Yes, stubborn me sent a project this year and this was that speechless, breathtaking view. Thank you Climbing!

“Climbing has taught me to appreciate everything beautiful outside.” Quote by an amazing destination climber….ummm, wait a minute, oh yeah that’s me, haha!

My views, so emotional I cannot explain it.

Well, yes haha, but not really. This is something I posted today on my Instagram account. After a sluggish Tuesday climbing session, I bounced back today with a strong climbing workout.  Whilst leaving the gym, I noticed the amazing sunset, got an iPhone picture and shared it on Instagram and realized how much more I appreciate things in nature since I started climbing outside 4++ years ago. I was inspired to write this post today because my statement on Instagram actually dug deeper than the pretty picture and quote. On my ride home I started thinking, how has climbing really changed me? Good and bad?  This is a witty, funny but real thanks to the “Climbing Gods”.

The Good

• Precious Climbing Angels – I met the most amazing friends I would have not otherwise met unless through climbing. I have so many precious friends I have met through climbing….“gotta get a credit curd” you know who y’all know who you are (haha). I am most grateful to the climbing Gods for all the beautiful friends you brought into my life.  I love the climbing community and the friends I have made through climbing.
  

  I never would see this as a great thing, but climbing taught me to appreciate everything outdoors even on my approach.

• PB&J – I have never made so many PB&Js since I started camping/climbing. Thank you climbing Gods for bringing this awesome “nutritious” item back into my life.
• Mi Tierra – I never knew Spain was a hidden gem, that is for rock climbing. My blood, my soul, my genes is all over Spain, but climbing brought new meaning to this country. I have seen so many places I would have not seen my whole childhood thanks to the damn Climbing Gods. I have tasted so many amazing foods & wines and seen so many unique villages thanks to climbing. I have seen so many sheep and goats and heard cowbells while hearing my own breath in the quietness of climbing hundreds and thousands of feet up, thanks to climbing. Thank you Climbing Gods for allowing me to see another side of Mi Espana.
  

  The beauty of a country I would have never thought of exploring if it wasn’t for climbing.

• The Views – Climbing has taken this to a new level. I am a seeker of “overlook views” as a hiker. But when I get to the overlook, I am like “awwww how beautiful”. The Climbing Gods said “oh hell no, we are gonna take this overlook obsession to the new level bitches”.  When I climb and go through an immense journey up a cliff and get to the top, anchor in and take the view, I have no words, no speech. No words can express the combined beauty of climbing up a rock, defying all odds, pushing through fears and challenges and reaching the top. The top summit vista from a climbing point of view is speechless, breathtaking and emotional all at the same time. I am forever grateful to those Climbing Gods for making me experience this unique yet so intimate encounter. I cannot explain it more other than “it is”. Only others that experience it can understand what I am saying here.
• My Personal Growth – I was once an elite gymnast whom had great dreams and unfortunately became married in a not so great marriage for 12 years.   My dreams and self-esteem were crushed because I allowed it. When I got out of that situation, climbing came miraculously in my life. Those Climbing Gods must have been stalking me somehow (haha).   Climbing took me back to my gymnastics. It reminded me that when I set my mind to something and work hard for it, I could do it. It reminded me that the sky is the limit. It reminded me to love myself and believe in myself again. I truly am forever grateful for this.

I never knew this side of Bermuda until climbing showed me.

The Bad

• The Obsession – Well this is good, but also bad. I was not planning on dreaming so much about climbing that I tighten up and apparently fist up at night while sleeping and my fingers go numb.  Yes, I am officially calling it “climberitis”. I was not planning on obsessing so much that when I see my local gym post “new routes ready for the weekend” I cannot concentrate and make sure my ass gets to the gym to get “mines” before a date. Yes, I was late to a date today because I had to get “mines” or else I would not be able to sleep sound tonight. Dear Climbing Gods, you did good on this obsession thing, you stalk us, reel us in and we cannot ever stop thinking about your ass.  I read guidebooks, drool over anything silver that jingles (aka, total gear whore), and cannot wait to climb anything. When I talk and joke, I use climbing as a frame of reference, and then realize only climbers get it, not real normal people. I learned to become skilled at turning off Climbing Doris to Social Normal Doris or else folks think I am a crazy, obsessed climbing chic. Wait, maybe I am….oh yeah cause I am obsessed and wake up with numbed fingers cause I dream about climbing cause…..well you get the drift. Anyone go through this? Yes I asked my male and female friends and have confirmed I am not alone in this.
  

  I hate this picture, it is not only gross but it is a reminder of something that happened just a few weeks ago. A quick draw from far away was dropped and hit my head. I am ok, but I realize I am reminded I am not invincible.

• The Love Life – Dear Climbing Gods, due to that “obsession” detailed above, it has become impossible to live the American dream and have 3.2786 kids with a white picket fence and me cook snacks while the boys watch the game and be home slaving all weekend cause I am “obsessed” about climbing, gotta get the hell outdoors, climb or hike or kayak or something. I cannot date just anyone, it is so hard to date just any guy. I tried. I even made out with a guy while on a Sushi date and realized after he told me that climbing thing was kind of something I needed to grow out of, I realized oh no, 3.2786 kids with white picket fence, no not me, no not happening. I need a guy who is content with the outdoors and the fact I don’t have cable television, I love tents, smores, camp fires and reading a guide book and planning our agenda, that is climbing agenda. I love each night around the fire sharing our personal and spectator highlights and bonding as a group of friends. I want someone who is agrees that any vacation in a non-climbing destination as a pure hell sin. At my age, the great climbing guys are taken or the cute single guys are afraid to commit and the single guys after me are too young. I know, by following this way of life, I narrowed my inventory of guys who might want to marry me or I might want to even marry. Someday, it will come, but no, as a “charm filled” Brooklyn girl who is used to having many guys at her beckon call was definitely not prepared for her love life to suffer. It’s ok, but I am not happy you threw this challenge at me, how about another big climbing crux instead? (haha)
• The “Scaaaary” Part of Climbing – Whether we like it or not, climbing is dangerous. And the more you go outside and explore, as exciting as it sounds, the reality is that you increase the odds of injury, even if you are ultra safe. I have not experienced anything as some folks I know have been through and ain’t gonna claim it. But the few tiny things I have been exposed to have reminded me full force…..Doris, your ass is not invincible. Yes I know this is a fact, but sometimes, tiny things that happen like a random quick draw bounces from afar and hits your head reminds you to respect climbing. I love climbing but I also see that it is a hobby, I am not a professional climber and anytime I go out there and explore the world, I am putting my life at risk. No pessimism, just realism, it is what it is and I have committed to always be conservative and air the side of caution and always be as safe as possible. But I cannot guarantee anything and that is SCAAAARY sometimes to think about.

Bottom line, here is how it goes. Climbing has changed me in many ways, good and bad. I am forever grateful and cannot wait to continue growing as a person and as a climber. This post summarizes only an ounce of how climbing has affected me. Going into your weekend, think about how climbing has changed you. Appreciate, and hold it dear to your heart like I will.

This is the climbing me, heart happy indeed and grateful of the changes that have helped me grow.

Happy Weekend everyone!

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -Andre Gide 

With an 80 meter rope, I was able to get on this 200 foot climb at 5.9+/5.10a. It was not sustained with brilliant cruxes here and there. I was totally happy going up high and enjoying the most clever techy moves and incredible views.

Last year I had a finger injury that lasted way too long to heal, but served as a blessing. Prior to that, I was a bonified grade chaser, even though I thought I wasn’t, I really valued myself with what grade I was climbing. The injury forced me to climb those 5.fun birthday climbs and seriously project anything up to a 5.8. At first, I was always feeling so unaccomplished. And one time I went to Inner Peaks with a few friends and one of my friends said, “We just want to see you climb a 5.10 again”.   It was then I realized I did not care to show off my climbing and that all that time I had spent doing a bad job chasing grades, I forgot why I fell in love with climbing.  I decided I needed to (1) fall in love with climbing again no matter what grade, (2) learn how to appreciate the aesthetics of a climb, and (3) take everything back to basics and take my friend Jeremy’s advice, breakdown my technique, toe work, and work on improving my climbing, cause while I thought I was hot, I was not as good as I thought I was (hahahaha!).

With an 80 meter rope, I was able to get on this 200 foot climb at 5.9+/5.10a. It was not sustained with brilliant cruxes here and there. I was totally happy going up high and enjoying the most clever techy moves and incredible views.

After I started to heal, I made it a goal to be able to go anywhere around the world and climb anything from 5.10a to 5.11a. It didn’t mean that is all I climbed, but it meant I would hover a good amount of time in this range to establish some consistency, to improve my climbing and get mileage in to get stronger.  I even made it a goal to get on 5.8s and 5.9s in between 5.10s and found so many absolutely stunning climbs in this grade as well.

When I started my journey, I noted that I did not onsight very much, yet another weakness discovered! Now, I pretty much will warm up most climbs in this range, and start having issues in the 11s. Except a few months ago a crack 5.10c handed me my ass in Colorado, just saying, still need work. And most of all, in my style, I just linked a 12a/b called My Flesh for Lulu at Rumney (pure classic!). I got on this only because it was so beautiful and I could tell that I could at least do up to the first 5 bolts safely. So got my bail beaner together, got on it and got spit off at the crux up high for a good while and somehow little by little, thanks to a patient belayer I got to the top and clipped the anchors. I am not rushing to red point that climb yet because I got spit off due to my lacking finger strength and 5.12 training to be able to make it up smoothly.  I need more work in the 5.11s for sure. However, my technique was good enough to work it out with rests. As I get stronger, someday I will red point that pretty climb.  Even more important, get more 10s and 11s in over the next year.

This is a climb that was kicking my butt, it was above the 11a range so I expected some butt whipping. I hate to top rope and stepped out of my comfort zone, here I am working the moves to figure out how to work the lead redpoint. No red point, I fell trying to clip the anchors on my last lead go. It was ok, getting up it was joyous enough for me.

What now? I am still trying to hover a lot of climbing my favorite range because in this journey… 

• I discovered 5.10a to 5.11a is an absolutely beautiful grade that can be maintained with only climbing a couple days a week and minimal cross training.  Done, SOLD!  😉
• I discovered I have way more weaknesses in my climbing than I cared to admit or identify. Every time I walk up to a wall, I go to one end and climb everything I can to the other end, whether it is “my style” or not. Some times I am delightfully cruising, and others I am cursing (ahem, in particular cracks, lay backs, corner/stemmy shit). Nevertheless, the diversity of climbing I have exposed myself to is reason enough to continue this effort.
• I realized by doing this I am doing myself a favor. I travel everywhere to climb and being able to just walk up to any style and not bail any climb means I haven’t wasted a trip somewhere. I need to get a bang for my buck on climbing because I am traveling to get there. And…well, it just opens up many more options.
• I discovered my personal and climbing inner and outer growth that has occurred by just stepping out of my comfort zone.
• My eyes were open to enjoy the outdoors and aesthetics of climbing.
• Last…I love climbing everything and I value the fact that I can work through a climb and get to the top, no matter the grade. I find my inspiration from a climb’s clever or brilliant moves, or aesthetic look, or brutal look (telling me I need to get on it to get better kind of brutal look). In fact my most favorite climb of all times is a 5.8+ at Rumney, NH called Metamorphosis.  Every moment to the top is brilliant! Transformation of my attitude and ego is the best part of this journey!

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ~CS Lewis

Moments of Reflection: Honey I’m Home!

Well…..guess I am back, so sorry for the “blog hibernation”, but I needed it. While I shifted my focus on a few key areas of my life last year, I kept putting this blog on my ‘to do’ list literally every week and well, it just burned me out. With my advanced masters done (oooooh yeah!), major milestones achieved with work, and revamp in my climbing training and philosophy; it was time to get back at this blog.

Me, this Spring in North East Spain, setting my sights on harder projects, finally!

Since my last post, a lot of transformation has occurred, lots of lessons learned, lots of amazing climbing trips were had, lots of amazing new friends made, I joined the Instagram and Twitter insanity, and well…..just so much to share and my brain was too tired to write about it.

I guess this is me talking like Ricky Ricardo and declaring “Honey, I’m Home!”

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. ~Thomas A. Edison