BROOKFIELD — Let me tell you something. Age is nothing but a number. And a group of seasoned rock climbers is proving you can do anything at any age.
“This isn’t something people usually do in their 80s," Bill Carnell said.
Well then, it's a good thing Bill Carnell doesn’t listen to what most people say. He’s only 82 and rock climbing all the time.
“Recently, just got back from Austria where we climbed," he said.
But mostly, he is climbing at Adventure Rock. I met him and a group of his fellow climbers at the Brookfield location.
“That’s the whole point. You don’t want to get older, so you do something young. You try to stay young doing this," Carnell said.
This group has been meeting every Tuesday morning for years. Occasionally, others will also meet on Fridays and Sundays at other Adventure Rock locations.
“Really stressful days at work, but you get up on the rope and that doesn’t matter. The stress goes away, and all you’re doing is focusing on, is will I be able to make the next move," Brian Schult, who is 81 years young, said.
For this group, it’s all about living life to the fullest. There’s not a better way to do so than hanging on to a small ledge dozens of feet in the air.
“I don’t feel like I’m 72, so I’m not. In my mind, I’m not 72, so I’m still a young guy going to Grateful Dead shows," Bill Lemke, who is 72-years-young, said.
For Lemke, the phrase ‘too old’ doesn’t exist. He does this to push himself. It’s the same for his wife Karmen Rivers. They’re regulars at the Brookfield climbing gym. Anyone is welcome to join the group.
“I think I would get hurt if I stopped doing things. This keeps me strong. It keeps me going. It keeps my balance. It keeps me mentally aware," Rivers, who is 62-years-young said.
What it all boils down to, though, is not climbing the hardest route or reaching the highest peak. They say motion is the lotion. So, just getting out there, trying a few climbs is a victory by itself.
“Even if you don’t do it as well as you did in the past, you want to just keep doing whatever you can," Carnell said.
It’s about moving and grooving the best you can. And these climbers haven’t missed a beat.
Watch the story to see more of this group's climbing...
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