Rock Climbing

It was two and half years ago that I first thought of going rock-climbing. Two and half years. And I finally did it last night. I'm so excited.

I must confess that I began to be worried as Wednesday evening approached. What if I didn't like it? What if it scared me? What if I just couldn't do it? But it was on My List, and there was no way I was going to back down. So I went.

I met Andrea at her house, and we rode downtown together. As Ang was driving, I asked questions about this place we were going. I was a little worried about the answers she was giving--like the fact that there was only *one* bathroom, and it was really dirty, so I'd probably prefer not to use it--but I refused to get nervous.

Well. Then we got downtown. Then we drove through downtown. Then we were on the outskirts of downtown. As we were sitting at a light, in the outskirts of downtown, I pointed out a scary bridge. "Oh, my," I said. "Look at that scary bridge!" And I locked the doors. Andrea UNlocked the doors. I made her lock them again. I said something about the scary bridge, and how I wouldn't like to drive under it at night, and then it occurred to me."*We're* not going to drive under that thing...are we?"Andrea smiled, nodded, and proceeded to drive under "that thing." Well, at this point I was a little more apprehensive, but I was still ignoring it. I could not figure out where in the world she was going. Soon, though, it became apparent that she was teasing me, because she was driving between these old, broken down looking buildings, and on torn up roads that looked like they hadn't been used in years. At least, I thought she was teasing me. I soon become even more apprehensive, and said, "Are you kidding me??" She laughed. I waited a minute. "Are you kidding me???!!" I said again. We both began to laugh hysterically at this point. This was about the time we turned a corner and saw what there was to see--renovated grain silos. "Are you KIDDING me???!!!"

She wasn't kidding me. If she had told me before that OKC Rocks was located in abandoned grain silos, I did not remember, and I certainly wasn't expecting it.

It was better once we got inside, though. It was clear that everyone was there to climb, and that was it. Well...except for the people from the Czech Republic. Anyway, as I was signing in, I saw Larry through probably the only window in the whole...silo. Ah, Larry--aka, Jake--my old krav maga instructor. He is something else. I just recently found out that he is a psychologist, which explains a WHOLE, WHOLE lot! It explains why one of his favorite sayings was, "*I* can't make *you* do anything." It was great to have him there.

As I was going through the belaying class (where they teach you how to keep your partner from falling from the wall), I heard Jake talking in his usual excited tone. I turned and saw him speaking with the people who had been speaking a language I recognized, but couldn't quite pin down. Turns out it was Czech. Larry wanted us to meet the Czechs. One Czech in particular wanted to meet Andrea. Wanted to party with Andrea. Wanted Andrea's number. All he got, though, was Andrea's email address. :::giggles::: Don't you love me, Andrea? ;) So that was fun.

Time goes very quickly when you're rock climbing. The three of us took turns climbing, belaying, and just watching. It was cool. The highest climb I did was 39 feet. It was hard, but it was fun, and I can't wait to do it again--and hopefully I'll make it higher.

I was very proud of Andrea. She's afraid of heights, but she climbed higher than I did, and heights don't bother me!

I'm a little surprised at how much I actually enjoyed climbing up a wall. I wanted to do it for a few reasons. The main one was that I saw it as acquiring a skill. Some day it may be important that I know how to rock climb, especially with all of the cliffs around my parents' house. So, I saw it almost (*almost*) as a chore. I was slightly surprised, and very relieved, to find that I loved it.

As it was getting close to time for us to leave, something slightly unexpected happened. The hugest Great Dane I have ever seen in my life ran through the silo we were climbing in. I'm talking huge. You know how a lot of times owners resemble their dogs? Well, this dog's owner was no exception. He was TALL, broad shoulders, and very fit. Like his dog. It made me laugh. I mean, what kind of dog do y'all see Andrea having??? Or, Andrea, what about Jake? :::laughs:::

Anyway. That was my first night of rock climbing. Unfortunately, we won't be going again next week because, well, that's my birthday, so we will be somewhere else. Decidedly somewhere else. Why? Because I will be 21. That's all.

It is so bedtime. I'm going to need a nap tomorrow!

Goodnight, everyone! If you did say a prayer that I wouldn't die last night, then I appreciate it. I survived, with only a temporary blurring of vision in my left eye, and a bruise on my left knee. Next time will be better, I'm thinking.

Pax.