So this is Shovel Point on Lake Superior where we rock climbing yesterday. It was a way to celebrate our first week of teaching (woo-hoo!). I really need to start planning for next weeks lessons... I also really should be writing my first assignment....but I know how you guys want to know about this stuff.
It's a popular place to climb so they have permanent hooks at some of the runs to hook into. You start at the top, get lowered down, and climb back up. I had crazy anxiety to be completely honest. But how gorgeous is this view?!?! I live 10 minutes from this...
This is not me. But it's a friend and a good shot of the climb. If you can see the dead tree way down there....that's where the climb officially starts. I didn't even go down as far as she did. I was more worried about not being about to get back up since I started climbing about 1 week ago. Also it's crazy scary when you're that high with the lake below you.
That's me. I think at this moment I'm looking below me at the lake crashing against the cliffs....Thankfully the friend belaying me (keeping from dying) was also keeping me calm and walking me through it. To be totally honest my heart was going crazy, and when I got back up I almost shed a few tears of relief. Very powerful experience. Hopefully next time we go (after lots of practice on our indoor walls) I'll be able to go down farther. Worst part was definitely trusting the equipment though and hanging off the edge.
Today I hung out with our wildlife naturalist. She takes care of Thistle, Elsie the chicken, Ruby the red-tailed hawk, Chup the perigan falcon, Hunter the great horned owl and the raven who hasn't been named yet. I'm going to be one of two wildlife interns this year. This means on top of full teaching schedule, 18 grad schools credits, I'll also be working to learn all the care and handling of the animals. Elsie is like a dog- she comes when called and stays when told, it's freaky. We took Thistle on a walk to the nat wing (where we live) today for a visit. I learned how to gut mice and quail and about the diets of the raptors. Then I got to hold my first raptor! I handled Hunter and fed him some mice bits out of my hand. It was crazy awesome. I have to work a lot with him before handling the other raptors since they are a lot more intimidating. Ruby is also super strong. 
I also did some ropes course tonight. Here's a couple photos of the course. First is the Indiana Jones Bridge.
Next is the Burma Bridge. That's not me, but that's what it looks like when I demo the course for classes. 
Here's a gorgoeous view of Superior. So rewarding.
There's a double log, a single wire with no handles, a single log.....and a view from the zipline. Jumping off the zipline tower is hard every time. I have the class countdown because it forces me to go in a reasonable time :)
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