Gross

I was walking to the bank during lunch today and two guys in their late twenties/early thirties pulled up alongside me. "Hey!" one yelled. "How does a guy like me get a girl like you?!"

Gross.

Tip number one, guys: Leave the female pedestrians alone.

A successful trip (AKA no deaths)!

On Friday night, Ritchie and I left straight from work to meet up with Eryn, Breen, and Ryan south of Chehalis. We stopped along the way for dinner, gas, and firewood (twice) and were too late to meet them and caravan to the campsite, so we decided to risk it on our own. Five hours after departing from Redmond, we made it to the national forest east of White Pass. We were greeted by two dogs, three drunk climbers, and an elk spine (thanks to Noah). The tent was ready so we drank a few beers and settled in for a night of no rest (the tent was pitched on a hill) in preparation for a long day of climbing.

Ailey belays Ritchie

Ailey climbs the 5.8 on the crags after Eryn's lead

Eryn led this 5.10 and completely dominated it.

Ritchie was feeling feisty and decided to climb the same route twice.

Overall, it was a great trip. I'm still sore in my shoulders and back, which I THINK is the hallmark of a good time. I'm lucky to have such an awesome sister and brother-in-law - it works out well for me that they are into adventure (and have all the equipment for it). It's also lucky for me that Ritchie is willing to join me for a weekend of dirt, sweat, precipices, and no showers or toilets. Good times to be had by all!

Rock-climbing this weekend!

I'm going rock-climbing this weekend! This is all very exciting. Ritchie and I are going to REI tonight to pick-up our shoes and other necessary implements. We're meeting Eryn, Noah, and Brian tomorrow evening and then driving out to the campsite for a weekend of hanging off ropes and clinging desperately to rock faces. I have to say that, though I really like rock-climbing, I'm not particularly good at it. In fact, it kind of scares me. I don't know what happens when I'm suspended twenty feet off the ground with a rope, a knot, and a belay device, but my hands start sweating in a way that no chalk bag will fix and my heart starts beating like a Jamaican on a steel drum. I just KNOW that the person will drop me and I will die. This is a given. I'm looking forward to sharing this experience with Ritchie who is a nice guy and probably doesn't want me to die. If I survive the weekend, maybe we'll even be able to laugh about me crying on the rock and refusing to unclench my fingers. But in the meantime, I'm saying my prayers.

It doesn't look as high as it feels.

My legs are shaking in this picture.

I look happy here, but I'm actually near tears.

P.S. My friend just randomly told me about an acquaintance who died in a freak climbing accident. Awesome.

An awesome weekend away:

It rained a little . . .

But we were protected from floods (and well hydrated).

Actually, it kind of rained a lot.

But there was dancing!

And badminton (SUCH a shortage of shuttlecocks)!

It was really quite tiring.



But a great weekend overall! We danced, played in the sun (when it was around), and saw a great concert at the Gorge. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for being generous enough to hand your cabin over to ten kids!