Elizabeth Furnace Climbing

Yes, more climbing adventures!

The last time we made an attempt to climb at Elizabeth Furnace I had just had a ruptured cyst and was all looped up on vicoden. But I wanted to get out of the house so John lugged a chair up the mountain so I could relax and let everyone else do the exercise. Well, we got lost and after too much of a hike for a sick girl, we just sat in the river for awhile. We never did find the right trail to the rocks. This time was much better.

We met up at the Roadside Crag on Saturday afternoon. One day I'll actually get up early like I say I will and get moving. Either way, we made it before the rains. I did a very easy climb twice, but it's nice to sometimes just walk up the wall. There was another climb that was very easy, except for the overhang. I had to just hang out for awhile before I could figure out a way over. I have no arm strength! But I did it eventually.

The more experience of the bunch did a climb with a really wild roof. Falling meant swinging through the air. Scary! John of course went flying while I was belaying him. Twice! Kevin had to grab me to keep me on the ground after the boy picked up some momentum. So the next time he flew off the wall I just lowered him and we gave up. Also on this wall, Kevin banged his leg and grew a second black and blue knee cap. It was nasty.

Rappel queen Lorna on the scary swinging climb.

Super easy, but cool.

Overhang that I actually beat (eventually)

We managed to actually get to the campground (2 minutes down the road from the wall), set up camp, and actually cook some food before it started raining. Then things got wet. I didn't want to freeze, so even though I had my rain jacket I spent a lot of time in the tent. That got a lot of jokes about what John and I were doing in there. There was talk of flicking. Sausages were everywhere....ok that sounds really dirty, but that's how we roll.

We were all disturbed by  a Whip-poor-will who decided to get up before dawn and try to get some ladies. John was really not amused. This resulted in John threatening to climb a tree and start reciting his name (the bird's call sounds like its name) over and over again. Good times.

A short drive led us to the Buzzard Rocks trail, which would take us to the second crag. Two miles almost all up hill, but it was worth the view. We had to do some crazy scrambles to get down to the bottom of the climbs. We did mostly slabs, which are pretty new to me. I kind of sprawled cross the rock at one point.

Ropes stuck in a tree.

Rockin the crack!

Lorna about to jump off a cliff!

Lovin' it.

And then this happened

Office desk post 12 straight work days. It's time to consume that bottle of wine.

What's in my head

I have to work all weekend and I'm pissed. Poor management last weekend lead to people getting pissed off, and I get the punishment. But I can't say anything about the piss-poor handling of things as the proposal is worth millions of dollars and it's supposed to be "all hands on deck". Except this weekend it's only my hands on deck.

I wanted to write an article on alternatives to engagement rings and/or wedding bands. But apparently I'm not at all creative. Some people buy other kinds of rings if they're opposed to diamonds. Some people get tattoos. Apparently some people buy matching watches. Well, those are all well and good, but are there other ways to outwardly show your commitment without being so traditional? I tend to just embrace non having any outward sign and having my relationship be about us, but I'm on a mission to find options. You know, in the name of writing that article.

This article is funny, but sad too. I can say I've seen some crazy stuff from writers, but this is up there. And usually us editors make sure it doesn't actually make it to the students. I still cherish "Jack grows mushrooms in his basement."

This sounds perfectly wonderful. Except John and I came with our friends a lot. But maybe before we move in together again we'll do something similar.

My grandmother apparently used to be all wild and crazy at heart but my grandfather wouldn't let her do anything "fun". She really wanted to go sky diving but it freaked him out. She also made a blanket for my sibling and was so excited to send it. I had to refrain from sending they "where's my fucking quilt then?!" email. It doesn't bug me as much anyone, but sometimes she just rubs me the wrong way.

I want to go the Vegas/the Grand Canyon in October but 1) I was hoping for a new job before then so I haven't planned, thinking I won't have time off and 2) I don't want to plan a trip with so many people who offer too many opinions. So we'll see what happens there. It'd be a good time if we did get to climb at Red Rocks, but I don't feel like planning at the moment.

I just started watching the current season of Survivor (I like to wait a few weeks so I can watch 2 episodes at a time). Anyway, it's women vs. men and the women's tribe is awful. They're making us look bad. They can't communicate, can't follow directions, and apparently next week they let their fire go out and even with flint they can't get it going again so they run to the boys for help. Not looking forward to watching if this keeps going on. Step it up ladies!

I'm supposed to be writing a wedding. Yeah, I know! I need to get a draft to the bride and groom so they can laugh at it sooner rather than later. John needs to step it up and tell me what to say. Then I'll make it nice. But man...how's I get into this?

I discovered a piece of my tooth survived the extraction. I was not looking forward to going back in to get it taken care of, mostly because it was such a small piece sticking out of my gum than I figured they'd have to do full oral surgery to cut it out. Well, I managed to wiggle it out with my tongue! Though tooth shards should not just be falling out of one's mouth. Anyway, let's hope that was the only little piece left. Next up: fillings! (This new dentist will get a new car thanks to me.)

Climbing at Sugarloaf Mountain

Based on this blog alone it probably seems like all I do now is go rock climbing. That's not exactly true, but it's all that's been blog worthy. Maybe I'll come up with something creative to say later in the week.

Anyway, this weekend we went out to Sugarloaf Mountain (western MD) to do some climbing. The area we were in was called Middle Earth (hehe), though the "Balrog" climb was in another area...weird. Anyway, I did 2 easy climbs and a lot of watching. It was pretty crowded and we were spread out in two areas so we only had 3 ropes set up and I was not about to do the hard climb. I successfully avoided sticking my hand on a lizard that looked like a snake until I saw its legs. I also got a tiny cut on my knee but it bled a lot and made me look icky. It was a beautiful day to be outside and I got a bit of sun so no complaints there.