Climbing at Bolton West

Okay, let's just get this out of the way in the beginning. Yes, my helmet looks huge and, yes, my head looks small. But you have to agree, it's the reflection off the wall that makes my helmet look big, right?

Yesterday, I went climbing with Dave's new friend's wife, Bridget. Dave met her husband, Matt, during a bluegrass jam at On the Rise Bakery in Richmond. Matt invited Dave over to play and Dave found out that Matt's wife loves to climb. He told her I would like to join her one day; so on Monday she emailed me and asked me to come out that afternoon. I didn't have enough time to get my stuff ready and drive the 30 mins to Richmond, so I asked if we could go the following day. We decided to meet the next morning.

It felt great to get up early yesterday morning and bust a move out of the house, like I was going to work except it was better: I was going to climb! (Luna is laying next to me on the floor and just farted. It smells awful!)

Bridget and I met a few miles outside of Richmond and headed to the crags. Bolton West is easily accessed by Bolton Notch Road and a short walk through the woods. The mosquitoes were thick (we've had a ton of rain lately) but luckily both of us had bug spray.

We walked over to the wall, Bridget pointing out the routes, and decided to set up a top rope on a 5.8 and a 5.10. The majority of climbs at the lower Bolton wall, which is where we climbed, are trad, not bolted. Bridget is just learning to place gear and I am strictly a sport climber, so we had to top rope, which was fine with me since I haven't climbed in nearly 2 years.

The wall was kind of wet but plenty of dry spots begged us to climb. After setting up the top rope, we walked down and put on our harnesses. Bridget told me to climb first since I haven't climbed in a long time. Yeeha. I was itching to get up on the rock again.

(Check out the slick climbing! Chalk? What's the point.)

The 5.8, a crack climb with large holds, was fun and good to warm up on. Bridget followed after me and soon we were on to the 5.10.

I wondered how my body would feel hopping on a 5.10 right away, but it was fine. The thing that hurt most were my toes! The reason for my pain: tight climbing shoes and the need to hold on to the rock with my toes.

The first crux of the 5.10 pushed me to pay attention but didn't kick my butt off the climb; however, the second crux was a bit more unforgiving and took a few attempts before I figured it out. I had what Bridget called, tunnel vision. Once my focus shifted from I have to push all my weight up with my left leg to Oh, perhaps I should step up and match my hand with my right leg, I was good to go.

I love the way it feels to make it through a move; to take on the same challenge over and over until the pieces come together. Once my left leg stepped up, my entire body came into motion and the upward movement was smooth and willing. I laughed, working my way up, and shouted to Bridget: Man, I can't believe it, I totally missed that! Yeah, she said, I get tunnel vision too.

We both climbed the 5.10 twice before heading back to our cars--Bridget had to get back to work and I had to find a job! We hope to climb again and may even venture out to Rumney, sport climbers heaven with tons of bolted routes and granite.

After we parted ways, I drove to the bakery for a cup of java--a mini toast to my morning adventure, to meeting a new friend, to busting out dusty gear, to climbing!




(This is what you see from the top!)