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How did you get started? 13-Oct-2009 At 10:21:49 AM porkpie

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My mate Dan and I spent every last cent on a rope, harness, length of static, some biners, bolt plates, a figure 8 and Mikls guide to the wee cliffs. Then armed with some knots his dad knew from sailing we went top roping around sydney (Wahroonga Rocks, Browns Road, Berowra and Palm Beach).

We trashed our rope by running the top-ropes straight trough the belay bolts, only months later did we work out to extend the anchors over the edge. So the next pay checks went on a new rope. At the same time all my mates hoped on board and used all my hardware. They spent thier money on boots and chalkbags, while Dan and I couldn't afford such luxuries for about 6 months (we used to climb barefoot - there is still about 10 yards of my toe skin on Liquid Insanity).

The next year I joined the Uni climbing club - didn't get any instruction but they had two awesome racks to lend me. From there we started leading and used commonsense - a few close calls but all worked out ok.

Must be easier these days with climbing gyms and the internet to get info and meet people, but those early days where some of the best days I had at the crag.