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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Jun 15, 2011 - 12:37am PT
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Hey Bluey,
I've been there. It comes and goes. Play it where it lays dude.
Cheers.
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R.B.
Trad climber
Land of the Lahar
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Jun 15, 2011 - 12:49am PT
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Even tho I am not quite 50 yet, I have been climbing for 43 years, as I grew up in a climbing family. My dad & mom were pioneer climbers in AZ. Anyways, climbing to me is a passion, but college, marriage, job, family, divorce, career ... life happens.
The one thing I can share is that climbing is a legacy that keeps on giving. I don't climb much as I did when I was younger, and in college I shredded. Enjoy the changes ... you will always have climbing in your history and it is something that will be there for you to pass on to your kids like my family did for me.
Edit: I look forward to climbing when I am soon to enter my second childhood. Wahoo!
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Chango
Trad climber
norcal
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Jun 15, 2011 - 01:28am PT
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I sometimes enjoy a sport more when I do it less frequently. There is less to prove, less ego and more focus on the event/surroundings as a whole. Of course, I typcially have a hell of a good time and then wonder why I don't do this more often...and then dive right back in full on. Circular pattern.
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Jun 15, 2011 - 01:51am PT
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Bluering, after years of climbing, climbing is now part of your life. One never lose the memories of terrible fright on the first lead, the elation of doing your first 5.10 -or whatever the rating was-, the discussions and bragging of fellow climbers and the dreams of new conquests. In the process, you learn how to relate to a rock, to the wind in the trees, to the storm coming in and to the sunset on the faces. Now you can share that with your family and perhaps your kids will have the same experience.
Aging is not for sissies. It took me a long time to realize that there was a big difference between who I am and who I think I am. Closing the gap is hard and one must accept the limitations of our body and our family. That certainly does not mean that it will be downhill from now on. It is just learning to have a different perspective. Personally, I know that I will never lead a 5.12 epic, and am at peace with that. After 40+ years of climbing, I still have the lust for the rocks, and would enjoy doing South Crack ten times in a row. Forget putting up new routes and focus on your love for the rocks. That never dies, and even if you lived in the flattest place in the Universe, you will have a pang in your heart every time you see a rock face. It is clear that at 65 one cannot do what the young punks can do. It does not matter. TM Herbert, Fred Beckey and the traditional climbing fossils still on the routes are here to remind us that we can still find immense joy in climbing.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jun 15, 2011 - 01:55am PT
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Luckily, "armchair mountaineer" is a perfectly acceptable subspecies.
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nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
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Jun 15, 2011 - 05:36am PT
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Hey Blue, my issue is a bit different. I would like to climb tons more than I actually do. But I'm not willing to give up the other things in my life that would facilitate that. So I dream more, go for bigger adventures when I can, and when it's done I talk about it some more to make it last longer. Sort of like adding oatmeal to a meat loaf.
Sometimes I get jealous seeing how much other people get out, but then I realize I'm making my life choices and I'm happy with my priorities.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 15, 2011 - 11:31am PT
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FACT: PUSSYFICATION OR LOW T BRA
Bwahahahhahaha!!!
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Jun 15, 2011 - 12:15pm PT
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I've replaced whitewater boating with Canoeing in the BWCA, Ice climbing with X-country skiing, Climbing with Hiking and Mountain Biking
Just don't seem to have the nerve to do the risky things, About to turn 52 and while I'm not doing "impressive" things- I did get out skiing 80 times this winter and I've been on my bike about 25 times so far this spring- so I'm getting after it a lot more than I ever did while climbing or boating and I'm still having fun- which was the whole point in the first place.
Here is a link to a piece I wrote when I figured it was all up with me.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=598542&msg=598727#msg598727
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 15, 2011 - 01:55pm PT
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I was in my late 20s, had been climbing about 10 years, and was sitting in the rain in base camp in Patagonia when I was suddenly struck with this huge "I'm so over this" feeling. I stayed after it for about another 6 months and then moved to California for grad school and didn't climb for a few years (surfing will do that). I've since become totally re-stoked, though kids and work slow things down. No real point, just that climbing desire can wax and wane and there's no need to force things.
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Chugach
Trad climber
Vermont
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Jun 15, 2011 - 05:58pm PT
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Very Interesting. I am going through the same and have found comfort by telling my partners; "I enjoy being with my kids more than with you". It's not being mean and they understand.
When my kids were young I was way more into climbing and partners but as they age kids get so much more fun. My oldest is 13 and I realize just how short our time is. I now dream of trips to the desert with him to hike and go to bed early vs. similar trips climbing all day and getting loaded at night with great friends.
And, truth be told, two other factors weigh in; (1) my career gives me plenty of adrenaline at times, (2), I am getting older. If the climbing passion comes back; fine. If not, I'll find something else. For damn sure I won't be sitting around the house like a sack when the kids are gone.
Oh, and, gotta go. I'm traveling for work and going to do a little ropesolo at a local crag tonight.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 15, 2011 - 07:41pm PT
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Very Interesting. I am going through the same and have found comfort by telling my partners; "I enjoy being with my kids more than with you". It's not being mean and they understand.
Funny! And true.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 15, 2011 - 08:29pm PT
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I def had other priorities when Natalie was young.
But lately it was a matter of coming upon, quite unexpectedly, the right fan for the flames. In my case it was a considerably younger climbing partner, a very intense individual, who absolutely would not let me play the age card. Now I'm back and sort of obliged to climb hard ( gor me )again. Weird.....
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Jun 15, 2011 - 08:32pm PT
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Bluering, I lost my passion for climbing after 25 years. Luckily I had found a new passion to fuel my interest for the next 25 or so. That happened to be road bike racing. But with that too, my passions waned and I was left without something to offload my ADHD juju. Of the three aspects to the human condition (logos, pathos, ethos) that the ancient Greeks identified, passion is the most important IMO. Good luck on finding a new toy. Its not easy
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Chugach
Trad climber
Vermont
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Jun 15, 2011 - 10:12pm PT
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So no sh#t, I'm watching the Stanley Cup final after work and climbing and I'm drinking an Ommegang (perhaps America's best brewery) and on the label is the following;
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes". Proust.
Sometimes I wish I had known that in my 20's.
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marv
Mountain climber
Bay Area
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Jun 15, 2011 - 11:33pm PT
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but I trust your belly is still full of semen, based on your multiple posts about teh fags and such
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 16, 2011 - 12:44am PT
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but I trust your belly is still full of semen, based on your multiple posts about teh fags and such
Is that directed at me?? What?
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MisterE
Social climber
Cinderella Story, Outa Nowhere
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Jun 16, 2011 - 12:51am PT
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jun 16, 2011 - 01:16am PT
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Blue..The human spirit rises to climb only to be squashed by mundaneness...
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Jun 16, 2011 - 01:54am PT
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Hmmm. It's been 38 years for me, and I still think/ruminate/dream climbing about 40 times a day. I still want and like to climb hard. Hard as I can, anyway.
Arrested development?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 16, 2011 - 02:24am PT
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only wish I had more time in a day to do not just climbing, but other things. Instead I focus on that which is the most fun.
let it ride. I gave up bigwall goals for 10 years only to come back and do some of my best aid work recently. Work gets in the way, but we make what we can of it.
this thread needs more pics...
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