Climbing with SMS

Apart from SMS, another big thing that has entered my life in the past 5 months is rock climbing.  SMS has been rock climbing since 2002 and is really, really good.  I marvel at some of the rock he climbs.  In general, he makes it look so effortless and the routes he climbs are not easy.  Some of the things he climbs don't even seem like fun to me, they're so tough!

He really loves it and has shared the sport to me.  I climbed a little bit indoors in college, but SMS and I have gone both to the gym and outside.  It's been awesome to have such a fun activity to share as a couple and it's really nice to do something outdoors on the weekend.  It is such a nice change-up from being inside during the workweek.

The pictures above are from Mt. Woodson (left) and El Cajon Mtn (right).  I'm belaying Kate from the most comfortable tree perch up a 10b crack, which I climbed too!  Bottom left is SMS on a 12a face(!). The picture on the right is me descending after our multi-pitch climb on El Cajon by the "Diamond of San Diego."

Above are more El Cajon pics.   The hike in is about 75 minutes.  The handholds overall are really great as long as one doesn't go off route (read: me).  Mark looks like he is having a little more fun than me in the action shots but the selfie shows we are both having an awesome time!