I've been in California for one month today, and have been pretty darn busy since i've gotten here - looking for a bar job, working with my folks for the business, making progress on a difficult but rewarding dissertation, riding a fun new fixed gear, trying to climb a bit, oh yeah, and planning a wedding.
The big events of the past few months have probably been:
- Flying to California to surprise Krista in one perfect, well-planned moment with all of my best friends in town to support me, to ask her to marry me in October.
- Dislocating my shoulder while trying to onsight a rad sport climb in Mallorca (The day after my last post).
-Moving back to the States from Bristol and sinking back into life here.
-Starting my dissertation which discusses Religion, Civil Society and the future of Sino-US relations.
In terms of the wedding, things are going smoothly, we're taking it pretty chill and making it our style...today, we got a ton of stuff for the big day, at a thrift store of course for the cost of about $10, oh and i found a bad ass '70s Schwinn 10 speed for Krista at the same store for $15! what a deal. But yeah, for everyone who will be there with us, its going to be one heck of a great party! We can't wait to drink, dance and laugh with all of you!
My shoulder has been a less happy scenario. After dislocation on a crimp/gaston move, and re-location via one-handed drive across the island of Mallorca to a doctor (picture below was taken 5 minutes after the dislocaiton drinking a whiskey waiting for nick to arrive in the car)
I sought the advice of 2 physiotherapists in England who were very optimistic and said I was lucky and gave me the go-ahead to start exercising/climbing after 6 weeks.
I eased back into it in the gym and crags around bristol and tahoe...was easily climbing 5.11 sport and V6 bouldering, and then thursday...was climbing a hard(ish) climb i'd done numerous times before, and BOOM - shoulder out, shoulder back in, from the same move i did in mallorca in april - SHIT ROCKETS! what a bummer...anyway, basically just means i have to return to physiotherapy/exercise and take it easy with my climbing for the un-forseen future...all this after knocking on the door of 5.13, negative.
I'm not exactly sure where to move onto from here, just riding my bike and trying to stay positive, and be joyful for the health I have...I know Ethan Pringle and lots of other climbers much stronger than me have come back from rough shoulder stuff, It's just hard to deal with a part of your body failing you.
I'm trying to stay hopeful, and mainly just acceptant of whatever God has in store...if it means I'll never climb hard again, or acheive the goals I hoped to someday acheive, thats ok, I will find new ways to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy rocks - maybe long, easy trad climbing is going to turn out to be my forte! I know hope is always the only attitude to have.
Benjamin over and out.
