It wasn't until I participated in the Outdoor Skills Club that I really felt at home. I liked camping and hiking, but the center ring for me was kayaking with climbing a close second. I had a love for kayaking but also great respect, maybe it was fear, I don't know. The same thing with climbing, Its been said, "I have a fear of heights, that's why I climb."

In high school I climbed outdoors (mostly at the Delaware Water Gap - there weren't any gyms back then).

Then in college, it was the outside of the old gym.

I know, not the most flattering pictures of me. Around this time, a gym opened in NYC and another opened in East Rutherford, NJ and I haven't climbed outside since. When I moved to VA, I climbed at a bunch of gyms as far south as Fredericksburg and as far North as Columbia, but mostly at Sportrock in Alexandria.

I took Q to the Sportrock in Sterling this weekend. It was a bit tough for her, most of the the bouldering walls were slanted a bit back from vertical and the footholds were ultra small. She did an amazing job and she was so much fun to watch. I know every parent thinks their kid is special, but she seemed to have an innate feel for the moves, this might be her sport. A woman at the gym asked how old she was and when I told her that Q was 4 she said she wished she had started climbing that early.

There were a bunch of guys in the bouldering area, hanging horizontally, dyno'ing, and slamming to the floor rather dramatically. Q loved that and kept asking me to back up so she could "Fall down." We spent about 2 hours there and about a half hour before we left she kept asking if she could use "the ropes." I hadn't rented a harness for her, so I couldn't belay her, maybe next time.

I feel really good about exposing her to other sports. I can't wait til she's big enough to kayak. When she's old enough to snowboard I'll send her to Chris Klug's camp. Of course, RJ will get the same treatment.

Labels: Byron, Doug, Indoor Climbing, JJ, pAULie, Rock Climbing, Shanen