Climbing & Caving, Monday Period 3

[firstofitskind]

The class was once again meeting in the Danger Shop, which was set up to look like an indoor rock climbing gym. Specifically, a bouldering gym.

"Today," Liam said, once everyone had arrived, "we're going to get to the 'climbing' part of this workshop. Specifically, the sort of climbing where you might not always have ropes or harnesses to help you out." Because for some reason he had the sneaking suspicion that that's the sort of climbing many of them would end up doing. But hey! That meant no one had to worry about any sort of safety gear this week. Yay?

"This type of climbing is called 'bouldering', mostly because out in the real world, you'd be climbing, well, actual boulders. I've set up the walls to cover a range of difficulty levels- the ones that go straight up are the easiest, and the ones that involve horizontal climbing are going to be harder. Obviously, the goal is not to fall, but if you do, the floor is well-padded." Because while some of them might be invulnerable, that wasn't the case for everyone.

"The best way to start a climb is to think your way through your route. Once you've decided which wall you're going to do, take a look at the footholds, try and decide which ones you're going to use before you even start climbing. As you're climbing, remember to keep yourself balanced. If you've planned your route correctly, you shouldn't have to lunge or swing towards your next hand or foothold too often- the only part of your body that should move significantly is the part you're reaching with.

Last- keep your hands lightly dusted with chalk to improve your grip," he added, passing out small bags of chalk dust that could be either be secured to clothing with a clip, or belted around one's waist.

"So go ahead, pick a wall, and get started. If you get stuck, jump back down and try a different wall. If you finish your wall, climb or jump back down and go for a different one."

Comments

Climb! [C&C 05/28]

[firstofitskind]

There are walls that go straight up, walls that are mostly horizontal and walls that are a somewhere in between.

Re: Climb! [C&C 05/28]

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot was going to try her luck at the somewhere-in-between wall. Not because she didn't think she couldn't handle the mostly horizontal one - that didn't seem to intimidate her at all.

Nah, it was mostly because she found the shape of it to be more pleasing to the eye, in an uglier-than-homeworld vaguely Gem-construct type way.

Re: Climb! [C&C 05/28]

[intotheout]

Tip was giving the horizontal walls some serious side eye. She was well familiar with the concept of gravity -- maybe on New Boovworld she might try one of those, but on Earth?

She was going to stick to the straight up courses, thanks. And she was still going to end up falling on her butt a lot.

Re: Climb! [C&C 05/28]

[in_sidon_we_trust]

While it was certainly no waterfall climbing, Sidon had to admit, this could be a lot of fun for him. Of course he'd try the straight up one, as it reminded him more of the mountains back home, and he found it was surprisingly challenging for what he expected. He thought, since the courses were clearly designed with the average-sized human in mind, his height would be an advantage. But he rather forgot to take into account that his limbs were...oddly proportioned. He forgot sometimes how short his legs were for his height until he actually had to use them for something...

Arms, not a problem at all. His muscles did well to pull him up. But those legs...often missed what he thought should be a perfectly fine foothold and left him dangling at least a few times.

Re: Climb! [C&C 05/28]

[refused2berescued]

Uma had figured she'd be decent at climbing after several months learning to climb the rigging on the Lost Revenge. But climbing up a series of ropes was markedly different than climbing up a couple of hand- and footholds and she fell on her ass more than a few times before she shifted down in difficulty.