Out & About #556 | Hub Markham Feat. Oomomo + Gyugyuya

​It's been a while since I've started climbing, albeit not complying with a regular schedule. Admittedly, this could be owed to a lack of climbing buddies - a crew willing to commit to the sport and meet up regularly as a form of social and physical activity. A handful of friends have been persuaded to come with, but single day pass and rental fees are far from a bargain.

About three months into dabbling - or rather, dangling - in the sport, a climbing date was finally arranged with orangecane. Well-versed in the ways of personal protection in bouldering, she accepted my proposal; the condition was that it take place at a facility within closer proximity.

​A total of sixty-five minutes on the highway later, I arrived in the northeast end of the GTA, damp and not particularly pleased at my 401 travels. After a brief exchange of morning happenings, we set off to our scheduled first stop: Oomomo.

The First Markham Place location was newer and supposedly larger than the franchise's first foray into the province. Commonly compared to Daiso, the Japanese dollar store retailed a similar array of household items, along with several pieces from its competitor - is this purely an Ontario concept?
Product quality was on par with Miniso, while price points were a bit lower. Similar to Daiso at Aberdeen, majority of the items on the shelves could be obtained at a sheer toonie, and those that failed to fall within this range would be marked otherwise with a sticker.

​On a personal preference, I'd take Daiso over Oomomo any day given its current performance. Our journey did not commence easily, as parking is known to be scarce in the FMP plaza to start. Aisles were narrow and bore absolutely no labels whatsoever, making it a challenge to maneuver between the middle-aged aunties and elderly locals while in search of specific items.
Staff members on the floor were friendly and helpful, though the checkout line was absolutely chaotic. Oomomo operated on one story, with only two members of staff situated behind the cashier. A seemingly more senior attendant assisted here and there, but took no steps to provide relief to the lineup by opening his own register.

Another aspect I cannot ever grow accustomed to is the additional charge for plastic bags. (Perhaps even Daiso in Vancouver has implemented this change, however five to twenty-five cents for a flimsy carrying device can never be warranted in my books.)

​​Several pairs of slippers, two canvas pouches, and a few other knickknacks later, we returned to the car, meticulously dodging puddles in the pavement on our way back.

Hub Markham opened at noon - a whopping three hours before the Mississauga location. While I was in favour of this earlier operating time, I could only frown at the parking situation before me. The gym was situated in a commercial area and shared its lot with a handful of other businesses during work hours, which limited the total number of spots to forty or less. Trudging along the perimeter of the building in search of its only access in heavy downpour was far from enjoyable either.

​Once inside, it was immediately obvious that the original outpost was bouldering-centric. Routes were interesting, well distributed throughout the facility, and, most importantly, diverse in nature. On an overall note, there was more padding underneath the routes, eliminating the fear of falling and rolling onto the concrete floor.

​In contrast, the belay section was incredibly small, assuming just under 25% of the wall space. It consisted of twenty auto-belay sections and only five toprope routes, which were slated to be removed and replaced wit auto-belays shortly. The walls were essentially the same height as the Learner's Area back home, with majority of the routes extending past the pulley at their peak. Triangular volumes were added in an attempt to create grading along the wall, as inward/outward sloping was very minimal. With the exception of the "racing route", an average of two courses were arranged beneath each pulley.

During my approximate three-and-a-half-hour stay, attempts were made to complete ("send") the auto belay routes under a 5.9 difficulty level. Where the difficulty level of the Mississauga location resulted from a combination of height and hold placement, this gym relied on tricky hold surfaces and placement. In addition, due to the lack of height, the duration of the climbs was reduced, thus quick bursts of energy were favoured over endurance. ​

Despite preferring the assortment of belay routes at my local Hub, I must profess that the presentation of Markham's bouldering sections are far less intimidating. A greater amount of space was allocated towards bouldering, permitting the inclusion of countless beginner, intermediate, and advanced routes. The colours, arrangements, and overall safety features (extended padding) were inviting even to someone as dubious about going harness-less as myself.

Other appealing components included an upstairs training area - padded for one's protection and isolated for peace and quiet - and a slide that connected back to the ground floor.

​Of course, I couldn't depart without embarking on a Dragon route. Although I didn't get quite far, the experience was exhilarating nonetheless! (Falling directly into a foam pit was plausibly the best part.)

​Fingers fatigued, we made our way to Pacific Mall - my suggestion, of course.

​Replenishing the K-Beauty stash was the first priority, followed by securing supper and Thai Milk Tea. 

While waiting for our (my) Beef Udon to emerge from Gyugyuya's kitchen, I took the opportunity to try Dak Lak's Green Thai Milk Tea. The specimen was a dollar pricier than the regular Red Thai Milk Tea. It was milkier and less fragrant in comparison, with a hint of "muscat", as orangecane had accurately described.

​I swiftly munched on my Beef Udon after dropping orangecane off. Tender strips of beef, chewy udon, and a flavourful wakame-laden broth excused the sad fragments of shattered spring egg.

​Then it was time to VYbE. My first solo appearance was welcomed with an inflated drop-in fare: the company had raised the unit price of classes from $15 to $17. Class quality remained consistent though.

​All BAAM-ed out, I picked up a Very Berry just before heading back. Interesting was how I managed to depart a climbing session free of scrapes, but somehow earned myself a nasty bruise from Booster Juice's accessible washroom door...