Old lady H's significant, huge, Birthday thread!! January 19th!!

Morning H, I think populace wall is your spot. Looks like some good choices for a first lead. Lot's of placements if you want to sew it up and some bolted 5.7s. Hopefully you can walk off the top (see below).

I think you should warm up on something you aren't planning on leading. Climb with a slack top rope, relax and feel yourself in space, being self-aware that you don't really need the rope. Top out, and walk off.

Walk up to your first choice and get on with it. Remembering that feeling of not needing the rope. Belay your second and walk off. If you do it right you can climb all day and never rely on the rope.

Looking at the area I think once you slam out the first lead you should be pumped enough to get a couple more in.

Replies!

@Aleks: You are a knight in shining armor. However, neck meat/armor? I feel for your destrier!

destrier

@Frank: I would remind you I'm now old enough to fart in public, is I so desire.

@amarius: 60 climbs? A good goal for the year!

@Hank: Yes you are weird. I have two jugs now, why would I drop down to one at 70? I hope she's a relative of yours. Looks like fun!

@ Wendy: This is the one on the wall. It is very tongue in cheek of Old Lady watercolours, but I had a nice crow quill dip pen to work with. Terrible photo, but you get the drift. Almost two feet square.

drawing
All, this drawing shows the power of a good mentor!

@Mark E Dixon: Shut up, old goat, or the troll will eat you! Wait, I take that back.

@Loyd Wofford: If you have beginners at your comp who are 5 feet tall, yes, I challenge you to put up NON REACHY (for regular height climbers) routes that are still a challenge!

@John Barritt: Trad will happen, but probably on the rope gun's placements...or, I dunno, maybe mine. :-)

@The Lurkers: Welcome to MP! All of you who read are also who I have in mind when I reply, especially beginners!

@Tyler Pratt: Hmmmm.

@ Sanllan: Your cam is great!

@Ed Henicle: Yes, I still climb in them, once in a while, when I want to make sure absolute first time climbers can do something with my gym routes. Otherwise, they are now burning up the miles on the treadmill!

shoes

@Greg D: Thanks for the very bad poetry! I also have that dubious talent, inherited from my dad. He was a machinist, so if he was doing a long boring run of somethings, he would compose X rated limericks for my mom to find in his lunch box, when she emptied it that night. More than once, I saw her shaking her head, laughing so hard tears were streaming, and...she never let me see a single one of those!

@Pokey819: Awesome you are out with your daughters! I started at 57 with my son (the aforementioned rope gun). Hope you're okay with them passing you up in, what, six weeks or so?

@Tommy Wiggins/Sean: Look forward to meeting you! We'll play it by ear, but you should get in some climbing when you are here. Two places to go, if Black Cliffs are still falling apart. This would be a real rockfall concern spring, I think, many, many parts of the west.

@various of you: yes, pics, hopefully video, so you can help me out with your generous critiques of my flail like mad form!

@Michael Schneider: HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!!! January?, or just the dates, but a different month? Please give your Old Lady a hug and best wishes from this Old Lady. She puts up with a lot!

@Johnny Kipp: See the thread "Idaho Ice". It is elusive here. I don't think I find impalement very appealing, anyway.

@ John Barritt: Whatcha think I'm climbing in my profile pic? Have you climbed here, or just browsing MP? No criticism, just curious. I have only climbed maybe 4 routes total on anything other than our local stuff, so it's pretty much the only rock I know.

Phew! That's it for now. Wall of text, but if that bothers ya, just get over it.

Best to all you nutcakes, Helen.

@ John Barritt: Whatcha think I'm climbing in my profile pic? Have you climbed here, or just browsing MP? No criticism, just curious. I have only climbed maybe 4 routes total on anything other than our local stuff, so it's pretty much the only rock I know.

Yeah, I got that. Never been to Idaho (is it Idaho or Udaho?) just looked at your to do list. I tend to stay close to home. I've got awesome granite an hour from home. More three hours away and Boulder is an hour plane ride (I have a front range bouldering guide older than some members here). There's some fun stuff in Arkansas about 4hr away too. You set your own pro on that first lead! Can't wait for the pics! JB

Love your drawing! Wish I could see it close up. Or up close.

Here are my cats. Flip and the late great Owl.
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Your first lead will be so much easier than you think.

Happy Birthday hope it's been (is)a good day

beensandbagged wrote:Happy Birthday hope it's been (is)a good day

Weelll...Not much to report. My son and I were just about to head to the climbing gym, then dinner on his nickel after, when he got paged. The downside of a SAR climbing partner.

There are, however, rumors of a cake at the office tomorrow. Combined with coffee, I look forward to a most excellent breakfast.

And yes, I am a very cheap date.

:-) OLH

John Barritt wrote: @ John Barritt: Whatcha think I'm climbing in my profile pic? Have you climbed here, or just browsing MP? No criticism, just curious. I have only climbed maybe 4 routes total on anything other than our local stuff, so it's pretty much the only rock I know. Yeah, I got that. Never been to Idaho (is it Idaho or Udaho?) just looked at your to do list. I tend to stay close to home. I've got awesome granite an hour from home. More three hours away and Boulder is an hour plane ride (I have a front range bouldering guide older than some members here). There's some fun stuff in Arkansas about 4hr away too. You set your own pro on that first lead! Can't wait for the pics! JB

(Iduhno)

If ya ever wanna climb arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/chimney!/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral/arete/dihedral...Come visit!

Well, I exaggerated on the chimney.

Okee doky. I will ask about placing the gear.

Poor bouldererers. No one cares that I've not yet climbed anything in particular in that department, unless you count my bold FA's whilst losing the trail on the approach scramble every time we go to East Car Body canyon.

Best, Helen

@Wendy, those are wonderful! Definite personalities!

@2Row, you have a nice person for your person. Many more happy surprises to you. Keep wagging, and always follow where your nose leads!

@Christine, thanks! The kid roped me into it at 57. Kinda literally.

Happy B-Day OLH! I hope to still be climbing when I hit 60... if I make it that far. Can't wait to hear about the first lead once everything thaws out. Remeber, pics or didn't happen. Are y'all getting pounded with snow as much as we are? Hope you get to hit the slopes, whether it's on skis, a board, tube, or sled.

All right peeps! Pic is in the beginner forum. Maiden voyage in lead land yesterday, first climb for the season.

:-)

Great job! Congratulations!

Bravely done! Congrats.