10B - The Michigani nDaily Weekend Magazine -Thursday, April 2, 1998 91 Trippin' abounds on Michigan's roadways Th & MichigaiDaily W< At Ann Arbor climbing gym, students take rocky road to fun By Ryan Malkin For the Daily Not much going on this weekend? No classes on Friday? Pack up some clothes, grab some great CDs and hit the road. Although many think Michigan is -boring in comparison to other states, that is not entirely true. Michigan actually has a lot to experience, espe- cially in the spring and summer. There are several places that students and faculty alike can enjoy for either the day, weekend, or week. Before getting into the specifics about where to go, some general road trip rules must be laid down. First of all, the driver must be established. This sounds easier than it actually is. Most people are willing to go on a road trip, yet most would rather not drive. Sometimes the driver may be the only one with the car, but often times it comes down to a coin toss, rock- paper-scissors, or a bribe. Bribes tend to be the best bet. For example, good bribes are offering to pay for the gas, a dinner or the first case of beer. As LSA sophomore Darryl Goldberg said, "Experienced drivers are the way to go. Forget about your friend who's gonna bitch the whole way, considering it's the first time their parents allowed them to leave the nest. Just find my man who's gonna deal with it as long as you pay for gas." Once the driver is established, the music must be decided upon. A vast range of music is preferable, for two reasons. First of all, during the course of the drive everyone will fall into different musical feelings. Each person in the car can pick a tune so that no one person gets his/her way. Another very important reason why everyone should bring all their CDs, if possible, is that during the course of the trip everyone is bound to get in a quiet, reminiscent mood. One person will play DJ and put on some '80s music, everyone will start singing for an hour or so, then get bored and take a nap, leaving the driver able to play his/her favorite music. Don't think it sounds crazy - it is an inevitable part of road trips. A few quick things to be sure and remember to take along are a Swiss army knife, cellular phone and radar detector. Erica Viers, an AAA repre- sentative, also suggested getting a map or AAA Triptik "if you're not familiar with the roads." Now that everything is packed and someone has offered to drive, we're off. Our journey will take us through many stops and each stop can in By Renatt Brodsky For the Daily The goal is to climb. The point is to have fun. The place is the Ann Arbor Rock Climbing Gym, Inc. Located on West Ann Street three blocks north of Main Street, this facility, known for its friendly atmos- phere, has become a popular hangout for University students as well as Ann Arbor residents who want to chal- lenge their physical and mental abili- ties through climbing. A newcomer can expect to shake hands with the owner, be licked by Bernie the dog, climb to the tunes of Bob Marley and leave knowing most of that day's climbers. Former Michigan MBA Cortland Coene opened the gym in 1993 and has cre- ated a place where anyone from a beginner to an advanced climber can feel safe anal comfortable taking part in this trendy sport. The gym measures 4,000 square feet with 12 20-foot walls for vertical climbing, known as top-roping, and three 170-foot bouldering routes that go side to side on four-foot-tall walls. Each wall offers a variety of different routes and is color-coordinated to accommodate different skills. The gym also has a 720-cubic-foot bouldering cave for climbers who want an extra challenge and a com- plete upper-body workout. Coene said bouldering is a bit more chal- lenging for some than top-roping; since bouldering is side-to-side climbing, it requires certain balance skills. People aren't used to climbing sideways, so climbing vertically may seem easier because it's similar to me ntally7 it's like a game of chess". - Cortland Coene Owner of Ann Arbor Rock Climbing Gym, Inc. climbing a ladder. As far as exercise goes, Coene said, "rock-climbing is as much a physical workout as a mental workout. Physically you get a full-body work- out, but mentally, it's like a game of chess." He said climbers must pick their route before they climb and imagine in their minds exactly how they are going to do it. Rock-climb- ing is a form of problem-solving because each route is set up so that each move requires a specific tech- nique. It is also very important to use the right techniques. In top-roping, for example, if climbers don't use the right methods, "your forearms will burn out and your fingers will just die before you reach the top," Coene said. He said rock-climbing is a sport that people can perfect by either practicing on their own or by watching others climb and then sharing notes. It can also be a social activity, because often a group of climbers will suddenly solve a problem as they watch a climber tackle a specific route with which they may have had difficulty. Kenneth Kim, an LSA senior who learned to climb about a year ago, said that when he masters a route, the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment he gets is beyond anything else. He prefers top-roping to bouldering because of knowing that he climbed to the top rather than going around in circles. "Climbing gives me a good positive vibe," Kim said. Regina Zajia, a Rackham third-year student who has been climbing at the Ann Arbor facility for six months, said, "Climbing stretches my muscles and I feel great after." Stephanie Palmer, a Rackham student and long- time climber, said that the great thing about climbing is that it is one of the few exercises where she uses all of her muscles. Coene said that climbing is an overall physical challenge for both men and women, but gender issues surface in climbing. Women are natu- rally better climbers than men because of their balancing abilities. Therefore they seem to pick it up much more quickly - that is, after they get over the initial trepidation of going up and down. Men, who rarely seem fearful about climbing, tend to use their upper body to hold themselves up, but in order to be successful climbers, Coene said, "they need to unlearn to use their upper body and be reminded that they have feet" Coene admitted that there is not much glitz to his facility, but cus- tomers like it and keep coming back because it is a'safe, nonthreatening and friendly environment. When the Michigan weather turns temperamen- tal again and students need an indoor activity, indoor rock-climbing is a great way to keep in shape until it's time to go outdoors again. Some University students I Courtesy of AAA The Presque Isle Lighthouse Is one standout Michigan destination. " " itself be a final destination. Anyway, begin the journey by driving north on 1-75, which is always a safe bet because Ohio is less than an hour to the south. Most of the popular student desti- nations in Michigan are reachable by I-75. "There are the gambling casi- nos in Mt. Pleasant that seem to attract a certain number of students," said Dan Nolikowski of Regency Travel. He said that Traverse City is also a popular stop, because of its beaches, restaurants and the nearby Interlochen music camp. "And the UP's a nice destination if you like solitude," Nolikowski said: The first top, Birch Run,is located about an hour and a half from Ann Arbor and about 30 minutes north of Flint, and can be a day trip in itself. It has one of the largest outlet malls in the country, although a larger outlet in Auburn Hills is in the works. The out- let includes Nike, J. Crew, Polo, Tommy Hilfiger and Esprit. "Birch Run is a good place to stop even for nonserious shoppers. But sometimes you have to search for the bargains," said LSA sophomore Aubrey Kepes. Now that the shopping is done, it is time to eat. This meal has to last the traveler until the next destination, so eating a large amount is a necessi- ty. The place to do it is Tony's, a restaurant directly across the street from the Birch Run shops. Although it is a truck stop, the food is great. A club sandwich at Tony's consists of one pound of turkey, half a pound of bacon and condiments, all on what seems like a loaf of bread. If for some odd reason that is not enough, try the sundae, in a glass parfait dish that takes up about two feet of the table. About two and a half hours further on, after getting off I-75 at Grayling, travelers reach Traverse City, the cherry capital of Michigan. Traverse City is a stopover for the night or a final destination. Besides the usual beaches, small shops and jet-ski rentals, Traverse City also has casinos. Unlike those in Vegas or Windsor, these are small buildings with scattered tables, out- side the heart of town. While in Traverse City, a cheap lunch can be found at Stone Soup, in the heart of town. For dessert, Tom's Mom's Cookies is next door. If someplace to sleep is necessary for a weary traveler, there are plenty of cheap motels around. But if the travelers are rolling high class and looking for outdoor activities, the Grand Traverse Resort is beautiful. It has a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, but this costs more than $100 per round. Charlevoix is a bit north from Traverse City, about 40 minutes away. Along the side of the road to Charlevoix many cherry stands are present, and the farther from Traverse City, the lower the price gets. The usual price is about $4-$5 per pound, and the fresh cherries are usually worth every penny. See ROAD TRIPS, Page 138 F I " s " " s " " " " " " S* " " " " " " " " " s s " s " " -0 w Want to keep your G. * e-mail address @ umich.edu? * resume current in your IFS space? * . * information accurate on your X.500 " online directory listing? . 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