Back in the game?

Pizza and I are exhausted. In the week leading up to (and including) Easter, we did 14 services at the Cathedral on top of our regular work days. We were generally there together, but if I wasn't doing one, she was and vice versa. I also had to work on Saturday morning (lifting trees) before my Sno-King Choral gig and then get back to the Cathedral for Easter Vigil which went until midnight. Like I said, exhausted. Pizza is still going too. She went to Tacoma the other day to hang with her sister for her b-day. Today, she is going on a field trip to a choir festival with her kids. She's been up early every morning this week to get ready. I don't envy her at all. This weekend will be easy comparatively.

I, on the other hand, took Monday off. (Pizza decided last minute to take it off too in order to rest.) After lazing about for the better part of the morning, I went climbing and she went to run some errands. Now, I haven't been climbing for close to 3 months due to tendon strain.

I warmed up on some 5.6 auto-belay climbs just to see if my hand could take it. It could and I even tested various grips. So I continued to fire off all of the 5.6 and 5.7 auto-belay climbs I could find. In all, I did 7 of those level routes. I decided to push it a bit and did a climb that was put up for the climbing comp that was held earlier this month. It wasn't anywhere near the most difficult climb, but it certainly gave some competitors a challenge.

Since it was rated within the point system (925 pts.) I don't really know what it's rated. I think it'd be somewhere around 5.8+ or 5.9-, but who knows really, maybe I'm just really out of shape and found it more difficult than it is. Regardless, I got through it without falling or faking. I finished off my workout with 4 more laps on the 5.6s. I think 11 laps up easy stuff is commendable after 3 months off. I'm certainly proud of it as well as being happy to be climbing again. There was no residual soreness in my tendons, so I think as long as I continue to take it easy (or tape up sufficiently) there shouldn't be any problems.

No problems is what I want since April 7th is just around the corner. April 7th is CW-Day. That's the day Ken and I take off work (Pizza's Spring Break) and the three of us go to the Bertschi School to pick up...

Our NEW climbing wall (CW-Day, get it?). It breaks down into 4' x 4' sections and we get all the holds, so it should be pretty quick to disassemble. As of right now, I don't have any place to put it. I have not set any posts in the backyard, nor have I framed a wall for it to go on. I get the framing from the wall here, so maybe I'll be able to put something together quickly on the day of.

The wall is pretty big. Dimensions right now (in the photo) are c. 9ft x 30ft. plus the 4ft. roof. All in all, the wall could be 13 ft. tall and 15ft. wide if I wanted a front and back side to it. Again, I still have to design and frame something. I've scoured the internet, but can't find any reference to building your own OUTDOOR climbing wall. Outdoor being the key. Everyone and their mother has an indoor wall that can easily attach to the framing members of your house. How in the hell do you make a free standing climbing wall?
I might need A's Grandpa or maybe Brock to help me with building a sturdy frame. I mean if I have the wall overhanging, the forces exerted from a climber (not to mention the weight of the panels themselves) is a lot.

Check in often to see progress. I'll definitely be posting pics and build-progress. More later.