New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #10

Recent cragging shots.

Calico Tanks last week

Senor Arroz wrote:

My gym has been closed for the Pan Am games this week and work has kept me from going outdoors. I AM, however, going to watch the Women's finals (and Olympic qualifiers) tomorrow in-person with my 14-year-old daughter and another teen friend. The last few weeks at the gym have been amazing because all the best climbers in the Americas have been there training on the speed wall and familiarizing with the terrain for the bouldering and sport climbing (even though the routes will be set fresh for the comp). So much talent. 

Cool. There's one slot still open for a US man (should he win). I think we'll be able to watch the finals on the IFSC channel on youtube. In the meantime, gym today.

seamus mcshane wrote:

Calico Tanks last week

Wowee.  This is beautiful!  Thanks for posting!!! 

wendy weiss wrote:

Cool. There's one slot still open for a US man (should he win). I think we'll be able to watch the finals on the IFSC channel on youtube. In the meantime, gym today.

My understanding was that the top M and top F finishers at this comp get a slot at Tokyo. But that may be an oversimplification. 

Thanks Lori!
Bottom pic is Mother in Law and wife enjoying a quiet
hike after the rain.
20 minutes from the house.

Also Lori.
Please keep posting your progress with climbing/relocation/life.
Very inspiring for many of us.
The beginner’s mind paradigm keeps us perpetually
curious.
It feeds our inner rat.

Mike K wrote: I am in the climbing gym 3 days a week, and really looking forward to Red Rocks LV trip at the end of March.

Me too (on both)! I'll be in Red Rocks 20-22 March with my daughter and a couple of friends and keeping my fingers crossed it'll be dry the week leading up to it. I've never been there but my daughter raves about it, and I'm so looking forward to our mother-daughter adventure. Also hope I'll capture some photos as beautiful as the ones y'all have been posting here.

I climbed a somewhat crimpy 11a in the gym today (did some hang dogging but made it to the top), and also tackled a 10c that was all slopers (did better on that one). And did a new V0 boulder. It was a fun session.

Last night we went to see "Pretty Strong" and I really enjoyed it, especially the piece about Fernanda Rodriquez. The piece about the Finnish climber seemed somewhat contrived. But all of them were badass climbers for sure.

Senor Arroz wrote:

My understanding was that the top M and top F finishers at this comp get a slot at Tokyo. But that may be an oversimplification. 

Not that I've been following the comps, but --- countries are entitled to a maximum of 2 men and 2 women. The US has already filled both women's slots -- Brooke Raboutou and Kyra Condie. Only one US man, Nathaniel Coleman, has qualified so far. I'm rooting for Yip Allanah of Canada, who sometimes commentates on comps, to win for the women. The IFSC website has all the information. 

Messing around at the gym....

Lori Milas wrote: Soooo.  Does this mean nobody’s climbing?    

Been on the illness/injured reserve list for 3 weeks.  At least I had concurrent sentences.  Virus gone now; finger (the newly injured one) about 50 %. The ones I hurt last July are finally healed.  Got back to gym Wed and going outside Monday.  Maybe I'll manage a photo or 3. It's been a really mild winter here in DE and I missed about 4-5 good climbing days while sick/hurt.

Tim Schafstall wrote:

Been on the illness/injured reserve list for 3 weeks.  At least I had concurrent sentences.  Virus gone now; finger (the newly injured one) about 50 %. The ones I hurt last July are finally healed.  Got back to gym Wed and going outside Monday.  Maybe I'll manage a photo or 3. It's been a really mild winter here in DE and I missed about 4-5 good climbing days while sick/hurt.

Yer LUCKY! I've been on the injured list since 2016 and it looks like I will be making my comeback in 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Cosmiccragsman AKA Dwain wrote: Yer LUCKY! I've been on the injured list since 2016 and it looks like I will be making my comeback in 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

We're keeping our fingers crossed for you Dwain.

Randy wrote:

We're keeping our fingers crossed for you Dwain.

I would cross my fingers also, if could.     But yeah, every time I started to feel sorry for myself, mostly with the 5 month shoulder issue, I would think of Dwain and others and realize they had it way worse.

wendy weiss wrote:

Not that I've been following the comps, but --- countries are entitled to a maximum of 2 men and 2 women. The US has already filled both women's slots -- Brooke Raboutou and Kyra Condie. Only one US man, Nathaniel Coleman, has qualified so far. I'm rooting for Yip Allanah of Canada, who sometimes commentates on comps, to win for the women. The IFSC website has all the information. 

Thanks for that explanation. Makes sense. Some of the Ecuadorians and Brazilians looked strong last week. Of course, all these people look strong in my eyes. Sender One has one of the very few full-sized speedwalls in the US. So it was amusing to watch even world class climbers struggling a bit just to work on the sequence. 

Elisa R wrote:

 I'll be in Red Rocks 20-22 March with my daughter and a couple of friends and keeping my fingers crossed it'll be dry the week leading up to it. 

If it's a wall in the sun, and it's a light rain, the rock is typically dry within 48 hrs. Even it it pours, there is plenty of fun limestone not too far away.  Worst case scenario, you can do some beautiful hikes in RR and sport climb the limestone.  Have a great trip, it is a wonderful place.

Finally finally got to meet Dallas and Barb and have a little afternoon climb at Pipeworks!  For all the many times Dallas has said just the right thing at just the right time...today was no exception. I’ve been a little down. “Issues”.   Like so much else in our climbing community climbing is not just about which shoe or route to climb. It’s about life... and we get by with a little help from our friends. Dallas has been an unexpected friend to us all! 

Btw. Did everyone but me know that “Scarpa” means shoe in Italian? I kept referring to my Scarpas in my gym bag... Tony said “You mean your shoes?”  I’ve been climbing in very expensive “shoes”.   

Fun with Lori and Tony.  That route is  a 5.10. Lori and Barbara made it look easy so I gave it a try.  I got halfway up, so I guess I climbed 5.5 of it...  

Elisa R wrote:

Me too (on both)! I'll be in Red Rocks 20-22 March with my daughter and a couple of friends and keeping my fingers crossed it'll be dry the week leading up to it. I've never been there but my daughter raves about it, and I'm so looking forward to our mother-daughter adventure. Also hope I'll capture some photos as beautiful as the ones y'all have been posting here.

I climbed a somewhat crimpy 11a in the gym today (did some hang dogging but made it to the top), and also tackled a 10c that was all slopers (did better on that one). And did a new V0 boulder. It was a fun session.

Last night we went to see "Pretty Strong" and I really enjoyed it, especially the piece about Fernanda Rodriquez. The piece about the Finnish climber seemed somewhat contrived. But all of them were badass climbers for sure.

I will miss you by 1 day - have a great time

Climbed this classic flow last week. The conditions have been pretty good this year!

Check out the latest Enormocast episode with George Lowe! The last 20 minutes or so where he talks more deeply about aging and also why he climbs resonated with me.

I've climbed with George a bit and had to laugh at some of his understatements (examples: Asserting that he doesn't climb 5.11... I've seen him climb 5.11 and then promptly downgrade it, because, you know, he doesn't climb 5.11. Latok wasn't all that hard. He's not really a very good athlete... etc.) Oh yeah, he's also 75 and just got back from a ski trip to Antarctica.

Anyway, it's a great interview and thought some of you folks on here might enjoy it. There's some interesting history in there too.

https://enormocast.com/2020/02/episode-193-george-lowe-iii-a-fortunate-man/