Many Thanks for Climbing.

First there’s the obvious: I am so thankful I climb. I’m thankful that my friends brought me to the gym a few times before college; I’m thankful the UNH climbing team doesn’t cut kids who project v0; and I’m thankful to have met some of the right, and best, people.

I’m thankful for my mom and sister buying me my first pair of shoes. They are the opposite of aggressive, and I can wear two pair of socks in them, but they have gotten me to the anchors on enough 12s to show me that technique, not my now resoled Nagos, is what holds me back.

I’m thankful for friends and friends of friends and sometimes friends of friends of friends who have taken me on cliff adventures:

Alec had never met me, but he picked me up outside my dorm last spring to spend a Monday morning showing me easy boulders in Pawtuckaway even though his projects started at v6. He gave Maxim a few burns and then led me and another novice around pointing out rocks and tossing down crash pads for us. I didn’t even have a bouldering pad to contribute to the expedition; Erin’s word that I was psyched and one dining hall bagel with cream cheese were enough. He has since taken me up Cathedral and even let me lead a pitch; my second ever trad lead.

Erin is awesome. So many thanks to her for spending several days with me at Rumney this summer, watching me project 10s while she played on 8s to avoid becoming further concussed. Thanks to her for living with me and always being down to talk climbing, gear, food, and the philosophy of free soloing. Our climbing schedules never seem to line up, but we get psyched to hear about each other’s projects when we get back Durham. She has also set me up with several strong climbers when she was too busy to climb. Her connections got me up my first big wall.

Jared is great, a little crazy, and always down to climb. He had met me once before I texted him to climb (thanks Erin for knowing he was free). I texted him hoping he’d want to hit up Rumeny the next day. He had work the next day but could go right then; I was busy running errands. I told him I couldn’t go, promptly rearranged my schedule, and texted him back saying actually I was free for three hours. He set up draws for me at Rumney in the rain so I could project routes that he was sending in approach shoes. He let me struggle, call down for beta, and comment about how tricky the climb was. It was only after I clipped the chains that he told me he’d put me on an 11a. I’d never lead anything above 10c before and was stoked and slightly less embarrassed about falling multiple times. “I knew you wouldn’t have gotten on it if you knew what it was,” was his only comment. He’d seen me climb four routes and already knew how to push me.

That same day I met Mike, Jared’s friend who also wasn’t planning to be at Rumney but ended up stopping by. He only saw me climb (struggle) up the 11a that day. However, when he heard I was trying to climb the next day and didn’t have plans, he asked if I’d “like to try some multi pitch.” I’d never even seen a trad rack before; no way was I passing up that opportunity. He took me up Cannon after having known me for less than two hours. I was (and still am) so stoked and super thankful to him and all the other experienced climbers who have taken me out knowing I’m inexperienced and happy to teach me anyway.

Psych is a great thing. If you’re not excited about a route you’re not going to have fun, and you’re going bring everyone else down too. Tommy is the opposite of this. I don’t think I’ve met anyone more psyched on climbing than he is; it’s awesome. He got me the most excited about bouldering I’ve ever been at Lincoln Woods this summer, and that’s saying something, as I’d rather grab a rope and some draws than a mattress backpack any day of the week. I’m lucky that Tommy’s major requirement for taking others climbing is that they have to be psyched. He has driven me all over New England, from Rhode Island to Maine to climb. He has put up with my smelly climbing shoes (and sneakers), obsessive reading of roadside signs, and terribly dry snacks nearly every weekend since August (we’ve climbed together all but one). And that is just the beginning of what I’m thankful for.

Matt, I give you many thanks for letting me third-wheel for most of the summer to hike and climb on our weekends off.

Tim, thank you for belaying me indoors and out and for keeping me motivated to train (okay, thanks for getting me to start training).

Brandon, thank you for getting me rides with the boys to Pway last winter/spring. There is no way I would have braved all that snow and icy rock on my own. Also thank you for coming to my aid when I got myself stuck halfway up routes; those spots were quite comforting when I realized I was no longer over my crash pad.

Luke, thanks for being tent and seat buddies for HP 40. Also thank you for all the “short people beta” and lots more spots.

Sarah, projecting v0s in Pway with you is awesome; thank you.

Mom, thank you for letting me borrow your car to pursue a sport you deem dangerous. Also, the granola bars were bomber.

Climbing, thank you for the challenges, self-awareness, amazing adventures, and bringing me out of occasional states of college-stress-induced mania.