Hahaha... speaking about leveling here I remember when I first got my Gold and didn't know how to get away from the very first grasses...
So I though the only way was to level up enough. And so I grinded... and grinded...
all the way until I reached lvl 36 and my Croconaw evolved into Feraligatr on those poor lvl 2-4 sentrets.
But that's where I once more tried and suddenly got my way to Cherrygrove City. :D
Now that's a dedicated trainer.
And Croconaw evolves at level 30, btw.