Peeling Off

I spent much of yesterday getting trained to instruct and belay on the climbing wall at the YMCA. I'd backpacked a bit when young, and as a result had come in contact with a fair number of climbers. The emphasis on safety didn't surprise me, but some of the little nuances did. Making the knots right isn't very tough, but making them right, fast and redundant gets pretty tough. Also, keeping the belay line taut, especially at the bottom of the climb is critical. This is because the stretch in the line can be hitting the floor (mats) until a certain height is achieved.

As someone who's afraid of heights, climbing wasn't very easy. Also, under my weight, one of the holds spun. It didn't cause me to fall, but got the adrenaline going pretty good. Once up, it came time to be lowered, and I had to let go of the wall. For someone with a fear of falling, it was very tough to do. I had to peel off the wall and let myself ride on the rope. Never mind the fact that all the equipment is strong enough to support a small car. Never mind that everything is designed with a degree of redundancy. Letting go of the wall is hard. I did it, and it got easier with practice, but it was still very unnatural. It's about as different from running as it can get.