Zofia Reych is a Polish climber and anthropologist and author of Born to Climb. We talked about renovating their mid-18th century house in Fontainebleau, researching the book, identifying as non-binary and directing the Women’s Bouldering Festival, what it’s like to be autistic, key chapters in climbing’s history, losing friends in the mountains, and much more.Check out Petzl!petzl.comOr find Petzl helmets at your local climbing shop!Check out Athletic Greens!athleticgreens.com/NUGGETUse this link to get a free year supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs!Check out PhysiVantage!physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!Check out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie CalhounBecome a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes: thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/zofia-reychNuggets:0:06:05 – Getting back from bouldering0:08:19 – Zofia’s 240+-year-old house in Fontainebleau, and fixing the leaking toilet0:11:31 – 12th-century castles, and what will be left of our civilization in 700 years0:12:45 – Growing up in Poland, and living and bouldering in Fontainebleau0:16:30 – Expecting to get better at climbing by living in Font, and my (Steven’s) experience with the 9-5 grind0:18:27 – Our education system in the US, having direction, and Zofia’s fascination with people who start things very young0:20:09 – Zofia’s mom, piano, and romanticizing about having a single focus in life0:22:02 – The immersive process of writing a book, and the impact on Zofia’s climbing0:25:26 – Negative vs. positive motivation0:28:27 – The cycle of falling in love with climbing, feeling drive, pushing hard, and forgetting why we fell in love with it in the first place0:30:05 – “Don’t push it.”0:30:53 – Why Zofia felt like they needed to write Born to Climb0:32:00 – An overview of the book0:36:14 – Doing research for the book0:40:38 – Zofia’s master’s thesis, and why it feels outdated0:44:15 – Zofia’s gender identity (they/them), and being the director of a women’s bouldering festival0:48:13 – Zofia’s Instagram post about gender identity (see show notes for link)0:51:01 – “There shouldn’t be one recipe for how to be a human.”0:53:21 – Autism, and using an inner formula to have conversations like this one0:55:35 – Acting0:58:31 – What Zofia is like when they are alone or with their mom, being childlike without filters, and dancing in public1:01:35 – Stimming (stimulating)1:02:18 – Being diagnosed with autism at age 31, and how that has changed Zofia’s life experience1:04:43 – Being introverted in a society that rewards extroversion, and telling your life story to someone you meet in an elevator1:11:16 – What Zofia does to recharge1:12:35 – Climbing alone vs. with a group1:17:58 – The scope of Born to Climb, stories from the mid-14th century hill walking, how polar exploration influenced climbing in the Alps, and climbing’s elitist roots1:24:35 – On Stolen Land, and the uncomfortable history of Yosemite1:33:21 – Loss in climbing, the fragility of being human, and exposing ourselves to risk1:43:40 – Being responsible for your own safety, and feeling empowered1:45:55 – TrueBlue1:46:57 – Why writing the last chapter of the book was the most difficult part1:49:56 – What Zofia hopes readers take away from Born to Climb, and being a tiny spec on the timeline1:53:00 – The existential sandwich1:54:32 – Who should read Born to Climb, and where to buy it (see links in show notes)1:58:21 – Time for a nap

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