Do you guys ever take a REAL vacation?

Yes, those of you with a significant other I would recommend an occasional vacation to the beach or island. Or you can do a climbing vacation followed by a few days of relaxation on a beach, hotel, sightseeing, etc.

We go to Costa Rica, hang out looking at birds in the rain forests, go hang on the Beach in Cahuita, once a year. Climbing has a lot in common with addiction pathologies. Have to learn to keep it toned down.

fossana wrote:It makes me antsy to vacation somewhere without trad climbs or at least substantial trails. A few years ago I cut a 3 month trip to S & SE Asia a month short to go climbing in Red Rocks.

There's pretty decent Asian food in Vegas, baybee!

In Cochise Stronghold, some of the formations, viewed from the right angle, look like a wave breaking on the beach. A 500 foot wave moving in geologic time. That's close enough for me.

Gordon wrote:...if all you ever do is climb and talk about climbing you would be a pretty boring person.

I agree with this. When I was 16 and spending my first summer in the Valley, it was completely awesome to go climbing every day and spend every afternoon/evening hanging in the Lodge parking cooking dinner and talking climbing. That whole dynamic isn't nearly as interesting to me anymore.

Some of the best trips I had have been non-climbing related: going to Asia (although that did involve a three week trek thru the Himalaya), stuffing my face with food and head with art and architecture in Italy; visiting Petra and hiking in the Sinai Peninsual. The list goes on. As long as the trip is culturally interesting and I'm with good people, I'm pretty happy.

Still, I've had some really good trip where I've been able to combine the two: a trip to Rome and Florence but with two weeks of sport climbing at Arco tossed in; first trip overseas to the UK, with some climbing at Stanage and Stoney Middleton; the Asia trip with trekking; honeymoon in Italy (my wife had never been) with a trip to the Dolomites for some via ferrata.

The problem with the joint trips is that if I'm not climbing I'm antsy. If I go without the intent on climbing, I'm much more in the moment and able to enjoy where I'm at. I really need to remind myself to do that more. We probably all do.

I've been alot of places for non-climbing adventures and the whole time I wish I was climbing.

I can experience culture in the evening after a sweet session on the rock during the day anyway.

I talk climbing all day long so I'm probably boring to non-climbers but I don't really want to hang out with those people anyway. Not my type.

A real vacation to me combines my non work activities into a longer concentrated span requiring more pre-planning. Difference between a day trip to the Gunks and a week in the Whites hiking and climbing. I work hard so my idea of relaxing is to play even harder. The Trango bumper sticker is great.

"My Vacation is your worst Nightmare"

Gordon wrote:Being a well-rounded human being by necessity means taking a break from one activity to try new things...if all you ever do is climb and talk about climbing you would be a pretty boring person. I just did a month in Australia and New zealand, no climbing, but I had a shit ton of fun doing other stuff, things that wouldn't have been possible if I spent all my time on rock, and now I'm going to come back to climbing a lot more refreshed, dropped in ability level for sure, but unless climbing is your livelihood, taking a break should be mandatory. Are flat places not worth visiting at all to some people? There's no climbing in holland, but there are art museums and culture and interesting people, I definitely wouldn't want to miss out on the majority of human experience that's not centered around climbing.

yup

Nathan Stokes wrote:I work hard so my idea of relaxing is to play even harder.

I can relate to this. I always enjoyed vacations that really beat me up. If I ever got a week off, my first choice was to try something on the Captain. Give or six days of hard work up there always gave me a nice perspective on how relatively soft and cush things are in my ordinary life. That I do miss.

BrianH wrote: There's pretty decent Asian food in Vegas, baybee

Indeed they do. No trip to Red Rocks is complete without a visit to Spring Mtn.

I think if you wanted a beach, you could find some climbing areas near a beach for your rest day?

My wife and I spent two weeks driving around northern California this summer with no climbing. We even spent a few days in Yosemite being tourons and had a great time. Next year it's Hawaii.

For me vacations don't have to be about climbing as long as I'm enjoying myself.

My Girlfriend and I were planning a trip to Catalina. Noticed Joshua Tree was along the way....decided to skip Catalina and stay at Joshua Tree. There are no routes in Catalina. Halloween weekend!

It seems like the only time I vacation without climbing is when I'm traveling to see shows. Then its all about partying, people and good music.

I travel to SoCal a couple times per year. On each trip I have managed to get some form of climbing in but the beach is my main objective.

If you like jambands and dancing barefoot in the sand all night with a heavy dose of 5.12 partying, try one of these. I did Jamaican Holidaze last year and left with my face melted to my skull. It was the first vaca I ever did that did not involve climbing/skiing/etc. and would do it again. The only climbing I did was out of the sand for a fresh banana daiquiri breakfast when the sun came up.

mayanholidaze.com/
Umphrey's Mcgee, Disco Biscuits, STS9

paradisegroove.com/moecon.php
moe.

mule.net/islandexodus/
Gov't Mule

Cheers

Last vacation, Needles, South Dakota and Devil's Tower, before that, Hawaii, before that Joshua Tree....alternate and keep the lady happy!

StoneCold that sounds dreamy. Yep, I was talking about jam bands and of course reggae.

I'll take real vacations. I find it important to take a week here and there without climbing. I find it better to take time off when YOU decide instead of when you get injuried. Doing this I've had only 1 injury in the last 37.5yrs even though I don't warm up, and jump onto the things that psych me at the moment. Also seeing a broader perspective of things is important. I love spending a month climbing in Peru or Nepal, but taking a week off and seeing Barcelona (although there is good climbing there, as is Gaudi's architecture), or Istanbul is also cool.

I would take a vacation to go caving with some old friends for sure. Been thinking about doing that for a long time.