the girl named rachel

everything else is gone, and it's just me and the rock. nothing else matters but crushing right then and there. i can leave the world behind and just... climb!   the moment is so intense and you get so passionate- screaming, yelling, crying, cursing, throwing things, jumping up and down; and then when you crush and send, there's more screaming and crying and jumping up and down... there is nothing better.  

it was my first V6 outside... a pretty hardcore V6 i must say. it has some big jumps to pockets and a sketchy top out, which i am not totally skilled at, and, being short, the big jump was not the easiest. but still, such a sick problem! well, the first time trying the problem i almost got it, but dry fired on the top out. i couldnt' get it after that. i was pissed! i seriously cried, no joke. (come on, you know you've done it too). well then i came back the next weekend. several tries in i was not sending. but then, i just focused and crushed. my twelve year old husband, who happens to be one of the sickest climbers i know, told me before i got on, "all it takes is one try." and it clicked. i knew i could do it. i just had to try it once, crush, and send. and so i did. it was the sickest moment ever as i stuck the holds, the coolest feeling. i felt unstoppable. it felt pretty amazing. i was shaking from happiness when i was standing on top of the boulder. it was pretty freakin sick.

you know you're climber when your toothbrush has touched more climbing holds than your teeth.