Pipe dream

Mr W. and I have a pipe dream and it is climbing El Capitan.

Source

Pipe dreams are interesting creatures because they may never happen.  That's the whole point.  The dream part indicates the impossible.  But the pipe part of it is all about being on a path, a journey that could one day lead you there.   This pipe dream was born from being a child of the 90s.  [Like every kid] I too, dreamed of taking home a piece of that glowing, radical rock. As a kid growing up in a family who, once saw a rock wall in a mall in the middle of Ohio, I truly thought that Guts was representation of truth in climbing.  Then I moved to California and fell in love with the real thing. You can read a tiny recap of our climbing history in this post.

Table Scraps

Well, we are re entering the pipe simply by returning to the climbing gym.  After moving in November, our gym bags haven't seen the light of day. We are incredibly far away from this dream.

90ft wall, Tahoe

My hands are no longer covered in the dense, thick skin pads required to pinch, crimp and swing myself to become an extension of the wall.  My forearms and shoulders, while still reminiscent of muscles, have lost most of the strength they used to carry.  The flexibility to swing, stretch backwards and touch my toes to my ears has been replaced with stiff joints and an inability to get my heels flat in downward dog.

I am by definition. out. of. climbing. shape.  But there is a difference between today and yesterday.  Today, I am lacing up my shoes, tying figure 8's and getting a new belay cert.  I am making the effort to get back on the wall.

Will doing this lead to my pipe dream? Definitely not.  But stringing days like today over the course of years just might.

And that's just fine with me.  God may certainly have other plans for us; if that involves spending a crap ton of time training and immersing myself into climbing, so be it. I'm letting Him know I'm totally game.

Do do do do doooooo you have it?

-mrs dubs

24 years ..part I

Having a birthday right after the New Year, I equate new year to new age.

A brief recap of how I spent 24:

Josh rang in my 24th birthday with a surprise trip to Tiffany's.  He brought me into the store and told me to pick out whatever I wanted. Probably every girl's dream.  Well, a sales woman heard him exclaim this she promptly lead me to the platinum and diamonds counter.  After lots of trying on, we left the store with these gorgeous silver bow earrings.  Which, actually turned into a hilarious story that I'll need to explain in more detail because Mr. W realized such an open ended statement could have lead to trouble!  I really did marry the most wonderful man in the world.

bows

My mom and sister visited; we went to wine country and ate wonderful food here.

Mr. W's dad, sister and best man visited our little 2 bedroom apartment.  We hiked at Angel Island, Ano Nuevo and had hours of glorious family time.

Mr. W. Sister (in law). Mr. W's Best Man.

Family.

Angel Island

Sausalito

Ano Nuevo.

elephant seals!

We spent Easter weekend hiking in Point Reyes and vowed to fight each other less and hike more.

through the woods.

the coast.

I planned a last minute backpacking trip through the Ventana Wilderness just south of Big Sur.  I remember this trip as the time we learned to really depend the Lord's plan for our marriage.  There was no nagging, no yelling, no you suck because. We worked as a TEAM thanks to the Lord for answering our prayers to strengthen our marriage. #winningformarriage! Afterwards we stopped at Barb's Fish Trap, a must go to if traveling any where near Half Moon Bay.

Ventana Wilderness

Refueling.

Mr. W finally convinced me to try out a nearby rock gym. I couldn't get enough.  We climbed 4 days in a row.  My hands were shredded and I had knots from my knuckles to my eye balls but I was in heaven on earth.

We walked in the Bay To Breaker's Parade.  I dub this my first city experience.  It was memorable enough that I've retired from participating ;)

Willy Wonka and his crew.

My dad came to visit for the US Open in the city.  We use any visit from family or friends as an excuse to explore like tourists :)

my dad's visit.

We took 2 days off for a last minute trip to Tahoe with family friends. I climbed outside for the first time at 90 ft wall.

90 ft wall near Eagle Falls.

Angora Lake.

We planned a backpacking trip in Yosemite with a group of co-workers. I conquered my fear of heights and hiked Half Dome. We also hiked to the Cascades near Little Yosemite Valley and spent a day riding a natural water slide.

half dome.

Stretching out for the climb.

water slide.

At Mr. W's prompting, I participated in our rock gym's top rope series and I some how walked out with 2nd place in women's beginner level. Rock climbing became our thing.

We climbed more. This time near Table Scraps in Sonoma County.

Table Scraps

I competed in our rock gym's grip challenge.  This was my first time dead lifting on a fat bar any bar.  I went out at 155.

I look like I'm about to die.  Photo credit.

We took a trip back to the Midwest.  Saw family, friends, had rest and recuperated in hammocks.  I spent every morning near the water talking with the Lord and He healed my soul of many earthly things I had been holding on to since we moved.

Family. Photo Credit.

Sister (in law) and I at the grandparents lake house.

Mr. W can fly.

I completed the Tough Mudder in Tahoe and was dubbed hard core by our mostly male team.  For anyone who is curious, the electric shock obstacles really do pack a punch.  If any one has ever told you it was no big deal, here's a secret, there is actually a power on/off switch.  I assure you it was on when I ran through.  My heart does not normally jump like that for kicks ;)

Before the race.

Mr. W tore his acl playing Ultimate Frisbee and I planned less intense hiking trips for the fall. Our criteria for less intense meant the trail had to be flat with ample parking close by.  We felt like posers.

Mr. W got a new job.  I quit my job.  And then we moved to Hawaii..

Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Tune in for part II
-Mrs W

update: here is Part II