It was July 2011 when I was invited on my first real climbing trip.  My first rock climbing classes weren't on rock at all, but on plastic in a gym.  It was a great way to learn, but for the first 8 months of climbing, I only went outside on three separate occassions.  It was a completely different experience each time.  

First, I went to Stoney Point on a REI guided class.  Next, I went with a group of new friends to Point Dume in Malibu... because of the nature of the trip, which was celebrating a birthday, I only climbed one easy route and then it was time to go home.  Finally, I went to Red Rock Rendezvous, appropriately named since the event took place in Red Rocks, Nevada.  You might consider that event my first real climbing trip, but it was aimed more at the celebration of rock climbing versus spending all day on the rock.

Up until mid-2011, I considered myself a rock climbing hobbyist.  I really enjoyed climbing, but only spent 1-2 days in the gym every week.  When I met my now boyfriend, Steve, that all changed.  He invited me to come with him and a group of his friends (and fellow gym rats) to Bishop, CA.  From that point on, rock climbing played a much more significant role in my life.  Now, I knew someone that could show me the ropes.  To this day, he pushes me to be a much better climber.

But this post isn't about my climbing self-discovery.  My weekened in Bishop would eventually be followed by another trip to Bishop in the Fall of 2011.  In one week, Steve and I will be going back to Bishop for a "6-month-versary" - if you will.  

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Bishop.  I climbed in Bishop, I loved in Bishop, I made friends in Bishop, and I found a new calling, photography, in Bishop.

Below are some of my pictures from the two weekends spent in that little town at the base of the Eastern Sierras.

Sincerely,
Dreaming of Bishop