Weather.com put out a special weather statement for Victoria this weekend: A Father’s Day Edition heatwave. A lot of sweaty daddies out there today. I was hot but not bothered. I believe the temperature peaked at 27° C, which is small potatoes compared to a regular Montréal summer day, but hot potatoes nonetheless. I especially enjoy not having to pack extra clothes as if I were about to embark on an Arctic expedition when I go for a spin around town on my bike.
Continue reading “The buck stops out front.”Category: climbing
Physically distanced adventuring.
Years ago, when I was at the climbing gym with a friend, they suggested that I do an overhanging route next. I tried avoiding it using the excuse, “I’m terrible at those.”
“And that is why you should do them,” was their response. Wow, and I thought my excuse was solid!
Completing an overhanging route at a grade below what I’m typically capable of doing doesn’t fuel my ego in the same way. It’s still fun, but it’s a bonus when you get to be good at something you enjoy doing. I’m not the only one who feels this way; otherwise, competitive sports wouldn’t be a thing. Alas, I am too old and injury-prone to add more awards to my box of equestrian ribbons. I also can’t be spending all my free time training as I sometimes need to use my day off to do things such as visit a Canadian Tire store for some diatomaceous earth and jute, which I did last week.
As much as I mostly enjoy living alone, I’m still finding it challenging to spend the whole day without company. So, the Calgary-based Gator accompanied me to the pest control aisle via WhatsApp. I took photos of some of Canadian Tire’s merchandise and sent it to her, such as a tub of diatomaceous earth. Riveting. A few minutes later, I sent her the squeeze bottle version. I also sent her a photo of one of Canadian Tire’s end caps that displayed bandanas, cowboy hats, and koozies.
I may have crossed a line when I referred to them as Calgary Supplies.
Isolation has been my motivator for sending my friends photos of the following things:
Continue reading “Physically distanced adventuring.”A rapid succession of non-successes.
I miss bouldering. It’s not that Victoria doesn’t have a bouldering gym, it’s just not Bloc Shop. I’ve switched back to climbing. Yes, there’s a difference: one can be good at climbing, but suck at bouldering. This was me until I moved to Montréal and started going to Bloc Shop regularly. Then, I was mediocre at both.
In a seemingly futile attempt to improve, Yann and I would often film each other’s attempts on the trickier problems (bouldering routes are called problems). These videos were usually deleted from my phone shortly afterward; however, many of them ended up being automatically uploaded to my Google account.
What was I supposed to do with them all?
Make a compilation of our fails!*
Going up island to go up some rocks.
Very little is required to present myself as a cyclist. First, I need to decide which of my two bikes I want to ride. Secondly, I need to take the chosen bike outside. Next, I straddle the bike. Finally, I go nowhere in particular and then return!
So much more is involved in climbing. I’ve pulled on plastic for ten years, climbing only indoors because getting to the crags requires a car. To go to the climbing gym, though, I still need to find someone to accompany me. Preferably somebody who likes me, but most importantly, somebody who I can trust to not drop me. Then, this special somebody needs to have a work schedule that does not conflict with mine. I need to know only one type of knot, the figure eight.
To climb outdoors is an even bigger challenge. Other than a car, I would need at least one climbing partner who knows how to build and clean anchors, as well as lead climb and belay. I would have to get used to reassuring my friends and family that, yes, I will be careful. There’s a surprising amount of knot tying knowledge needed.
