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5-31-10

Climbed at Smith this weekend with James N, Randy R, Dave D and Phil W. Good times were had by all. It was supposed to be just me and James,but then Randy's partner bailed on him Thursday night and he gave me a call. Then Friday morning Phil called me and said that he and Dave bailed on Baker due to weather. They were wondering when we were headed down. I told him we were meeting at REI at 4 and that Randy had a minivan that might hold us all.

Sue met us all there to pick up the corrolla and we piled our stuff in and hit the road. Grasslands - Skull Hollow was completely filled up so we drove up the road and camped in a pull out by a big rock. Saturday we climbed Tammy Bakers Face, among other routes. We ran in to Vladimir, Julia, Desiree and Julia's fiance in the evening. I took a TR run up Lion's Chair but only got 40 feet before bailing.

Sunday we hiked down to the lower gorge where I led Cruel Sister (10b) with about 4 hangs. Randy cleaned it but wasn't able to pull a yellow #2 camalot. I worked on it for 30 minutes. Phil and James both flashed Cruel Sister with no hangs. I felt bad about being the hangdogger but James told me that there is a diference between resting on your gear, and using it for aid while you dodge all the hard moves.

I also led an offwidth up river from cruel sister at catwalk left. It is to the rigt of Greasy Spoon. Randy showed me how to do the levitation thigh jam. I have to not wear my knee pads. The route is called Religious Fervor.

Dave and Phil slept on the monkey. I would have loved to join them but it involved a lot of hiking, and the weather wasn't that great. They have the energy and ambitions typical of twenty somethings. I was more focused on more climbing/less hiking. Still, I do want to sleep on top of the monkey someday. Preferably when the sun is shining.

Randy's minivan was awesome. It was a 1997 Chrysler town and country all wheel drive that cost him $3600 as a one off in a big car sale. He didn't have it inspected, but he does have mechanic in his pocket. Having a car big enough to carry 5 friends is pretty cool. We had a lot of great laughs together trucking down the highway. I did some research and found that you can buy a Honda CR-V with 100,000 miles for 10 grand. I don't like the idea of spending ten grand on a car halfway through it's lifespan. The alternative is using the ten grand as a down payment and financing $11 grand and making $300 payments for five years to get a new toyota tacoma with small seats in the back. They aren't real seats, but they are 6 inches longer than Clints Tacoma, and we already know that will carry us to Yosemite. Most trips are just to Eastern Washington, and usually not with 4 people so it would give us a replacement for the corolla (294,000 miles) when it dies. We need two cars so I can continue to be free after work.

This need for freedom contributes to the gulf oil spill. If we all lived more responsibly we wouldn't need to drill so much. I'm just as bad as the average American, only thinking of my own satisfaction. But at least I don't own a motor home. Those people, at least from my perspective seem much more greedy.

5-22-10

I canceled my facebook account. I was wasting too much valuable time on it, and I was getting careless. I'd spend half an hour every morning, and probably another hour, scattered amongst my breaks at work prowling around facebook.

Add in two hours on Mondays and Tuesdays looking at everyone's trip report pictures...and then I got so I'd cheat, just a little, during working hours (if no students needed me), had to take a quick peak to see if anyone had commented on my comments, or my pictures. Sue was complaining I spent more time on facebook than talking to her.

It was becoming an addiction. I have fallen behind in my grading, which snowballs when I ignore it. The last thing I did was post that comment looking for partners for my vacation. The next day I bought consumer reports magazine. They said the worst thing you can do is post a facebook comment describing when you are going on vacation for the hackers and thieves.

I cancelled my account that day, which was also my 56th birthday. (you should also avoid putting your birthday online, which many facebook users do) With your birthday, and your mothers maiden name (she's on facebook too right?), identity thieves are very close to nailing you.

I will miss seeing the pictures. Perhaps we can schedule some old fashioned slideshows...I can rent an lcd projector and we can sit around and have real conversations, face to face, instead of stalking each other in front of lonely glass boxes.

Phil, who I was climbing with last night, my friends Marty and Mark Lemon and Sue don't do facebook at all. They refuse...and still have good lives, climb a lot with lots of friends. With the gym, emails, texting, cascadeclimbers.com and phones I'm still in communication.

I had an awesome night Wednesday at the gym, sent all my projects except the last one. Lisa walked up to it and sent it first try. I took at least a dozen whippers on it and gave up.

5-7-10

the gym climbing has been very challenging after the comp. They ripped out all of our favorite routes that we had so wired. There is a new route up the prow called "five gallon buckets of fail". As with most Andy routes, you really have to want it to get up it. Phil, Dave and I have all taken falls on it, and I've taken a couple very long whippers, touching the top before I peeled. I also fell off another one yesterday while touching the top.

People are commenting to me up at the desk that "You are taking some big falls out there!" That makes me nervous. I don't like to be the only one taking whippers. It indicates I'm reckless. But those are safe falls, I don't fall off routes that aren't overhung, and I'm careful to watch my feet and the rope, and triple check the system before leaving the ground. They are as safe as I can make them. People fall at smith all the time...to me, the gym is just like smith. I don't fall outside trad climbing. Or, hardly ever. Maybe on vacation when I am testing out the system but it is highly controlled and backup.

Climbed with Craig and his friend last weekend. We spent the Saturday in the Pinnacles as it was raining up both canyons. We climbed Martian Direct, Vertigo, and 5.9 on Sunset Slab that was very nice, and reasonably safe. The next day we climbed Winter Solstice. I'd forgotten how much fun that first pitch is. The second is nice too. Just thin enough to get you thinking about careful edging.

Next I led Damnation and hung twice on two cams down low. That is so continuous. I simply need better footwork. I have to get my feet in that crack and keep moving up, don't waste so much time and power overprotecting it.

Had a nice visit with Christine who is back climbing at the gym after having her baby.

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