For the love of wall climbing

The only thing that made me bolt upright from bed, after experiencing severe sore throat from the wee morning hours until noontime today, was the realization that since I had my leave of absence the entire day, I might as well make somthing off it by getting the chalk ball I've been meaning to have since I got myself a chalk bag. I did not even have second thoughts and my slight fever didn't stop me. I just have to get my hands on some chalk balls so climbing could be more fun. It sounds lame, I know, but anything that gives me renewed strength in times of sickness better be worth the hassle.

We've experienced several shortages of chalk balls from Play Underground at the Rockwell and it really afftected the way we managed the wall routes. Well, it affected mine mostly. You see, I have sweaty hands. This phenomenon manifests itself when I'm excited, exerting effort, and over a ledge slightly above ground-level where I could see the ground. It also shows when I know I'm in a slightly elevated area even if I couldn't see the ground from where I'm at. The sensation is coupled with some prickly sensation on the soles of my feet. You may call it altophobia, acrophobia, or batophobia or plainly being afraid of heights (for your full list of fears or phobia, visit www.phobialist.com).

I'm a masochist, I know. I subject myself to one of my greatest fears every week without fail. At a certain point of each climb, you could reach the top of the third level parking area of the Rockwell. Bear in mind that you have to look down each time you reach the top to give a sign to your belaying partner that you are done and that you'd like to be brought back to the ground. Funny thing is, as you are way up touching the last rock hold while looking down, you do not really feel afraid anymore. Weird but entirely true. Try it yourself if you haven't yet.

Going back to my chalk balls, which I got for a cheap P25 each, I'm already liking them. As the attendant at Power Up in Pasig gave me my prized babies, only then did it occur to me that these balls are entirely filled with chalk which I should have already known judging by the way it is called. Actually, I was thinking they are made up of balled-up cloth or something that you immerse in loose chalk everytime you want to use them. Upon close scrutinity, I have learned that these chalk balls are made by filling nylon stockings up with loose chalk and tying them by their ends so they could resemble a ball (refer to picture). Each ball is about 3 inches in diameter.

I got lost in the Pasig area, the place where Power Up is (it's at Capitolio and you take the same entrance as when you are going to Rizal Gym or the city hall). After several phone-a-friends, I finally found it (click here to get a list of all wall climbing gyms in the Philippines courtesy of scapi.org). All the trouble paid off. And it gets better.

Shangri La Mall is in the area and I decided to take a peek and I got to buy some stuff as most stores inside were having a lot of their inventory on sale (up to 50% off for Replay and even up to 70% off for Debenhams).

All is good. Made my bad, sick day a lot better.

posted by Fritz @ 11:36 PM