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Landale
Dec 11, 2009, 8:37 PM
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I'd like to get input on the support a gym would receive in the Antelope Valley (Palmdale/Lancaster), Ca. I'm not real confident in the demos based on my research. The Santa Clarita Valley (better demo) has proven unsuccessful as far as finding a tall enough building. But I've found one in the AV that could potentially go up to fifty feet. If we do it, it will rival a Touchstone facility and then some. Local input would be helpful. Thanks.
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Principia
Dec 14, 2009, 6:46 PM
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I'm not quite local, but I had a similar question for Bakersfield. The result: it wouldn't work and for probably the same reason that I think it wouldn't work in Palmdale/Lancaster.
Although both towns are in desperate need of a good gym for climbers and both are in need of something for those consumer based crowds of kids, teens, and young adults, unfortunately, both towns suffer from severe apathy.
What I mean by that is given a free weekend, a person in Bakersfield (and I'm assuming Lancaster as well) would rather bar-b-que and watch some sport on TV than go out and climb at a gym.
I wouldn't be confident in the demos either. Again, I'm drawing comparisons with Bak-o, but I think Palmdale/Lancaster is somewhat similar in that most of its consumer base is lower middle class and a gym membership or even a birthday party at the gym (primary means of income for a gym) would be out of the question.
I don't expect you to take opinion as worth anything, but no matter how much I want to open a climbing gym and I think it would be great for Bakersfield, I have yet to pursue it because I am just not comfortable with getting enough of a customer base to see it become successful, despite being the ONLY gym (no offense to the one that exists in Bak-o right now...it sucks though).
IMHO...
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gmggg
Dec 15, 2009, 7:11 PM
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Just offer free meth samples and you will get the whole community involved. You could even set up the behind the wall space as a kitchen!
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Landale
Dec 15, 2009, 8:53 PM
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Hard to believe it took as long as 4 days for someone to come with a lame meth reference.
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gmggg
Dec 16, 2009, 9:48 PM
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Landale wrote: Hard to believe it took as long as 4 days for someone to come with a lame meth reference.
I know! It usually takes me at least a week to be bored enough to check out the indoor gym threads.
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sabey
Jan 12, 2010, 5:30 PM
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Landale,
I am an avid weekend warrior climber living in Lancaster. I would love to see a gym in the AV. There is a community of climbers that live in the AV; Most work for the Aerospace industry. Edwards AFB also has a small wall for people on base. There is even a climbing group called CLAW (CLimbing After Work) that is run by Lockheed Martin. They climb outdoors at places like Devil's Punchbowl. Although this doesn't necessarily mean your business would be successful, there is support up here for you. I would help you in any way I could such as setting routes, etc...
Let me know if there's anything I can do to get a gym up here.
Thanks,
Aaron Cassebeer
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chouca
Jan 12, 2010, 6:59 PM
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"What I mean by that is given a free weekend, a person in Bakersfield (and I'm assuming Lancaster as well) would rather bar-b-que and watch some sport on TV than
go out and climb at a gym."
That description also applies to most people living in non-beachside communities in California. You might be surprised how many Bakersfield folks weekend regularly in Sequoia NP and Lake Isabella. It's definitley not a community filled with REI yuppies into extreme sports, but a surprisingly large number of outdoor sportsmen of all types live there, and a significant number of them may be interested in climbing. I just don't know if the population is large enough to provide enough traffic for a sustainable business model.
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darwinjoe1831
Jan 19, 2010, 9:58 PM
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That would be epic! As an Antelope Valley resident I totally would support a climbing gym being put in to the AV, and would totally buy a membership. I'm by no means a good climber but that is partly a function of not being able to climb as often as I would like. This sounds cool! Can you tell us what building could be used for this, I heard another rumor that someone was thinking about putting a climbing gym in the old 24 Hour Fitness building in Lancaster.
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Landale
Jan 21, 2010, 1:33 AM
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One of the main obstacles is finding a tall enough building. Not aware of the 24 Hour Fitness you speak of specifically, but if it's like most tilt ups, the height is approx. 24 feet. Not nearly tall enough to make it a destination gym.
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ianmeister89
Feb 8, 2010, 8:39 AM
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I think it'd be a great idea. The 24 hr. fitness is moving to a new location, and vacating their old building. There is supposedly a posting that a climbing gym might be built inside, but it's still up in the air. It's off of Avenue L and 10th street west, behind the Target. Assumably, the majority of southern california is fat, lazy, and generally apathetic towards anything physical (could be said about the majority of the country) so that isn't a fair argument against the consumer base, I protest. Generally an area of "have's" and "have-not's" There are plenty of families willing to take their kids to birthday parties, and there is a small community of climbers and mountaineers in the area, As was already mentioned, the town's economy is largely influenced by influence, so, many of the climbers will probably be engineers and family.
That said, the only real option for climbers in the AV currently is to make a pilgrimage to the punchbowl or stoney point every weekend, build a wall at home, or become good friends with the 15 foot wall at the family fun center(heavens, no!).
There are many unoccupied buildings in the AV, and i think there is a newly constructed industrial complex down by Fox Airfield (50th st. west and ave. h???)
thanks for considering the AV, and I'm sure the gym would be a welcome commodity the local climbers would embrace.
-Ian
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Leo_F
Jan 6, 2011, 5:02 PM
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yes please...i live in Palmdale, lets do something about it, we need a gym here in the AV
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Landale
Jan 7, 2011, 4:04 AM
Post #12 of 22
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Check your pm
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ianmeister89
Jan 9, 2011, 2:08 AM
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is there something developing?
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yodadave
Mar 28, 2011, 5:16 PM
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Bumpity Bump
it's been over a year, did anything happen and do i want to move to the area climbing wise?
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ianmeister89
Mar 28, 2011, 6:37 PM
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As far as I know, nothing has been put up. As far as crags in the area, there are a couple within an hours drive. However, there are a few crags within an hours drive, but nothing too extraordinary.
-Ian
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atwell
Apr 27, 2011, 10:16 PM
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I live in Santa Clarita and want to get into rock climbing. What is the closest indoor gym to Santa Clarita? Is there one in the San Fernando valley?
Thanks.
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Landale
Apr 28, 2011, 7:03 PM
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Probably Arcadia Rock Gym in Arcadia or Boulderdash in Thousand Oaks
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jt512
Apr 28, 2011, 7:17 PM
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Landale wrote: One of the main obstacles is finding a tall enough building. Not aware of the 24 Hour Fitness you speak of specifically, but if it's like most tilt ups, the height is approx. 24 feet. Not nearly tall enough to make it a destination gym.
Did I just read the phrase "destination gym"?
Jay
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jt512
Apr 28, 2011, 7:21 PM
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Landale wrote: Hard to believe it took as long as 4 days for someone to come with a lame meth reference.
Totally lame. Who would go to a climbing gym for meth with Joshua Tree so close by?
Jay
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atwell
Apr 28, 2011, 8:13 PM
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Registered: Apr 27, 2011
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Yeah, I was hoping for a closer one, like in the San Fernando valley. Which gym do you think is better (bigger)? Arcadia or Boulderdash? Also, which one is less crowded? Thanks.
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Landale
Apr 28, 2011, 10:05 PM
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your wit is so cutting edge! Please keep your worthless posts coming.
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jt512
Apr 28, 2011, 11:18 PM
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Landale wrote: your wit is so cutting edge! Please keep your worthless posts coming.
I wish I could think of something witty in response to your dream of opening a "destination gym" in Palmdale/Lancaster, but the idea is just hopelessly depressing.
Jay
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