My friend and I really want to climb, but we live in the real flat part of North Dakota. We need to know how to get started, but we don't think our parents will let us drive a long ways to a place where we could do some climbing, and there aren't any artificial walls or shit like that around this stupid place. What should we do to get started? Should we run away from home, live in the badlands eating cattle and climbing on a rope bought at a hardware store? Or do you have any suggestions?

THE END

-- Chase Christenson (chase_christenson@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000

Answers

Grab the dog, steal your parent's keys, kidnap your loved one, raid the fridge, empty the bank account and get the hell out of town!! One more thing, DO IT NOW! Or you could order the how to build your own indoor wall book from amazon.com and build your own wall!!

Ronnie

-- Ronnie Miller (dylan-miller@juno.com), February 22, 2000.

I actually live in a really flat part of Michigan, and I too found myself in the same dilema. I went to the local hardware store and bought 4 sheets of plywood, some 2x4's and some 4x4 posts and created my own bouldering wall in my yard. It has provided me with tons of training and a lot of fun with some good buddies and a case of beer. Oh yeah, don't forget to invest in some holds, or even small blocks of wood if that is all your budget will allow. The whole gig cost me about $250 including sbout 2 dozen holds. Good Luck bro! ;)Scott

-- Scott A. Losey (scottlosey@hotmail.com), December 11, 2000.

options for a flatlander: 1. build a woodie - climb the woodie 2. search for local climbing gym - climb local gym 3. move to mountains - live a happy life

Personally, I'd suggest option 3. Yosemite is nice.

Good luck, jason

-- jason liebgott (jliebgott@hotmail.com), January 04, 2001.

See above, then use that rope you bought at the hardware store for a dog leash. Never climb on anything that isn't certified for rock climbing. EVER!

-- Jim Davis (jmdavis384@aol.com), January 05, 2003.

Check out

thecrag.com

to find the nearest crags (and ratings etc) for when you are ready

-- Joe Bloggs (blubbernaut@hotmail.com), April 28, 2003.