My local gear shop, Midwest Mountaineering was voted the best place to meet straight, single men in the Twin Cities by our local alt weekly, City Pages. Goofy, stereotypes aside. (They also rate the best place to meet homosexual, single men, so no discrimination there.) (g@y is censored?)

Linky: http://tinyurl.com/dht82u

What think? I'm bothered by the implied stereotype, but find the award goofy and entertaining. City Pages always gives folks stickers and such to promote their "Best of" status, and I wonder if Rod Johnson will display theirs.

Also voted Best Sporting Goods. http://tinyurl.com/dzzzbl

Edited by citystuckhiker on 04/22/2009 13:56:59 MDT.

across the street from the YMCA

LOL! I was just there yesterday gear-enabling a friend. He got a SummerLite and a NeoAIR Regular.

We're both straight, and not single.

There must be some kind of new stereotype Ive never heard of?
Whats the implied stereotype? Either a lot of single men shop there or they don't.

The stereotype implied is that only straight men frequent outdoor shops. Or the homosexual men do not like outdoor shops, or participating in the activities that require the gear outdoor shops sell. Take it as you see it.

They actually said "only" straight men shop there? or did they say its a good place to meet single straight men.

-Forget it -why do I get into these Opra moments online when I get board?

Edited by MAYNARD76 on 04/22/2009 16:56:58 MDT.

Midwest Mountaineering you say...There are mountains in the Midwest?? :))

Yes, I think "g*y" is censored. You get:

"(Possible profanity detected: 'g*y')"

It's crazy, but that's probably up the the Boy Scout-ey background of BPL. They aren't allowed there, and apparently even the socially-accepted term isn't accepted here. Banish the profane!

P.S. The owner's name is Rod Johnson?

Edited by DaveT on 04/22/2009 17:19:22 MDT.

Yah, straight single men are more likely to go to a gear shop and single g@y men are more likely to be found at a Leather Outlet....no big surprise there!

Funny thing is, when he said a stereotype was being implied -I was thinking along the lines that maybe there was a stereotype that men who liked outdoor gear would most likely be single! the g@y thing came way otta left field!

The stereotype is definitely that outdorsy men are, uh, SINGLE....Nerdy, antisocial, you name it. You know, the type who troll forums online and obsessively weigh their gear and make spreadsheets to calculate their total base weight.

If it quacks like a duck . . .

"The stereotype is definitely that outdorsy men are, uh, SINGLE....Nerdy, antisocial, you name it. You know, the type who troll forums online and obsessively weigh their gear and make spreadsheets to calculate their total base weight.

If it quacks like a duck . . ."

Are we talking INTJ's here, Nate?

P.S. The owner's name is Rod Johnson?

Indeed it is ... and I think you've spoiled it for me, it might be difficult to resist smirking when I here it now (smirk)

He's married (to a female).

And he's a hard core ultralight advocate ... without the spousal influence I'm pretty sure he could give Alan Dixon a good fight for the lightest pack ... except that he don't need no stinkin pack ... have seen photos of him with everything carried in a many pocketed mesh vest.

Yes there are no mountains in the Midwest. The store got it's start when he returned from a climbing trip with a carload of gear to sell to like minded friends. Forty years later they're still going strong and put on a world class Outdoor Expo (twice a year).

Nice little success story.

Wait... Eagle Mountain, at 2301 feet, isn't really a mountain? WTF?

re: outdoorsy guys being single ... I had a friend at work who would work 11 months without a taking a vacation day so he could spend September stalking grizzlies in GNP. He retired to a home 3/4 miles outside of park.

I mentioned that to my wife and the conversation went like this:

me: "Today was Greg's last day."
her: "What are his plans?"
me: "He bought a house just outside GNP"
her: "His wife is OK with that?"
me: "Greg's not married."
her: "Remember that!"

Game/Set/Match!

Jim - your wife hasn't spent enough time in Glacier. Why WOULDN'T someone want to live there?!?

Jim - your wife hasn't spent enough time in Glacier.

HA! We were soon to figure out she was pregnant with our first child. Day 1 involved an eight mile day hike in 40*F rain follow by violent symptoms too unpleasant and graphic for this forum ... continuing thru the night. Day two we got socked in by clouds on Logan Pass and drove down out of them with her head out one window watching the edge of the road and me out the other side watching the center line. Day 3 ... was more of day 1. The trip got much better continuing west thru the Cascades and Olympics then back via Yellowstone. But I'm sure she'd enjoy Glacier under different circumstances.

Why WOULDN'T someone want to live there?!?

It's much more about people connections than place.

"I mentioned that to my wife and the conversation went like this:"

Jim,
That's very funny. LOL

Okay, my two cents. I live in L.A. and I'm straight. I have life-long friends who are homosexual. And, if you walk in to any of the outdoors stores here you will definitely see homosexual men and women who love backpacking, fly fishing, etc. Sorry, couldn't think of anything funny to say. I just keep hooping that we, as a society, can get past stereotypes, homophobia and bigotry of any kind. Oh well. Maybe someday... I say someday because I do see glimmers of hope here and there. Someday, however, is better than no-day, noway in @!*%.

Edited by socalpacker on 04/23/2009 12:32:01 MDT.

I thought most of the customers in gear shops were attractive women buying North Face down jackets for streetwear.

FYI g@y being censored has nothing to do with our boy scout-y background. It's just happens to be the "module" we use.

We don't discriminate.

Anyone is welcome here EXCEPT...

...the wayward children who believe in the heaviness of pack.