Our rental car in Tuolumne was an automatic, as most rental cars in the US are. I’ve always driven a standard, from my first car when I had no choice (cheaper) through my most recent car when the dealer had to go out of his way to find the model I wanted without the automatic option. Driving a standard feels more like driving. I’m running the show and it takes some skill and thought. Often my driving is “automatic” despite my going through the motions of shifting, but there are times when it flows, when the car and the road and I are moving together.

Then in Tuolumne, I have to admit, the automatic felt pretty good. It was lazy and easy, especially in traffic, and it worked just as well even if the gear changes were a little jerky going uphill. I didn’t have to get a feel for the car. I could just get in and take my foot off the brake, and off we went. What do I go through all that trouble for?

Climbers are seeing the parallel from a mile away, I know.

Sport climbing is quick and easy. You aren’t bogged down in technicalities. It moves fast. But I’m not, somehow, as engaged. It’s hard for me to see the difference between sport leading and just taking a toprope on something (although I admit to plenty of panicky “takes” where I might have pulled through on TR). I dutifully pull the rope and lead back through my partner’s draws and I take my turn hanging the draws, but the feeling is hollow compared to leading on gear, knowing your second will follow behind.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s fun! It’s challenging yet relaxing and you climb a ton of stuff and are almost never scared. Easy approaches, no descents, little in the way of route-finding and less in the way of dithering–sport climbing has all the ingredients for a pleasant day of climbing. So why am I at the Gunks every weekend and Rumney once a year?

It’s not just the longer drive. It’s not just that I’m not good enough to be a sport climber–my arms are telling me today that if I did this more often, I’d be strong enough to do it better. It’s not just that the trad world indoctrinated me first and that’s where my oldest partners and strongest memories are. It’s that when I’m sport climbing I’m climbing, but I’m not driving.

Saturday with Dan and Nate:
Bolt Line, 5.8
Holderness Arete, 10b
Rhinobuckets, 10a
Bonehead Roof, 10c
White Rhino, 11c
Bullwinkle Craters, 11b
Debbie Does CPR, 11a
Son of Sammy, 5.8

Sunday with Dan, Nate, and Derek:
10a?
Dog Biscuit, 10c
Tool Time, 10d
Three Easy Pieces, 11a
Squall, 10d
Murk Trench, 10a
Rack for Sale, 5.7
Dirty Dozen, 10d