A new, unique gym has opened in Fredericksburg: Rapp Rocks Climbing Gym. This pristine rock climbing facility has been designed for newcomers to the sport, intermediate climbers, and conditioned experts. Trying out Rapp Rocks for the first time, it was immediately clear that I fell into the beginner category of rock climbers. And yet, I still had a blast.
I am not a heights guy. When I am up high, I shake (particularly when someone says “Don’t look down”). Rarely do I attempt any endeavor involving heights, and for that reason, trying out Rapp Rocks was not at the top of my FXBG bucket list. However, after my journey with Helmet & Goggles Biplane Adventures, I was feeling a bit adventurous. Last week, I swung by Rapp Rocks to scale the walls of their beautiful gym.
I showed up to Rapp Rocks, appropriately dressed in a button-down shirt and khaki pants; the experts recommend athletic clothes, so I was a bit unprepared…oops. The employees provided me with snug rock climbing shoes, and told me to climb with my toes, not the sides of my feet. In addition to climbing with my toes, they said using my hands is also very helpful (my expert knowledge of rock climbing ends with the toe advice).
I scaled three different routes of rock climbing walls. The first wall was smaller, and did not involve any harness. If you have ever seen the extraordinary documentary Free Solo, this wall was very similar without the harness; except instead of scaling the most complicated mountain of Yosemite, I was climbing up a few feet of wall. But as I said before, I am afraid of heights. So it felt like Yosemite. I’m a legend.
The second wall is known as a Kilter Board. The Kilter Board contains rocks that light up in certain patterns, which provided me with an exact route to take. The main difference between the Kilter Board, and the first wall, was that the wall was angled, therefore making the climb much more difficult. But my commitment to Destination FXBG is strong, and I wanted to make all of our viewers and readers proud. I made it less than halfway up the Kilter Board. Later, I found out that the angle of the Kilter Board is adjustable, and I was actually climbing at the lowest difficulty. Like I said earlier: I’m a legend.
For me, the most enjoyable part of my trip to Rapp Rocks was the final wall. I was harnessed in, and climbed all the way to the top of the tallest wall. The wonderful employee who guided me through the process noted that I did not seem afraid of heights, even though my life was flashing before my eyes. But thanks to her guidance, I quickly came to realize that my fear was unfounded. I was in good hands with the Rapp Rocks staff, and they consistently impressed me with their knowledge and expertise.
After heading down the wall, I was proud of conquering my fears. It was not until I got down that I realized what an extraordinary workout climbing the walls was. The workout, along with the enjoyable and thrilling experience, made my time at Rapp Rocks a wonderful endeavor. Since my trip to Rapp Rocks, I have been planning not only to go back, but to become a member for $80 a month (you can also pay all at once for six months to a year). It was a fun, adrenaline-fueled experience, and I cannot wait to climb the walls of Rapp Rocks once again.
Rapp Rocks is located at 11050 Person Dr. Suite 103. Everyone must sign a waiver to climb. Follow Rapp Rocks on Facebook.