I think you know that you were the person to introduce me to rock climbing. I'm pretty sure I was aware that climbing existed, but you brought it into my life, like religion or alcohol. So, thanks. I remember going climbing at Rockcreation and loving it at first fall. Then we went somewhere outdoors with your step-father, Rae, and Alexis. Didn't my parents insist on talking to your step-father about precautions and safety and all that? Anyhow, it was great being outdoors and understanding what the faux handholds in the gym were supposed to really feel like.
I went a few more times in Los Angeles and then I went to undergrad blahblahblah. But, I got super into climbing while I was in Berkeley the year after I graduated. My job gave us a free membership to a great climbing gym and I would go all the time with Abbey Gordon. Remember, Abbey? I hate waking up early and I would get up at 6am to climb before I worked. It was fantastic. I even went bouldering in the Berkeley hills:
When I moved to New York, my heart sank because seriously there is no climbing. Unless you have a car and have time to drive to the "gunks" you are subjected to small, unchanging, expensive walls. I wrote you an email recently in which I said: "In other words, no, I have not been climbing at all lately. Though, I hear there may be a good wall in Kathmandu and I will go check it out once my stupid shin splint heals and/or I grow some balls."
Guess what? I grew some balls and my shin splint healed. It took me three buses to get to Maharjgunj, where the Pasang Llama climbing wall is. The man working there said he would belay me and I did approximately three ascents on this wall:
On my last ascent three Nepali boys gathered to watch me struggle up the wall and fall midway. The best news is that it turns out someone built a bouldering wall in their basement and that basement is like 10 minutes away from me on one bus or walking. We'll see how that turns out...
Point is: thanks for introducing me to this sport and congrats on your competition and maybe I'll see you in South Korea.
Best,
Lauren
4 comments:
Ha! I'm so honored to have a post. Yay climbing!
Congrats on growing those balls. That wall looks pretty nice. Maybe we shall one day climb together again...
Lauren, did you invite Christine to visit you in Kathmandu for some climbing? Is there any climbing in Korea?
Christine does a bunch of climbing in Korea...and she's welcome to come visit Kathmandu!
Oooohh...I wish I could! Going climbing next month in China! Woo hoo!
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