February Diversions (on the Rocks)

One of my goals for 2012 was to write here a few times a month and actually document the things that I'm doing here in LA.

I haven't been doing so well because I've been, well, doing things. But whenever I look back at my early posts from 2008 and see how much detail I went into back then, I feel regret for the last couple of years of mostly posting very short pieces. The event announcements help me remember some things, but I haven't been writing with the sense of discovery that I had when I first began, and that's a shame since my feelings about Los Angeles have actually grown deeper since that initial year.

So, looking to the future, I'm going to try to let go of some of my self-consciousness and write more about what I've been doing with myself lately. Beyond the scrapping around gardens and working as a Public Ally, rock climbing has been a huge diversion.

My first day at Malibu Creek

In January 2011 I was introduced by a lovely lady to rock climbing at Malibu Creek State Park. Last month I started climbing at Riverside Quarry. While it's not exactly picturesque and feels a little like an outdoor gym due to lots of the manufactured holds and glue, it's still much nicer than being inside a gym. (No offense to my location of choice for pulling plastic, Hangar 18 in Hawthorne.)  The wall is actually quite imposing, and the view from the top is not so bad either.

A huge factor is that I've been kind of wimpy about the 1-hour hikes it takes to climb at Malibu Creek or Echo Cliffs during our LA winter. And because my poor circulation plus cold rock equals numb fingers. I admit to my wimpiness and will eventually overcome it. I hope. Despite not having the pleasure of climbing on perfectly natural routes, the granite at Riverside Quarry is a nice change from the sharp volcanic rock at Malibu Creek and the potential for choss at Echo Cliffs.

My first climb at Riverside Quarry

I've been trying to spend at least one day a week climbing outside, and with 70-degree February days, Riverside Quarry has been an amazing place to feel some real rock under my hands until the days get longer.

Not really looking forward to "springing forward" on March 11, though.