by
Rachel
L. Miller
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| Making her way down the rock after her very first rock climbing experience
in Boulder, CO. Photo © 2001, RTM. |
I
feel
like Spiderman. My superhero arms are stretched out to each side, gripping the
rough gray rock, my feet balanced below on ledges no wider than an inch.
I’m
now eye-to-eye with my new nemesis, my face so close that I’m embracing its
dusty mineral scent and feeling its tiny particles cling to my sweaty cheek as
a gust of wind sweeps through the canyon.
I look down to the left for a new foothold in order to advance my climb,
and not seeing anything, my eyes hastily dart to the right, concentrating heavily
on the area of rock directly above my foot. Nothing.
I
sigh, but don’t worry. The words of one of the women in our climbing group
reverberate in my mind, “Rock climbing is more of a mental challenge than
a physical one. It’s like putting together a huge puzzle.” I just need
to find the next piece so I can move upward. Remaining in my position on the rock
for another minute, I scour the nearby portion for a saving grace…and then
I see it, a little crevasse next to my right knee. I
feel a moment’s hesitation – the prospective foothold looks awfully
high, I don't know if I’m strong enough to push myself up once my foot is
nestled. After all, the only precarious climbing I’m used to is hauling my
tired body out of the car after a long day of work. As
my foot slowly heads toward the crevasse, my guide senses my hesitation and offers
encouragement. “That’s a great foothold, Rachel,” Eric shouts from
dozens of feet below, holding on to the rope that is somehow connected to my harness.
“Go for it, I’ve got you.”
Yeah,
it’s easy for him to say that – he’s got both feet firmly planted
on the ground. But his words inspire me enough to go for it, anyway. So what’s
the worst that could happen if I lose my grip? I dangle like an idiot long enough
to realize how absurdly fat my thighs look in this sadomasochistic rock climbing
harness. Big deal – that’s not half as traumatizing as trying on bathing
suits after a long Detroit winter.
Purposely
avoiding a quick glance down to the ground, my eyes zero in on my new foothold,
my knee bends drastically and my foot finds a new home in that oh-so-promising
crevasse. For the first time in my life, I’m thanking God for blessing me
with minuscule size 5 feet. I’ve got a white-knuckled grip on the rock now
as I start to use my legs to push my body upward.
Exhaling,
now just a few more feet up the rock, I realize I did it.
A
euphoric sense of accomplishment washes over me. I met the challenge. I conquered
another fear. I am Spiderman – no, I am Spiderwoman. Grinning, I turn
my head to share my exuberance with the group standing on the ground far below
me. Funny, they look so small. Nausea suddenly begins to creep over me and I brush
it away long enough to enjoy this grand view of Eldorado Canyon State Park, located
just a few miles southwest of Boulder, Colo.
Dark
green pine trees dot the craggy reddish-brown rocks, their wide, earthy fingers
reaching toward the sun. The clear water of Boulder Creek below is interrupted
by, go figure, boulders. The weird quasi-psychedelic swirling of the evergreens
and ground below, the sun blurring into the sapphire sky – wait, that’s
just the nausea talking.
As
I turn back to face the rock, now a sturdy friend, I realize I may have conquered
the fear of rock climbing for the first time, but I still have a way to go in
adapting to this high elevation. Oh well, I’m sure even some superheroes
are afraid of heights.
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| The
Flatiron Mountains serve as the backdrop for Boulder and are a great place
to hike and go rock climbing. Photo © 2001, RTM/Rachel L. Miller. |
There’s
no better place to start rock climbing than Boulder, a thriving city on the edge
of the Rockies. Recently rated as one of The 10 Healthiest Places for Women
to Live by Self Magazine and ranked number two in Shape Magazine’s The
Fittest Cities in America, Boulder seems to be the epitome of healthy living.
Not only do the residents take care of themselves by way of outdoorsy physical
activity, they take care of their environment -- as evidenced by extremely large
numbers of people walking, biking or rollerblading down the city streets and
the abundance of recycling options.
Down to Business: The Basics of Boulder
Just a half-hour drive northwest of (and another 200 feet higher than)
Denver, you’ll find Boulder, a charming, oh-so-natural oasis, distinctly
set apart from the cheetah-paced sprawl of the Denver area by Open Space, 37,000
beautiful acres of preserved and protected land. With the breathtaking Flatiron
Mountains serving as the city’s backdrop, Boulder is home to scientific research
organizations such as National Center for Atmospheric Research, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Institute of Standards and
Technology, where you'll find the Atomic Clock, which sets standard time nationwide.
A number of high-tech companies are also located in Boulder; IBM, Sun Microsystems and Ball Aerospace & Technologies, to name a
few.
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| The
Hotel Boulderado. Photo © 2001, RTM/Rachel L. Miller |
Whether
you're in town for business or pleasure, the hotel of choice in the city is Hotel Boulderado, a historic property that first opened its luxurious doors
in 1909. And upon entering the lobby
and feasting my eyes on the gorgeous details of the cherry wood staircase and
the immense stained glass ceiling, I am delighted to learn that the hotel does
indeed transport me back to the early 1900s, marked with an air of undeniable
luxury. I enjoy my ride on the hotel's original elevator -- sliding iron gate
and all -- and make my way to my room. Immediately impressed, I marvel at how
the Hotel Boulderado keeps the turn-of-the-century feeling alive in its guest
rooms, most of which are decorated in an understated Victorian manner. And even
though the rooms take me back in time, the amenities remind me that, yes, I am
planted firmly in the 21st century. Easy access to the Internet is provided by
two-line data port phones and through the hotel's 24-hour business center. In
addition, the staff is extremely generous (and friendly) and one of the best restaurants
in the city -- Q's -- is located adjacent to the hotel lobby.
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| Pearl
Street with the Flatiron Mountains covered in early morning fog. Photo © 2001,
RTM/Rachel L. Miller |
The
Boulderado is just a few blocks away from Pearl Street, the city's centerpiece
and pedestrian mall. Filled with quaint shops, boutiques, coffeehouses and restaurants,
exploring Pearl Street is a must while in Boulder. Another must is the local Farmer's Market, held every Saturday and Wednesday (spring-fall) just a few
blocks south of Pearl Street. You'll find flower bouquets, produce (most of it
organic) and lots of food for sale.
And
speaking of food, you just can't visit Boulder without sampling the cuisine at
the Flagstaff House, located mountain-side with panoramic
views of the city. Originally built as a cabin built in 1929, the building was
renovated to feature floor to ceiling glass walls and several outside terraces,
which make for the best view from any Boulder restaurant.
But
the best views of Boulder, I soon discover, are the ones waiting for those who
enjoy a little more adventure than a four-course meal can possibly offer (although
I wouldn't advise going on any of these adventures after eating a four-course
meal).
Work
Those Leg Muscles
From
Boulder's Chautauqua Park, I glance up at the Flatirons. I'm worried. You see,
I was just told that today we'll be hiking up Gregory Canyon to Saddlerock, which
didn't mean much until my attention was directed to a small brown cliff jutting
out from the side of the evergreen-covered mountain. Upon seeing this, my eyebrows
take on a life of their own as they rise at an astronomical rate -- I can't help
but be intimidated. I try not to focus on the fact that I've never really been
hiking before in my home of super-flat southeastern Michigan, much less up a mountain.
I'm determined that I can do it...hell, if I can handle driving in rush-hour traffic
for three hours a day, I can certainly handle a walk in the woods, right? The
hike takes three hours, most of which I'm feeling extremely exhilarated, despite
my ever-reddening face and lack of breath.
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| The
view from the highest point in the hike. Photo © 2001, RTM/Rachel L. Miller |
Making the
hike more enjoyable is our guide, a wholesome park ranger with Boulder Mountain Parks, who points out wildlife and landmarks along the way.
He seems to immediately gauge the group's experience (or in my case, lack thereof)
and adjusts the hike to suit us. On the hike up, we're rewarded with views of
Boulder, the town becoming smaller with each turn up the mountain. And before
I know it, we're at Saddlerock, looking out at the peaks of the Continental Divide,
and I know this hike has been one of the most challenging (and hence rewarding)
experiences of my life. I feel like pumping my fists in achievement and bellowing
out a horrible off-key rendition of "I Am Woman" -- but I'd rather not
ruin the moment for the rest of my hiking group. Instead, I head down the trail
for the hike back to town.
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| View from the front seat of the glider before being released from the connection
to the tow plane. Photo © 2001, RTM/Rachel L. Miller |
Fly
Like An Eagle
As
I quickly strap myself down to the front seat of the long-winged glider, I prepare
to be amazed. My guide, Ralph, tells me not to worry -- that his company (Mile
High Gliding, based out of the Boulder airport) has never had an accident,
injury or death while flying these magnificent gliders. He tells me that all I
have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride while he controls the high-performance
sailplane. Liking the sound of it, I prepare to make it through this without overanalyzing
how high I will be in just a few minutes -- approximately 5,280 feet above airport
elevation. And most importantly, I prepare to enjoy the feeling of solitude
and connectivity with the Earth that I've been told I will most definitely experience.
But nothing readies me for how absolutely quiet the world becomes once I'm gliding
over it, how awestruck I am as I glance out over the control panel (and past the
plane that tows our glider to the aforementioned elevation) and see the snow-capped
expanse of the Continental Divide. It's funny, but those 14,000-foot grayish-blue
peaks off in the distance don't seem quite as daunting from this angle -- they
seem almost friendly. Well, almost. But I don't think I'll be trying to
scale those anytime soon -- I'll save that for the next time I'm in Colorado.
(As
adventurous as we are, we still love to be pampered -- and after such muscle-straining
activities, I think we deserve some relaxation....click here for spa information in Boulder.)
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