My first lead was, in retrospect, a redpoint.
1991, Twin Cracks at Scugdale, a Severe I believe. I had been climbing on top rope occasionally over several years as a Scout activity. I had scuffled my way up Twin Cracks a couple of times on top rope wearing slippy trainers (tennis shoes).
The same shoes were worn on lead. A minimal rack was borrowed.
The alarming thing now, looking back, is that I didn't really know what leading actually WAS, in terms of the mechanics of it - I just knew that the rope was below instead of above, and you had to put some nuts in, and clip them, and it was best not to fall off. I placed four pieces of protection (thusly lacing it up - it's a short route!). My feet scuffled at one point (an assistant Scout leader commented upon my nice little "jig", later).
I topped out, set no anchors (nobody had said anything about having to do this), sat in a nice secure stance and brought up my second, who was my Scout leader with whom I had a wonderfully antagonistic relationship. He came up quickly, commenting upon the quality of my placements. I can quote this verbatim. "Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. [tops out] All your gear was crap"
My second lead took place approximately 10 years later.
Also approximately 10 years later I encountered my old Scout leader who remembered it all and said that none of my gear had been crap, he'd just meant it is part of our ongoing antagonistic banter; I'd taken it to heart erroneously.
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