Reaching New Heights – Austin, TX

A great highlight during our time in Austin was the chance to meet up with Yair and Ayo from Our Take On Freedom. Cory found them on Craigslist while searching for a spot for us to park the RV for SXSW. They had also posted to Craigslist, mentioning that they were 20something professionals living in an RV. Unbeknownst to me, Cory reached out to them and set up a meet-up. When he finally told me, I immediately knew who they were!

During our initial preparations for the trip, I searched through all the RV lifestyle blogs. I loved Our Take on Freedom, and how perfectly it resonated with our own view.

Of course, they’re just as wonderful in person as online! We were lucky enough to have Yair take us rock climbing along the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin, TX.

Cory and I have both rockclimbed a good amount in our past, though only in gyms. We’d never experienced true, outdoor climbing!

What better way than with an avid climber who provides all the gear??

I think we started at the wrong point for our first climb, since it didn’t quite match up with the map, but it was still fun!

Yair was a great coach, though I definitely had a moment of hesitation: “I’m trusting my body to a guy we met off Craigslist?! Cue horror story.”

We learned proper technique – use your legs, not your arms, for power, strength, and movement. Jam your hand into cracks to provide support. And PUSH UP!

I struggled in a few places, but I think I did pretty well for my first outdoor climbing! Cory, of course, was a natural.

It was DIRTY. And tough, and challenging, but oh. so. rewarding!

At least I kept a smile on my face!

Thanks, Yair, for taking us on this adventure! We’d love to do some more climbing with you someday. You are a trooper for coaching us through it.

Even when I fell on my butt while trying to rappel down!

What a fun day! We are looking forward to doing some rock climbing again soon!

xo

Lindsay

[portfolio_slideshow]