Recently I was invited to go out climbing with a friend and his buddies at Smith Rock in Oregon. Now normally I would have blown him off as I had done on many occasions and usually out of my fear of meeting people in new situations. But this time I choose to take the plunge and not only address this fear of meeting new people but also look at my fear of looking stupid which I can guarantee that me climbing will be a humbling experience.
Back in the days of dare I say it the early 80′s, now I have given up my age and in my early twenty’s I was an avid climber climbing all over England, Europe and parts of the US. I was climbing back in the day when the Wild Country Friends were all the rage (Wild Country Friends were the first camming devices). I lived in North Wales and the heart and soul of climbing. I know Americans will say Yosemite was the heart of climbing but alas this is where I differ. Climbing originally started as a way to exercise before Himalayan climbers headed to the lofty peaks of Everest and K2 each year and so in the early fifity’s and sixties these Himalayan climbers set up climbing routes that I am still in awe of today. They had no modern equipment just big heavy hiking boots, pitons as protection and hemp ropes. So in my younger days I would head out after work and climb one of the great climbs in Llanberis Pass and often would climb to see the sun setting over the pass.
I loved those days of adventure and some where along the way I gave up those things that I cherished until recently where I have again now in my early forties began to live an adventurous life. I started Yoga, picked up my paint brush, starting a business and have opened up to build friendships again. This to say I am loving this period of my life.
So the chance to go climbing again for the first time in ten years excited me and un-nerved me. The night before the climb I bought out my old now dusty climbing boots and my chalk bag and neatly put them out and felt the old rush of climbing come through my veins again.
The next morning we took the short drive to Smith Rock. It was sunny out with only blue Sky’s on this September day as we headed to the crags. If you have never been to Smith Rock, it is a world class climbing area with rocks that cascade towards the sky waiting for you to discover her secrets. Far below is the river that flows through the area slowly meandering it ways to an unknown destination. We arrive at the crag we are going to climb. The guys said it was a 5.9, panic sets in for a moment, i was like are you kidding, my first climb in ten years and it’s a 5.9. I allowed the panic to pass and said it would be okay that I would not be leading so my focus would be to simply climb. After the guys set up the climb I get my boots on and set up my harness and tie into the rope with a bowline knot and I touch the rock for the first time. Feeling the rock against my fingers I slowly place my hands on the rock gathering into my first holds. I push myself up onto the rock and start to climb. Just above the first bolt I came to a grand stop. The rock pettard out of holds and the guys before me were taller and stronger than me and were easily able to climb over this section that I now found so difficult to maneuver. Fear started to rise and I felt I know longer wanted to climb and so wanted to give in. Ha, this is my fear in life, my Yoga practice as enabled me to look at myself these couple of years and expose my fears and this is sure one of them. So as I do in Yoga when the heat and the practice gets intense I breath. I feel Pranayama, the life force within me and the panic stops and I can see things more clearly by simply being aware of my breath in this moment. I look up and around me for holds that I can place my hands and feet and find one off to the right. I grab for it and make it to the hold that it enables me to life my left foot up to another small hold and soon I am past the difficult part and slowly I ease into a rhythm with my body and mind that I no longer feel separate from the rock, it feels a part of me as I make my way to the top. When I get to the top I take a look around me and what a beautiful sight I see before me with blue Sky’s, the river the color of jade and the rock an intense brown and just silence. This is why I used to climb, not for the ego or some self serving purpose, no it was so that my soul could reconnect with nature.
By Sharon Page@ 2011 All Rights Reserved
September 26, 2011
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