The verdict's still out

For my last day of summer break, we loaded up the car and hit the road for Smith Rock in Central Oregon. Because of other weekend obligations, it was a short trip: out after work Thursday and home Friday night. Lightning spread out across the horizon as we drove across the Warm Springs Reservation after dark. We'd never stayed at the walk-in climbers' bivouac campground before, and getting our bearings in the dark was a little challenging. But for $4/person with real potties, running water and showers, it was worth the extra adventure. As an added bonus, lightning occasionally lit up our tent as we fell asleep.

Friday morning we went in search of easy climbing routes on the world-famous rock. I'm a true beginner, and the first one we picked was a bit above my head (literally!). After several tries, I could only get about 2 feet off the ground and gave up disappointed. We tried another "easy" route, and Brad had to boost me up just so I could get to the first ledge. Again, I gave up, thinking that rock climbing just isn't my sport.

Brad, determined to help me achieve success, found another bunch of routes made of different rock and different kinds of features. We ended up on Double Time (rated 5.7), and Brad thoroughly enjoyed climbing the trad route to set up my top rope.
The bottom 8 feet or so proved problematic just getting off the ground, and I almost gave up again, totally defeated. Then, all of the sudden, I was on it!! I worked my way up very slowly, freaking out most of the way. Brad helped me spot foot and hand holds that escaped my newbie eyes and gave me the encouragement I needed. After what seemed like forever, I stretched out as far as I could and touched the anchor! Brad lowered me down, and I nearly passed out from the stress :) Rock climbing is hard work!!

Climbing Double Time was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, physically and mentally. I'm so glad I did it, and if I wasn't so exhausted, I would have tried it again to see if I could do it cleaner and faster! Maybe I'm a rock climber after all :)

-Liz

PS - I almost forgot to mention the guy in the Speedo! As we were sitting in the car looking for that second climbing area, a very tan, not-so-buff, middle-aged man in a blue Speedo sauntered across the parking lot in front of us! It was sort of like a train wreck: we couldn't look away as he wandered around, checking out the views and reading the signs. We walked by a few minutes later and, just as expected, heard him talking to his wife (who was actually wearing clothes) in a different language. Next to climbing Double Time, seeing Mr. Speedo was my favorite moment!