I first started rock climbing twenty years ago. Back then it was an adventure sport. The objective was getting to the top of a multi-pitch route without falling. Sport climbing was mocked. I didn’t even know bouldering existed. There was no training. I gave up after a year because it seemed too dangerous.

I started climbing again in 2005, and this time I was hooked. Gear and safety standards had improved, and it didn’t seem so risky. Climbing at the gym was fun and social, a great way to decompress after work. I did easy trad for a while, then got into harder sport, and for the past three years I’ve been mostly bouldering. I live in San Francisco, which is an excellent city in that respect: at least a dozen different bouldering spots less than an hour away. Some places such as Mortar Rock in Berkeley have no approach: you can park next to the boulders for a quick session, then go get a cup of coffee at the Starbucks down the street. Others, like Castle Rock, can feel remote and secluded on a random weekday.

I’m 43 years old now, and I’ve reached a plateau of sorts. I’ve been bouldering more or less at the same grade for about two years. I don’t have a fulltime job these days, so I have a lot of time on my hands. This year I decided to start training more methodically to see how far I can get. I have some very specific objectives, and I will share them in due time. I’ll also share my progress, trip reports, videos of climbs, training tips, and whatever else I feel like.

Climbing is one of those activities that has no goal other than personal enjoyment. It’s not much of a spectator sport. You can play your guitar to entertain your friends, but bouldering isn’t so easy to share. Perhaps that’s why I’m writing this: to share it with an imaginary audience (I don’t really expect many eyes to see these posts).

Ok, I’m warmed up. My next post will be about something very tangible. Until then!