If you live in Boulder, there's a good chance you've at least dabbled in rock climbing. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the town tends to attract climbers, mountaineers and hikers. And if that didn't describe you originally, the proximity of all these sports may have tempted you to try it out.
Boulder boasts not one but three climbing gyms: Movement, The Spot, and the Boulder Rock Club. What follows might well be said about any of them, but this Examiner, being most familiar with the BRC, will be writing about that one for now.
Wait, though. What does a rock climbing gym have to do with writing? Not at lot at first glance. Athletics and art are popularly considered at odds. And yet...
And yet climbing is a surprisingly meditative sport. You learn to still your thoughts on the wall, put the fatigue-induced panic aside, breathe, remember to breathe as you consider your next move.
And yet occupying your muscles with physical exercise has this strange way of clearing the mind of daily mundane chatter, laying down an ideal mental space for creativity.
And then there's the Hangdog Lounge on the mezzanine area of the gym with a modest selection of comfortable seating. And free wi-fi. And free coffee--one of Caffe Sole's blends. (Waffling over whether to get a membership? Free coffee.)
So, let's say you go in early on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the two days a week when the BRC is open from 6 AM. You have a nice morning climb, doing laps on the auto-belay or taking turns with your partner. Then you hit the restroom, wash the chalk off your hands, and you head up to the lounge for a half-hour or so of writing time. There are worse ways to start a day.
Some caveats: Not much in the way of electrical outlets up there. If you bring a laptop, you might plug it into the power strip under the community computer while you climb, then unplug it and bring it over to the table. Also, be considerate in the amount of coffee you take. It's tempting to just keep refilling your cup while you're hanging out, but your fellow BRC members would like their fair share as well. And finally, some mornings the lounge will be full of children arriving to partake in the ABC program. The lounge is a great place to write, but that's not its primary purpose. Be prepared to share the space with climbers of all ages and all noise levels.
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