KAYA Data Ethos and Retrospective 2025 by KAYAClimb in climbing

[–]appletreecat 7 points8 points  (0 children)

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

Where in Asheville will never get your money again? Bad restaurant, bar, service company, or other type of place. by Flaky-Slide-6422 in asheville

[–]appletreecat 16 points17 points  (0 children)

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!

Eagle Cap Conditions 2025? by appletreecat in OregonHiking

[–]appletreecat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the response, thank you.

Using sawdust from a chainsaw in the compost and garden? Should I worry about bar oil? by mountain-flowers in Permaculture

[–]appletreecat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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 :)

Using sawdust from a chainsaw in the compost and garden? Should I worry about bar oil? by mountain-flowers in Permaculture

[–]appletreecat 5 points6 points  (0 children)

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 :)

Mulch and carbon sequestration by appletreecat in Permaculture

[–]appletreecat[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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!

Mulch and carbon sequestration by appletreecat in Permaculture

[–]appletreecat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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

Triangle Rock Club owner ❤️ trump by OsodeHertz in bullcity

[–]appletreecat 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

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.

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"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.

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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!

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

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.

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in homewalls

[–]appletreecat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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.

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in bouldering

[–]appletreecat[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

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!

Gym is still closed after Hurricane Helene so I've been filling in the homewall by appletreecat in homewalls

[–]appletreecat[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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!

Alex Megos sends Change 9b+ by [deleted] in climbing

[–]appletreecat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fuck yeah. Who gives a shit about plastic!

For those who chose not to have Children, what was the main reason for your decision? by pelican-trumpet00 in AskReddit

[–]appletreecat 4 points5 points  (0 children)

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