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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Mar 12, 2014 - 09:44pm PT
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Almost 52 now.. Led half of this crazy 5 @ the Lake yesterday.. feeling prety good:) My partner was a young pup and wanted to do annother climb to cap the day off. I was satisfyed with the one climb and passed on more excitement for the day.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Mar 12, 2014 - 10:14pm PT
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I've done some roped climbing every year since I was 20, and it was a huge part of my life in my 20's, although the hardest route I’ve ever led was only 5.10D.
I kept rock-climbing at a reduced pace in my 30’s & 40’s, but gave up ice and big mountains.
Ripped a bicep during a slightly desperate lunge at age 50, which I felt for a long time, but I kept doing some easy leads every year. After 50, most people can count on some kind of health problem every year or so. Mine have mostly been Achilles tendonitis,and Basel Cell skin cancers, with an occasional bout of bad back for variety.
My old friend Donini (the bastard) dragged me back into easy for him, hard for me climbing in 2010, but I find myself at age 64, enjoying 5.4-5.9 and the social fun of climbing.
My only advice is: stay positive and hang with positive people!
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MikeL
Trad climber
SANTA CLARA, CA
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Mar 12, 2014 - 10:43pm PT
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There's little doubt that body and health are the most important things in this life, but outside of this life, it appears to be pretty amazing, too. At least it is for me. Every event or procedure that takes a bit of my physical capability or vigor from me (even if temporarily) exposes something else wonderful. It's all good.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Mar 12, 2014 - 11:05pm PT
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Fritz and Brokendown...follow your bliss....rj
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Edge
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Mar 12, 2014 - 11:17pm PT
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I'll be turning 53 in July, which will also be my four year sobriety date. Since quitting the sauce I have lost 50+ pounds, rediscovered my passion for climbing, put up around 30 FAs, and am feeling healthier than I did 10 years ago.
Recently moving to Boulder was a 35 year goal that finally leaves me surrounded by new rock, new routes, and constant motivation. I feel blessed every time I go out, whether I am doing a long cruiser or a heinous number pusher. Both kids are out of college and my daughter lives only an hour away in Denver and is a willing and able partner. My wife is supportive of my active and healthy passions, and being self-employed gives me flexibility to climb when I want. As a result I don't feel or act my age, I don't see any benefit to it.
I accept that I will be presented with new limitations year by year, but hope to fight those challenges with grace, style, and a positive outlook.
"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Mar 12, 2014 - 11:25pm PT
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"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
Wow. Does that say it all. That is now engraved on my heart and mind!
Thank you!
Susan
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jstan
climber
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Mar 12, 2014 - 11:56pm PT
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Only one thing is important at any age. Do you find what you are doing, exciting?
Today at the Clean Team four new volunteers, just showed up. Plus three more who joined two weeks ago. Yesterday I got a call wanting help with setting up an event in a new area. Last Saturday I helped a group working with kids. There were 60 kids there. Kind of embarrassing thing happened though. One youngster saluted me. Must have been my CalTrans sunglasses. What we had was a failure to communicate.
Beginning to think I need to get a go-Pro video camera and put together an audio visual presentation. For schools and other groups. Way way outside of my skill set.
I'd have to learn.
Got a cell phone today. Probably get titanium bones next.
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jstan
climber
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Mar 13, 2014 - 12:04am PT
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Yes, but they gave me a god awful headache.
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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Mar 13, 2014 - 12:19am PT
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Now I really feel young.
Old dudes rock.
Edge, less weight= smaller casket= conservation. I'm having the same revitalizing experience finding unclimbed rock and putting up routes.
Life is an adventure.
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Mar 13, 2014 - 12:27am PT
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Do you find what you are doing, exciting?
Oh no...another engraving on my heart and mind!!!! I hope I have a large enough heart and enough mindfulness to capture all these.
As for climbing and physicality....tomorrow off to climb in JTree. At 64 I'm never sure exactly what I will be up for until I get to the base of a climb....but as part of a hard core geezer squad we never give up...some are still climbing walls, hauling pigs and porta ledges, some like me, climb anything that gives me the thrill-of-a-lifetime rappel...or multi pitch that allow me to walk off and still walk the next day.
I'm not sure what the balance of aging gracefully (or not) is for you, but you will find it. For me, in terms of "aging" I found my early to mid 50s to be like a young teenager again....finding and exploring and learning and accepting what your next stage of life will be all about. It wasn't always easy to navigate and accept many of the changes, but denying them stalled me. If you stay active I think you'll be surprised at how physically strong you can be.
It's pretty special to discover yourself all over again...surprise yourself!
Susan
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overwatch
climber
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Mar 13, 2014 - 12:44am PT
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That was a good one, Edge
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MH2
climber
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Mar 13, 2014 - 12:56am PT
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Everyone's a little different, Trusty Rusty, except for the ones who are a lot different. Just never forget what is most important: making people laugh.
One youngster saluted me. Must have been my CalTrans sunglasses.
jstan
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Mar 13, 2014 - 01:20am PT
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Climbing as an activity is not really important to me anymore. I love to climb when I get the chance, but I don't invest a lot of effort in the pursuit. I still like to hang out with climbers and meet new friends in the community because we do have a special and unique community of individuals here. There is nothing quite like it.
Lynne L. has talked about it; not quite realizing the depth and strength of how we reach out to grab that hand and provide a lift in those dark moments. The discovery of belonging to a family you might not of known you have, that really cares. It IS about light.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Mar 13, 2014 - 01:55am PT
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If you are having fun who cares at what grade you are climbing? Isn't all about having fun anyway?
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Trusty Rusty
climber
Tahoe Area
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2014 - 02:39am PT
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What a wealth of good natured insight. Again, I hope not to emphasize grades or ratings, clearly not an issue in the grand scheme. Now fun on the other-hand. . .absolutely an issue.
Some of my favorite aspects of aging are a heightened sense of authenticity and a cooler perspective. Though in my youth the inheritance of intangibles meant next to nothing, today it's a whole new paradigm and I'm hauling in all I can, paradoxically hauling in whats been mine all along. I guess it's like taking back the neighborhood lawns for comfort stops, flexing pedigree right to the fullest extent. That said, dark glasses, hats and good running shoes are good precaution.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Mar 13, 2014 - 03:07am PT
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Don't worry about what people think about you(that means getting off of Facebook immediately) is very liberating.
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BruceAnderson
Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
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Mar 13, 2014 - 03:46am PT
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My wife turned 50 this year and is climbing better than ever. Did her first 5.12 this year and so far has done about 4 more. Keeps me (a juvenile 44) on my toes.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Mar 13, 2014 - 07:55am PT
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jstan...I'd like to see those skin tight boxers when you get the go pro up and running...rj
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Mar 13, 2014 - 08:27am PT
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Going on 68, and I still love climbing, but my body is not cooperating much.
Seems the old joints are seizing up like a rusty bolt.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Mar 13, 2014 - 09:19am PT
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I'm going on 57...
...years of climbing that is, I'm 70.
It took me a long time to get good, and a long time to get bad, but good and bad and mostly somewhere between, damn if it hasn't been fun the whole way.
The mind perpetually thinks it is in charge of a 25 year-old body, and has to be continually re-trained to deal with the fact that it isn't driving a formula-one any more. (It never was driving a formula-one of course, but allow it a few illusions). Now the master of a sputtering old junker, it never ceases to be surprised when it stomps on the gas and nothing much happens.
"Captain, the forearms are reporting a precipitous drop in hydraulic pressure!"
"WTF? We haven't even reached the crux yet. Full speed ahead you moron!"
"Sorry sir, we've already red-lined the main drive."
"Well switch on the auxilliary power you idiot!"
"Uh, sir, there is no auxilliary power. We burned that unit out years ago."
"Oh, right. Ok, activate the rest radar. Gotta find a way to shake out."
"Uh sir......."
The ACL in one knee's been replaced by a cadaver tendon. (Meniscus dissection as well.) Something is very wrong about this---I'll be dead soon enough as it is, so do we really have to get a jump on it by swapping out for parts from the crypt? Apparently, recovery is faster this way, but I end up with a Zombknee and it has taken two years before I've been able to start jumping rope again. (It's the lost meniscus, not the new ACL, that is slowing things down.)
Anyway, a lot of climbing is about dealing with What Is. That was the fun of it, and it still is the fun of it. The "What Is" changes, but the dealing is pretty much the same.
The arc of life and all that, eh?
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