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zao479
Aug 26, 2005, 3:54 PM
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When I ask about partners I know what your going to say, "gyms, shops, rocks." All I'm finding is the same guy over and over again.
"I climb some pretty technical routes man. I climb like, V12 for warm up. Once I set a route that was like a V97 or something. I had two buddies that watched me do it, but they moved to Colorado so you can't ask them about it. You wouldn't want to climb with me, but keep looking you'll find a partner."
I'm not an idiot, a punk, or a bum, I'm just new to the sport. My predicament has found me bouldering solo (not safe, and not as fun, but rock time never the less). Any suggestions on how to find a partner that doesn't act like they rappelled out of the womb?
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equal_1
Aug 26, 2005, 4:25 PM
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hi zao ,
i too was searching and searching for a parnter to climb with for 5 months ... i still climb alone when i cant iether find a parnter for the weekend on here or by just going to the place i climb and looking around to see if there is anyone that would be willing to let me tag along.... it can just take alittle time to start making a good climbing buddy list ... dont get discuraged you will find a few parnters. i even resorted to asking people i just knew from everyday places (gas station, lumberyard ... when i saw someone i thought might like to climb ). not that it helped but at least i tryed . good luck in your search ..... be careful out there
Equal_1
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j_ung
Aug 26, 2005, 4:37 PM
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j_ung moved this thread from Bouldering to US - South.
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crgwhe
Aug 27, 2005, 3:40 AM
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I looked and posted for months for an experienced partner. Got tired of looking so I joined a climbing club. They don't seem to do much climbing. So I started the Take a N00b to CLimb Day thread in the south section.
Had a lot of responses with numerous climbers showing up for the scheduled climb. Some experienced, some not. Some have only bouldered while others have only been on top rope and one experienced in lead climbing.
I had became discouraged like you but tried something different and lowered my search criteria. Now I have a group to climb with. All of us are meeting once a month to climb as a group but I can call any one of them to climb with whenever.
Don't stop looking and don't stop climbing. Sometimes thinking outside the box produces results when the box is empty.
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zao479
Aug 27, 2005, 5:57 AM
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I hope my post doesn't make me sound too much like a bleeding heart. I'm not nearly as depressed, and discouraged as I am amused. If you could have seen the mocking "surfer dude" shop worked that I was seeing when I was writing that topic I'm sure it would have been more clear.
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blackwell4
Aug 29, 2005, 11:39 AM
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Zao,
crgwhe is right don't stop looking.
Here's the deal;
There are ALOT of folks who say they are into climbing.
The TRUTH>>> most are spray lords.
All talk, no action.
They climbed once or twice and on sited a 5.9 that scared the shit out of them, so they spend their time in the safety of the gym and forums like these telling each other how tough they are. And they believe it. And they blow off sincere noobs like you.
Dont worry too much about the ones who go" Oh, Dood you dont want to climb with me, I warm up on V12."
That guy IS right. You really don't want to climb with him. He lasts about 6.7 seconds on the rock, then has some excuse about how he is injured, or has to go to work or that he hears his mother calling him and he leaves.
Honestly, there are good folks out there. Keep looking. Try to get to real rock.
Most young folks dont have the cash to hire AMGA certified guides, so your are looking for assistance from some one who has experience and is willing to share it... for free.
Watch the folks that have said they will take you out. Do they check their knot? Do they check yours? Do they show you that their harness is doubled back? Are they constantly talking safety considerations? Do they look at you and say " the belay is on"?
Or do they say, " Here we are dood, why dont you try this climb called Oh My God, it is the climb I started on." And hand you a rack and smile. Walk away from that asshole.
I read this forum only looking for folks new to the Austin, Tx area to invite them climbing. Because I know how frustrating it can be to try to find someone that will really help a new person climb. Get to Austin, give me a shout, or another member here is austinclmbr, Jason, good friend that always checks here and offers to help folks find climbing and climbing partners.
Is there an Arkansas web site about climbing? Your profile indicates thats where you are. Do Google searches using "Climb" and the names of cities and rock formations in your area.
How far away is the nearest rock? Go there on the weekends, bring your harness and shoes. Ask the folks that are climbing polite questions about the climbs, the ratings, the gear required, their opinion.
( Leave your dog at home.)
In the Austin area, that will usually get you a top rope offer from the guys. Try it.
And , yes, go to the gym. While there will always be a lot of blather at those places, you really can meet others just like yourself.
Keep looking, keep asking,
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mark_e_wallace
Aug 31, 2005, 10:17 PM
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In reply to: ... or that he hears his mother calling him and he leaves.
Look, man. Get off my back. My mother WAS calling. I can prove it. Really, I can.
:D
- Mark
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skinnyclimber
Aug 31, 2005, 11:15 PM
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Hey zao. It can sometimes be frustrating finding partners. From about march to july I climbed almost always by myself for one reason or another... I met one new partner at the gym and I met three off this site. I also met a couple climbers just in town from friends. Now I have so many partners that I have to strategically schedule my climbing partners to make sure I get to climb with them all, and thier friends they introduced me to.
Point is, your search will eventually pan out. Keep looking and being friendly.
Also, silkscreen yourself a shirt that says:
"Have beer, need partner"
And wear it when you go to the gym.
skinny
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blackwell4
Aug 31, 2005, 11:33 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: ... or that he hears his mother calling him and he leaves. Look, man. Get off my back. My mother WAS calling. I can prove it. Really, I can. :D - Mark
:D Mark! You are TOO funny!
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mark_e_wallace
Sep 1, 2005, 3:41 AM
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In reply to: :D Mark! You are TOO funny!
Aw shucks...I try. :roll:
- Mark
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zao479
Sep 1, 2005, 5:27 PM
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blackwell4
I live between the Ouchita, and Boston Mts. We have rock every where, but no gyms within like a 3hr drive. Not a lot of chances to just bump into climbers unless your at the shop where the only climbers are the workers. It's kind of a waist that there aren't more climbers here. You can find climbable boulders and 30ft rock faces in town.
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skinnyclimber
Sep 1, 2005, 5:55 PM
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In reply to: blackwell4 I live between the Ouchita, and Boston Mts. We have rock every where, but no gyms within like a 3hr drive. Not a lot of chances to just bump into climbers unless your at the shop where the only climbers are the workers. It's kind of a waist that there aren't more climbers here. You can find climbable boulders and 30ft rock faces in town.
Have you made friends with the workers at the climbing shop? I've met one really cool dude at my local climbing shop and now we go climb all the time... and he introduced me to a large group of local climbers. But yeah he's not the "I climb harder than you so f off" type either.
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vegastradguy
Sep 1, 2005, 6:18 PM
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i personally enjoy trolling the gyms for hapless NOOB's wanting to experience outside climbing. i then take them out and introduce them to my regular partner- Scary Larry.
its usually alot of fun...although i dont seem to get alot of repeat business...hrm.
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blackwell4
Sep 1, 2005, 7:40 PM
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In reply to: blackwell4 I live between the Ouchita, and Boston Mts. We have rock every where, but no gyms within like a 3hr drive. Not a lot of chances to just bump into climbers unless your at the shop where the only climbers are the workers. It's kind of a waist that there aren't more climbers here. You can find climbable boulders and 30ft rock faces in town.
Yeah buddy! Thats alot of rock out there!
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors/Rock-Climbing/
http://www.ouachitarocks.com/
http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/listState.php?CountryStateID=64
I only wish I lived so close to so much rock!
Forget about the gyms, anyway. with that much real rock, that is where you will find the real climbers. On the rock. Not on a forum talking about it.
They are out there doing it.
Go, while there is still daylight. Go.
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arkieclimber
Sep 1, 2005, 11:53 PM
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Hey Zao,I'm sure when the weather cools off people will be getting active again.Here are a few other sites to check out,http://www.littlerockclimbingcenter.com/ (under locals),http://www.arkansasclimbing.com .You could make a weekend out of exploring Sams Throne and Mount Magazine for climbing buds.Horseshoe Canyon would be a great place to spend a weekend too.Just keep bouldering and posting. Goodluck to ya
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raymondjeffrey
Sep 1, 2005, 11:57 PM
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vegastradguy, why do you think that you and Larry don't get repeat business? Coud it be Larry's hip belay technique that most folks around today cannot even remember when ATC devices did not exist?
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vegastradguy
Sep 2, 2005, 1:58 AM
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maybe. might also be all those FA's we do on that nasty loose rock with no pro.
might be Larry's penchant for making anchors out of his gear sling tied into a stopper knot with his prusik loop as a backup.
might be the swami belt.
(course, if you ask me, i think its the day-glo orange 'motorcycle' helmet- i think it freaks people out....)
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austinclmbr
Sep 7, 2005, 1:17 AM
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yup, I am hear, trollin for newbs (a little late it looks)
Try climber hang outs in the area too. A good friend tells me of a coffe shop hangout near the gunks. There is taco deli on the green belt in Austin. Etc.
Good luck!!
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glyrocks
Sep 7, 2005, 1:43 AM
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i just learned to rope solo. probably not good advice to someone new, but it worked for me. now people flock to hang out with me. they flock i tell you.
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stabla
Sep 7, 2005, 7:15 PM
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In my opinion it takes more than just meeting up some random partner, it starts as a casual friendship before you find that hardass and dedicated climbing partner you've been looking for. So quit trying so hard and focus on making friends first. You meet the most core climbers when you least expect it and most of 'em don't really care about taking ya out, become thier friends!
cheers
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maculated
Sep 7, 2005, 7:55 PM
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Partners are a relationship. You try out a whole lot of them until it sticks. It will take months or years to find a dedicated and compatible one.
The Internet's an okay place to start, but pretty frankly, anyone I've been contacted by on the Internet I've never ended up climbing long term with. You just gotta pay your dues and do what you can.
Any dating advice you've ever heard applies to finding a climbing partner in my opinion.
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zao479
Sep 8, 2005, 3:50 AM
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glyrocks
I have a question about your climb "alone" comment. I have some ok tr sites where I boulder. Can I tr with something like a Petzl "basic" solo. For that matter is it a bad idea that I'm bouldering solo. And if I do climb alone do I have to respond to my own belay commands?
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austinclmbr
Sep 9, 2005, 3:03 PM
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bouldering by yourself is OK so long as someone knows EXACTLY where you will be and when you should return. Same for soloing. I think you can figure out the Why's of this.
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zao479
Oct 25, 2005, 2:38 PM
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I hate to revive an old thread, but I thought I would give you an update. Last week I ran into some guys that were pretty cool, and have been climbing at their home gym. We were there one night and the guys from the store came. They approached the wall and I completely out climbed them. That is not to say that I am better than them, but I did get their attention, and respect that night. Now every thing is cool, and they call me up. Go figure.
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