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New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #13
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My Turn. I myself don't think FB is good for this continuing thread. At least here you can see every post and on FB you will get offshoots and I think it will be harder to follow. I wish Orphaned User would stop locking this thread as we always have something to say. |
Cosmiccragsman AKA Dwainwrote: Orphaned User is quite the control freak, ain't it? So yeah, it's about 40 hours of solid driving from where I am to COR. That's not the kind of trip I want to make without lots of side stops to climb and have fun. There's no way I'd have fun on a trip like that in the current circumstances. And zero chance you'll find me on a plane this year. Alicia and I had communication prior to meeting up, and established our ground rules: masks while belaying, but masks off while climbing was okay. Hand sanitizing on a regular basis when at the foot of the cliff (which I probably didn't do enough of, I tend to forget, sorry Alicia!). Alicia and her family have been pretty much living like hermits since this whole thing started, and so have Bill and I. The masks and sanitizing are precautions that made sense to both of us. TBH would I want to get together with a big group of people right now? Nope. But then, I'm not exactly a social butterfly, anyway. The appeal of the COR trip was to meet a bunch of the people this thread in one fell swoop. But it doesn't have to be that way... I've already met Dallas and Barb, Alicia, and rgold. (Remarkable for someone who is not a social butterfly!) I hope to meet every one of them again, and more of you friendly folks, in the years to come. No rush. |
dragonswrote: What a bummer Dragons. I was hoping to meet you and Alicia. :-( |
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For the same reasons others have mentioned, I can't make the trip. My wife is especially endangered by Covid and I have to be extra-careful beyond the precautions I might or might not take for myself. I've only been climbing once since March and don't really anticipate getting out much for a while, as I think the nature and mechanisms of spread are still far from fully understood. Have fun y'all! |
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September10-21, Twin Sisters area
DATES are arrival and departure dates. Campers must depart by 1, if memory serves. All of this is paid for already, don't worry about that part. My last name is on most of the sites. I borrowed my son and daughter-in-law when I reserved. https://images.app.goo.gl/gC76ck6UJAFKRZK5A Camping info Individual sites will accommodate two cars, parked in a common parking area, four to six people, if you want to share. Group camp is minimum of 12, up to 30. I've paid for all the camping long ago.
General stuff, camping I have 2-3 entire extra setups, tent, sleeping bag, pad, if anyone is flying and doesn't want to haul that stuff. Or forgets something. Let me know if you definitely want to borrow anything. I will have a few extra camp chairs, a shade thing for the group camp, a single burner butane stove, jetboil, french press, hatchet, pots and pans, garbage bags, etc for all to use, if we have enough people to use the group camp to congregate. INDIVIDUAL SITES Parking for sites 1-4   Site one, site two is similar. Both just a short walk up from parking  Site three could take a tiny trailer. It's had pickup campers parked in it  Site four. Both three and four are immediately adjacent to the vehicle parking.  GROUP CAMP Group camp, just across the road from the individual sites. About Almo Population, I dunno, 130ish? Northish to southish:
 Climbing!!! It's great. I'll have a loaner guidebook or two, plus a climb-on access map. Pay attention to rope length and close your system. The place was put up back when climbers used two ropes, and here and there, even a 70 is a stretch. Mostly though, 70 gets there, and even 60. CASTLE ROCKS STATE PARK is a separate unit of City of Rocks. It's an additional fee, or, climb with me (I have a pass). It's newer development, a more compact area. Park and hike in. A small park area, with a shelter, lawn, tables, and water. WIFI More general miscellany RULES Yes there's a few rules. Dogs on leash at all times. Pack out all trash, including waste (try to avoid cat holes if you can). Quiet time is 10. NIGHTIME COR is a dark sky reserve. There are no lights anywhere in the park, and not many even down in Almo. It will be a largely moonless stretch for that time, so if it's clear, the sky will be spectacular. Stars to the horizon. But very dark! COVID Sigh. Cassia county is not under a mask order, so mask (or not) as you wish. It's about fifty fifty for visitors to Almo, that I've seen, pretty much zero for residents. Out in the open, pretty much zero masks. It's super easy to distance once out in the park. Even when it's "crowded" at City, it's still just not packed the way some places are. I'm comfortable with sitting outside with people, and climbing without a mask, but if you prefer a mask, I do that too, even outside, if it's best for my partner. Respect, you know? PHONE SERVICE is better than it used to be....but still pretty hit and miss. Oddly, I get service right in between the group camp and our individual sites, and I know others get phone in particular spots too. I'm guessing many of you will have service up at Twin sisters, with a short walk. WEATHER can be anything at all. It changes very quickly, can get super big winds and you may not see it coming. Secure your camp, every time, and stake the tent before you put the poles in. They make trips to other states now and then. http://www.climbingweather.com/Idaho/City-of-Rocks   WILDLIFE is almost everything that would live there. I've not caught sight of the big critters, but they are there, except bears. No bear cans needed, but secure your food anyway! I'll be there by midday on the 10th. Feel free to pm for phone number swaps, if you think you might be coming. If more than 8 vehicles want either weekend, it might get a little tight, but other than that, we have oodles of room for the five weekdays. We can start divvying up the individual sites once you let me know when you hope to be there. If you are only there for the weekdays, then the group camp is wide open. I'll be going over to visit the group camp first thing when I arrive, too, to make friends with the "neighbors". Usually, it's just a couple big trailers and large families on a camping trip, not a big deal. I truly hope to meet at a real campfire, soon! Camping is paid, as I mentioned, my gift to you. Maybe just feed me once in awhile? It would also be kinda nice to rope up, too. I won't be hauling a partner over this time. I don't remember who wants what times, but I'll pencil people in, as I hear from you. Best, Helen Random eye candy from trip one or two to City this season. I hope for shoulders like that, in my lifetime. A functional heel hook would be nice, too. And yes, I've been belayed by that device! Don't think he wore shoes on that climb either.  That's my friend Fritz. He has "rules" for himself about grades. Below certain grades, footwear becomes optional. Sport climbs, not sure even get ticked. He climbs A LOT, logging thousands of feet, regularly, even with counting only some of it. He's also become "family" for me. So? One of many reasons for future road trips and/or trips to COR. Plus you peeps, of course. He has his Honda FIT rigged to live in, sheesh, pretty tiny but he lives very modestly. I'm no stealth model in the climbing world. 4'11" and 63, pretty easy to guess I'm me. Someone recognized me at some crag near Ouray last year! That was pretty entertaining! Anyway, I'll be at COR with my Honda CR-V, also not stealth:  The mustard packet has faded, and some stickers have departed, but Old Lady H is vinyl. There for the duration. At least that's my hope. ;-) |
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I realize this trip won't work, now, for many/most of you. It was planned out and reserved before the plague even really got started. I'll hope to meet people as I can, when I can. Maybe some of us can do something like this next season? I'm being an optimist today and washing my rope. H. |
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Wish I could join, but it’s a no for me also. Work plus Covid- just not in the cards this year. |
Cosmiccragsman AKA Dwainwrote: I'd like to meet you, and climb with you, too, Dwain. Some other time, hopefully! |
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Oh Helen. I’m so sorry! As I read all your beautiful work to make a memorable gathering, and all the responses, I realize that I’ve been sort of checked out. I just haven’t paid enough attention because I knew out of the gate I wouldn’t be able to come. But it has to be a big disappointment for everyone. I don’t have a solution right now as to how we’ll ever all manage to get together. I don’t think anyone wants alternatives to the great party you have planned. I don’t know why this world has upended so quickly and for so long. It does feel like we are all in a holding pattern, not really able to move forward or make plans right now. I can count more than one shitty thing in my life that has me totally stuck, sad, confused, making COVID seem like an afterthought. But seasons pass and this one will, too, for us all. It does seem that we live in pockets, and this year maybe we’ll make it a priority to meet and climb with those nearby. My house is always open. |
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Agree that any trip that requires air travel is not a good idea at this time----unless you have your own Gulfstream and I'm guessing that none of us do. I'm limiting my trips to places that I can reach in a one day drive, and places that are distant from population centers. Next week going into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness here in Idaho. Small team, adventure climbing, highly unlikely that we'll see anyone else. No internet for a week! Perfect! |
Idaho Bobwrote: Sounds like paradise, Bob! |
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I thought of Dragons the other day when I placed 6 pieces in about 15 feet (2 purple MC, 1 blue MC, 1 yellow MC, #1 WC rock, #3 WC rock)! If I get some spare time at some point, I'll do a little trip report of the fun 3 days I just had in the eastern Sierra.  |
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Washing ropes and webbing/draws and lubeing my cams and biners after 4 years of non use preparing for Idaho. You can NEVER have enough biners!  |
Cosmiccragsman AKA Dwainwrote: Are you under there, Dwain??? I really wanted to meet up and climb with you too! I normally make it out west to climb at least twice a year. Hopefully next year will be more normal, and we can climb together! |
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What's everyone doing today? Looks like some of you are actually getting out for some climbing? I hope you bring back pictures and stories to cheer us all up. I was thinking how cool it would be if someone would make a map with the little pin dots for where we each are. Alicia, for some reason I didn't know you were in New York. Seeing us on a map would be helpful... but I also didn't know how many people who have contributed to this thread live close to Joshua Tree. And some folks decline to say. Still, I think we are in pockets... Dallas, we've been trying to figure out the mail thing... moving about so much, now we're here in Rocklin 2-6 weeks, back and forth, and there's time-sensitive stuff I can't miss. How do you manage your mail? ----------------- Well, I finally heard the words I expected from Tony: "I wish I hadn't done this. I don't think I'm going to live through this." at 2 a.m. this morning. It didn't help that I was getting grumpy from waking up every two hours to bring something or do something Tony can't do for himself. I need an attitude adjustment and to try to recall kindness. I can't imagine what a full-time caregiver must go through. We had to go back to the surgeon's office yesterday because he has been springing little geysers, and the nurses just brought out the lidocaine and staple gun and sutures, as though this was just an everyday thing. They are very happy with his recovery. I told Tony how lucky he is to have had his surgery on Alex Honnold's birthday. Somehow, this didn't do it for him. But browsing back through some pictures of Alex, I saw this one of him on Moonlight Buttress. Please, someone tell me you've climbed it! What a beautiful thing this is.  No climbing going on here. In fact, the fires are so thick, there's no point in going outside at all. So, I'm going to cook today--which is always a great go-to when things are down. Will post pictures later. Helen, if you are also cooking... we can have a cook off. |
dragonswrote: I calculate around 2600 miles for you. A worthy road trip. We would cover that amount of distance in about a month. We would drive around 250 miles a day, stopping early so we could get a hike or bike in before dinner. Not getting up early, not killing ourselves driving. And plenty of sight seeing on the way. In fact, our COR stop is part of our fall migration Seattle to Houston, 2300 miles. Us and the virus, like everyone we are concerned about it and have altered our behavior accordingly. I think yours and Alicia's ground rules would be a good base line. Around the campfire we use the outdoors 6+ feet rules, then if we are going to get closer we mask up. The whole mask thing, I think of it this way. When I was a kid I had to go outside and shovel the snow each morning. On still and very cold days you could see your breath. It was fun to try and blow O'ws like the smokers used to do in the movies, it didn't work well but I got a good idea of far my exhalation traveled. I avoid that. I also avoid crowds of any kind. The second part is hands. They get washed a lot. Sanitizer as soon as I get back in the truck from going to the grocery store. Like a lot of things that are reported you have to use your own common sense to decide if it is accurate or not, having said that, I ran across this interesting article about chalk and virus prevention: Study Indicates Chalk May Reduce Spread of Virus |
Lori Milaswrote: I use a mail service, St. Brendan's Isle in Green Cove Springs, FL. All of my mail goes there, I pay taxes there, vote there, licenses and registration use the services Personal Mail Box Number. Banks don't like it, new anti-terrorist policy the banks want you to have a physical address. When the mail arrives they take a picture of the envelope and send me an email. Then I can choose to hold, scan, send, or shred it. On time sensitive stuff they will open the mail and scan it to a .pdf file then post it so you can read it. That has worked well for me. Really personal sensitive stuff, taxes, medicare application, w2's etc I have them hold it until I can get it forwarded to the location that we are at. $12 a month for the service, a couple of bucks per page for scanning, then forwarding charges. The forwarding charges are dependent on what type of mail I choose. Overnight, express, 2-3 day, 5 business days, or regular mail. Take a look at your local UPS store, they may have a service you can use.
Can I bring my grill and air fryer? |
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COR looks fun indeed! |
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The COR get together sounds fun. Tip of the hat to you Helen for the generous hospitality. I don't know that I can make it due to work and previous travel commitments, but I would like to. I'll send you a message, Helen, if I can make the trip. Thanks for putting this together. |
Jay Goodwinwrote: Sure! I don't ever expect these trips to match, uh, expectations. Every single time has been different. I think that's part of the point of traveling, knowing it will be whatever it is. I rather like that, even with climbing. Doesn't matter a whole lot if the thing is an "easy" climb....if it has no pro whatever or I won't be able to reach the anchors. That's what you rope guns are for, lol!  Merely breakfast, but there's some garden tomatoes in the omelet, and eggs and a red onion (also in there) are from the farmers market. Stopped by our local Orient Market on the way back from my farmers market pickup (it's been drive through only, the whole season) and scored fresh kaffir lime leaves, yay! Those get tucked into the freezer for Thai dishes. I'll be bringing whatever the garden offers, to COR to share. Maybe peaches, tomatoes for sure, and I'll dig some spuds. Not as dramatic as tomatoes, but like everything else, garden grown potatoes are yummier! Tonight, and this week? Have to decide between about three different Thai dishes, eggplant parmesana, corn chowder, or tacos and corn on the cob. Best, H |
