Piss, vinegar and a little inspiration

I am thinking I need a them song for when I am rock climbing.

Granted, I can't hear well. But I am thinking I'd recognize something "Eye of the Tiger"-ish.

I thought I heard "Further On (Up the Road)" off Springsteen's "The Rising" during my second climb, but that makes no sense really. Most of the clientele are like 20 and I am pretty bad when it comes to distinguishing music in crowds. It must have just been the blood circulating, but it's an odd song to imagine hearing.

Anyway, I went climbing again. It was a blast.

I was a lot better, but mostly that was because I came home from work and took a two-hour nap before going to the climbing center. Last time I went straight from work.

Mom and Dad drove me -- this time in my manual chair so I could get a ride home -- and I got the leg harness and the shoulder harness on. Then we went to the same wall as last time.

Before we did anything else we got this picture, which I wanted last time but forgot. Then I climbed. Claren is a hit with everyone there, of course.

The first route, one I climbed last time, was named the "3:10 to Yuma," not sure why. It did not seem to have much to do with Russell Crowe or Westerns, but that's OK. I actually did it pretty fast and felt good -- tired but good.

While I was recovering, my one friend who belays me and the one who climbs with me and helps me get my feet in position went out to scout tougher walls.

My climbing buddy K said it was apparent I was full of piss and vinegar and we should take advantage of it. I should have told her I am always full of piss and vinegar, but I had energy, too.

They found a climb that looked good. It was at least 500 feet tall, I am sure, or maybe 40 or 50. But it was tall. I believe it was called "Tiger," which sounds no more imposing then a Russell Crowe movie. And I think they were both the same rating in the Yosemite Decimal Rating System (check me out with the lingo!).

It was so much fun to get to the top of this tall wall. I stayed there for a bit so we could get the descent planned out and I got to look around. I could not believe I got that high. I haven't been that high since we climbed on to the second roof at Mom and Dad's, and unlike that time, there was no fear of plunging to my death, less anyway because J had a grigri (and yes, more lingo!).

One of the best parts of that climb was getting ready. I stood up on the wall before K was ready, so belayer J and I were talking. It was so much fun to talk to someone while standing. I'm taller than her, too.

She was telling me to let them know if I could not do this or if I needed to rest or anything. K asked me several times on the climb if I needed to rest, but the top was tantalizingly close so we never stopped.

I also had another reason for not wanting to stop and it made me think of my college roommate and best friend.

When I was in my third year of college, he was running a haunted house. He wanted to set up a harness and climbing rope for someone to be in the air and spook people. When he bought it, we went to test it out. He lifted me OK, but he wanted to see what it felt like, so I lifted him, or tried. He immediately was like: let me down, let me down. The harness was cutting into his legs.

Now, almost 20 years later, I sympathize with him. I may need to buy my own harness.

After I got down I watched another member of our group climb this wall that had an outcrop built on it. It was pretty cool to watch her figure out which way to go and what hold she could reach. After she reached the top and came down, I told her that was neat. She said, well, you were inspiring. HA. I am full of something but I am not sure it is inspiration.

And the last part of the night was getting a ride home with J. Last weekend and this trip have reminded me how nice it is to sit in the front seat. So fun.

Thanks. You know I'm going again.