Green pass turned to orange pass

I think I get to sit at the "big table" at my climbing gym now.

Earlier tonight - after a good day of watching Tour de California action and drinking Russian River brews in Santa Rosa - I *ahem* drove (the rental car from our daytime adventures) over to Mission Cliffs and took their lead climbing test; a friend was gracious enough to meet up with me and be my partner (since the test is two parts: first, you lead climb a gym-rated 10b route while your partner belays you, and then you do the belaying for your partner). I passed on my first try, which, um, rocks!

For those of you not familiar withclimbing terminology, "lead climbing" is when, as a climber, you bring your rope up with you and clip it into anchor points for safety along the way (vs. the more beginner friendly toproping, where the rope is pre-set at a big anchor point at the top of the climb). Check out a few nice, clear, stick-figure diagrams of what I'm talking about at this site.

If you really want to get into the details, lead climbing is further split up into two main sub-categories: "sport climbing" and "traditional climbing" (aka "trad"). The first implies that the aforementioned anchor points are already set into the climbing wall; this is what would be offered at an indoor gym (as well as a few well-known outdoor spots). Trad is more complicated, requiring that you bring up these anchors - more generally known as "protection" - and set them into the rock as you go up.

Passing the lead test at Mission Cliffs basically allows me to do the sport climbing routes in any of the Touchstone climbing gyms here in the Bay Area. And while I definitely need lots more practice, it's also a small indicator that I have an idea of what I am doing; I got some positive feedback from the staff at the gym.

It's like a whole new area of the gym is opened up to me now - physically and mentally. haha. For whatever reason, even though I've improved my toprope climbing a lot over the past couple of months - completing a few 5.12's even (again, gym ratings!) - I was always under the impression that you don't really get the full respect of the gym regulars unless you can do some lead climbing. But I know that idea was *mostly* in my head. ;)

Still, I'm psyched about having veritable free reign of everything in the gym! So now that I got a few more skillz under my belt - sport climbing represent - the only things that will hold me back are my fitness or lack of determination (or injuries) And I like having that sort of control; control that was enabled and engaged when I traded in my old green toprope belay card tonight for a brand new orange one (for lead belay). I should have done it a long time ago..