rgold
·
May 20, 2020
·
Poughkeepsie, NY
· Joined Feb 2008
· Points: 526
Bob Gaines wrote: Nice contraption John.
Brings back memories watching the John Gill videos. When I was in my early 20's I trained fervently and was finally able to do a one arm pullup, but I developed severe elbow tendonitis (medial epicondylitis).
When I went in to the orthopedic doc I brought in a copy of John Gill's biography Master of Rock to show the doc what I was up to. As I showed him a bunch of pics of Gill doing front levers and one-arm pullups and overhanging boulder problems, the doc kept saying "Oh, Don't do that!" and "No, don't do that," and "You definitely don't want to do that!"
John Gill was an inspiration to me when I was young, and motivated me to train. I got great satisfaction out of repeating some of his famous boulder problems at Custer State Park in South Dakota, 25 years after he put them up.
Gill is credited for being the first boulderer to use gymnastic chalk.
I spent quite a bit of time bouldering with Gill, and naturally concluded that I had to get very strong in order to even begin to keep up, Gill favored gymnastics, so I started playing around the edges with it myself, especially rope-climbing and the rings. I separated my shoulder working on olympic crosses (in retrospect, I couldn't begin to explain why I was doing this). To do an olympic cross, you start from the iron cross position and rotate the body 90 degrees on its vertical axis (so the you are looking at one of the rings instead of straight forward). Funky things transpire with the shoulders in order to make this motion. So I go to an orthopedist and I describe how this happened and he says that he doesn't see how anyone could hurt themselves at all this way. I stand up and demonstrate the motions and positions and he still can't figure out how I could have gotten hurt. I start to describe it again and he suddenly interjects, "Wait---you mean you weren't standing on the ground? That's impossible!"
P.S, I eventually got very strong, No, I never could keep up.
Lori Milas wrote: I'm just taking a minute this morning to say hello and shake off some trepidation about heading out to climb today. I wasn't going to budge until we were all moved in... but this was a payback for a day, and I'm taking it.
I posted yesterday about my FaceTime annual appointment with my doctor, and then deleted the post because who the heck wants to know all that. I just left the conversation really amused because Dr. Reiss is a bit of a mad scientist, and in 15 minutes flat had come up with a revised plan 'so you can climb higher mountains'. Last year he told me to 'knock it off' with the climbing. I guess he rethought that. But his plan included more Vitamin D, more hormones (based on labs) and then some peptides, performance hormones which I will check out carefully.
All of that is to say that I am acutely aware that at least for me, as a diabetic, and older woman, I can feel the effects of aging, of being sedentary for the last six months. This is the area where it's NOT the same as being 30. I think I've lost a lot of ground, and it made me feel SO MUCH BETTER to read that others are laid out after a bit of housework. Not to be gleeful at someone else's expense... but right now it helps to have that sharing.
I'm going to try to remember that as I head out today... to take it slow, especially with my messed up shoulder. Be cognizant.
There are bugs here. Bugs I have never seen before. Plenty of rabbits, coyotes, kangaroo rats, crows ... er 'ravens' (are there no crows here?). Todd posted a picture of a scorpion and everyone is posting their new snake discoveries. I have only bumped into one so far, but snake bites are high right now in local hospital.
Also... as a gardener, I am totally humbled by any thoughts of landscaping. What I have is a whole lot of dirt and sand to do something with... and this weird instrument with a loop on the end for clearing out weeds. Basically, you just scrape them off the sand... but I don't know what prevents more from growing. Maybe it's an occasional thing? I don't know. I'm pretty sure there will be classes somewhere, I already met a botanist who has made her property a Wildlife Sanctuary, so perhaps we'll get along, too. I actually saw some Manzanita in the Park and it felt just like home.
There is apparently no chance I will lure a chuckawalla onto our property. They like big rocks and boulders. They are not city lizards.
Here you go, Lori. Info on how to tell a Raven from a Crow.
I spent quite a bit of time bouldering with Gill, and naturally concluded that I had to get very strong in order to even begin to keep up, Gill favored gymnastics, so I started playing around the edges with it myself, especially rope-climbing and the rings. I separated my shoulder working on olympic crosses (in retrospect, I couldn't begin to explain why I was doing this). To do an olympic cross, you start from the iron cross position and rotate the body 90 degrees on its vertical axis (so the you are looking at one of the rings instead of straight forward). Funky things transpire with the shoulders in order to make this motion. So I go to an orthopedist and I describe how this happened and he says that he doesn't see how anyone could hurt themselves at all this way. I stand up and demonstrate the motions and positions and he still can't figure out how I could have gotten hurt. I start to describe it again and he suddenly interjects, "Wait---you mean you weren't standing on the ground? That's impossible!"
P.S, I eventually got very strong, No, I never could keep up.
Rich
I had to laugh out loud reading your explanation to the doctor. It does make sense from his point of view with you standing on the ground. I only saw one gymnast doing the Olympic Cross. I wanted to do it also. I did have to train very hard to do it. In college, I worked out 2.5 hours a day 5 days a week doing gymnastics. I worked all the events except floor. On the rings I did the Olympic Cross, an Inverted Cross and an L Cross in my ring routine.
When I started climbing, I was very light and strong. I picked up climbing very quickly. I could hold onto holds a long time trying to figure out the moves. Those were the days climbing with Goldline wrapped around your waist 3 times tied with a bowline. I did not know about climbing shoes and used black army boots. Eventually, I took a climbing course when we lived in Maryland and found out about harnesses, EBs, a real climbing rope, etc. Seneca Rocks was about 3 hours from our home. This is where Jean and I learned to climb. She took the same course the following year. She has a lot better technique than I do and she can still hold onto very small holds while I can not.
Here is picture of one end of the Olympic Cross when I was in college.
I also did hand balancing, doing handstands on peoples back and arms.
Now I am old and out of shape. I am starting to get back into shape now that the local climbing area is open. We did go out today and did 2 climbs at Ralph Stover State Park. See below.
Michael
This is Triple Overhang 5.7. This is the blue rope on the right. The slab at the bottom is harder than pulling the 3 overhangs at the top. The rope on the left is Orvie and very hard and sloppy.
Sharkskin agave in the yard. The very first tomatoes are coming in. We grow them in pots with a drip on a timer. Put up netting this year as some little critter was eating the tender shoots.
First pepper of the season. The critters don't seem interested in the peppers or eggplant. Strawberries have started too.
The desert garden is doing great this year, lots of blooms on all the plants. I've got about 30-40 different things. The one above is a Dudleya brittonii. Other favorites are the yellow barrel cactus, a few different columnar cactus (favorite is the Silver Torch), Firestick, Sharkskin Agave, Yellow Soap Aloe, Prickly Pear, Mammilaria, white rockrose, lots of salvia and lavender, a couple of different chalkstick varieties, palms, grasses, etc. Over a dozen Desert Mallow - thanks to Susan P who taught me that they spread thru the roots. I look for the babies coming up and pamper them with water until they get established.
Wow! Everyone’s garden looks incredible! Is this a thing? Are all climbers gardeners? I have already killed my beans here... but I’ll be more careful in the future.
Gosh. GREEN. Not a common color here. Your gardens look so lush and pretty!
I had a little wonderful synchronicity today. I have often thought about the very first route I climbed but I’ve never been back. Nelson owed me a day and so today was it... and he suggested Echo Cove. I did not recognize my route AT ALL... but there it was, like an old friend, WAC. It was a wonderful first day of climbing here as a resident. It kinda brought tears and such gratitude...
When I was done with WAC and adjacent routes I walked to the opposite wall with Nelson and offered to belay him up an 11+ route. I wonder if this is the one Bob Gaines mentioned some time ago. It’s so wonderful to watch a really strong climber climb.
We went over to Thin Wall (and saw Brandt there! ) On our way out I glanced up at a spire behind the Sentinel... oh my god it looked incredible! Tumbling Rainbow and Run For Your Life!!! I do not understand the R rating and it looks hard to get to it but WOW. Can we go?
John... I knew as soon as I read rgold’s story that you would have pictures. All you guys were and are amazing. You are not “old”. Just older than you were.
These pics were taken at Hidden Valley. See the wedge shape tail and the fingers on the wings. Signs of a Raven.
Are there NO crows in Joshua Tree? If a large black bird is perched on a tree how will I know what it is? (I will check out your links).
I rehabbed an injured crow years ago, and it was a really special time. Both of his feet were crippled, he had large sores on his breast from being unable to perch. My kids fetched him out of a gutter and brought him home... and we went to the local vet to find out how to take care of him. Turns out that's illegal, but we did it anyway. It was six months of daily/hourly care, but he did recover. But for sure he was a crow... "Sammy". And I've been told that once you rescue a crow, his brothers will have your back the rest of your life. Crows/ravens... they are beautiful, smart birds.
Are there NO crows in Joshua Tree? If a large black bird is perched on a tree how will I know what it is? (I will check out your links).
I rehabbed an injured crow years ago, and it was a really special time. Both of his feet were crippled, he had large sores on his breast from being unable to perch. My kids fetched him out of a gutter and brought him home... and we went to the local vet to find out how to take care of him. Turns out that's illegal, but we did it anyway. It was six months of daily/hourly care, but he did recover. But for sure he was a crow... "Sammy". And I've been told that once you rescue a crow, his brothers will have your back the rest of your life. Crows/ravens... they are beautiful, smart birds.
Pretty much sure there are no crows in JTree. If there is the crow is lost. :-) You might find them around the Bay area and maybe coastal cities. Also Ravens are a LOT BIGGER than Crows.
Lori, next time you see this black bird, just ask it a question. If it responds with "nevermore", it's a raven. FWIW the intro here has a good comparison of their vocals: https://www.birdnote.org/show/ravens-and-crows-whos-who
We don't do any gardening here. We live in the middle of the woods, and the ground great for growing trees and wilderness, but not veggies or flowers.
I did try putting a few planters on the deck for tomatoes the first couple years. It wasn't worth the trouble. They only produced a few tomatoes, and something would munch on them overnight (squirrels, raccoons, or marmots?).
Lori Milas wrote: Hey Carl. I haven't taken any video of our house yet... but I did have this one of just one tiny area of Joshua Tree Park that I love. This one rock with the diagonal route called Leaping Leaner is just about my speed.
Wow that looks nice. It looks like a harsh environment. So different to where I am right now, it's cold and wet...
Do crows and ravens make different sounds? We have crows here, I always chuckle at their plaintive cry, sort of like "raaark, raaark, raark, raaaaaaaaaaark"...
Garden supervisor EDIT to add: the line of green in the background is my back fence. Just beyond, is a canal road and a canal. The trees and green slope beyond are across the canal, the second "bench". I live on the first bench. That slope is all pastures, and have had various critters over the years. The guy uphill in recent history choose to mow not just his, but a neighboring one as well. Every. Single. Week. Puts more miles on a riding lawn mower than I do on my Honda CR-V!
Spring "grow your own CSA" ready to be eating
Front yard from the other direction. All the tall grass on the left, is mostly quackgrass. Hafta dig it out with a fork, and try to pull the effing stuff. Every single bit of everything was like that. I've been digging since February or so.
Idaho. Spuds. Cukes on the trellis thing, and a rhubarb plant older than about 40% (60%?) of the MP population at large, lol! Planted in 1980, when we bought the house! Yes, it's huge.
Garden supervisor EDIT to add: the line of green in the background is my back fence. Just beyond, is a canal road and a canal. The trees and green slope beyond are across the canal, the second "bench". I live on the first bench. That slope is all pastures, and have had various critters over the years. The guy uphill in recent history choose to mow not just his, but a neighboring one as well. Every. Single. Week. Puts more miles on a riding lawn mower than I do on my Honda CR-V!
Spring "grow your own CSA" ready to be eating
Front yard from the other direction. All the tall grass on the left, is mostly quackgrass. Hafta dig it out with a fork, and try to pull the effing stuff. Every single bit of everything was like that. I've been digging since February or so.
Idaho. Spuds. Cukes on the trellis thing, and a rhubarb plant older than about 40% (60%?) of the MP population at large, lol! Planted in 1980, when we bought the house! Yes, it's huge.
Best, Helen
Oh gosh. This is just mean. I guess we have trade offs... lush green gardens is one of them. Will your lettuce and cool weather stuff bolt or does it never get that hot? It’s beautiful Helen... worth every minute of work.
So we have eastern forest, lush Idaho, So Cal, desert and something in Australia. This is amazing. In Rocklin I planted everything, especially when I was home with kids. By Last year I didn’t want anything to tie me down... not even a houseplant. But I’m not selling my house there until I gather the red plums from my tree in July.
It’s gonna take time to get used to this desert. It seems people have a real love and protectiveness for the land and environment here. There’s care not to step on stuff... not to kill snakes, to not disturb any of nature. Last year when out climbing with Bob I picked up a raven feather for luck on a climb. Bob asked me to put it back. I think we negotiated I would take it on the route (Sail Away) and then put it back where I found it. This is a big deal here. Someone wrote yesterday “Missing Joshua Tree . It seems to be a place, more than others, that grabs onto the soul and does not release.”. I concur. ——Tony and I were at the house this afternoon while the cable guy installed WiFi. Suddenly a loud pound on the front door... a guy from two doors down mad as hell. He wanted me to let the cable guy know that if he EVER drives his truck over his front driveway again “I’ll make his life a living hell.” Two hours later neighbor came back, apologetic, introducing himself and saying he just flew off the handle. He drives his quad out on BLM 50 or 60 miles most mornings—we should go. He and Tony made friends and carried on. So I don’t know. It’s ALL weird and upside down. I miss my kids. Gonna have to let go of the garden for now. When in Rome... Also... I’m about to make a new climbing friend through Todd. AND, Run For Your Life awaits. ANOTHER Houser route! I think we coulda had a big romance had the stars lined up. So what’s up with the R rating?
Lori Milas wrote: Also... I’m about to make a new climbing friend through Todd. AND, Run For Your Life awaits. ANOTHER Houser route! I think we coulda had a big romance had the stars lined up. So what’s up with the R rating?
R. rating just refers to the difficulty protecting it on lead. PG means "a little spicy." R means, "You'll get really hurt if you fall in certain spots." X means you die if you fuck up.
Since you're a top-rope master it doesn't really apply to you at all. Though your partner might care.
R. rating just refers to the difficulty protecting it on lead. PG means "a little spicy." R means, "You'll get really hurt if you fall in certain spots." X means you die if you fuck up.
Since you're a top-rope master it doesn't really apply to you at all. Though your partner might care.
With one caveat from the noob who climbs on arete/dihedral stuff....you still need to pay attention on top rope to pendulum swings. No, not as dramatic as a lead, but you most definitely can set yourself up for whacking into something unforgiving, if you are far enough off to one side. The higher up you are, the worse the angle, too. A belayer who grasps pendulums is needed if you have roofs. That's largely the belayers job, deciding how much slack you need to clear, and when to take it quickly back. Off to the side? People tend to forget where the plumb line will take them.
And Lori, my bit of Boise is high desert. We get about 11" of rain a year. You're looking at a good part of our annual rainfall with that green. Its fleeting! Winter, with snow up higher, is what is feeding that canal I will use later. There is actually fresh snow up atop the Boise front today, from these rains. 3 or 4,000 feet higher than here.
Here, precip always has a decimal point at the front. Usually a zero also, lol! .25 "floods" the streets.
So? Enjoy your place! After all, I don't have chuckwallas! Southern Idaho might be the northern range for prickly pear though. Ours is really short. Devious, lol! City of Rocks is the northernmost range for pinyon pine, and the southernmost range for some northern species. Truly a special place, even apart from climbing, just as Joshua Tree is.
I, on the flip side, totally envy you your farmers market! Wowie! Hope your peeps are figuring out ways to keep going, if it is closed.
Oh! Iris are blooming here, too, that places me in the same season, no matter how it gets determined, as those who also have them.
Best, Helen
Randy
·
May 21, 2020
·
Lassitude 33
· Joined Jan 2002
· Points: 1,285
Run For Your Life has never been R rated. PG maybe for getting to the first bolt.
Sarah and I and our youngest got to climb in Real Hidden Valley today. Super nice day.
Randy wrote: Run For Your Life has never been R rated. PG maybe for getting to the first bolt.
Whatever you want to rate it, all I know is that there's a 5.9 move getting up to the first bolt, and if you fall from there it's a hard rock landing, and not flat- maybe an ankle breaker. Getting to the second bolt is pretty runout, but easier, and there's a move of about 5.7 from which if you fall you'll deck. After that it's pretty safe, but not a sport climb. I've never fallen off the crux at the top, but if you did, it would be quite a winger.
Glad you got to enjoy the great weather before it gets too hot!
Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
