A Few Sunny Days on the Island...

... and I start feeling like my old self again.

I managed to get out for a climb at the gym the other day, and I feel like it flipped a switch in my brain, and all of a sudden I'm firing on all cylinders again. Maybe it also has something to do with a few work-projects finally coming to an end (though, more are starting up as well...). But either way, I'm feeling great.

Climbing with some friends from work at CragX in Downtown Victoria, BC

Thinking about climbing again, naturally, has led me to wondering how I can incorporate this into @exhaust. Currently, @exhaust supports GPS trackable (as a form of proof) activities. How could I be able to do something similar with climbing -- which typically takes place either at a gym, or at a mountain somewhere.

I think the answer still lies in GPS locating -- but in more of a check-in system. Part of the GIS database I'm building should be able to be extended to highlight various climbing gyms or outdoor crags (or other similar establishments... swimming pools, gym-gyms, ski-hills, skating-rinks, etc...), and seems like a natural way to loop in the businesses that run these places.

So, it seems feasible to have a "proof of visit" or at least a "proof of being nearby for at least a moment" for these kinds of activities. But what's the best way to quantify and verify effort? For running -- the effort quantity is just distance -- which is easy to get from GPS data.

For climbing -- that's a different story. GPS elevation data is less reliable, if even available, from smartphone devices (and wouldn't really work indoors either). That's also not considering that it's not really the height that is the main metric of effort -- short powerful climbs can be harder than long-gentle climbs. Do we rely on the honor system? There's not really much of a reason to lie -- you'd only be lying to yourself, really. I suppose a FitBit could grab HR data -- but that's probably not super useful either.

I think that for the first implementation -- it makes sense to just have a simple log of the climbing done, and roll with an honor system -- coupled with checking in at various gyms or crags. Something like:

• Climbed at CragX - Tuesday December 4th:
  • Climbed 5.11a -- 12m -- TopRope -- Juggy powerful climbing;
  • Climbed 5.10b -- 12,m -- Lead -- Technical and crimpy; Fun Arete;

Maybe.. Nay.. HOPEFULLY, some time in the new year, I can bring back THE CRUSHENING...