Birthday: June 21
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Bio: Click here
Contact: Meghan@alt9.net

For today we went to Boise's new climbing gym. It was a pretty cool gym with tons of features on all the walls. Looked really cool. The problem is that none of the walls are flat so the holds don't sit right and can easily spin.  I was doing a pretty hard route with tiny holds and I went dynamically to a little knob out to my right and when I hit it it rotated and threw me back.  I didn't fall very far at all, but it really scared me.  I was ready to go straight down, but for some reason I decided to try it again. Three more holds spun on me, but nothing as bad as that one.  A funny sense of accomplishment from one of the worst routes ever- not so much for getting to the top, but for not freaking out so much that I needed to come down.  Right after this one Danielle convinced me to try another hard route that looked like the complete opposite of something I would like, so yeah, why not try it.  This was the hardest problem I've ever done!  The lights were out in the gym, not sure why, so you had only the small sunlight coming from the side windows and once you crossed the half way point up you entered a new heat zone that felt twenty degrees hotter.  The wall was oddly bumpy, so much that you couldn't see hand or foot holds on either side of a bump. Fantastic in the dark. Every move on this route was a struggle. I had to match hands on the smallest, the smallest, hold I've ever used, switch my feet on a jib I couldn't see below me and reach as far out left, hip level, as I could just to balance enough to slowly, very slowly, reach my right hand above my hand to a tiny Smith Rock like knob.  And this was only the third move! It continued to stump me, wear me out, and confuse me.  When I was nearly to the top, having not fallen yet, I hit the first and only jug and I was so tired I felt myself slowly slipping off. It wasn't pretty, but just in time I threw up my right hand in desperation and regained control enough to finish it up.  There I was covered in sweat, in the dark, in the heat, but at the top.

After setting up camp in a beautiful location overlooking the amazing rock that “the city” has to offer we took off with guide Kevin and hit the rocks.  I tell you what, looking up at some of the routes he pointed out I was definitely feeling intimidated.  The first route we saw started on a nasty slab with the first bolt nearly thirty feet up. I thought we were done with the super high bouldering of Bishop! With no disappointment at all, we moved on.  We ended up letting Kevin take the lead and followed up three great, fun routes.  I’m really going to enjoy this place! 

I think doing this route again I would do much better now knowing which way it goes.  Here’s what it was like- all the bolts are far out precariously to the right side of the somewhat narrow face. On the left side there’s a protruding rock that sits on top of the face and is about twenty feet long. This rock is host to just about the only holds available.  This is fine at first when I can hold on on the left and reach out to my right and clip in. The problem starts when the rock I’m on slowly goes further and further left and the bolt route goes further and further right.  At one point I stood helplessly looking right at what would be my fourth clip and decided there was just no way to traverse that far over to clip in.  So I took off on what became my longest run-out ever.  Not very far to most people I guess, but the 20+ ft was plenty for me.  When I finally got to the next bolt and found the smallest divot in the rock to match my hands on to get far enough over, a rush of relief took over. I could have stayed there all day.  The rest of the route felt much better, not because I was climbing any better or because it was any easier, but because my adrenaline was going crazy.  Finally at the top, safely clipped in to the anchor with two locking carabineers, I took a moment to breathe, enjoy the view, and calm down a little bit. Then it was on to belaying Danielle from up top. I’ll let her talk about what it was like, but one thing that she won’t mention is that she actually did a really great job climbing. Slabby routes are her least favorite and she did a lot to overcome this fear today.

Only bad part of the day- I put my hair up differently today with a part down the middle in the back and now I have a bright red, itchy scalp. Grrrr.

I had the view of a life time at the top of another route that Kevin led.  The best part was that the top was completely flat, so you could get off belay and relax.  I could think only of how thankful I was to be there. 

Our City of Rocks tour ended today, but we continued on with the Keefes to a new part of Idaho- their home.  It’s amazing to have met such a wonderful family.  I hope we’ve made friends for a lifetime.  We’ve invited them to NYC, but I have a feeling our next meet up will be an Idaho one. 

We're on to Montana to meet my sister Lisa- I can't wait! See you soon sis!!!

We're here! I love my family! We made it to Helena, MT  and were greeted at the Burger King parking lot by my sister Lisa and brother-in-law Mark.  After plenty of hugs (not that I can ever get enough) we followed them back into the country to their picturesque wooden home in the hills.  I get the warmest welcome entering their house from Belle- hugs, kisses, and a few slaps to the ankle from her gigantic Lab tail.  What my mom started in San Fran and continued with the Keefes in Idaho has made way to Montana as Lisa and Mark have already begun the spoiling. This time in the form of cheesecake.  Very dangerous! After munching away I fell asleep to yet another movie. I’m pathetic. This time I couldn’t have lasted over twenty minutes. 
 

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