It was IN-TENTS.

Oops, this post is a whole week late. Sorry! Whatever, you're still reading it aren't you? :)


Well, last weekend I went camping in WV with 17 friends. T'was tons o' fun. We camped, ate, hiked, climbed, ate, drank, danced, explored caverns, and ate. It got pretty chilly at night--not to be confused with CHILI, which we didn't get any of because it was all gone by the time we arrived at the Chili Cook-off. 


Staying on the topic of "lessons learned" (refer to Bologna's Halloween post), here are some lessons I learned from the trip and tips for your next camping trip:

1) Don't leave your car keys at the top of the mountain.

2) Don't bring your pet coyote with you.

      

3) DO travel with a doggie, so he can protect you against bears, bugs, mothman, etc.

(...or so that other climbers' dogs can stay entertained while their owners are too busy to watch/control their pet)

4) DO keep your helmets on at all times while inside the caverns (ahem, Erin...)

5) Do NOT feed the West Virginian wildlife.

This little kid actually came up to me and my friends, with an empty styrofoam cup in his hand, and asked for beer "for his daddy"...hmmm...

6) Invest in a nice, quality sleeping bag. While many of my fellow campers complained of their cold sleepless nights, I was warm, comfy and cozy inside my goose down mummy bag from L.L. Bean. I love it.

7) Get a headlamp. Although you may be confused for a miner or a giant lightning bug, you will find that headlamps are useful for so much more than just camping trips.

8) For cold feet, do NOT layer socks. Layered socks tend to be tighter on your tootsies, limiting circulation, and causing your feet to actually be COLDER! So get one good pair of wool socks and keep your piggies warm. I wore my SmartWool snowboarding socks.

9) Good snacks/drinks to bring for hiking/climbing: jerky, Smartfood popcorn, nuts, Clif bars, apples, Gatorade, lots of water.

10) Choose a tent partner who doesn't snore.

Hold on tight, spider monkey!

Adding onto Bologna's post, I'd like to express my sentiment:

Carrying on... despite all the cons of rock climbing-- e.g., blistered hands; having to wear shoes made for elf children; rope burn; harness wedgies; puffy forearms; bruised shins, arms, elbows, face, head, shoulders, knees & toes, knees & toes...--I still LOVE the sport. As a novice climber, I'm still learning the ropes. *ba-dum, ching!* I was introduced to this crag-grabbing activity back in April and fell in love with its physical and mental demands. While your body is getting an awesome workout, the pink & grey matter inside your skull is always trying to think of the next move.


Last night I went to Earth Treks with my BFF, Dana. We're prepping for a weekend of food, fun, friends, and rock climbing adventures at Seneca Rocks, WV! Not to mention, we're going during the weekend of the annual chili cook-off held at the climbing school there...mmm, yum. Anyway, let me tell you a few reasons why ET is awesome:


1) Harness bulge. Although at first it makes you somewhat uncomfortable, the crotch-y bulge of male rock climbers-caused by the shape and design of climbing harnesses-provides for a great source of entertainment.

2) Hot, manly men. I've never seen more muscular, rugged men in one place. They have big broad shoulders, scruffy faces, legs thicker than chickens', and the smell of their bare feet in sweaty climbing shoes is to die for.

3) During what other sport could you say, "Hey, you've got a little pink nub between your legs!"? (FUN FACT: This actually happened. I was watching my friend climb indoors at ET and he couldn't find foot placement, so I thought I would be a good friend and give helpful advice. I guess I should've found words better than "little pink nub" to describe the foothold.)

IN CONCLUSION, everyone should climb rocks--inside and/or outside. It's a great, easy, fun way to increase your level of fitness. A person will burn an average of 700 calories in just ONE hour of climbing. Give it a try! You could be the next Spiderman, Edward Cullen or Chris Sharma.

P.S. - Please forgive the absence of the rollerblading video. I will have one next week, I promise! My roommates refused to videotape the indoor move I was working on and yelled at me when I was practicing, because it was "too dangerous". :)