New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #12

I second don't put a note on your dash. Do have a set time for Tony to send in the cavalry and make sure he knows where to send them. Other than that? For those two legged predators? You're simply screwed, unless you are prepared to concealed carry 24/7, every day, every moment. Read "The Gift of Fear", that's still pertinent. I am traveling, and living alone, and well aware I could look to be easy pickings. Keep your radar up, lock doors, that kind of thing. It's a lot like climbing, real versus perceived risk, and risk versus consequence. What you are, and are not, comfortable with. You undoubtedly know all this, it's part of being female, after all. A remote outdoor location? I honestly don't think it's any more dangerous, and probably less so than me "camping" at a Walmart.

Sadly, the nuisance factor is still high, I've found, in talking to young women. Expectations. My guy friends, who have women partners, get assumed to be a couple with that woman, too. Drives one of my happily married friends nuts. I try to make it clear to people that my climbing partner is just that, lol!

Lots of good stuff on here while I was gone!

Meeting a new lady to climb at the gym tomorrow. Our second time. Super sweet, shorter than me (!!!!) and only 24! Climbs many grades higher.... ah well.

No trips until later in July, that one will be hot!

These things really helped, this last trip! I am just dragging, so I use metal water bottles. I have a bottle in every cup spot in the car though, so I can swap out full ones for empties. One, is a quart size, to refill smaller.

Brandt, I hope the vertigo can be nailed down, or just goes away!

Okay, east coasters! Is this a cardinal???!? Yeah, it's a terrible pic, but it sure as heck isn't a robin, or anything I'm used to in Boise, Idaho. 

Best, Helen

Greg Oplandwrote: Ditto on getting the issue worked out Brandt. That would suck.

I'm now curious as to where you're located now... close to Brandt... which direction?

Devils winds. Pretty common. And they can be pretty horrendous.

Give the rabbits a break and put in some chicken wire or something to protect your plants.
They're already dying off from the hemmorhagic rabbit fever, so they could probably use a friend.

Hardware cloth, buried in the ground a bit. That'll keep out smaller critters too. 

I'm thinking we're getting the same weather pattern. Same sort of changes here. Anyone else gave a body/brain that notices weather shifts? 

H.

Brandt Allenwrote:     Thanks for the advice, Guy. Would love to hear any suggestions Kris can offer. The vertigo started in January - since then I've had three different diagnoses and treatments. So far nothing seems to be the sure cure. I slowly got better for a couple of months but now I just seem to live with this low-level dizziness all the time. I keep hoping I'll wake up some morning and it will have magically disappeared!  
    Any routes I do this time of the year need to be fairly close to the car, since walking through the sun either coming or going to the crag is a major crux of any outing.

Brandt - what Guy is referring to is BPPV ( mayoclinic.org/diseases-con…) which can sometimes resolve dramatically with 1 treatment (the positioning he talked about). More frequently it is a slower recovery with a lot of habituation exercises. Taking medication can really hamper your recovery (unfortunately) since it prevents your brain from habituating. Is your 'dizziness' true vertigo - as in the world is spinning? Is it related to head position (i.e., looking down, looking up, side to side) or movement such as riding in a car? It sounds like you have already pursued treatment, but if you haven't done so already, consider tracking down a PT with vestibular rehabilitation experience (anyone with a NSC - neurological specialist certification should have this, and many ortho PT's also have experience in this area). 

Good luck!!

Erika

Brandt, since benign positional vertigo is probably the most common and easiest to cure, you've likely tried the Epley maneuver. If you haven't, it's definitely worth a try. What I found is that you can do it repeatedly with no effect and then suddenly it just clicks and the vertigo's gone.

Lori for water on a warm day I carry two old army water bottles (the exact same ones I had as a recruit instructor). They are strong, you can clip keys etc to the loop for the cap and hold about 600ml each. I favor two 600ml rather than one larger as you never know, if one large water container gets lost or springs a leak you've lost ALL your water, with two you are unlikely to get a hole in both or lose both. I've never trusted soft bottles (Camel Back things).
Ensure you hydrate well BEFORE you go out as well, and keep additional water in your car. 

Carl Schneiderwrote: Lori for water on a warm day I carry two old army water bottles (the exact same ones I had as a recruit instructor). They are strong, you can clip keys etc to the loop for the cap and hold about 600ml each. I favor two 600ml rather than one larger as you never know, if one large water container gets lost or springs a leak you've lost ALL your water, with two you are unlikely to get a hole in both or lose both. I've never trusted soft bottles (Camel Back things).
Ensure you hydrate well BEFORE you go out as well, and keep additional water in your car. 

Thanks, Carl (and the others who responded).  I'm surprised at how quickly I want water here... and it wouldn't wait a half day, or hours.  So, I like this idea.  Two containers and extra in the car.  

I did this for the bunnies.  Should probably go the extra mile and make it chicken wire instead of netting.  

Greg... I'm on Navajo Trail, close to Sunset.  10 minutes from the Park.  
----

Can I ask a little more about not leaving some kind of note on my dash?  I get not broadcasting my absence outside the Park... but inside?  

My thoughts are... it's a big desert.  Even knowing what parking lot I'm at doesn't give a searcher much clue.  I parked right on the main road today, but the crag I walked to was hidden. Had I fallen, unable to get back to my car, how would someone find me?  They would find my car... and have to start hunting.  What's wrong with a note that says "I'm at that pile of rocks to the left." ?  Or "At Gunsmoke"?  

Is the concern that someone will come looking for me... or break into my car?  It would take some force to break into my car--and they wouldn't find much.  

I really appreciate everyone's comments.
First doctor diagnosed Meniere's disease and put me on a low sodium diet. Two months of never eating anything that tasted good - no result.
Second doctor said BPPV and prescribed Epley maneuver - no results. However, it is very interesting what Wendy said. The problem is most definitely related to head position and movement. I will give the Epley maneuvers another try.
Third doctor said Ocular-Vestibular-Reflex problem and gave eye exercises to do. Two and a half months of that had no effect.
As I said, it is now a low-level dizziness. I can drive a car (but can't ride a bike) and most daily activities are no problem. I'm just scared to lead anything more than 5.8 or so - don't want to start spinning in the middle of some hard run-out.

Yeah, it seems the rabbits around here have a lovely little pandemic of their own. I've buried two of them that we found on our property.

Lori Milaswrote:

Thanks, Carl (and the others who responded).  I'm surprised at how quickly I want water here... and it wouldn't wait a half day, or hours.  So, I like this idea.  Two containers and extra in the car.  

I did this for the bunnies.  Should probably go the extra mile and make it chicken wire instead of netting.  

Greg... I'm on Navajo Trail, close to Sunset.  10 minutes from the Park.  
----

Can I ask a little more about not leaving some kind of note on my dash?  I get not broadcasting my absence outside the Park... but inside?  

My thoughts are... it's a big desert.  Even knowing what parking lot I'm at doesn't give a searcher much clue.  I parked right on the main road today, but the crag I walked to was hidden. Had I fallen, unable to get back to my car, how would someone find me?  They would find my car... and have to start hunting.  What's wrong with a note that says "I'm at that pile of rocks to the left." ?  Or "At Gunsmoke"?  

Is the concern that someone will come looking for me... or break into my car?  It would take some force to break into my car--and they wouldn't find much.  

Why don't you text him from your Inreach, to let him know where you are?

And if you have tracking turned on, someone could find you with more precision. Time to learn how to use your device.

Lori Milaswrote:My thoughts are... it's a big desert.  Even knowing what parking lot I'm at doesn't give a searcher much clue.  

I just carry my garmin with me. I leave it on. Anyone with access to your garmin account can track you on their computer if you are recording waypoints. I also periodically use the lat/long function to send a text message to my husband with my exact location. It’s one click as long as you have the person on your contact list. You may need a monthly subscription to do this, cannot remember. It’s better to rig something so the device is exterior to your pack so the device can see the sky. Of course, with the Garmin, you always have the rescue function if you need it.

Brandt Allenwrote: I really appreciate everyone's comments.
First doctor diagnosed Meniere's disease and put me on a low sodium diet. Two months of never eating anything that tasted good - no result.
Second doctor said BPPV and prescribed Epley maneuver - no results. However, it is very interesting what Wendy said. The problem is most definitely related to head position and movement. I will give the Epley maneuvers another try.
Third doctor said Ocular-Vestibular-Reflex problem and gave eye exercises to do. Two and a half months of that had no effect.
As I said, it is now a low-level dizziness. I can drive a car (but can't ride a bike) and most daily activities are no problem. I'm just scared to lead anything more than 5.8 or so - don't want to start spinning in the middle of some hard run-out.

Yeah, it seems the rabbits around here have a lovely little pandemic of their own. I've buried two of them that we found on our property.

Definitely keep trying. My doctor had me do it once and said call me if this doesn't work and we'll do it again. Instead I found this online and started doing it once or twice a day. Nothing for maybe a week or two and then whatever was supposed to happen happened.
https://www.webmd.com/brain/home-remedies-vertigo#1

Lori, I've been in the Grampians before in the middle of summer over 100 degrees and seen no one else for 4 days. I've walked and climbed and thought to myself, if I even twist an ankle I'm fucked. I guess being rescued is more important than have a car window smashed. However, have you considered one of these?
https://www.freddys.com.au/products/gme-digital-406mhz-mt600g-gps-epirb?variant=30370484813917&currency=AUD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2019-11-24&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjdf_gIuo6gIV0g0rCh3qxAKaEAQYASABEgIKpfD_BwE

David Housewrote:

I'm back climbing outdoors now after a couple of month long Coronabreak. June has been very busy, almost 40 pitches which may be a personal record! I've been trying to hit up more remote crags or climb at less popular times with mixed success. Getting back to climbing made me re-appreciate how much I love this game.

That's great!  I haven't kept track of how much climbing I do for a long time before this year, but I do keep a paper calendar every year, where my climbing days are marked off.  So at the end of the year I add up how many days I got out.  It never seems like very much or enough, usually around 50 days.  But for this year I decided to keep a log of the names of climbs and vertical feet.  So far this year outside only 17 days and 7500 feet.  That's a small amount.  Typically  I would have spent 2 weeks in Red Rock in April and 2 weeks in Bishop in May.  Those reservations and trips got cancelled with Covid.  Let's see how it goes in July!

Buck Rogerswrote:

I'm a surgeon and have 24 years in the Army at this point (20 active duty, first four were Reserve).  We have moved 9 full times in the 20 years of active duty and deployed three times (1 Afghan in 2006 and twice to Iraq-2009 and then again in 2010).  

Still having a lot of fun but looking forward to getting out in 3 years and trying something different!

Where were you in Germany?

I was at a post north of Frankfurt, by the village of Kirch Goens...(the rock). Close to Geisen. After my artillery training at Fort sill our battery had orders to ship out to Vietnam. At the last minute before we went home on leave orders came in that we were to go to Germany. I don’t think I would be here today if those orders weren’t changed. Very grateful.

jay steinkewrote:

I was at a post north of Frankfurt, by the village of Kirch Goens...(the rock). Close to Geisen. After my artillery training at Fort sill our battery had orders to ship out to Vietnam. At the last minute before we went home on leave orders came in that we were to go to Germany. I don’t think I would be here today if those orders weren’t changed. Very grateful.

Wow, amazing.  I bet the post is no longer active in US hands.  Almost all of the posts have been returned to Germany now.  Only a few places left.

Buck Rogerswrote:

Wow, amazing.  I bet the post is no longer active in US hands.  Almost all of the posts have been returned to Germany now.  Only a few places left.

I looked on Google Earth and it is all torn down.. Maybe someday I will run into you at Palisade head, take care stay healthy Climb hard love much 

phylp phylpwrote:

That's great!  I haven't kept track of how much climbing I do for a long time before this year, but I do keep a paper calendar every year, where my climbing days are marked off.  So at the end of the year I add up how many days I got out.  It never seems like very much or enough, usually around 50 days.  But for this year I decided to keep a log of the names of climbs and vertical feet.  So far this year outside only 17 days and 7500 feet.  That's a small amount.  Typically  I would have spent 2 weeks in Red Rock in April and 2 weeks in Bishop in May.  Those reservations and trips got cancelled with Covid.  Let's see how it goes in July!

50 days a year is pretty impressive! I’m usually in the 30’s. I never kept track of any of these metrics until I started ticking routes on MP, now I enjoy looking at the stats.

jay steinkewrote:

Maybe someday I will run into you at Palisade head, take care stay healthy Climb hard love much 

Words to live by.

I'd love to share a rope with you someday (hell, and with pretty much everyone on this thread!).  

Looking forward to heading back to the States next year after 5 years here in Germany and linking up with a few of you for a day or two.

Adam Ondra is a favorite of mine but I'm not used to seeing him outdoor climbing lately.  He was attacking that crack--I'd love to see more of that!  
I'm real interested in that BD Pipe Dream 45 backpack/crashpad...  anyone have anything like that?  

Maybe this is a little off topic (it is).  Since moving here I have not seen my family.  Tomorrow my daughter (the mountaineering one) and her husband and two kids were to drive up and spend a week with us.  She just called to tell me that she received an email from her 6 year old's daycare... he 'may' have been exposed to COVID, since one of the teachers there tested positive.  The teacher did not have symptoms at the time of the test... no statement as to whether she does now.  The daycare has been closed, and everyone notified.  My daughter's son is fine.  The last day that teacher taught was Friday.
So...what to do?  Gosh. 

Lori Milaswrote: Maybe this is a little off topic (it is).  Since moving here I have not seen my family.  Tomorrow my daughter (the mountaineering one) and her husband and two kids were to drive up and spend a week with us.  She just called to tell me that she received an email from her 6 year old's daycare... he 'may' have been exposed to COVID, since one of the teachers there tested positive.  The teacher did not have symptoms at the time of the test... no statement as to whether she does now.  The daycare has been closed, and everyone notified.  My daughter's son is fine.  The last day that teacher taught was Friday.
So...what to do?  Gosh. 

Can they possibly postpone the trip a week?  She and/or the 6 year old could get tested, but results generally take 5-7 days for active virus tests.  Considering diabetes is listed as a risk factor, I would err on the side of caution.