Rockin' It

I recently went rock climbing. And by "rock climbing" I mean strapping myself into an uncomfortable rental harness and attempting to scramble up a wall with rock-like fixtures attached to it. It wasn't pretty but I've only been twice in my life; Sunday and Monday. Two days in a row, you say? Yeah, I'm stupid like that. The first day I took the basic skills class and learned how to tie knots, strap into a harness, and by default, present my junk very, very awkwardly. And I liked it so much the first day, that I jumped at the next opportunity to go again the next day. So after a quick 'cross jam session at my favorite equestrian park, Powerlegs and I headed to the gym. My arms and hands were still recovering (read: still a heap of smoldering ashes and worthlessness) from the day before, so I managed only to do half of an easy route and spent the rest of the day bouldering.

I fear that I might get addicted to this sport. This is bad news for me, as I'm sure you know by now that I'm pretty invested in the cycling lifestyle. Short of a hipster chain/crank/exploded hub diagram tattoo, aerobars, and a powermeter, I've probably amassed enough bike paraphernalia to last me many more moons. And yet I still crave more. I still have bikes to build, places to ride, and races to crash. Why would I pick up another sport that only causes me pain and embarrassment? I mean after a few hours of this climbing business, my callous hands became even more callouser, my legs cramped up, and I barely had enough strength in my hand to open the door to my car. In retrospect, I don't see how any of that is even remotely fun, but I've caught myself eyeballing new climbing shoes and a more modest, less junk-constricting harness. What's next? Am I going to invest in ropes, carabiners, gym memberships, and climbing trips? I have no idea. All I want to do right now is stop being sore from the waist up so I can get more vertical on some fake rocks. In the meantime, I suppose I can stick with this bike thing a little long but just until I can determine which one I'm worse at.