Although I haven't been writing about it, it's been a busy April. I hiked Mt Major, went climbing in Quincy Quarries and have been rowing 3 x a week, mostly in the bow seat.
Mt Major, as always, was an amazing way to start the hiking season. I went on April 12, which was still cold, but there wasn't really any snow to speak of. I was meeting a friend for dinner for her birthday, which forced me to get up early-ish and get moving. Good drive up, awesome hike, and lovely view at the top. I brought a delicious cheese and avocado sandwich which of course was amazing. The new path at the bottom is such an improvement, it's got switchbacks and a pretty trail instead of the washout that you used to hike. The only thing that wasn't great was there was a couple with a reactive doggo on the way up - I get wanting to get the dog out in nature and socialized, but at the same time it clearly wasn't ok with people. They stopped to let me pass, but then it was clear that they were way faster than me, so I had to stop and let them go by, which of course took longer than I wanted. After I didn't even go to Kittery because I had to get home, which I think was for the best because $$.
I went climbing with my brother and his partner when they were visiting. We decided on QQ because it's so easy to get to, there's slab, and the spray paint is so atmospheric. It had been a while since I was there - lots of new spray paint to enjoy, but fortunately the stuff on what we were climbing wasn't so slippery. I think people had already climbed it this season. We went to C wall, by the water, and did the nice slabby climb on a flake - I went up three times on different routes at the bottom - once on each side of the flake once through the center. Then we went to the area by the entrance and did a couple of climbs on the S wall. The spray paint does add a grade or two, plus the fact that I haven't done outdoor climbing for a while....
The AMC learn to climb group was out, and I felt nostalgic for the program. I did some reading on setting up a top rope today - the AMC was very much "no metal on metal" but it seems like everyone else now is like "connect your slings to the bolts with carabeners. And so that's what I did. Because advice changes, and it's way easier that way. I got a couple new slings at this climbing shop in Union Sq. They seem so thin, but the guy was all about the newtons and how they can hold an SUV and I would break before they did. And they were fine, and much easier to set up. So, I'm going with it for the future.
There was this one group from AMC that was near us that was struggling with their set up. Their rope was like 6 feet from the ground, untied, and the guy kept yelling up that it was fine. And I was like "no it's not!" because I'm not usually a butinsky, but that's just not safe. Anyhow, it was a really fun day and I'm going there again this weekend with a friend to do it again.
Rowing continues to be a lot of fun - I feel like I might be getting a little better at it, though there is much to work on. There's this woman in my boat who's new, and she knows what she's doing even less than me, which is a bit of a feel-good, I'm not going to lie. I've mostly been in the bow, which is tippier than the three seat. It's such good exercise and so nice being on the water (except for days when it's cold, windy and or rainy - though even then a bad day of rowing is better than a good day of crossfit). I feel like I'm starting to get to know the other rowers better, and they seem like pretty cool people. So, psyched to continue with it this summer.
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