More Ice Climbing Images

I've never been particularly confident when it comes to my physical ability. I've always preferred dance, yoga, hiking, NON-COMPETITIVE sports. That's why my second day of ice climbing was such a rush. Because I got angry at the ice, and I excelled. I made it to the top and it was such an amazing feeling...hard to describe, actually. Thrilling, exhilarating, COLD!

Don't Tell Sipsey & Piper

but I fell in love with a dog while I was in Michigan. His name is Houdini, he's 7 months old, he's the lead dog in a team, and I would have taken him home if I could. And he was the sweetest male puppy dog I've ever gotten to love on (besides Otis, OF COURSE!)

Does This Harness Make My Butt Look Big?

I took a group of journalists ice climbing this afternoon near Munising, which is on Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. During the winter the rain, snow, etc., melts and falls off the bluff, freezing and forming amazing ice pillars, which people come from all over the country to climb.
I'm apparently not aggressive enough to excel at the sport, you have to really hack away at the ice to get a hold with your axe. Not to mention your arms are above your head the entire time and you've got a white-knuckle grip on your axes. I picked up some lingo to describe the burning sensation in my forearms...pumping.
And then when you rappell down from the top, the blood rushes into your hands and you experience a sensation known as the Puking Swirlies....the nausea after the climb is so strange!
All in all, it was a lot of fun, and I'm glad that I will have two more chances to climb different falls along the lakeshore over the next few days.
It's a pity that there's no way to look truly good in layers of snow gear :-(