I am finally not scared

I finally feel like I can climb, pull hard, and propel myself up the cliff side. Yesterday I did. Then I fell. I was climbing strong all day; the warm up was a snap, so I did it twice. The next climb, a 10 something was more difficult, and yet I still was able to work it out, climb it clean. The third and 11 something was amazing, hard and cruxy. Big moves to tiny incuts in the rock. The first time I took twice. Managed to finish it, but was unsatisfied with the climb. So I tried again. finally through the crux, but still on splayed out holds, I reached for something solid. But my left foot was hanging in the void. Not touching the rock, and while I knew that this was a problem, while I tried, failing to get that foot onto something, I reached high above for the next hold anyway.

I missed it.

Then I fell. Explosive and painful. I closed my eyes in an automatic response to suddenly being airborne. Only opening them after I hit, jolted back, and slammed against the rock. My right foot hit against the rock, slamming it full force, and the jolt screamed up my leg, through my calf and into my thigh. Then I couldn’t climb again. I only hope the damn thing isn’t broken. That would blow.

Meanwhile, kaleb has developed a new affinity to free soloing.