Monday, June 08, 2009

The Call of the Wild

funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

One of the biggest bummers about the injury to my hand is what it'll mean for my summer. I spent the first half of 08 doing Crossfit and gym climbing as much as I could to get in good enough shape to improve my rock climbing skills and give alpine climbing a try only to have to deal with carpal tunnel syndrome like symptoms for the second half of the year.

Once I'd gotten those hand issues under control earlier this year, I was trying to get back into a workout routine of Crossfit and gym climbing to start preparing again. I was so looking forward to getting into climbing more seriously. And then the fall skiing.

Now it looks as if I'll be sidelined all summer, possibly longer, from even gym climbing, and I fear my alpine rock dreams will remain just that...dreams. I really wished I'd discovered climbing when I was twenty-two, not twenty years later. Sigh...

At least I can live vicariously through other climbers' adventures. These are things I could never ever attempt (see the above LOLcat pic for my current MO, not to mention my fear of heights) but as I said I like to dream! And these guys rock. Literally. They are alpinists extraordinaire. These are talented, professional climbers who are out in the middle of nowhere, sometimes on mountains that have never been climbed before or even named. It's scary and totally awe-inspiring.

Two I have enjoyed reading are Colin Haley's Skagit Alpinism and Joe Puryear's blog. They don't post regularly, but when they do it's worth a read and you get to see some amazing photographs.

In April, I found Micah Dash's blog through a link the Climbing Cutie posted on a climbing forum and was looking forward to reading more when he returned from his latest climb in China. Unfortunately the trip he was preparing for ended with an avalanche. Two team members, Jonny Copp and Wade Johnson, have been recovered. The search is still on for Micah. Prayers for them, their families and friends.

Is there anything or anyone you follow on-line so you can live vicariously? If you do, please post a link so I can check it out!