In 1998 I was obviously much younger and in far better shape than I am now. Add to that the rather simple climbing wall – if I recall correctly, it didn’t require much skill – and I was sure to make it to the top. Not that any of this registered in my mind at the time. Oh sure, I knew the wall wasn’t very high, but the experience still led me to believe that real wall climbing - with all the ropes and equipment - wouldn’t be that hard. It was a belief I held right up until the moment I decided to embrace this challenge as one of my 40 activities this year.
If you’ve never tried wall climbing, here’s a tip: don’t expect to win any beauty contests. Those harnesses are not flattering. They push your skin and fat into weird places, make you look lopsided, give you an ass where you don't have one (I would know). They also give you a mega wedgie. No joke. One of the three-point safety checks includes the “wedgie check”. If you don’t have a wedgie, the rope isn’t taut enough. So take it from me, you want the worst wedgie of your life!
Tip #2: When belaying, expect a wedgie far higher on the wedgie scale than that of your climber. Seriously. Belayers suffer more. My sister will back me up here.
The best part about this experience was that the technical stuff wasn’t as overwhelming as I expected it to be. We had a great instructor who allowed us to test ourselves many times to make sure we were comfortable with the process. We learned about the different types of harnesses, how to put them on, and most importantly, how to secure them.
We learned how to tie a perfect climbing knot (that’s a figure 8 knot to you).
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| Perfect climbing knot, thanks very much! |
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| Instructor belaying while I try the training wall. |
We learned how to thread the rope through the Grigri belay device.
We learned all the safety checks – both for the belayer and the climber – before a climb could begin.
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| Safety check complete. Now what? |
“Belay On!”
“Climbing!”
“Climb On!”
“Take!”
“Got!”
“Down!”
“Lowering!”
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| Belaying. Always watch your climber. |
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| Here I go! |
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| A little higher ... |
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| And higher ... |
Those first 10 feet offered good practice, and I felt more confident for the second go. This time, I think we came closer to 20 feet (I’m guessing here, because I can’t remember exactly how high it was). We were on the easiest climbing wall, and our goal was to reach the top. We both did it! Yay! My sister did it with more confidence than I did, especially when I found myself in strange contortions and uncertain how to get myself to the next grip. But I did manage, though I was very relieved when I was able to come down.
On our third run, we decided to go to the next level of difficulty. It meant a longer rope and a wall that stretched beyond the top edge of our beginner wall. I belayed first, and I have to say, I was quite encouraged by my sister as she pulled herself from one grip to the next.
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| Look at her go! |
I called to be lowered. When she asked if I was tired, I had to admit that I was anxious. I just couldn’t force myself one step higher.
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| Ah the relief of being lowered! |
Halfway down, the rope began to turn and fling me in all directions, and of course the anxiety disappeared into peals of laughter. I was twisting and turning and flying around banging into walls. How could I not laugh? It was actually pretty fun. Ha ha! I don't have any photos of that. Sorry!
When I once again reached the ground, I felt relieved. I also felt a little deflated, despite the hilarity of my descent. I was disappointed in myself. My mind had undone me. I’d allowed fear to get in my way.
But … there’s always a but … I wasn’t going to let it stop me. Is it possible to look at fear as a delay? Of course it is! I am in charge of my own destiny, after all! Besides, climbing is really fun ... even with that fear thrown in. It’s interesting, it’s challenging, and it offers a great sense of achievement. If I have to do that beginner wall 50 times before I feel comfortable climbing higher, that’s fine with me. The pleasure is in the journey. (But damn if I don’t intend to kick that wall’s ass one day.)
"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." — Marilyn vos Savant.
Lesson learned: Sometimes, fear can sneak up on you and stop you in your tracks. Literally. But when that happens, it’s important to remember to breathe. Get your feet on the ground. Regroup. But most important, don't give up. Trust yourself enough to keep trying, because eventually – with enough practice – you will reach the top.
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| Onward and upward! |
