Reflections Along the Way

I had intended for this to be a Highlight Reel of sorts, but realized that some events had a ridiculous amount of pictures, whereas other important events had come and gone without ever taking the camera out…so I guess you could say its MOST of 2009 in pictures…

Snow days in January!

In February we discovered that we had two possum friends living under our porch - Pedro and Priscilla

Crazy Hair Day AND St. Patrick's Day all wrapped into one during School Spirit Week

First time climbing at Hawksbill Mountain, Western NC in early May

We had a great time at the New River Rendezvous Climber's Festival in mid-May - and even got to take a clinic with pro-climber Lisa Rands!

Memorial Day weekend trip to Seneca Rocks

Lots of climbing trips to the New River Gorge in West Virginia

Lineberry family trip to Yellowstone in June

Fantastic Utah Climbing trip with Norbert and Manuela, end of June

Ending our Utah trip with a ride to the emergency room...

First time bouldering at the Dixon School Rd Boulders in Gastonia, NC, early July

Father/Daughter biking and camping trip to Galax, VA in July

J-bean's first photos at 6 weeks pregnant in early August!

Labor Day climbing trip to the Red River Gorge, KY in September

We made it down to the Linville Gorge one last time before I got too preggo to hike into the gorge in early October

Our 18 week anatomy scan was in late October - that's when we found out our little jellybean was blue!

Taking advantage of Steve's work trip to Vegas with a climbing weekend in Red Rock Canyon, NV at the end of October

Day after Thanksgiving sales got us our 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid!

2 day climbing trip to Sandrock, AL before the holidays

Christmas with the Lineberry's in Atlanta

Last summer Steve and I won a day of private guiding at Seneca in a raffle during the “Playing for the Payoff” comp at the Triangle Rock Club, a fundraising effort to help buy the property of Laurel Knob in Western North Carolina.  This past weekend we decided to cash in on our prize.  What a great introduction to a new area!  Our guide was Arthur Kearns, affectionately known as “ACK”, whom we had met last year at the New River Rendezvous.  He gave us the grand tour, and put us on a variety of climbs to help us get a feel for the rock and style of climbing there. 

Steve cruising up the first half of Pollux

Day 1 Climbs ~
Triple S – 5.8+
The Prune – 5.7 (first 2 pitches only)
Back to the Front – 5.9
Pollux – 5.10a

Day 2 ~We kept the grades low today, but the exposure high! Today was a fabulous example of how easy climbing can still be really fun. We enjoyed spectacular scenery all day, and got to sign the summit register for the second day in a row!

Steve at the start of Gunsight to S. Peak Direct (EXPOSURE!!!!)

Working up the south side of the Gunsight Notch

Day 3 ~ Since we had a long drive ahead of us, we had only one route on our tick list for the morning – a mega classic that always has a line.  We got up really early to break down camp, and found ourselves first at the base of the route – another party showed up when I was about 15 feet off the deck, so we were glad we had gotten up so early!
Ecstasy – 5.7 (3 pitches)
This route was SPECTACULAR!  I’m so thankful that everyone at the Gendarme encouraged us to get on it.  I will say that although there were no moves harder than 5.7, it was very steep and sustained for the grade – add in all the exposure and the traverse, and it made for a very heady lead.  If 5.7 was my limit, I probably would have been pretty sketched on this route!

This trip did wonders for my confidence on gear.  I didn’t have any trouble finding placements or building anchors, even though the routefinding got a little tricky at some points.  I’m at the point now where getting a solid piece in feels ALMOST as secure as clipping into a bolt.