This weekend I went to an indoor rock climbing gym with some
friends. I had been several times before, but this time I learned two very
important lessons.
1. Climbs have
ratings. Who knew? Not me. Apparently they involve the number five, followed
by a decimal point and a number. The five means that the climb is vertical (or
inverted) and requires the use of ropes. The number after the decimal indicates
the level of difficulty. A 5.6 or 5.7 mean that I can climb to the top. A 5.9
and above means that I cannot make it past the halfway point.
2. Muscles fatigue
and then fail. Again, who knew? I’d felt the forearm burn. I’d even felt
the little, itty-bitty muscles in my fingertips beg for mercy. But I had never
actually had them revolt on me. But there I was, clinging to the rock like a
booger on a finger, trying to scale a 5.9er. I shifted my weight, tried to push
up and … I was floating counterclockwise to the ground. Worse yet, my one of my
fingertips was bleeding. Who’s crying? I wasn’t crying.
