It makes me little bit sad. I miss climbing because I miss living life at that rarified level. I have walked off of climbs feeling so drunk on personal power that I felt I could see through people. Climbing and adventure strip away all the surface layers of the persona. Every generation has its bag.
Adventure climbing is the nineties way to peer out into the abyss.
From where I am sitting, one year later, climbing seems wonderful and a bit self-indulgent. But then again maybe that's because I am twelve months removed from the experience. I always enjoy reading of others' solo struggles, especially a First Solo of the Big Stone. Great work and way to hang in there. Backing up your Russian wall hauler, or even the standard Wall Hauler, still entrusts your life to be held by a toothed cam.