Climbing at Planet Granite

Uh oh, I may have added yet another activity to my repertoire.

Rakhi, Gabe, Vikram and I went climbing at Planet Granite in Sunnyvale. Vikram had never belayed and I hadn't done it in 4 or 5 years, so we started by taking lessons. I took climbing classes at Cornell my second year, but these lessons were much more relaxed. I feel much more confident about my belaying abilities this time. I enjoyed the climbing much more because I'm actually in shape. I went climbing at a wall in Berkeley once when I was an undergrad, and I was sore for days afterward. This time was relatively painless.

I'm currently signed up for weight lifting classes in the spring, but I think I'll drop the class and try climbing instead. It's equally good for building arm and leg muscles, but it's far more exciting and less regimented. The cost is almost the same ($30 for a climbing pass +$4 for shoe rentals vs. $90 for the class). The climbing wall at Cornell isn't the nicest, but it'll have to do. The biggest problem is that I don't have anyone to climb with and this is one activity that I can't do on my own. I have a few ideas of friends I can harass to accompany me however.

We had a great time and I hope that we make this an annual event. I think that this was the most active winter break I've ever had.