[nabs-l] Blind people rock climbing

[Arielle Silverman]

Yes this is completely on-topic for this list. Rock climbing is a
popular student activity, and it is useful for us students to trade
ideas on not only how to climb, but also how to belay another climber.
I know at my old university there was an indoor climbing wall at our
student union and I believe other universities have climbing groups or
local rock gyms that students like to frequent.

Arielle

On 3/30/11, Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>
>> for nabs-l:
>>
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/humbertoa
>>>
>> 5369%40netzero.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blackbyrdfly%40gmail.com
>>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/nabs.president%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Arielle Silverman
President, National Association of Blind Students
Phone:  602-502-2255
Email:
nabs.president at gmail.com
Website:
www.nabslink.org