venturesome krysia

Well I’d call my first rock climbing trip of the year a success. I recently spent 3 days in the RRG climbing with my kids, some friends, and of course, Stella, my truck – a must have for climbing at PMRP. It is the first time I have climbed outside since my accident and my first time back to Kentucky since last April, and I am happy to report, it is still an incredible place!

Before leaving I was sure to do some lead climbing in the gym. This was a good move for me, I think it helped with my confidence. I haven’t lead anything since July of last year, so practice is good. Turns out I kinda forgot all efficient clipping techniques, but now I have a new goal!

The weather was amazing. We had warm, sunny days, it even reached 85 on our last day which was delightful for this Michigan girl. Being outside and having contact with real rock again did so much good for my soul and for my kids’ souls too. My teen-aged daughter sometimes “forgets” her connection with nature; however, this trip fully reacquainted her with it.

For me the best part was not how hard I climbed (I didn’t really climb that hard) but how mentally present I climbed. For the first time while leading, I didn’t get nervous or sketched out when I was above my last bolt. It was really an exciting discovery. I noticed that I was solely focused on where the next move was and didn’t give a second thought to moving above my protection and finding really good placements before clipping. In the past, I would get nervous inside and want to just clip ASAP and would not necessarily be in the best position for doing this. This time I trusted that if I kept moving, there would be some good holds and I would find them, which I did.

I attribute some of this to the yoga I have practicing 5 days a week, lately. My breath work has become such a huge part of my climbing. I kept making sure I was breathing in and out, especially when at cruxes. I noticed my breath would get faster and faster, but continuous. After the crux on 27 Years of Climbing, my belayer yelled up to me to shake out and regulate my breathing before moving to the chains. This was great advice and allowed me to send this 5 star, super fun climb.

I guess the only drawback of this kind of focus was that on another climb I almost missed a clip because I was just breathing and climbing! Good thing I had an attentive belayer (thanks Darcy!).

Three days down there was more of teaser than anything. Ever since I’ve been home I just keep thinking about going back. Hopefully RRG, will we meet again soon.

With an epic snowstorm ready to descend upon us, I feel like I should be cheerier.  But I’m not.  Truth is, in my part of the world, where we have on average 1 sunny day out of 14 cloudy and gloomy ones, it’s kind of hard to keep your spirits up.  Couple that with my daughter being sick for most of the past two weeks, I am feeling the full impact of cabin fever.  Thankfully, Michigan Ice Fest is this weekend or I would really be despondent.

Probably the worst part is there is nothing for me to write about.  I took my son sledding, which was super fun, but snowboarding has been put on hold until my daughter is well again.  And sure, I’ve gone to the gym, on-sited a couple new routes, flashed others, found some new projects, but there is no story to tell about that.  Climbing certainly helps break up the monetary of winter and I am always glad to be there, but give me something I can write about!

So I am left to my mind wandering to a sunnier, happier place.  Like the 2 winters I spent on Hawaii.  Ahhh, that was nice.  Or the days I spent last summer and fall climbing at The Red.  Which reminds me of Miguel’s Pizza and I am in my happy place now, so shh…I think I feel the words coming on…

My first impressions of Miguel’s was “I’m Home”.  Anyone who knows me knows I hate to admit I’m a day over 29, even though my son and I are the only ones that actually believe it.  So for me to admit what I am about to reveal is a pretty big deal.  I am old enough to have gone to Grateful Dead shows when Jerry was still alive.  There.  I’ve said it.  Stop judging!  Anyway, my first thought when I walked out back to Miguel’s was, “Hmmm, so this is where all the hippies have gone.”  I really felt like it had the same vibe shows used to have for me.  Minus the drugs and music of course.  But it was the people, the sense of community.

Miguel Ventura opened up his restaurant in 1985 and has been serving trad and sport climbers delicious pizza and other specialties ever since.  But it doesn’t end there.  Miguel allows camping for “climbers only” on his land in the back of the restaurant for $2 a night.  The atmosphere is so laid back and chill, it is really a special place.  I have found parts of  The Big Island of Hawaii to be similar in hospitality, but there aren’t too many places in the world like it which makes me so happy I have found it.  And thinking about it is a great way to lighten my mood on this cold winter’s night.