Climbing Gyms and disenchantment.....

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dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 24, 2006 - 07:37pm PT

Locker, yes now you get it.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

But if there is a lot of PI on the rock, I try to trick someone else into leading.

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 25, 2006 - 02:31am PT

Locker, you really are an idiot.

todd-gordon

climber

May 25, 2006 - 02:35am PT

With the price of gas, and most climbing areas to be closed because of Dean Potter climbing Delicate Arch.... we will all end up in the gym........(Beer, bolts ,and babes....).......(Just kidding......)

sean stitt

Sport climber

sacramento

May 25, 2006 - 05:15pm PT

Patrick and JB,
I wasn't trying to start sh#t just simply trying to describe another point of view.

I have found that the people who have the most "trouble" in gyms are actual rock-climbers, like you two obviously are. I think this is because we have trained ourselves to find the path of least resistance. And yes, even us sport climbers look for the path within the context of the route. Yes, we search out harder and harder routes, but once on the route ALL climbers, including the very prominent ones you mentioned, look for the easiest way up. Climbing hard cracks in the Valley, you look for the good jams, you don't use bad ones on purpose to make it harder.

However, a substantial percentage of climbers in gyms are not rock-climbers or are very inexperienced. For these folks, the "lessons" that the routesetters are trying to teach are very useful and do carry over to real rock situations. For guys like you, the lessons probably aren't necessary. In fact, you see it the way I described the situation above, why make it harder on purpose?

I appreciate rock climbers. I have more respect for the old school trad guys than any other climbers. I would prefer to hang out with Bridwell or Harding way before Sharma. But I also understand the mentality of the indoor climber and was just trying to impart upon you that perspective.

Good luck on the path!

WBraun

climber

May 25, 2006 - 09:32pm PT

No no no Mr. Stitt

It's the smell in those gyms, stale air with B.O. wafting everywhere. Outside you have power of nature all around. Inside there's death all around, no life.

The walls in the gyms don't breath. Outside is alive with life.

There's no wind or sky inside those un-natural imperfect man made attempts at playing God.

"It's the move, it's the moves, man" says the gym rat.

I'd rather not even go ........ to the gym at all.

Apocalypsenow

Trad climber

Cali

May 25, 2006 - 09:47pm PT

Author:
dirtineye

Trad climber
From: the south What a pleasure you must be, judging from your post.

How nice of you to share these good feelings.

Dirt, stop "driving" every woman away from this site! If you don't like your mother, seek help!

Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

May 25, 2006 - 09:51pm PT

Werner,

I think you are on to something there.

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 25, 2006 - 10:09pm PT

Apussylipcow,

Go blow yourself. It's what you're good at. And my mom can whip your sorry ass, even at 70+, LOL. But she would not waste her time on scum like you. First female life guard in Birmingham, AL, Red Cross Certified, how's that for women's rights?

Gym walls are terrible. get a scratch outside, no big deal.

Get a scratch on a gym wall, it WILL get infected, and hurt, if you don't take care of it right away.

Too much human crud on gym walls, no uv from the sun or wind or rain to clean em.

rhyang

Ice climber

SJC

May 26, 2006 - 03:13am PT

I've been to the new gym in sunnyvale and so far I like it a lot more than the old one in santa clara. But that isn't saying much :) Real Granite is much much better than Planet Granite.

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 26, 2006 - 04:36am PT

Thanks stzzo,

I would think that since I am after all an equal opportunity flamer, people woould appreciate the non-discrimnatory aspects therein, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Honestly, It would be wrong to not flame someone because of gender, just as it woould be wrong to assume a person is not capable of a climb because of gender.

But the Politikally Korreckt crowd don't like real equality.

But about gyms, really, the human scum deposits on the walls, UGH, one scratch left untreated, such an inflamtion and infection , GROSSSSSS!!!

When I did go to gyms, I quickly learned that ANY nick, however slight, had to get washed, scrubbed, ati-biotic-ed, right away, or NASTY things happen!!!!!

sean stitt

Sport climber

sacramento

May 26, 2006 - 12:23pm PT

Like I said Werner, guys like you do not belong in the gym. You understand the reasons we all rock climb and because of those reasons gyms are very unattractive even repulsive.

I agree completely. If I have to choose between climbing on the biggest choss pile of rock or going to a great gym, I probably choose rock. But frequently, I, and other rock climbers, don't have that choice. It's go to the gym or sit around and get weak and fat.

When I think of myself as an overweight, overworked lazy American, gyms start looking really attractive.

426

Sport climber

Buzzard Point, TN

May 27, 2006 - 09:04am PT

wombat

Trad climber

NY, NY

May 30, 2006 - 11:24am PT

K-bird, Happie...

take up Zack on his free offer but don't climb any of his routes. There are a bunch of nice, friendly people at MPHC and I have never witnessed any attitude. Route quality depends on who is working those days but can be somewhat inconsistent. The focus has certainly been on the lead roof recently.

And if you are sneaky, you can cop a swim in their very nice pool (note that I have not done this because I sink).

Go Sox (zack - thats your hint to who this is)

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 30, 2006 - 02:13pm PT

426, you made me laugh.

But maybe that escalatior is for people who can't walk up steps, but can still do fitness activity of some sort.

that location does not look ramp friendly, maybe a wheel chair woudl work on the escalator?

You ever see wheelchair Basketball games? Those guys play HARD.

Sometimes they whack their chairs so hard into each other, it thows em out onto the floor. Seen it happen.

Apocalypsenow

Trad climber

Cali

May 30, 2006 - 02:50pm PT

Hey Locker...I saw in the movie Clerks that attempting to blow oneself can lead to death. However, being as Dirt has suggested it perhaps he could share his technique?

wombat

Trad climber

NY, NY

May 30, 2006 - 04:02pm PT

dirtineye

if you havent seen "Murderball", you should. Great documentary on paralympic quad wheelchair rugby featuring guys who know how to compete and more importantly, how to live. it is also damn funny, particularly in the extras when they hang with the Jackass guys from MTV.

Best line is in the extras when they ask one dude if he would go give up what he had done in rugby and gain back the use of his limbs. He barely hesitates before saying "no way, i never would have had these experiences and met these friends" [paraphrase] although there is a scene with a cardboard box that almost killed me...

I hope if something happens to me, I can find a way to get out on the rock again.

dr. kenneth niosewater

climber

May 30, 2006 - 04:37pm PT

It seems to me that:
A. those who bad mouth gyms generally aren't used to them.
B. those who don't climb outside, get their @sses handed to them when the do go.

In defense of Sean, taped routes and gyms in general are "a game", just like tennis is a game (with its own set of arbitrary rules). You don't HAVE to follow the tape if you don't want to, that's the point.
Of course most climbers would prefer to be outside. That is not always possible, and gyms are a great substitute for the real thing.
AND many gyms, like Touchstone or the Boulder Rock Club, go to great lengths to improve air quality and lighting.
Maybe the old schools and "trad only" guys should think about this. Tommy Caldwell, Jim Erickson & Roger Briggs regularly visit gyms and enjoy them very much. Are they gym monkeys? They even follow the silly tape.

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 31, 2006 - 10:17pm PT

Wombat, wow, no I have not seen wheel chair rugby, I bet it is fearsome. those chairs move pretty fast, and the guys in em are as competitive as they come.

I had a girlfriend in a wheelchair once, she was a big influence on how I look at that stuff.

Locker, if you were telling me to STFU, you better watch it, you fvcking stupid dickless b@$tard.