Climbing for Adventure: A lesson on making the most with our time
A photo with a good friend and climbing partner.
Today, I wanted to share a story about a man I’m lucky to know. Andy is a loving father, grandfather, and has been a great friend to me. I met Andy in the gym when I was living in Atlanta. He saw me lead a 5.11 he had been working on. The first thing I noticed about Andy was his amazing level of stoke. Whenever I saw him after that day, he was having a great time. He even introduced me to the people who would later become my climbing instructor mentors. During that winter, I decided that I wanted to work on my Single-Pitch Instructor (SPI) certification. The only thing in my way was the 15 trad climbs required to take the SPI course.
For anyone that doesn’t know, trad climbing is leading a route and placing protection as you go. You place gear in various sized cracks, constrictions, and knobs on the wall to protect yourself as you climb. It is really scary when you first learn, because you are still learning how to place the gear so that it will stay in as you fall. The photo above was taken the first day I got my trad rack. Andy was so enthusiastic to go outside and climb, even though he spent most of the day belaying me on top rope as I practiced placing gear. That day we had a conversation that has stuck with me since.
I knew that Andy had gotten into rock climbing late in life. I was curious why he suddenly go into climbing. Andy told me, “I only have 10 good years left. I didn’t get the adventure I wanted when I was younger, and I want to have an adventure while I can.” At first, I thought he was over exaggerating. I personally think Andy is fit as an ox, and there a chance he outlasts me. As I progressed more and more climbing, I started hearing Andy’s words coming from more and more people around me. Working in this business, the most-common reason that I hear and older client wants a guided climbing trip has been that they just want to get out for an adventure. They want to share that adventure with their friends, their kids, and their grandchildren. In short, they want to get busy living.
That conversation helped me understand that time is running out for all of us. I don’t want to be someone that is waiting for that big adventure to come to me. I want to seek adventure in my own life because time is fleeting. I also found that for me, part of living is giving back. And what I do well is give that adventure to others. If you are someone that has been waiting to have that adventure, what are you waiting for? Why are you waiting to have that experience with your kids or friends? My biggest hope with opening Greater Boston Climbing School is to give people the ability to go out and capture that adventure for themselves. I want people to be able to look back and share that experience with others. Sign up for a trip with us and start living your adventure today!
