First of all, I'm reading Catch-22.
Second, at Mile End last night, Nick and I were doing two boulder problems and trying to figure out when the volumes were on and when they weren't. On one boulder problem, it was kind of obvious from context that one of the volumes wasn't on, and on another in the same spot, it was obvious from context that the same volume was. But both routes had the same set of "instructions" that were hopelessly vague about what to do with the volumes.
So Nick said, "I decide about volumes based on the character of the problem. If using the volume is in the character of the problem, I use it. I said, "What if the character of the problem is 'bad'?"
Nick's response was that, well, if the character of the problem is "bad," and using the volume would make it better, well then, I guess you can't use the volume.
4 comments:
I haven't the faintest idea what this is all about. Volumes? Catch-22? Books? Climbing? Eh?
Haha, volumes are features (like, big features) that get permanently attached to climbing walls. So at this gym, it's always unclear whether or not you're allowed to use the volumes on different routes. So Nick created a little catch-22 with his gym rule about using them only "if they're in the nature of the route," since so many of the routes are bad.
At Zebby's comp at Hampshire he had very complex rules about the holds bolted onto the volumes. Had to do with both the tape on the volume and the tape on the hold.
I am steadfastly maintaining my expression of polite confusion. See you at Metrorock this week, where things are nicely familiar.
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