Climbing! And other things.

[juliet]

Went past LARC today to do diary-synchronising (A BETTER SYSTEM IS NEEDED) and potter round the garden briefly; then on up to the Castle for an hour of very energetic bouldering.

Climbing is *awesome* fun. I am very pleased with myself for doing two 4C problems[0], both of which were overhanging & thus Harder. Doubtless tomorrow I will ache, but hey, I can climb things that require me to hang backwards off them! That is pretty damn cool! Plus it does the thing that I wanted to get out of it, viz: when I am climbing I am not thinking about anything else at all. (See also surfing.)

[ BTW, anyone who fancies having a go at climbing, I am happy to sign people in. Doesn't matter if you have zero experience -- all you need to know for top-roping is how to tie a harness, & how to belay, both of which are straightforward to demonstrate. ]

ION: after all the faff with the boiling up bones &c, Finlay is *very impressed* with his lentil stew stuff, so it was at least worth it. It'll still be vegan next time.

IOON: am on target with NaNoWriMo (hurrah!); have worked out that I am trying to fit more things into the day than there is available time for things (so nothing new there, then); the Archive Of Our Own is in open beta! (I have a spare invite code if anyone wants it) & I have top running in a window over there <-- so I can keep an eye on it; & teaching is going well except that my individual lessons keep getting cancelled due to e.g. torrential rain & 30mph winds.

[0] It's indoor climbing, so what you have is sets of coloured handholds set onto the wall, and each colour is one problem. Ratings start at 4A, & I've been climbing 4A and 4B pretty reliably recently; 4C I tend to fall off. Bouldering is not far off the ground, so you don't need a harness or someone to belay you. Top-roping is where there's a rope & a pulley at the top & it goes up a lot higher because you're attached to the rope so it's OK if you fall off. I mostly do bouldering because I go up on my own in the daytime. I think possibly problems is the word in bouldering & routes is the word when top-roping? I dunno. I am a beginner!

Comments

[ysobel]

(I have a spare invite code if anyone wants it)

*raises hand?*

[juliet]

Sent (to the email address on your userinfo) - have fun :)

[booklectica]

Actually, I have always wanted to try climbing - I went abseiling once as a teenager and loved it. Hmmm.

[juliet]

Climbing is way more fun than abseiling! Although also more energetic :) (if top-roping you do get to be lowered down afterwards in abseil-ish fashion)

Let me know if you'd like to come up to the Castle & have a go sometime.

[booklectica]

*looks up Castle website* Damn, North London and opening at 2pm - can't go during the day then. Possibly could do a Monday or Thursday evening? It does look cool.

[juliet]

I can do evenings! But it needs a bit more planning-ahead than daytimes do :) In fact, most Mon & Thu over the next couple of weeks look to be OK. I *think* that Monday evenings is their Women With Altitude night (women-only version of the session run most evenings whereby you sign up & they'll sort you out with a climbing partner for the evening). So there would be lots of other women around. (Also chaps, but climbing on their own / with their own mates rather than as part of the session, if you see what I mean.)

[booklectica]

Ooh. I could do next Monday? It would be great to try something new (rather than just thinking about it!). It's the kind of thing where I'd much rather go with someone ele who knows their way round, so if you are up for going that would be brilliant.

[juliet]

Monday would be good! Let me know what time you can make - I don't have anything else on that day (unless work book me last-minute, but at this time of year that can't be past 4pm anyway). (NB see comment to Sean below re costs.)

[booklectica]

Have emailed. Costs noted and fine. I'm guess jogging bottoms and a teeshirt would be correct attire?

[juliet]

Yep, sounds good! Anything you can move comfortably in is fine.

[sbp.livejournal.com]

I would like to try climbing. Also I have next week off, so do you have free during-the-days?

[juliet]

Yes! They open at 2pm. I could do Monday (probably, unless I suddenly get booked for work), Tuesday, or Thursday, any time (after 2) in the afternoon. Current cost is I think £12 for entry (stay as long as you like) plus £5 for shoes & harness hire.