"I think there's less air up here!"

For November's New & Different, I decided to challenge myself a little more than I had been in the past few months. I have been taking it sort of easy and I thought to really test my limits this month would be a good idea.

My best friend, Maren, turned 28 yesterday and on her birthday, we were able to get out of the house, go to lunch and go shopping. Oh... and put our 13 year friendship to the test... We decided to go Rock Climbing.

It was decided that we should go together because then she would belay for me and I would for her. Belaying is where you are attached to and holding the rope for the other person to climb up the rock wall. This rope is their lifeline. And while they had automatic stop pulleys set up in the YMCA gym, I also felt incredible pressure not to let her down... or to let her die!

It only costs about $10 to go in and use all the YMCA equipment for as long as you wanted, which I felt was a good deal. I thought this because to my inexperienced mind, I was sure that Maren and I would climb for several hours before we would be ready to be done.

Wow... I was so wrong.

I realized within seconds of pulling myself up onto the wall the very first time that I do not have very good upper body strength. My arms, hands, shoulders and back were screaming and burning in pain right away. But, I was determined to make it to the top. The top, though it doesn't sound very high, was about 25-30 ft in the air.

I could only make it about 8-9 ft up the first time because I hadn't gotten what I'd bargained for. So, I let Maren take a turn on the wall.

She got most of the way up and had to come back down. My sweet friend is slightly vertically challenged in her 5'0 tall state and she couldn't get to the foothold of the very last stretch.

So, she came back down and I gave it another go.

With Maren's help, I refused to give up in the last little stretch and I made it to the top! It was both terrifying and totally exhilarating! I was shaking like a leaf and hyperventilating though. Haha

When I made it back to the bottom, Maren decided that she wanted another go and I helped her navigate when she got up to the tough spot at the top.

She made it!!! Whoo hoo!

When she came back down, we tried to decide what to do because we both had only made it to the top once, but we were both tired and our arms hurt! So, we decided to make one more go of it and that was it. We felt like such lightweights.

So, after both making it to the top twice and as badly as we both hurt 24 hours later... I have made a decision... I'm NEVER doing that again! It was good for me to try once and it was definitely something new and different for this month, but I KNOW now that I'm NOT a rock climber. I am not afraid of heights, but I also don't like to be strapped in with a rope and hauling my big ol body up a stupid wall by some nubby rock looking things.

November's New & Different: FAIL!

Oh, but a side note: Neither Maren, nor I died during this activity and our trust wasn't shaken... or stirred. We are good! ;^)

And side note #2: Happy Birthday Lovie! I'm glad we got to get out and do some fun... and maybe some not so fun things, for your birthday! I love you!!!