KitCatherine

Catherine's Update! Its been awhile, so I thought it was time to let you know what all I have been up to. I have gone on three training hikes (one in quite a bit of snow and we got to scramble up a hit...totally worth it), and I had Sharon help me find some fantastic hiking boots that are gortex on the outside and very breathable, comfortable, and good for lighter backpacking as well. I was in Seattle for a weekend and got to go "indoor bouldering" and she had two harnesses, and one I liked very much. It was made by Black Diamond and when they are available to purchase again in the stores (I have the model listed at home) I will be buying one. I also was able to try on some shoes for that experience as well! We joined the Spokane Mountaineers, and as soon as they announce their rock climbing schoool, both Adam and I will be joining if time allows. My practicum will be in full swing, so I will have to see if we are allowed to miss a weekend during the first quarter. I would certainly hope so! Now, I am just waiting for Tim to start going back to the gym, and to let me know! Sharon is wonderful on taking me out on training hikes, and has shown me where I will learn to climb in the school. The stores are so bare on equipment right now that waiting a month or so will benefit me when more selection comes in, but I am still EXTREMELY interested, and glad the season is fast approaching!

I know Eric, and its not your fault you often invite me when I have to leave for work in 2 hours. LOL She has to drop me back down to 20 hours a week, now that classes are in session. I just can't work 40 hours, school, and expect to be able to do any playing!

Well, now its just the waiting game. All of this snow is not helping me learn! LOL Everyone has kind of gone "in house" for awhile, which is fine, but when you guys start planning trips out to climb and the like, let me know! Eric, I need to get out with you soon here! I need to get a little unloaded with my work commitment right now! LOL It should skimp down to three days a week here this next week. Sharon, we need to go out again soon too! Also, my Freedom of the Hills book is supposed to arrive this week! I also am waiting for my stuff from Spokane Mountaineers and am just getting excited to keep learning!

Of course! And ordering catologs. Its going to look a little obsessive to the mailman. Now that I went on that hike once, and have taken Adam over to the rocks, I can't wait till its warm enough to start learning (the impending snow is dampening my hopes) but I am sure all up for more whatever! Just listening to people while stomping around teaches me plenty!

LOL Thanks Eric! I still want my own harness and shoes though! Its that whole "personal touch" feeling to them! I am ever so anxiously waiting until the 8th (Bonus payday) and it looks like it will all be going to this, which is A-ok! Somehow, I think I have people here to help me choose, and what I don't have, they are going to help me out as well. Oh, and Adam and I sent in our Mountaineers application, so thats a step in a direction as well!

LOL you are being too kind. And hey, I came out with being a little stiff this AM! I could have done much worse! LOL I am still up for going out more! Tim has stuff going on so no WW for awhile, but I am all up for other things!

Thanks so much Jo! Sorry for the all the computer issues, but that was great information. Eric, Yeah Sharon seems like a gear junkie! She brought stuff with her in case I was to ill equipped (which, I probably was, but I proved to not be TOO much of a clutz, LOL). Sharon-You are more than welcome to come help me spend money! Tim has given me some great advice in selecting shoes, but having another person with you is still more comforting. I think this extra $200 I am getting is going to be gone in two items purchased. But, it IS a start! LOL At least I know what i am sacking money aside for.

Ahhhh, I knew what those were, just not that thats what they were called. Thanks for the link Jo! I will do more reading up on that later tonight. Are a type of boot used for alpine rock climbing? And, is alpine rock climbing the same as ice climbing? I hear of apline mountaineering, ice climbing, apline climbing, etc, and am trying to sort out the lingo, so I can better understand what I am hearing.

Hi Jo, Must ask...whats an ATC? Sharen and I were talking about this today, and I told her I want my first two items to purchase are a harness and a pair of rock climbing shoes. Also, since I have given up finding my hiking boots, thats #3 on the list. For me, things as personal as shoes and harnesses need to be new, and be what fits me best, for outdoors. For wild walls, I don't object to renting, but for me personally, I would rather spend the money and get what REALLY fits, then ever buy used. Its my ass, literally, in that sling, and I want to feel safe. I am going to have to drag a few of you to one of the gear shops with me though, in order to make sure I am buying the right stuff. Next week is pay week, so it will be a small shopping trip. Maybe I can get a few to come with me!

Thanks Sharen. I REALLY REALLY enjoyed it!! I hope to do it again soon!!

Yeah, and my husband was more than willing to go! he even asked me if I would be able to go and he would make sure to be up and showered by then (when he works overnights, thats a lot to ask at 3pm). But, I had absolutely no decision to make, other than what I did. I got to work on Friday and our asst manager was no longer an employee with our company. Our manager thus had to work a 16 hour shift that day and two of us have tried to help her the best we can by not bringing attention to our asst being gone, and to help cover the shifts over the weekend. Now, if Tim's group is there after 4 this Saturday, or on Weds or Friday this week, I will more than be glad to join! And a very kind woman from this forum has invited me for some training hikes.

Well, at least I am ok with the burning money part! I have 50 chinchillas! SO, taking your money and lighting it on fire as a hobby is something I have been at doing for years now!

Thanks guys. I know it sounds horrible, but I don't really know where to even START. SO many people have PMed me, offering help, that its now how to decide. I know this Saturday is a for sure thing, and I hope it goes well, but once the weather isn't SNOWING/RAINING/FREEZING I want to get outdoors and start working there. I want to learn. I want to be in this world and experience with my hands and feet and body and mind (waay too corny I am sure). I am just at that point in my life where I want this.

So it looks like I will be meeting some of you Saturday at Wild Walls. I had to stay and work an extra few hours yesterday, so the threat of working Saturday is now nill. I am excited!

Thats always a good thing! The manners, I mean. Yep, I prefer smaller groups. I am not big into large groups. I get very quiet in those situations. Its a fear mechanism I am sure! Mid January eh? BRRRRRR LOL I thought about going out this afternoon to go check out the shops, but baking cookies for the work potluck tomorrow, and then one of my female chins giving birth to triplets squashed that thought. I am excited to see Tim and his group climb this next Saturday. I hear Eric may even show up!

To those of you who either emailed or PMed me, thank you! Its nice knowing you guys all go out on groups, especially for a newbie. Someone thought it was a romance fear....nope, just a safety thing when first meeting a stranger on the side of a rock, or in a snow park who is of a different gender. What can I say? My mom taught me to beware of strangers! I can't wait to see some of you in the next few weeks. Maybe by the time I get to Vantage in the spring, I won't be asking QUITE so many stupid questions.

Something I wanted to ask.... Several of you guys have offered to help me one on one, and I am more than willing to take you up on that, but do any of you ever go out in groups? I know its goofy, but since i know none of you outside the forum world, its hard to be a female going out with a guy alone, who knows where, to learn. Call me paranoid, but I do much better with 2-3 people, than 1 on 1. Plus, there don't seem to be as many women into this sport as guys! So, just needing some assurance that I am not going to get whacked off I think! So far, every one of you has shown me more kindness and hospitality than I ever see in the Chinchilla world, and in the real world. I am soooo appreciative, but do have some apprehensions about going to a place alone with ANY man I have never met before. So many of you have PMed me offering to take me out, and I would love to. But, I am hoping that I can meet a few of you at once, because that would really help. I am sure all of you can understand that! Its much easier to explain that to the husband as well.

Thats an excellent quote. Maestro, I have an affinity towards music, that whenever I see your avatar, I am reminded. I was a classically trained contralto for several years and sang in various choirs. I always appreciate another musician.

unless you are the clumsy cat!

I just have to say this, THANK YOU to all of you. You all have NO idea just how appreciative I am. I have Tim offering to let me climb indoors with him, one of you offering to let me join you at vantage, John asking me my thoughts on Alpine, Eric offering to help me learn outdoors, and SEVERAL of you offering to help me with finding ways to learn. I honestly don't know where to even start, and where to go! All I can say is, THANK YOU. SO much information is flying at me, that its very overwhelming because I don't really know WHERE to start. I am that damn little duckling trying to learn to fly, with all these big ducks going "just do it" and me going "duhhhhhhhhhhh". LOL

Thanks Steve, for all of that advice! I am more than willing to take up all of you for any tips, and the like. John- I honestly don't know which I would want more. I have this dream of "before I die" to climb a few mountains. But, I remember really enjoying rock climbing. Sadly though, I have this HUGE fear of heights. I can climb UP just fine....its the going down part that bothers me. Actually, its stepping over the edge to go down, that bothers me. What I HOPE to learn from rock climbing is how to get over the "going down" and just feel more in tune with my body, and with how I work. I would like to have this accomplished before I go off a mountain, if that makes sense. Something I have been debating sharing, was a reason why I have always had the intersest, but haven't done anything with it in years, was due to having a minor stroke at 22. Granted, I went maybe once a month, but I had an interst. I lost a part of my sense of balance and its taken years to get it back. I gained my weight during this time. Now, although I am still called "miss clumsy," I am in more control of my abilites to fall. So, the idea of starting in a gym, learning my own balance and responses, sounds like a smart thing for me. I am in no ways limited, and my doctors thought this was a great idea, so I got their oks back in October. Since then, I have just been a lurker. In the long run, I want to learn alpine. I want to go up Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. But I feel its smart for me to have a good understanding of climbing places like Vantage, and feeling more comfortable with that, before scaling a mountain. It could help me get over the "fear aspect" and the "equipment fears" aspect. This may be foolish, I don't know. Thats what I have you all here for! It is giving me a place to 1) get more physically fit and 2) get familiar with the climbing world. I don't know if its the right thing to do, but a climbing gym apparently is a good way to meet others (on top of here) and at least when join some of you in the future, I would be QUITE so ignorant (I hope!) So, I hope learning about both will help me. From my understanding, the book FOTH is more mountaineering related, so I can start reading that. Getting first aid rescue training will also help in this area. But having a basic understanding of some climbing I would hope, will help! I am here to learn, and here to find what interests me most.

Ok, that was just INCREDIBLY untasteful. And this is COMING from a newbie who WANTS to learn the sport! Not make fun or poke at someone's tragedy! How sick are YOU.

Ok, not to sound gross, but what happens when you have diarrhea in the mountains? I live with Chron's disease, (which in essence means your bowels are all F-ed up) so I am trying to imagine what the heck I would do! Ugh! Four bags of poo every day?!? Thats when mountains need Biohazard trash cans. LOL

I feel a little overwhelmed, but I am excited! I have climbed outdoors YEARS ago, and I totally preferred that to indoors. So, I can completely agree with you on that point! But, I feel that starting in a gym will help me get reaquainted, so when these guys allow me to join them in Vantage and I haven't been out there before, at least I will have a FEEL for what I am doing. Tim, if you end up at Wild Walls this Saturday, let me know. I get off work at 2pm and can come and watch. The husband is working overnights, so he is asleep until 4, so I have extra time!

The sheriff said he would love to see these two guys just come walking down the mountain or put up some sign when they check again on Friday. He had an extreme amount of difficulty saying that probably, all three were dead. He said he felt confident in this decision that was made, but it was a very difficult decision to make, and he was there with the families, in wanting to keep searching, checking, and hoping, but it was not looking likely. I loved the comment where he said "there has been plenty of stuff and searching going on the media is not aware of" and i felt that was a power statement in that although we don't hear everything, and therefore, people make assumptions, but things were happening! It was so, so, so difficult to watch.