Climbing Ceilings
Wednesday was all about failure, but defeat just makes me angry.
Just for kicks, I (or rather Jeff) decided that I should try top roping a ceiling climb after I had been bouldering around for some 30 minutes. For those of you who aren't familiar with rock climbing terms this one should be easy because a ceiling is... well, just what you would imagine it to be - a ceiling with handholds scattered about. This was to be my first ceiling climb, but since it was rated a 5.10c how hard could it possibly be?
Hanging on a ceiling by your arms and legs, with your back facing the ground 40 feet below is a strange feeling I imagine only spiders and flies can be accustomed to. I could feel my stomach muscles burning, trying to hold a reverse crunch so that my feet could stay on the footholds. Well, I didn't get far before falling and swinging wildly from my rope like a pendulum. Once you fall on a ceiling, that's it... no way to get back up, either start from ground level again or quit. I chose option #2.
I also had problems with a 60 foot 5.11b. They decided to stick a shelf hanging almost vertically with virtually no other handholds around it. The idea is that you are supposed to hold the vertical shelf with both hands and force all your body weight to the right, away from the shelf. Then you should be able to gain enough leverage to shimmy your way up to the next handhold. Well, I got past the hard part, only to find my fingers and forearms feeling like Jello and I kept slipping off my right foothold. I quit halfway up.
This leaves me with a feeling of disappointment, some bruises and scrapes. But in truth, I guess that's what I like about rock climbing. I always walk away feeling a little dejected, but that only makes me angry and determined the week after. I like the feeling of coming back stronger and determined. The joy of reaching the top and and conquoring that which was once so unatainable. I refuse to submit, I refuse to accept defeat, I refuse to give up. I think that's the true challenge of the sport.
