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Gyms In Review: Atlanta Rocks In Town
1019 Collier Rd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
By: Suzanne Bakhtiari, Editor
Restrooms/locker rooms * * * *
Friendly/helpful staff * * * *
Traverse * * * *
TopRope climbs : I didn't do any. They say they have approximately 50, ranging in levels from 5.4 to 5.13
Lead Climbs: I didn't do any of those either but they looked awesome.
One week in Atlanta - away from my husband, away from my dog - did not in any way sound like fun. What would I do after class? My sweet friend Jamie could only devote her entire evening to me so many nights of the week. The guys I drove up with had their minds on bars and then excessive TV watching - two things that I wouldn't even know how to partake in if I wanted.
The first thing I got in Atlanta was a monster does of reality. Austin is not the big city I thought it was. High rises, Hard Rock Café, a Starbucks every three blocks and a downtown Macy's - what was it that made me thing Austin was even a city …? Traffic? A second Central Market? I'm not sure anymore. But what I'm getting to here is that there is something fun to do in Atlanta - Atlanta Rocks! - my very favorite part of the city. Atlanta Rocks! was by far the most fun climbing gym I have ever been to. The traverse was fine, it circled the gym - not too hard to stay on but fun enough to stay on all the way around. I didn't lead anything. I didn't even toprope anything. The really cool part of the gym was the a piece of training equipment loaded with climbing holds and strapped to a conveyor belt.
That machine is what actually convinced me to stay at the gym. When I first got there and learned of all of the random fees, including a mandatory Access Fund donation of about $3 (and I hadn't brought shoes so I was going to have to rent) I just about turned around. Then I saw it. I saw a guy reaching for holds while the machine slowly turned to an overhang. It was so cool. The woman behind the counter saw my interest. "You want me to show you how it works?" She smiled and told me to follow her to the machine.
"How much do I owe you? … Oh, and I wear a six and a half."
I spent 40 minutes on the traverse to warm up and then got inline for the conveyor machine. I had a brief lesson, programmed the machine for a moderate run (just like on a bkike or treadmill where you tell it how long to go and at what level), climbed aboard and kicked the black pedal to get it started. After 5 minutes I broke into a full sweat. My arms were pumping and I was having the ultimate climbing gym experience.
I've been to quite a few gyms over the last year and a half but I've never seen one of these machines before. I highly recommend driving out to Atlanta Rocks! if you're in the area. The fee is worth it. And then maybe you can convince your local gym owner to get one. Or if you're like me you'll start dropping change in a coffee can to save for one to put in the living room. Then you'll have something to keep you busy while watching prime-time.
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