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New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #14
Idaho Bobwrote: With everything from a pandemic to a coup, this story is so depressing. : ( breaks my heart! : ((( |
Idaho Bobwrote: Oh that's right! You are/were first and foremost a skier! It's hard to complain about this, Bob! Wow... such beauty! Hope you are getting plenty of skiing in. |
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Is it possible that rock climbing could replace sex? I detoured away from my planned morning hike this morning and headed back to RHV to have better look at Tumbling Rainbow formation. In the past I have stopped way short of the base because it never felt safe to climb the last few boulders solo... but this morning I happened upon an alternate route. There is a little cave that eases some of the danger. Once I finally got right up to the base of Run For Your Life I had to laugh... that little bit of adrenaline and heart flutter feels an awful lot like love. No wonder it's found its way into my heart.   While I was out, forgetting all about the time and my promise to be back by 10... I drove over to Intersection to hike over to Good To The Last Drop to see what the problem is. I spent a long time at what I thought was the base of Good To The Last Drop. I should have read the description better... it is a full 50 feet to the left of the chimney. Bummed about this. I think it's truly not gonna happen, but at least I can understand why it's a probable no.  Some days, when the world is just exploding outside, it's amazing to just go get lost... to play, let curiosity run wild. This feels nearly like it felt to be in kindergarten, innocent, free and fun. |
Lori Milaswrote: Lori, are you going to start a 'New and Experienced Fuckers Over 50' thread? |
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Lori. Looks like you are on a roll! you should get to Red Rocks for some multi pitch. that must be pretty close to you? |
Lori Milaswrote: I've always viewed these activities as a perfect pair, so no way one could replace the other. What else is there to do at the top of a multi-pitch when your partner is like minded? |
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Guess I won't be doing any multi-pitch with Bob this June in City of Rocks. |
Idaho Bobwrote: Just make sure that any sounds do not cause e rescue to be initiated.... |
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Not that I'll stay away until late June, but that's when I get to see a nice number of you peeps! It's pitiful, the story you are about to get... My climbing partner and I were trying to remember when we last climbed. Pretty sure, it was our very last trip to COR, early October, for outside. And...gym? Don't remember, other than a two parter about six weeks ago, when I hired a staffer to get me solid with my new Lifeguard belay device. So. Monday, my partner and I made it a point to get to the gym. I'll be honest, it's been really tough here, both fall and winter. Doing anything at all, has taken pushing. I sat down, got ready to put on my harness and shoes.... And the grief hit. Hard. For all of it, ever bit of it, past, and future too. Tears started streaming. He quietly reminded me, "we don't have to do this", and walked me back out. We went to lunch, and I dropped him off at his house. So. Sitting in the car. Enough of that. It's time to yank it back together. Yet again. I left his house, drove to the nearby greenhouses, a multigenerational gardeners favorite place here. Bought a little pot of tete a tete daffodils, which will bloom in a couple weeks in my house. A bit of spring, weeks ahead. And went back to my gym, hopped on the auto belay, and told the world to fuck off. I'm a climber. I do not quit. Best, Helen |
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Good for you. I fall into depression & go on strike from time to time but I don't quit. |
Mark Frumkinwrote: Well. I had cheesecake for breakfast today. Past one in the afternoon. :-) There truly are times its okay to just sit there and cry. And not accomplish anything. Being with our over 50 peeps last September, was one of those times. Two of my climbing partners also showed up there. Just walked over, and opened their arms. No words needed. About a week ago, i was out with my son, scouting potential waterfall ice. A successful trip...but the second place? Flat thin ice for a trail. My feet went out such that I fell flat, hard on my stetched out leg. That's when I discovered what its like to compress the Patella. Hurts like hell. I've only ever compressed the more usual bit, on my knees, its just hard to do the frontside, flat. But that's what tricompartmental arthritis means. I was instantly in tears. First, it hurt. Second, it was very fast and I rarely rarely fall. Third? Well. Defeat. Old. But really? Frustration, and blazing anger. I only started climbing close to 58. Like I said, I'll ve 64 shortly. And, I only got the freedom to really have much of a life, very recently. That anger is good. It's the keen realization that this, right now, this minute, is all I have left. Not some hazy time down the road. Not a whole lot of second chances out there. This? This life that fell into my lap, now? Right now? Is an astonishing gift. A much younger, much stronger climber, and a best friend, when we were walking back from an alpine start and a very tired end of day at Smith? After my first ever multipitch? He gave me a huge compliment. He said I reminded him of Willow. I'll be seeing him Friday, briefly. For the first time since our friend died in September. I'd not trade this for anything. Pain and getting through it is also part of love. H. ps for Carl, my gym just put their stuff up on an app! If I can get my ass in there, I can now tick and track all of it, even the boulder problems! They had a comp recently, and got some really creative, fun stuff up for that. Including a crack hold that you invert on. Levitation! I promise I'll wander over to that side, and see if there's anything at all I can manage, eh? |
Old lady Hwrote: Oh Helen I’ve thought of you so often and wondering how you are weathering the winter, and all that has gone on in your life in the last few years. It’s a perfect storm to live alone, have less light and more winter, loss of all kinds that can hit you at the darkest hours... and to not be healthy or strong enough, or have enough access to climbing to be able to regularly get out. I fear clinical depression more than any kind of illness or injury. It’ll just take you out. Kudos for getting up and TRYING... no matter the outcome. We are through the darkest part of winter and spring is on its way. Please call or email any of us for any reason at any time. And yes, you’re a climber. |
 We had a really different day out today. I had wanted to explore the Watergate Rock but didn’t realize it was so far away. But I thought today was a good day to review some history AND climb two routes that had a FA by my BF Houser so I got to wear my Dave’s Not Here t-Shirt. I believe I climbed Pardon Me and H.R. Hardman. There was a lot we didn’t do but I truly enjoyed the walk, the rock and the routes. I Am Not A Crook and White Collar Crime looked great. I was surprised that these routes felt easy to me. So why hasn’t Dave called since I have put in so much hard work into his routes and defending him when HIS OWN FRIEND dissed his climbing prowess? Note to self to look up that gorgeous slab Comic Book. How about Charlie Brown and Full Frontal Nudity? Anyone been out that way? We stopped by the Sphinx to try out some unpublished routes, as far as I can tell. Very strange to still feel so new and be working on an unknown route that was literally huge hollow flakes and choss. No idea of the grade or beta so it was just fun and very experimental. Bob talks about good rock. I’m learning what bad rock is all about. I also tried a seam route and all I could think was who the hell would ever bolt a route on such vertical chossy rock I question his sanity. His climbing license should be immediately revoked. I felt at home here. I felt like my tribe was nearby. Lots of very cool vibes. |
Old lady Hwrote: That's kind of a thing, we went to the gym today, Barbara was challenging 10c. I couldn't even complete a .6. without pain. It got me pretty depressed. But, I had to fall back and think about what's going on. First, it only took a month, but I got an appointment with a real doctor. X-ray's, PT, knowledge, not just supposition. I got some Enthesophytes growing in my shoulders. Then we talked about the poorly healed clavicle break, and motorcycle accident where I totally dislocated my shoulder, and age, and the possibility that I may have some decompression illness (DCI) damage. Plenty of good old arthritis up their. Still not enough info to indicate surgery, so PT it is. I started a couple of weeks ago. The PT guy said step one is to get those collapsed shoulders to open up. Visits twice a week, home exercises, manipulation. That got my shoulders pretty warm. While some of the daily pain is going away strength is going with it. Don't ask me to pick up my coat out of the back seat right now. So I was cautious in the gym today and bailed whenever there was a strain. I have every confidence that this is a process, and like a lot of remodeling you have to tear some stuff down to get the shiny new stuff up and working. But right now it's a little ugly. Gym is doing a pretty good job, climbing by appointment, limiting numbers, masks by everyone all the time, mandatory separation on the wall, 6 foot lanes marked out, empty lane between groups. We walked out last week when we went in and found the gym crowded. Ok, it really wasn't, but being retired we can pick out times and 9-10am weekdays usually find the gym nearly empty. Not that day. Right now my world is colored bands and silly exercises that don't feel like they are doing anything but probably are. I still hate my shoes but won't buy anything new until I feel comfortable climbing again.
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Old lady Hwrote: Good for you Helen. You are strong, Sometimes you just have to pause before showing it, |
Old lady Hwrote: Cool! Sound like you're fighting. Do NOT go gentle in to that goodnight! Rage RAGE against the dying of the light! |
Dallas Rwrote: Hi Dallas! I few years ago, I had a hard fall skiing; the outside of my shoulder was the first thing to hit the ice. Ouch. So, I just waited for it to get better. And waited. I eventually went to an ortho to see what was wrong, and luckily, there were no broken bones. I was sent to do PT. It was my first intro to "colored bands and silly exercises". Given a lifetime of preconceptions about working out, I was waiting for the moment when it got hard. Never came, yet the PT worked. I no longer think they're silly. Good luck! |
Victor Kwrote: Yeah theraband exercises work. I had bursitis in both shoulders and tendonosus in both as well and was just resting for 6 weeks. No change. Then I went to the physio and he recommended 'coloured bands and silly exercises' and I got better in two weeks. |
 Lori.... you said you wanted pictures from BITD...... me on Geronimo (its a trick crack climb)  Me ready to try "Rebolting Developments" for the nth time (you do skid down to the ground- your belayer must do advanced "stuff" to keep you off of the ground. They don't make climbs like this anymore.  The height of fashion 1974
 Castle Rock Spire...... Some say it's the hardest summit to attain in the Sierra. I would tend to agree. Your call for photos got me moving... I broke out the scanner, now to find the box of ancient photos.
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