2006-06-09

### High Adventure [![Icon-Permalink.png](/Icon-Permalink.png)](#)

[![/space/kayaking.jpg](/space/kayaking.jpg)](http://citykayak.com/)[![/space/climbing.jpg](/space/climbing.jpg)](http://www.stanford.edu/group/climbingwall/)[![/space/sailing.jpg](/space/sailing.jpg)](http://ocscsailing.com/)

It wasn't intentional, but I've ended up trying a number of the traditional
"adventure" sports recently: ocean kayaking, rock climbing, and sailing. I'm
still not quite as extreme (aww) as I could be, but I've had a lot of fun!

A couple weekends ago, I gathered a few friends on the spur of the moment and
went [kayaking](http://citykayak.com/) in the bay. (I actually [lived across the
street](http://www.baysidevillage.com/) for a couple years, but never went while
I lived there.) After a great breakfast at [Town's
End](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=37.444324,-122.149685&sspn=0.515172,0.170288&q=town%27s+end&latlng=37444324,-122149685,11009289686460699878),
we threw on life jackets, jumped into our kayaks, and headed out on the bay. We
paddled by [AT&T Park](http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/sbcpark/),
the [Bay Bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco-Oakland_Bay_Bridge),
and the [bow and
arrow](http://www.lodgephoto.com/galleries/usa/sanfrancisco/thecity/pages/US-D-133.html),
among other sites.

After that, I went rock climbing at the [Stanford climbing
wall](http://www.stanford.edu/group/climbingwall/) with
[PKNT](http://keeda.stanford.edu/~kash/kashnick/party-videos.html). Some of us
(ahem) aren't students any more, so we had to sneak in, which was a minor
adventure of its own.

I'd done some light rock climbing before, but nothing on a wall.
[Nick](http://www.stanford.edu/~koshnick/) knew what he was doing, though, so he
taught us and belayed until we were comfortable enough doing it ourselves. It
was a lot of fun, but it was also really intense. The adrenaline kicked in
immediately, and by the end, my nerves were shot.

Finally, I'm going
[sailing](http://ocscsailing.com/activities/intro_to_sailing.html) tomorrow
morning. I've been itching to try it for over a year, and the weather's been so
great recently that I couldn't resist. If it goes well, I might have to bite the
bullet and sign up for [classes](http://ocscsailing.com/instruction/) so I can
get certified and take a boat out on my own. Fingers crossed...