There was one point on the climb that you had to switch your feet and hands, and it was so hard. I decided I was just going to jump for it, so I called out "I AM M. N. I STICK TO ROCKS!" (Reffering to a certainly sister-mine). I didn't quite make it, but we all got a kick out of it, and I had a fabulous time trying!! I'm working on being able to do a pull-up. I can do it starting from standing (with the bar about a foot over my head) but I can't do it starting from hanging. N. and I get to go to a climbing gym just as soon as I can!