[nabs-l] Blind people rock climbing

[Jamie Principato]

I find that interesting when a good number of e-mails on this list are about
things other than school, i.e. training centers, technologies, philosophy,
social skills, travel, relationships, independent living, conventions, and
so on. Seems strange for the "college-related only" rule to apply in some
cases, but not in others. I figured any college student also takes part in
recreational activities, just as I do as a student, and that in this city,
rock climbing is most popular among college students. It stood to reason
that people who met that particular demographic, and who have also likely
been to an NFB training center and took place in rock climbing might have
something to say about it as a recreational activity that a student would
like to take part in. Perhaps I should have mentioned that I'm climbing with
a university climbing club, or something. At any rate, thanks for trying.

On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 7:22 PM, humberto <humbertoa5369 at netzero.net> wrote:

> Hi, I'm not sure this topic is really appropriate for this list, unless so
> many students go rock climbing instead of going to college! * joke * But you
> can join a mailing list that is more related to this topic.  It is in the
> NFB-NET server as well; you need to send a blank email message to
> Sportsandrec-request at nfbnet.org with the subject line "subscribe." there
> will be more people willing to talk more about this topic than people in
> this list, students who are busy thinking about homework and school and how
> stressed up they will be for the next day and challenges with
> teachers/professors and stuff.  I'm sorry to rain on your parade.
>
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>
>> Date sent: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:20:27 -0400
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Blind people rock climbing
>>
>
>  Hi all!
>>
>
>  So my fiancé and I recently took up rock climbing and have been
>>
> going to a
>
>> local rock gym weekly for the past month or so.  We go with
>>
> friends, but we
>
>> are the only two in the group who are interested in top-roping.
>>
> We're both
>
>> blind, and we take turns belaying for one another.  I know a fair
>>
> number of
>
>> blind people rock climb, so I was wondering if anyone has any
>>
> tips or
>
>> techniques that you use when you climb, for any aspect of the
>>
> climb?
>
>  How do you choose a path up the wall? There are paths marked with
>>
> colored
>
>> tape, but this is useless to us, so we just wing it and feel out
>>
> our own
>
>> paths, but on harder walls this can be tricky.
>>
>
>  How did you get the hang of belaying? Did you use any special
>>
> technique to
>
>> determine when and how quickly your partner is climbing, like
>>
> maybe have
>
>> them wear a bell? Or were you able to tell how quickly to go just
>>
> by feeling
>
>> the slack in the rope? Our guide advised us to just take up slack
>>
> when we
>
>> feel slack, but I've noticed my partner sometimes doesn't feel
>>
> when I get
>
>> higher, and the slack in the rope makes me nervous.
>>
>
>  When belaying, how did you prepare to handle falls, since you
>>
> wouldn't be
>
>> able to see when your partner starts to fall? This makes me most
>>
> nervous,
>
>> and I've been told I keep the rope too tight at times for the
>>
> climber
>
>> (especially a male climber) to move comfortably.
>>
>
>  Right now I'm going with the advice that this will all come with
>>
> practice,
>
>> but I wondered what experiences other people have.
>>
>
>  Thanks,
>>
>
>  -Jamie
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