I went indoor rock climbing today after work, with Colleen and Lisa. They have it at the Worcester YMCA.
I was a bit apprehensive, but figured I would give it a try.
I didn’t like it that much the first climb, but by the third it was pretty fun.
They have colored tape by each “feature” (hand/foothold) and you go on a path by only using features with tape of a particular color. Since it’s hard to see all the features and tape while climbing, people below will shout out helpful suggestions. “Now reach up with your left hand, and grab the swiss cheese!” Since the features all have different shapes and colors, Colleen and Lisa have nicknames for most of them. So it ends up resembling a bizarre game of twister, but with gravity to contend with.
So it was pretty fun. I’m probably going to be sore in the morning, you end up doing a lot of reaching and split-type movements.
The only downside is the location. The Worcester YMCA is on 766 Main Street, deep in the seediest part of Worcester. Driving there was horrible, and while leaving, a couple blocks away, I saw three police cars pulled over, lights flashing, while the K-9 unit arrested what appeared to be crack dealers.
The YMCA itself is very run-down, and looks like it was bombed-out and half-renovated with some new drywall and plaster, but then the funding ran out.
Maybe next time I can find a less horrible way to get there.