Before Springboard, all I had was an idea, and before the idea, a joke. A joke that started in a climbing gym following another 20-minute car ride in which my friends and I complained about the amount of time and money we spent commuting to and from said gym.
As we sat on the floor stretching, we collectively decided on a simple solution. Opening our own climbing gym would surely solve our predicament. We laced up our shoes, chalked up our hands, and began climbing without another thought toward our half-hearted joke. Each passing week, we found ourselves on the same road, driving to the same gym, complaining about the same thing. It was like clockwork.
I can’t remember the day of week, or even the month, but one day we finally did something other than joke about the gym. Despite my awful memory, I do remember that it was gorgeous and sunny outside. So much so, that my climbing partner and I decided to forego indoor climbing and take a bike ride instead. The goal of the ride was to search for buildings in OTR, ones suitable for a gym.
When I saw the church on the corner of 12th and Elm, it completely caught me by surprise. How many times had I passed by without ever noticing its potential? Despite its deteriorating exterior, I couldn’t help but imagine how awesome it would be to climb a 50-foot route alongside the restored stained glass up to a wooden buttress.
After our bike ride, it wasn’t until six weeks into the Springboard course that I decided to revisit the church once again. Alongside my realtor (who happens to be one of my favorite regulars at Coffee Emporium), my climbing partner and my boyfriend, we ventured into the church, no one quite knowing what to expect.
It was a complete disaster. The floors were falling through, the paint was peeling, and the dropped ceiling was only about three quarters intact, giving way to the arches overhead. It would take at least $250,000 in renovations before anything could be done in terms of building a climbing wall. As the sun beamed through the stained glass, the state of the church was disappointing to say the least. The location was absolutely perfect and the building was so unique. How could I find anything better?
Last week I discussed the importance of never giving up when climbing and the personal rewards reaped when you don’t. As wholeheartedly as I believe that, there is a time and place when giving up is necessary. Not all climbing routes are equal. Some are more difficult than others and require different levels of strength and technical skill. Even if I were absolutely determined to climb a specific route, if it is greatly out of my range, an attempt would be futile. The best approach is to climb within your range, gradually pushing your limits and increasing your level of difficulty, slowly but surely.
The church has the potential to be an awesome climbing gym, but the amount of money necessary to do so places it out of my range. Instead of dwelling on what could be, I am determined to keep looking for spaces that are more feasible but still have the potential for greatness.
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