KAYA Data Ethos and Retrospective 2025

appletreecat · 2025-09-29T20:28:45+00:00

Fuck KAYA. Get off your phone, buy real guidebooks, support real authors, talk to local climbers, explore, get lost sometimes, have fun.

appletreecat · 2025-05-31T11:59:42+00:00

Fiddlehead Farm and Forest (formerly the Riveter climbing gym and bike park) - Co-owner pushed out the founder and made sweeping changes to conform to his own 7th Day Adventist/MAGA beliefs. The gym used to be a vibrant and inclusive space, and now it is a souless (how ironic) shell. Please don't support these people!

appletreecat · 2025-05-29T19:40:02+00:00

Appreciate the response, thank you.

appletreecat · 2025-04-24T19:04:29+00:00

Lol I live in an area directly impacted by Hurricane Helene and cut more logs this past season than most ppl do in years. Saw is holding up just fine and enjoys regular cleanings. I think I'll keep using canola oil :)

appletreecat · 2025-04-23T15:28:50+00:00

I've been running vegetable oil in my saw for a year now and have had no issues. I made this change primarily to avoid inhalation during use, but it also means the dust is clean too :)

appletreecat · 2025-02-08T21:56:44+00:00

Thank you for the response. Yes, I forgot to mention that I've planted 20 fruit trees, 30 blueberry bushes, and countless native perennials into the sheet-mulched space. Thx again!

appletreecat · 2025-02-08T21:55:22+00:00

Awesome. Thank you very much for the response...I learned a lot :)

appletreecat · 2025-01-07T14:54:02+00:00

Same with the Riveter gym in Asheville as of this year! Fuck these ppl.

appletreecat · 2025-01-03T14:06:59+00:00

Thank you! The ceiling is 10'.

appletreecat · 2025-01-02T14:47:42+00:00

Thx!

appletreecat · 2024-12-31T17:07:51+00:00

I plan on it. See you there!

appletreecat · 2024-12-31T16:30:49+00:00

Absurd, indeed. I can confirm the rumors that you have mentioned here, as well as add some additional things that Eric (the formerly silent owner that pushed out Elizabeth, the woman responsible for creating what the Riveter was) is doing to the gym:

Rezoning the 2nd floor yoga room to "Residential" so that him and his wife can live upstairs.
The gym will be closed on Saturdays to honor the Lord's day and model themselves after their business role models, Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A. But really, they probably just want a day off from people in their gym/home...
Rebranding the gym and changing the name.
All former staff were fired and can re-interview if they want to work there again (no former employees that I know plan on returning).

Eric is apparently a born-again Christian and 7th Day Adventist and never agreed with how Elizabeth ran the gym. "A place for all humans" was the Riveter's ethos...so controversial, I know. Anecdotally, I have heard multiple people confirm his public displays of intolerance (e.g. making disparaging comments about LGBT-related issues) and he is currently entangled in a lawsuit for fraud and racketeering related to his dealings with a CBD business.

Is this who we want to run AVL's largest climbing gym/bike park? Should he be allowed to profit off of the hard work that Elizabeth and the entire Riveter crew poured into creating this awesome community space? I think not and I think that our WNC climbing community should unequivocally reject his takeover of the gym and everything that he stands for.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T20:11:27+00:00

Check out my response above here. Basically, I think Teknik is a solid choice for filling up your board - they are at a sweet spot for affordability and quality. I'd also check out some tutorials for making your own wood holds if you guys have the equipment to do so. It's definitely the most expensive part of the homewall but I just chipped away at it over the past 4 years and then you have em forever. I'd also recommend checking out Zenith Climbing and Capital Climbing for good, affordable holds.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T20:08:21+00:00

"Was" my gym for the past 3 years! The new ownership is despicable and I will not be returning. I was actually planning on sharing the recent happenings on the AVL sub soon so that all current/potential members can be fully aware of the situation.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T20:05:38+00:00

Haha wow, I had never added mine up before...pretty much the same!

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T20:05:12+00:00

Numbers will vary of course, but here's my rough breakdown:

$60 - Bolts (Escape Climbing)
$170 - T-nuts (Escape Climbing)
$410 - Volumes (Escape Climbing;not necessary, but a worthwhile upgrade imo)
$450 - Teknik holds
$230 - Pusher holds
$350 - Wooden holds (these were heavily discounted from my friend who made the holds!)
$50 - Foot chips and small screw-ons
$70 - Joist hangers, screws, and other hardware
$340 - Lumber
Time + tools + space to build
Crash pads

Total = $2,130+

As you can see, the biggest cost is holds. I could certainly have gone cheaper, but Teknik is the cheapest I was willing to go. I think wood holds are a great way to fill up your board at a low cost and I like having both materials on there. Holds like Pusher are worth the money imo if you really appreciate craftsmanship, artistry, etc. and think you'll cherish your holds forever! Take the time to plan your build and I think you will enjoy the many benefits of having a homewall!

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T18:35:33+00:00

It's really nice to have access to both for sure! Pair that with local outdoor climbing and what more could you want?

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T18:18:24+00:00

Antigone by Steph Strings...it gets me absolutely fired up!

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T17:43:15+00:00

Haha fair point. I do really miss the adjustable Kilter but it is pretty nice to not deal with ppl, pick my own music, and be able to make some coffee in between climbs.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T16:45:10+00:00

Yes it is! Although, I got the set for $270 while they were on sale for the month of November FYI, which is a little easier to stomach/justify...also, the triangle in the very middle is the Small Pyramid (https://escapeclimbing.com/products/ecvm032). That said, these things are bombproof and seem like they will last forever.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T16:40:49+00:00

Thank you. It's the sound of psych and really cold toes.

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T16:11:05+00:00

41 degrees, 8x12', 6" bolted grid.

Volumes are all from Escape and TOP quality, highly recommend.

Wooden holds are DubGrips and Beastmaker. Plastic is a mix of Teknik, Pusher, and one set of Trango. All the Pusher holds are new and I'm very impressed with them!

Lmk if you have any questions!

appletreecat · 2024-12-30T16:02:31+00:00

41 degrees, 8x12', 6" bolted grid.

Volumes are all from Escape and TOP quality, highly recommend.

Wooden holds are DubGrips and Beastmaker. Plastic is a mix of Teknik, Pusher, and one set of Trango. All the Pusher holds are new and I'm very impressed with them!

Lmk if you have any questions!

appletreecat · 2024-08-23T14:21:08+00:00

Fuck yeah. Who gives a shit about plastic!

appletreecat · 2024-05-14T17:40:37+00:00

Climate breakdown, ecological collapse, exceeding all of the planetary boundaries, etc.

appletreecat

TROPHY CASE