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drulints
Oct 23, 2001, 6:10 PM
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In a way, climbing is a sport but so much more than that. Climbers have their own sub-culture. It is an addiction which can only be fed by more rock. Merely a sport? I think not. What do you think?
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dustinap
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Oct 23, 2001, 7:20 PM
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Deffinently a way of life.
You hear about people taking a summer off from school or work with 300 dollars in their pocket and going to camp4 and do nothing but climb for 2 months, everyday.
You don't hear about people doing that with other sports. Atleast I haven't.
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woodse
Oct 23, 2001, 9:28 PM
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For me.....its not a way of life......
CLIMBING IS LIFE!!!!!!
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amethyst
Oct 23, 2001, 10:16 PM
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I think we have all just inhaled too much chalk!
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pushfurther
Oct 23, 2001, 10:30 PM
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it is both a way of life and an addiction.
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ratstar
Oct 23, 2001, 10:32 PM
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I agree with pushfurther (for once) 'way of life and addiction' I dont want to think of climbing as a sport
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mountainmike
Oct 23, 2001, 11:07 PM
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Climbing is a way of life for me. It effects all other areas of my life so it has to be more than just a sport. And I don't think that it could be an addiction when it has such a positve affect on my life. There are a ton of priciples from climbing that you can apply to other things in life. All the challenges that you over come on the rock can be transported to help you overcome difficulty in life.
Michael
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metoliusmunchkin
Oct 23, 2001, 11:15 PM
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I would say that climbing is a way of life because of its addiction. I am addicted to climbing very much so. I feel that climbers(most of them)are very passionate, and anytime when one is passionate about something, they tend to persue it more, and become 'addicted' if you will. And it's not just this way with climbing, but with any other passtime, or sport aswell. If you really like ballet dancing, and really want to test your skills in that area, then you will also become 'addited' to it.
When you think of it though, I think that climbers get addicted to climbing because of it's general unpopularity amoung other sports. I know that in the U.S. it is a little different story, but in Canada, as a whole, climbing is not very popular. There is only one other person that I know personally in my area, that actually climbs. It is like when you hear a really good song, and you have never heard it before: you seem to become addicted to it because of it's unpopularity. Then once it becomes more mainstreem your love for it seems to fade.
This pushes me to ask you all a different question: Do you think that as climbing becomes more popular, that it will lose its passion and essence? Personally, I do not believe so, though it will be interesting to see what others think.
-Pat.
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tela_monkey
Oct 24, 2001, 1:14 AM
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MetoliusMunchkin~
i have also often wondered about what will happen when climbing becomes more popular. right now,it has its popular spots, its "best athletes", its stories of most dangerous, or most feared climbs, but only the people who are really into it know about all that. for a lot of people i think it is just something on the crazy side of things, that they can do to relate to their childhood, or to days when they didn't have a family, or a job, or something that tied them down. GRANTED however, many other people manage to fit climbing into their families routine along with work, church, and baseball practice. i think to the people that it means more to than just a day of "risking a little," it will never loose its passion. i think it will get popular, and lots of people will try to "become" climbers, and then kayaking or mt. biking will become popular, and REI's kayak and bike sales will increase! while the rock slowly quites down to the dull murmor of the people that we climbing before it was "popular", and are still there now that it has become "unpopular." I, will always be passionate about it! i love to climb! i will never be the best, but i will always be out there.
sorry if this was long and continous.
have a nice day.
jamie
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addiroids
Oct 24, 2001, 1:31 AM
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Addiction.
I chose a Medical School where there is good year-round climbing (SoCal - Loma Linda). It was the only one I got into, but that's not the point.
TRADitionally yours,
Addiroids
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rrrADAM
Oct 24, 2001, 1:37 AM
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I am 'addicted' to the 'way of life' of this 'sport'.
rrrADAM
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k2exp2010
Oct 24, 2001, 2:16 AM
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climbing definitely is a way of life ... an addictive way of life. at least, it is for me. i've even noticed that first-timers that i take out come back wanting more.
unlike other 'sports', there are really no points to climbing and the only goals are the ones you set for yourself.
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passthepitonspete
Oct 24, 2001, 5:45 AM
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Geez, Patrick, that's damn good writing - for a munchkin! Keep it up, dude.
You know, I thought the person who could answer this question best would be my dear ex-wife, of whom you may read in my profile. In the quote below, you can interchangeably substitute the words "fishing" and "caving" for "climbing"
This is what she would say, and what she did indeed say for twelve oh-so-wonderful years:
(Now, before you read this, you have to imagine her patronizing "schoolteacher voice" in which these words are spoken...)(throw in little nya-nya-nya-nya-nyas ever so often to add flavour...)
"All you care about is climbing! That's all you think about - you don't care about me, you don't care about the kids, you don't care about your job, all you want to do is climb, climb, climb!
"It's like an addiction with you, you can't get enough. Before you get home from your last climbing trip, you're already planning your NEXT trip! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! You have a responsibility here. We've been married for twelve years and for seven of them I've been a single parent, looking after the kids and doing ALL the work ALL BY MYSELF while you're off galavanting around the CRAGS with your immature friends, and if you say anything more about Amen BLOODY CHAS I'm going to scream!
"Do you buy the groceries? Do you look after paying the bills? [aside here: I brought home the f*cking money to pay the bills, you stupid bitch ] Who does all the gardening? Me. Who does all the cleaning? Me. Who does all the washing and the cooking? Me. It's always the same. I do all the work, and you have all the fun.
"It's like a drug with you, and you, Peter Zabrok, are an addict. It's like you can't get enough. Do you NEED the adrenaline rush? Why can't you just "bloom where you're planted"? Look at all the wonderful things you have here - look at ME? Look at our home! Am I not worth SOMETHING to you [dangerous question...] WHAT is your PROBLEM? You are nothing more than a lousy climbing addict who just puts on his shirt and tie and goes to office, but I know you, oooooh yes, I KNOW you. Yu're sitting there dreaming about climbing, aren't you? You're phoning your friends to plan your next climbing trip when you're supposed to be working! No wonder you're always getting in trouble for doing personal business on company time. You always complain about your boss, but he's RIGHT. You ARE irresponsible!
"You told me when we got married that it would be 'soft women first, and hard rock second" Well, that's not true, is it? I'm not first in your heart, am I? It's like I've never even been married to you! You've been off having an affair! You've had a mistress all these years. No, she hasn't been a woman. I almost wish she WAS a woman, but no, she wasn't. Your mistress, Peter Zabrok, was the mountains, your mistress, Peter Zabrok, was the caves, and your mistess, Peter Zabrok, [this next bit spoken with great disgust and contempt] was the FISH. [Note the smoke now issuing from her ears, the venom in her heart] THAT was the mistress you made love to, THAT was the mistress where your passion lay, that was where your heart and soul were poured, and you loved HER more than ME.
"And now.....
"And NOW.....
"you're telling me you want to go climbing AGAIN????!!!!!"
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And, like, I would respond,
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"well, uh, yeah......."
[ This Message was edited by: passthepitonspete on 2001-11-05 06:56 ]
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mtnneer
Oct 24, 2001, 4:01 PM
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wow PETER what a story. I'm glad I didn't make that mistake. BEFORE I got married, I told my wife to be, that I was gonna climb whatever I saw, and travel to all ends of the earth (while making us both broke) in pursuit of my WAY OF LIFE. I told her I was moving to Colorado (which we did), and I was gonna climb, fish, bike, and ski my brains out. THe deal was that she couldn't complain when I was gone all the time or she had to come with me and like it. Well I'm happy to say she's a great climbing partner who knows how to clean fish, and wax skis.
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bart
Oct 24, 2001, 6:45 PM
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For me: All of them!
I am serious, it's perfectly possible.
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fiend
Oct 24, 2001, 7:09 PM
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Climbing = cruel mistress.
When she gives it is oh so great, but when she takes.....
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rck_climber
Oct 24, 2001, 8:38 PM
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Cruel Mistress - Can't be said better!
My wife would certainly agree, in fact, that's what I tell her now as I leave, "See ya honey, going to see my girlfriend ". She always replies, "Well, make sure you don't get kicked out of her bed - that's a long fall ".
For me it's a passion and a way of life. Will stop short of addiction, because of the negative connotation, but it's definitely up there.
Mick
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stigonrock
Oct 24, 2001, 8:51 PM
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Wow 'PassThePitonsPete'.
What a story and I know where you're coming from cause I can tell you I have no kids but I been through 3 relationships the last 10 years and I've learnt one thing.
Climbing is a lifestyle, a way of life for me and if I want any relationship to work its gotta be with someone living that lifestyle, theres no other way...
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metoliusmunchkin
Oct 24, 2001, 9:41 PM
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Passthepitonspete! That was a really funny story, I laughed all the way through it! What I have gathered from other 'adults' (perticularly men) is that when they marry, they try to get their spouse into the same sports that they do, and sometimes it doesn't always work out to be what they expect (this might not be the case for you Pete, I'm just saying this from personal experiences).
My father for instance (he will be coming on this site very soon, right after he's done taking the pieces off the climbing wall ), he is really into downhill skiing, as am I. When he married my mom, he tried to get her into the sport and took her to some pretty big ski hills. And what resulted from this: A really old pair of women's skis in the garage corroding with rust and dust.
It is best to find friends that have the same interests that you do, it makes it so much easier to get along, and saves many hassles in the long run. I know that it would be sooo cool to be friends with Tori Allen ( ).
My 2 bits
~Pat.
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fiend
Oct 25, 2001, 6:18 AM
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Rumor has it that Tori has a little ego problem.
That's just what I've heard though.
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kman
Oct 25, 2001, 9:45 AM
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WOW Pete. Remind me to find a climber chick if I ever marry.
I just started climbing back in June and I am completly addicted. It has consumed me. All I think about is climbing. I cant even look at a brick wall without wondering what the best way of getting up it would be.
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passthepitonspete
Oct 25, 2001, 3:19 PM
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Ha! That is almost worth a new topic discussion on its own, but Dr. Piton has retired from free climbing.
Back when I started climbing, early 80's, there was no such thing as climbing gyms. So in fact, we DID climb brick walls!
Ya know, I think I am going to move this thread......
But in the meantime, I'll leave it standing, cuz I like getting the feedback from my "rant".
MAAAAAN, did it EVER feel GOOD to write that the other day!
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hardcoredana
Oct 25, 2001, 7:44 PM
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Yup. Climbing is an addiction. When I'm not climbing, I'm thinking about climbing. When I am climbing, I'm not thinking about anything else.
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addiroids
Oct 26, 2001, 5:20 AM
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Damn, Pete!!! I think you just quoted my girlfriend verbatim. That was good. I can totally hear the "voice" coming out of the screen. Very vivid. [in] What a beeeatch!!
TRADitionally yours,
Addiroids
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skupdogg
Oct 26, 2001, 7:31 AM
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yeah, to a climber, climbing IS life. we live it, breathe it, eat and drink it.
oh, and my reply to those who speculated what would happen to climbing if it became more popular..... i really don't think climbing will ever become much more popular than it is. it's not much of a spectator sport. not enough action for the masses. only climbers can enjoy and appreciate watching a great climber crimp a mono pocket, drop their knee and slap up to that great jug. the masses wouldn't understand it since they've never done it. the just wanna see football players making huge hits and WWF wrestlers throwing each other around, and NASCAR crashes.
this is probably another reason why we love and cherish our sport!
- chad
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