Hot. So bloody hot.

Last weekend I had an awesome climbing experience with Bryn, Jamie, and Allen. We went up to Smoke Bluffs park in Squamish and climbed some awesome rock faces (don't worry Mom, we use belay ropes). We did four walls in total. There was one rock that looked uncannily like the profile of an Easter Island statue. You climb up the back of his head. He was a pain in the butt, everyone got the skin grated off their knuckles.

Climbing outside is a lot different than climbing in the gym. In the gym, all the holds have coloured duct tape on them so you know which holds you're allowed to use for any given route. On a rock, well, it's no holds barred (groan). The trick is finding the holds altogether. You grope around with your hands until you find a crack that you can jam your hand or toe in. Sometimes you have to just press a foot against a flat, near-vertical wall and use your hand holds (or hand hold) to steady yourself as you push yourself up. It's just you, the rock, and Zen (okay, there's the rope too... but sometimes it's cooler to pretend it's not there and you're clinging to that wall for dear life and it's ALL YOU).

We saw a guy climbing with no rope. No shirt either ("Shirtless Kirk" Bryn quipped). Guy would just hop on the wall, climb to the top, walk down the slope behind the wall and climb up again. He went so quickly I guess it's not likely that he'll get tired in the middle of his route. But no belay, no spotters? Hmm... no thanks.

In any case, I feel invigorated. Incredible, climbable rock formations an hour's drive away. Makes me wonder how spoiled I am to live in the lower mainland. But then I remember at the intense monetary cost of living here and I feel a little less privileged. Ah well, c'est Vancouver.

P.S. - New router arrived yesterday. By today I had all our services functioning again. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.