 |
|
|
 |
Sarah Jane Alexander – Reader Blogs
Transplanted from Oregon, I lived in California for eight years before I discovered what truly endeared the state to my heart: the plentiful and diverse rocks! After my first ascent in June 2008, I was hooked on climbing.
Feel free to e-mail comments to clearascent@yahoo.com Get the RSS Feed For more from Sarah Jane Alexander visit her website: time2climb.com |
|||
 Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 10
10/14/09 - The First Time - The panicky voice reminded me of someone. The calm voice reminded me of many someones. My homegirl Jonalynn was having a freakout on a ledge at Wishon, California. To climb higher, she had to make a challenging move full of trust. It was her first climb ever – and on a route that was no gimme. It was probably a 5.7, harder than what I wanted to start her on, but there were no anchors above easier routes.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 10
8/31/09 - I used to sit in my lonely Fresno apartment and pray for friends, sometimes weeping. Transplanted from Oregon for my job, I found my new home strange and unwelcoming. I enjoy spending time alone, but a person can only take so much isolation before she starts to feel abandoned, unwanted, forgotten.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 9
8/04/09 - The Devil kept me awake. Until that night, nothing had ever prevented me from falling asleep. But I call him The Devil for a reason. No mere mortal could have created the horrible razor-blade rasping, louder and more dangerous sounding than a chainsaw grinding granite. These superhumanly loud honks gestated in mucus lungs and were birthed in nostrils of rusty steel.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 8
7/23/09 - The guidebook called the Sequoia National Park route on Moro Rock a three-pitch 5.7. But when we arrived at the start of the third pitch, I knew we had been led astray. I was looking at a 5.10crux and I didn't know what to do - except try.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 7
5/12/09 - One of the best things I can say about myself as a climber is that I'll try a lot of routes that intimidate me and I don't mind getting shut out. Which is exactly what happened. Within seconds, the boulder made it clear who was boss.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 6
4/08/09 - As a reward for not getting laid off (although everyone who survived got a pay cut, woo hoo!), I decided to come off the money I had been too scared to spend as the layoffs drew near. First stop: the liquor store. I stood in line behind three hicks who were buying two cases of beer and 12 bottles of whisky.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 5
3/11/09 - "Sarah? Hello?" The voice of my climbing bro Alvaro snapped me out my daze. "Oh, hey, dude. I didn't see you." Then I realized I had trudged into the gym head down, staring at my feet. That's not like me. I usually walk head held high, eyes gleaming, huge smile blazing. "What's going on?" Alvaro asked, concern thick in his voice.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 4
2/24/09 - Even though I was barely off the ground, three little boys gazed at me with awe. I was handling that gym plastic like I was born on it. Not doing anything tough or fancy - just graceful traversing. "Are you a real rock climber?" one of them asked. I replied with a question I had asked myself many times. "What's a real rock climber?"  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 3
1/19/09 - I am teaching myself in the gym, gliding from wall to wall paging through "The Self-Coached Climber," [By Dan Hague and Douglas Hunter / stackpolebooks.com] churning through its exercises. Now I sow the seeds of knowledge that will serve me when I emerge from winter's cold cocoon as spring thaws the sleeping rocks.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 2
12/29/08 - The crack split the rock beautifully, creating a perfect space for climbers to dig in. The relentless gash was intimidating. But so alluring. I knew that route, Lena's Lieback, would most likely spank me. It was two grades above my climbing level - in Yosemite, where the polish on many routes makes them treacherously slick, and sandbagged.  Sarah Jane Alexander - Reader Blog 1
12/11/08 - "How did you do?" my friend asked. I needed a fair way to tell her I sucked - but rocked it! How - in front of three longtime climbers who found every hold with easy grace - I frantically scanned the rock for handholds, footholds, any holds. Then when I saw something that looked big enough to cling to, I clawed and leapt and fell on the rope. I didn't know the term then, but I was hangdogging like no dog had hung before. |
|
Copyright 2009 Skram Media LLC, All rights reserved.