Rock Climbing

In Boulder, Colorado, it's a natural to get into Rock Climbing. I mean, everyone does it here! I haven't done as much outside climbing as I want to, but I'm sure that will change soon. Joanne and I did the famous Third Flatiron with Lew and Lein from back East shortly after we moved here.

Monkey Traverse - May 31, 2004...

Henry, Fathi, and I did Calypso on the Wind Tower in Eldorado Canyon on July 14, 2002. (pictures soon to come)

These pictures are from when I first tried rock climbing in the summer of 1995, and it was a really interesting experience. We were in Quincy Quarry near Boston, MA. This picture is me on a 75 foot rock face with quite a few small hand and foot holds. The guy belaying me is Lew Miller. Even though the rope is always ready to catch you, there is nothing like the feeling that you know you can't hold on much longer and you just can't find that next foot placement! It's really quite mental, and I'd like to do more of it!

For fitness and just getting better at technical climbing in general, I'm trying to make a habbit of going to the rock gym. Here are some pictures from one in Denver called "Paradise Rock Gym" taken in late 1999:

Me, trying to look serious on a realtively easy one.
Karen, looking not so serious, but geeking the camera!
In the bouldering area...
Hold that pose just a little longer!

Now (start of 2002) I'm getting back into the swing of it with some people from work.

Fathi, who is concentrating on nothing but rock!
I obviously know the camera is there...
Emma is using those forearms.
I think she's found an enormous foot-hold!
Come on biceps, don't fail me now!
Gee, Doug forgot his gym clothes - maybe next time.