Gorge Scrambling

Thursday started off somewhat gloomy, but warm, so we were unsure what exactly Sally would have us do that day. Once we got picked up Sally told us that we were going gorge scrambling, which is climbing on large rocks along a stream that eventually turns into steep waterfalls and paths. Once we got to the Conway Center we gathered our supplies that we would need and put on our wetsuits and other layers. The area that we would be climbing was about a 4o minute drive in Conwy Valley on Afon Ddu Gorge, meaning Black River. As soon as we got out of the van we put our harnesses on and zipped up our vests and headed to the path toward the gorge. As we were walking on the path we played Chinese whispers, much like the American version of Telephone, to practice our communication with each other that would be essential for the day's activity. On the path there was a sign that explained ways to protect the gorge and surrounding area from erosion since it's a major concern when so many groups of people use the same gorge every day. Before we started our journey along the stream Sally gave us some helpful hints about gorge scrambling. Some rules to follow when gorge scrambling are "green is mean", meaning that we needed to avoid stepping on rocks with green lichen growing on it to protect the growth of these natural wildlife, "black, stay back", which meant that the rock was slippery and had algae growing on it, and "grey is OK", meaning that the rock was dry and safest to climb on. We followed each other single file, passing messages along the line of people when hazards were ahead or information was being explained. The first part of the climb wasn't very difficult, just needing to watch our footing and challenging ourselves by trying to stay dry. At one point we had to use our rock climbing skills and climb around a path of water on the side of a rock. Our first real challenge though was climbing through the Elephant's butt, which was a set of two rocks that appeared like the back end of an elephant. Sally climbed through first to attach a rope at the top for the rest of us to use as a guide. We got a little wet, but all successfully made it through the opening up the rock. We continued on our adventure up the stream until we reached a small waterfall that we had to climb around, but not without kissing the rock that was under the waterfall. Sally promised it was good luck. As the path got steeper and we ran into more challenging areas, we had to communicate to each other where it was slippery or a hazard was coming up. Many of us slipped a couple times, but when we started to really focus on where we were stepping and remembering the code Sally had provided us, we were able to avoid the slips before they happened. We helped each other a lot by offering our hand whenever possible, supporting each other and providing helpful advice in more challenging climbing spots. Another steep climbing area we had to get on our bellies to pull ourselves up onto the rock, and Sally tricked me and pushed my head in the water, I just laughed. Along the path there was an area where we got to climb through small rock tunnels that weaved, making me nervous since I wasn't sure if I would get stuck, and I've always feared tight places. But after crawling through the first tunnel and then the second and reaching the end, I found it was much easier than I thought, especially since I wasn't panicking and stayed calm. One of the other activities and challenges we got to experience was wading under a large rock, between a small space at the bottom of the rock, in order to get to the other side. Throughout the day we each took turns carrying the bags of supplies and lunches because they were so heavy and bulky. Everyone was really good about sharing the weight of the bag on their backs. Before lunch, Sally let us try dam blocking, which is when a line of people sit directly behind each other on a stream path and everyone but the person in front lifts their bottoms, washing the person in the front down the "slide" made of rock into the open water. We did this several times, the more people the easier it was to wash that person down the path. I felt like little kids, but I loved those activities the most. For lunch we stopped at a beautiful waterfall and a view that overlooked the valleys. It was very peaceful, but we had to avoid sitting on any green lichen that were growing on the rocks. We continued up the waterfall, walking up a steep path beside the falls. We found a tree that was low enough to flip over, so we all did flips on our bellies over the tree branch. At this point we were climbing up more dangerous steeper rock paths, that involved Sally having to climb to the top of the rock and attaching a rope that reached to bottom for us to attach ourselves to. In sets of two, we walked up the steep rock with the rope attached to our Karabiners on our harness. There were a couple large rocks that we had to slip under, submerging our bodies in the water, to get to the other side of the path. We came across another steeper rock wall that Sally had to attach a long rope to, and again we climbed in groups of two, watching our footing carefully to avoid slipping on the wet surfaces. As the day came to an end, it began to rain, getting colder since we were already wet. The last challenge of the day was at the very top of the gorge where we were given the option to jump into a section of deep water from the side of a rock. I was so excited to be able to do this, but once I got up there, ready to jump, I froze. I wasn't scared about the cold water, but the thought of jumping in from a high height into water I didn't know what was at the bottom. But I did it, and it was the best feeling, after the shock of being submerged in freezing cold water. Everyone jumped from the rock and we even convinced Sally to jump a pose. What a great way to end the day! Through all the challenges, I felt like I took extra caution on my footing and what I was stepping on to avoid falling. Everyone had a great time, completed every challenge, and did something that scared them, which I felt like was the goal of the day.

Once we got back to the van, our wellies full of water, we changed right outside of the van, with just a towel to cover ourselves, and tons of kids running around everywhere! We had to take extra caution in not accidentally flashing any of the young kids or the old men standing around. It was a really exciting day, with all sorts of different activities and challenges that tested our ability to use the skills that we learned in rock climbing and use good communication to avoid accidents.

St. Patricks Day

Wednesday was St. Patricks Day and was one of the craziest days that we have experienced since we've been here! But it didn't start off that way...I spent all day and afternoon trying to finish my papers for my classes all due before our 3 week spring break. I finally finished all my work by 7pm and that's when our St. Patricks day REALLY started! We had planned to go out that night but we needed to find a green outfit...so Molly came up with the idea to use our green duvet covers as togas! We all looked pretty snazzy and even added some green clover tattoos. Everyone got their own unique tattoo saying, mine said "Kiss me I'm a Nugget of Irish". After we were all dressed in our green we headed out to Academy for a bit. There were a lot of leprechauns there! Of course no one as cool of an outfit as we did;) We felt silly in our sheets, and a couple people asked us if we were using our grandmas curtains, but we were dressed silly together and that made it all the better. We left Academy and walked to Octagon because they were having a green foam party for St. Patricks Day! When we got there, no foam was to be found, but as more people came and filled up the dance floor, the DJ started a 30 minute countdown. By the end of the 30 minutes no one could move because there were so many people crowding the dance flow. We eventually found all the Americans on the dance floor and waited for the foam party to start. Before we knew it we were counting down in seconds for the foam to arrive. All of a sudden this huge cannon started shooting out green foam from above us. It was so exciting at first with foam shooting from the top onto everyones heads and it wasn't long before we were all soaked from the foam. But within a couple minutes it began to get hard to breathe without sucking in bubbled in your throat and I started to panic a bit. I saw Molly and both of our faces and eyes were covered in foam. We decided to make a break for it and try to escape the foam. Elliot was nearby and just laughed at how ridiculous Molly and I looked and at how scared we were about dying! I quickly squeezed through the slimy people on the dance floor to escape for air and to my relief I found Annie, Will, and Megan immediately after I got out of the foam, through my foggy soap vision. Along the way I lost Molly, but we later found her too, drenched in green foam. I was so thankful to be out of that "sticky" situation. We all went to the bathroom to wash off and when I looked in the mirror I couldn't believe how wet and somewhat green tinted I looked! It was really funny actually, seeing all the other girls who were completely soaked from the foam. We went back out to the dance floor after catching our breathe and the DJ announced that another foam blast was coming! This time I wasn't going to be in the dead middle where all the foam collected, so we stayed on the outside and were able to enjoy the foam a lot more, grabbing clumps and throwing them at each other.

We got back much later than we should have since we had Outdoor Pursuits the next day but you cant NOT go to a green foam party on St. Patricks Day right? It was such a fun experience, but nothing like I would have ever imagined. It'll definitely be a story I plan to share with people for a long time to come!

Unusual Sunday

As I was writing my papers for class I decided to take a look outside and saw the largest forest fire in the distance! I was shocked! There was a line of fire leading up into the mountains. I had to call Megan for her to come look to make sure I wasn't crazy. Tecwyn had mentioned to us that the lack of rain causes prairie fires because the grass is so dry. It's so crazy that just a week of no rain can cause so many problems in the UK, where in Iowa if we get too much rain, we fear flooding.

Late night stroll

Yesterday after the girls and I had made dinner we enjoyed some of Megan and Annie's delicious snickerdoodles! After dancing around for a bit, we decided to take a stroll down to the 24 hour shop for some snacks. But before we went out we had to put our shorts on and boots on of course! We looked ridiculous, but it was fun being goofy. As we were walking we ran into two guys who asked us what we were up to tonight, probably wondering why we were dressed so silly. They then somehow convinced us to go to Academy for the Heaven and Hell theme night. They wrote heaven or hell on all of our hands so that we could get in cheaper. Annie and I both had "HEAVEN" on our hands, while Molly, Sarah, and Megan had "HELL" written on their hands. We quickly got our sugary candy from the 24 hour store and ran back to change into our costumes. Annie and I wore a rolled paper halo attached to a pencil sticking in our hair, while the "hell" girls wore headbands with toilet paper red horns attached to them. We had a ton of fun at Academy dancing around in our costumes and visiting both the hell and heaven room.

Today we went to Varsity for lunch and to relax. We had the most delicious dessert, it was a cookie cup with ice cream in the center with toffee syrup drizzled all over it...it was good! We stopped at a couple stores along the way and at one of the check outs the girl asked me if I was American or Irish. I was shocked that she asked that, and explained, "I'm American, I just have a nasally problem right now." We both laughed, and I was slightly flattered that I was somewhat compared to sounding Irish.

We plan to go out tonight to Academy, its Monster Munch night, which means there will be flying Monster Munch chips flying everywhere...could get messy=/ But it'll be fun with both the guys and the girls=)

bruises + sore bum = mountain biking

Today for outdoor pursuits Sally told us we would be going mountain biking. We were all really surprised and didn't expect to mountain bike this week, but were all really excited about the adventure. I know I was terrified just thinking about going down paths at insanely fast speeds and not to mention bumps and turns that could throw you off your bike. But I kept an open mind, I really have always wanted to try mountain biking, so here was my chance. We got to the Conway Centre, collected our supplies and got to know our bikes a little better by riding them around the area. The United Kingdom bikes are slightly different than the bikes in America with the brakes being switched around. The right hand brake controlled the front wheel brake, while the left hand brake controlled the back wheel brake. It didn't take long to get the hang of this change, we just had to remember to always use both brakes at the same time to avoid flying off our bikes. Before packing up and leaving we practiced using our gears, the right and left gear. We kept the left gear in 2 most of the day and consistently changed the right gear from 1-8 depending on if we were going up or down a hill. We switched to the lower gears to go up a hill, making the pedals spin more, and switched to the higher gears to go down a hill, making the wheels cover more ground with less pedaling. When we were all ready we hopped into the bus, accompanied by Steve, Sally's husband, who would be helping to guide the group also, with our trailer of bikes attached to the bike and headed to Gwydyr Forest in Conwy Valley to bike on the Marin track.

When we first got there we all practiced biking by riding in single file lines following Sally along the main roads. We stopped and practiced good techniques for going down a path. We learned it is best to stand up on your feet on the pedals, with the pedals parallel positioned in the middle, leaning back and arms straight to optimize control. We each practiced this before riding down our first bike path. Upon reaching the bottom we practiced our balance on our bike, when the bike was stationary. It was difficult, but we just had to remember to focus on the front wheel and move with the bike. This skill helped us when we had to maneuver around tight sections and as the day went on it got easier to control our bike. The final skill Sally taught us was to always look ahead of ourselves, about five bike lengths, at the obstacles that will be coming up so that we may have some time to plan our action. I tended to look down at the path directly in front of me, and it was difficult at first. Once we had all put the techniques together mountain biking became much easier to control and gave us many more advantages to maneuver on the paths. I have never had the feeling of being scared but thrilled at the same time, and when I went down the paths I forgot about all the dangers that could happen and focused on what I was doing. I've never been one to ride down hills fast, even on sidewalk, so for me to go fast down mountain trails was a big step for my confidence level.

We stopped again to practice another skill, this time jumping our bikes over a stick. We started small, just lifting our front wheel over the stick, then practiced just lifting our back wheel over the stick until we were ready to practice jumping completely over the stick with both wheels in the air. I had the most difficulty on the back wheel and putting both the skills together. This technique is helpful if we wanted to wheelie over a large rock or avoid a possible dangerous obstacle. We had a small competition with each other, pedaling down a hill for momentum and seeing how far we could get up a hill without pedaling. It tested our ability to bike fast down a hill and minimize our wind resistance. We rode onwards to a lake to stop and eat lunch. We were able to eat our lunch right next to the lake, it was so peaceful and quite.

After lunch we got our gear together again and got ready to ride uphill. After sitting on the bike for the first time after lunch, I could feel soreness on my bottom and in my legs already. We switched our left gear to 1 as we rode up the gradual steep hill and switched to the lowest gear on the right side. It took a lot of energy and mental motivation to make it up the hill without stopping, but I felt really accomplished when I finally made it to the top. Steve led us to a spot with an amazing view of the mountains and the trails we had rode below. Then we headed down a bike path, single file, running into many more obstacles than the previous paths. At some point during the ride there was a large drop in the path, but I kept riding, using the techniques I had learned and finally made it to the bottom in one piece. I couldn't help but smile knowing I had just accomplished riding down a huge mountain side without wiping out, and actually not being scared for once. A couple of the girls had trouble with this path, having some major wipe outs, but everyone was fine, just a few bruises and scratches. Sally took a select few that were willing with her to some more advanced paths. As we each rode down the path, I found myself getting into a zone, where I was only focused on my techniques and movement, rather than the fear of riding fast down a mountain. At the very bottom of the trail my back wheel fishtailed causing me to slide a bit, but I got my bike repositioned and rode on. One of our last trails was by far the trickiest and most dangerous for us that day. There were many sharp corners and large drops, causing a number of us to wipe out. Half way down the path there were larger bumps that were a lot of fun to go over and made you feel like you were flying. The last trail of the day was much faster and only a few of us were daring enough to try it. We were in and out of the forest in no time it felt, and more confident in our ability to handle any kind of trail thrown at us.

We all rode back up the main road to a small car park, where we had a little extra time to practice our front and back wheelies. I finally accomplished the full bike lift, just barely lifting off the ground, but never the less, proud I didn't give up trying. We loaded our bikes onto the trailer and headed back to the Conway Centre after a strenuous day of mountain biking. I could feel my body tightening up and it was difficult to sit down without being slightly uncomfortable. Even though I left the mountain with multiple bruises on my knees and shins, I also left with a huge confidence boost. Mountain biking was the activity I was most scared for, but I was also most looking forward to it because I knew it was a chance to get over my fear of riding fast down hills. Today was a successful day and I can honestly say that I can't wait to go mountain biking again soon!

A beautiful day for outdoor rock climbing

Yesterday was one of the nicest days of the week, it was sunny and warm, and barely a cloud in the sky. We had Laura as our Outdoor Pursuits instructor today since Sally was gone. Laura picked us up and we headed to the Conway Centre excited to find out what we would be doing today. Once we got there we all gathered in the classroom and met Garreth, who would be accompanying our group for that day. They told us we would outdoor rock climbing since we were already experienced with the indoor rock climbing and the weather was ideal for outdoor activities. We gathered our supplies and hopped into the van to Fachwen to climb Lion's Rock, where Garreth told us that Lion King was filmed! I was so excited that I believed him for a couple seconds, until I remembered, that Lion King was an animated film...that was embarrassing, and I definitely made a great first impression, haha=/ We headed up a path for about 300 meters till we reached spotty rock, where we would be climbing that day. In order to start climbing, Laura and Garreth had to set up the ropes and karabiners on top of the rock to hold the ropes to climb below. It took about 20 minutes to set up, while the rest of the group waited at the bottom getting our gear on. When everything was ready and set up we got in groups of 3-4 and headed toward a climbing rope. Molly, Sarah, and I tried the easier rock climb first, to warm us up. We each took turns climbing, belaying, and spotting. At first it was difficult to find a place to put our hands and feet, but as we climbed it became second nature. It was very important to have good footing since most of us didn't have much upper body strength. Once I had reached the top of the rock and it was time for me to propel down, I froze. I think I got nervous about having to lean back and knowing the person below me was in charge of my safety. I had to get over that fear, because Sarah wasn't going to let me fall, and I propelled down. After our first climb our hands were pretty beat up, but we knew what to expect for the next climbs to come. We moved on to another climb, a little more difficult than the last. It was especially important as the climbs got harder to be a supportive belayer and always have the rope as tightly pulled as possible, in case the climber were to lose their footing and slip. After two successful climbs we stopped to take a lunch break.

On our lunch break, we sat on a large rock at the bottom of the climbing rocks overlooking the water below. It was beautiful, with the sun reflecting off the water and the warm sun on our faces. After a filling lunch and some time to let it digest, we were off to our the next, more challenging, climb. This climb involved maneuvering between two rocks at times, and we really had to focus on our footing and grip in order to avoid slipping. This climb took all of us a little longer than the other smaller climbs, but after reaching the top and looking behind at the view of the mountains and water, it was worth it! It was such a great feeling seeing yourself at the top of the rock and knowing you had accomplished the climb. Our last climb was the most difficult climb of the day. Each group had their struggles so we knew we would have to work hard to reach the top. When it was my turn, I struggled to find the right footing and places to put my hand, which became very frustrating after awhile. I wasn't going to give up, and with the help of Elliot as my guide, I made it to the first landing successfully. Already drenched in sweat from using so much energy, I took a couple of seconds to breathe and began my climb again. Although this climb took us all the longest to climb it, the view was 10x better at this height and felt even better to accomplish such a difficult climb. Once we all had a chance to climb, Garreth helped each of us to abseil down a rock. Abseiling was slightly different than normal propelling down a rock. Abseiling was based on your ability to hold yourself up while lowing your body to the ground, attached to a rope the whole time. It was nerve racking since we only had ourselves to rely on, and not someone below us to support us. It was a great feeling touching the ground and knowing you had done all the work yourself.

To end our day Laura taught us a little about how to set up the ropes on top of the rocks to hold the ropes for climbing below. There were a lot of different tools used, such as hexes, bolts, friends, slings, etc. Each tool had a different technique and use in order to optimize safety. We were able to practice using some of the tools by placing them in between rocks and tugging on them to ensure their sturdiness.

I learned a lot about climbing outdoors and techniques that I didn't learn when we climbed indoors. Laura informed us that the level at which we were climbing ranged from very difficult to severe, which is actually pretty tough for beginners. It was a great feeling knowing we climbed such advanced grade levels. I really enjoyed the outdoor climbing because it was more challenging, trying to find places for both your feet and hands. Each of us in our groups accomplished climbing up every single climb successfully and learned new techniques which was ideally the goal for the day. I can't wait to go rock climbing again and use the new skills and techniques I learned.

Scenic run

Tonight I headed to track practice after enjoying a lovely dinner of tater tot casserole and some dough rolls=) With my tummy still full I jogged to practice to find that no one was there yet. Then I saw a girl running toward me from the track. She and I were both confused on where everyone was, so we decided to run on our own. She introduced herself as Rena and we quickly began our run together. On our run I learned that she was from Finland and had been here for 5 months visiting her friends. She had stayed in Bangor last semester so she understood my situation with studying abroad. We ran across the Menai Bridge and into Anglesey Island, to the top of the hills to where the mountains and the Menai Strait were both visible. It was so beautiful, even at night, just barely being able to see the peaks of the mountains covered in snow. We continued our run around Anglesey Island for an hour, talking the whole time about everything from fashion in Bangor to Finland and English food. I learned a lot from her and really enjoyed our run. After we got back to our dorms we said goodbye and planned to see each other again on Thursday at practice. It'll be nice to see a familiar face. I was nervous about going to practice alone by myself since I still don't know everyone that well, but I'm glad I did, or I would have not met Rena and gotten to know her. It was definitely a memorable run=)

And I can't forget to mention that it was the National Day of Wales yesterday, March 1st, known as St. Davids Day (Dewi Sant), commemorating the patron saint of Wales. On this day people often wear daffodils or leeks, the national emblems of Wales. We celebrated this special day by having a test in Tecwyns class=/ But it was definitely appropriate since it was over Welshness.