Frame of Mind

Once again, the 'summer' phenomena has kicked in. I have complained about this for years and it still happens so I may as well just accept it. I AM OUT OF SHAPE!
Each winter I train to get strong, try to prove to myself (and others) that I am a Rock Climber! To prove that I can climb hard and well enough (in my own mind) so I may be accepted into cult of Avalon Rock Climbers. After endless Sunday night training sessions and many more early morning solo bouldering sessions. After hanging for what seems like hours on the smallest crimps I can handle in the name of getting stronger. After all the effort I put in, in the name of climbing hard, what do I do?
The lovely wonderful summer comes. I begin getting outdoors to climb and develop. We begin putting up some great fun routes. The comradery is great, the energy is infectious. All is good. It is good that is until I try to climb hard.
What goes "grunt, grunt, pitch-smack...grunt, grunt, pitch-smack"? That would be me getting spanked by a route I used to lap!
Acceptance! I just have to accept that summer leads to weakness. I end up climbing only 2 or 3 times per week. The climbing I do is usually only a couple of routes, and easy at that. I drink too much beer. I BBQ too much food and generally become lazy. And then comes vacation! Taken entirely out of my training environment for 2 weeks.
At the end of summer I feel like the Pillsbury Doe Boy attempting to impale himself upon plastic jugs in the gym. The cult just shake their head at what could have been (the pathetic overweight bald guy is trying to slime up another route).
So this is what happens to me when I don't get to climb for a week! Hopefully Saturday will be nice.