Guess I should...

[georgmi]

...introduce myself, since I've started commenting. If this isn't an appropriate use of the comm, I apologize.

Hi, all! I'm George.

By rights, I probably should have been climbing all my life--my dad used to TA the University of Washington's summer extension mountain climbing courses in the '60s before he got drafted, but he didn't climb much after he got married, and by the time I came around and was big enough to go, time and money constraints were preventing him from climbing, let alone from outfitting the kids to go. But I've always known that climbing was something I'd eventually do for myself. Unfortunately, it took me until my fortieth birthday loomed on the horizon to actually go and do something about it.

I've been climbing for about a year now (I will leave calculation of my current age to the advanced students; please DO NOT show your work), and I'm at the point of trying 5.10s. I am very much a throw-myself-at-the-wall, brute-force climber right now; I wouldn't know technique if it climbed circles around me on the way up. I suspect I'm approaching the point where I'll have no choice but to start thinking about what I'm doing, and I expect a lot of skinned knees and elbows from resisting that transition to the very last possible second. :)

For my day job, I've been in software development and test for nigh on twenty years; I've been married for fifteen years and have a nine-year-old (almost) son, whom I do take climbing once a month or so. Among my other hobbies, I am most serious about my photography; my climbing icon (above) is a picture I ganked off the Internet of Galen Rowell, who was already a world-class climber when he started his world-class photography career. (To the extent that an old, decrepit cynic can believably claim to have a hero, Galen Rowell is mine.)

My current job is coming to an end next month; I'm thinking I'll be climbing quite a bit this summer--I'm fortunate to have known this was coming and to save up for some downtime.

Comments

[wpadmirer]

Hey, you started climbing earlier than me! I started at 55. (grin) I've been really fortunate to have good climbing partners who are always on my butt about technique and training, so I'm getting to be a better climber in spite of myself.

I live with a professional photographer, but I take snapshots myself. I admire good photographers!

[georgmi]

I've got a group I climb with now, including one guy in his twenties who's way ahead of the rest of us who really pushes me, and I'm trying to figure out a way to get Dad back on the wall.

I spent a couple of years trying to make a go of the professional photography thing, but it's funny how working exclusively with a computer for a decade or so fails to prepare you to make a living interacting with people. :)

[wpadmirer]

I climb with a guy who is 18 sometimes. He's informed me I'm the same age as his grandmother. (sigh) You should definitely get your Dad back on the wall!

I totally get the failing to be prepared for interacting with people. That's the hardest part of the job!

[georgmi]

My youngster merely fails to get all the music and pop culture references I throw his way. :)

[originalkitsune]

Yay I don't feel as old when i started! I wish i would've started earlier though. Seems the earlier you start the better you get and faster with less pain.

[georgmi]

Seems the earlier you start the better you get and faster with less pain.

That is an age thing, not a specifically climbing thing. :)

[rydra_wong]

I started at 34, and have been known to resort to chanting Age and treachery overcome youth and upper-body strength in my head. Sometimes it's even true. *g*

From what I've observed, I suspect the big advantage is that it's easier for younger people to train harder physically; they can push themselves a lot more before they start ending up with little niggling injuries and tweaked bits. Starting later, with no athletic background, I need a lot more recovery time and have to build up more slowly.

[rydra_wong]

Speaking as one of the mods, I think I'm allowed to say that this is totally an appropriate use of the comm. *g* Hi and welcome!

[georgmi]

Thanks, and thanks! I am likely to be a sporadic participant, but I will try to be at least vaguely interesting.