New and Experienced climbers over 50 #20

Jan Mcwrote:

I think that is right about where I fell off that thing that day.  The bottom is so reachy and physical and I kind of had a mind meltdown when I got onto less steep terrain and fell off.  Not the first or last time that happened to one of us on a hard route...

I always thought that top section was pretty weird; tricky balance and hard to get settled. Kind of a cruel joke played on a fried climber.

How did you guy's come up with that name, Peter Eater..? Inquiring minds need to know.

Jan Mcwrote:

I'm sure that between Bob, Kris and me we have already done all the Houser routes so you might as well just quit worrying about it and consider it a community accomplishment.  If I were you I would move on to Randy Vogel routes next.  That should keep you busy for a while.   

I think you have a point there Jan.  And in my defense apparently you guys never foresaw the possibility that a senior citizen would come along 45 years later and feel the need to climb all these routes.   I have made a commendable effort I believe, and there are still a few more I think I can do… The donkey trail one, and make a stab at the Peter eater crack someday.

But oh my goodness I have a list of Randy Vogel routes, Allen Bartlett routes, routes with your name on them and of course half the park with Bob Gaines. But you all were in a different league that I will never be a part of. I admire Swept Away every time I see it,! Maybe I have grown up a little bit now and can cease to be a groupie. Goodbye to adolescence.   

— 

I got a hankering for lobster last night and we spent an hour canvassing Palm Springs in Palm Desert restaurants on google  looking for a real legitimate steak and lobster place. Nothing looked good so we decided to go down the hill and buy a lobster. That didn’t work out so well either. The fanciest store in town, Gelsons, does have live lobsters in a tank but I don’t think I could be trusted to bring a live lobster home and kill it. Pretty sure I’d give it a home in our bathtub and try to rehab and comfort the creature  so we did not get it. Tony says they scream. So we are back to some frozen lobster tails and a New York steak and that can’t be bad. What’s everyone having for dinner?

I have also been craving Japanese miso soup and fish stew so I’m guessing that I must be needing some thing in that mix.  I’m going to look up recipes that have scallops shrimp Seabass and kombu and see if I could cook up a weeks worth.

My absolute favorite restaurants in the Palm Springs area are '533 Viet Fusion' and 'Oceans' both on E Palm Canyon Dr.  Oceans has lobster and 533 has great lobster spring rolls.

I grilled some quail on Sunday along with diced red potatoes fried in garlic, rosemary and veal demiglas and some steamed carrots.  Those little birds were delicious!

Ward Smithwrote:

New V5 at the new area.

Nice.  Looks like you and Steve cleaned the s*#$ out of that rig. Like you always do!

Does it go to the top? The size and number of pads suggest it does.
Is the feet cut most efficient? I am in big trouble if it is .....
Going to bug you to take me there later this season ...... :) 

Jan Mcwrote:

I grilled some quail on Sunday along with diced red potatoes fried in garlic, rosemary and veal demiglas and some steamed carrots.  Those little birds were delicious!

Nice.  Veal Demiglace.  Fancy :)
I like quail and game game hens much better than larger birds. Some just can't deal with the bones on small fowl. They do nto bother me at all.
I made Duck and Lamb en Cocotte.  Low and slow!  My wife likes duck but not lamb.

S. Neohwrote:

Nice.  Looks like you and Steve cleaned the s*#$ out of that rig. Like you always do!

Does it go to the top? The size and number of pads suggest it does.
Is the feet cut most efficient? I am in big trouble if it is .....
Going to bug you to take me there later this season ...... :) 

Steve’s feet don’t cut but he’s over six feet,  it goes to the top, pretty high but V0 up there.  The lower part was actually pretty clean as it is very overhanging but the top was formerly elephant ear lichen and took some heavy effort but is pretty buff now.

Living the bachlor life. salad and plain raviolis in olive oil..

Back to my old favourite climbing shoes. The old model of the Scarpa Chimera are getting hard to find. Only 220 bucks from K2 Base Camp and delivered in under a week!

Carl, sounds like you're back on solid ground.     Glad you had a good time, and thanks for all the pics.  

I got out for a short hike yesterday... sometimes sunshine and blue sky can re-energize.  I drove over to Echo Cove, and saw a rock in the distance and totally stopped in shock... it's a vertical CS Special.  I had forgotten about this rock and how startling it is in profile!  don't know WHY these routes blow my mind.  I think it's because clearly they cannot be climbed.  I had to drive on over and sit there for a bit.  Up close you can see how it can be climbed... from a distance... impossible.  

As a gift on a blue-mood day, this pic also showed up from exactly one year ago.  (Billabong : John Long, Bill Antel & Rick Accomazzo) Bill Antel? What an amazing experience to finally set foot on this rock that I have admired for so long.  
  

Shoveling-Cole:  Charles Cole, Marjorie Shovlin: 1982 .  Margorie Shovlin?  This side was much more my speed.  

I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have climbed these rocks.  I realize the original intention was not for top ropers.  It's been a true gift, that all the right ingredients have been there to allow me to spend some years playing on these routes--yea, I put in the work, but it could only happen if mentors/coaches like Bob were willing to set these up, coach, teach, cajole, correct and advise--and also getting to know the guys who had the original visions.  Of the routes I've climbed so far, I feel closest to Charles Cole, since it was his rubber that allowed this all to happen.  He also did the FA on my nemesis Dog Day Afternoon. 

Checking out this rock over by Echo.  Not sure what the route is. 

Tony and I have been in a funk for quite awhile now.  Tony's surgery has been postponed until July 2.  His patience is running low.  The Ukraine war has gotten us both down... and probably we are going to have to tune out for a bit.  Last night Tony got so upset watching Putin speak that he threw something at the TV, changed the channel... we watched a comedy special.  "Beware Of Darkness" is a song that comes to mind.  

Question- 

I’m sure this has been asked, so I apologize in advance.   How do you all deal with the aging body that no longer wants to cooperate.   It seems that every time I climb something new hurts!  I want to get stronger, but when I do my old weight workouts I pay the price for the rest of the week.  This is an activity i want to keep doing for the long haul.  Suggestions on diet? Supplements? Schedules? Cross training? Mental attitude?

Many thanks!

Jen (52 yrs)

Oh to be 52.....

;-)

Jen, my other cheeky answer would be cheesecake, Carl's might be beer. But? This started way way way way back with Lori asking training questions. You'll get plenty of answers, the main one, I'm guessing, is pay attention to what your body tells you and give it what it needs. 

Plus cheesecake.

Best, Helen

jmswrote:

Question- 

I’m sure this has been asked, so I apologize in advance.   How do you all deal with the aging body that no longer wants to cooperate.   It seems that every time I climb something new hurts!  I want to get stronger, but when I do my old weight workouts I pay the price for the rest of the week.  This is an activity i want to keep doing for the long haul.  Suggestions on diet? Supplements? Schedules? Cross training? Mental attitude?

Many thanks!

Jen (52 yrs)

Jen, I am your age and my wife is a little older, and we are both climbing better than we ever have.  I think that the pandemic was the kick in the pants we needed, and we started true structured training in the garage dungeon. In my opinion, consistency is key…It is really hard to come back from break, even a short one. Also, to avoid injury, cross training, antagonist exercises and prehab are really important. 

Frank Steinwrote:

Jen, I am your age and my wife is a little older, and we are both climbing better than we ever have.  I think that the pandemic was the kick in the pants we needed, and we started true structured training in the garage dungeon. In my opinion, consistency is key…It is really hard to come back from break, even a short one. Also, to avoid injury, cross training, antagonist exercises and prehab are really important.

Exactly right for me too -
"I think that the pandemic was the kick in the pants we needed, and we started true structured training in the garage dungeon. In my opinion, consistency is key…It is really hard to come back from break, even a short one. Also, to avoid injury, cross training, antagonist exercises and prehab are really important."
Good warmup routine is key for me as is getting enough sleep esp after a 'training' day.

The pandemic was def a kick in the pants for me.  Glad to see I was not alone.

jmswrote:

Question- 

I’m sure this has been asked, so I apologize in advance.   How do you all deal with the aging body that no longer wants to cooperate.   It seems that every time I climb something new hurts!  I want to get stronger, but when I do my old weight workouts I pay the price for the rest of the week.  This is an activity i want to keep doing for the long haul.  Suggestions on diet? Supplements? Schedules? Cross training? Mental attitude?

Many thanks!

Jen (52 yrs)

Naproxen.  

Jen - you are still a kid!
The zenith of my “career” was when I was 51- then I ripped my quads clean off of my knee. Six months in a full leg cast and 2.5 years later I could almost run 100 yards.
I don’t think one can become “stronger” (think of how strong you were at 22) but you sure can get into better shape. My back destroyed its self 5 years ago and now, 1.5 years post surgery, my PT consist of stretching and core work. I asked my trainer if I can toss in some strength training. He laughed at me and said “69 year olds don’t get stronger”- “best you can hope for is to be flexible and be in aerobic shape”.

Go back to the beginning of “NAECO50” - so many years ago- and read up on the diet, workout, and medical status of Lori and others. Reading that information will show that we are all not created equal and some are more lucky than others genetically speaking.

So welcome! Please share your stories of triumph and defeat.

Oh yes- having “everything hurt” is a standard condition post 50! What! Nobody told you.

Guy, I’d be really concerned if a PT told you that. My wife is a PT and works mostly with geriatric patients. She most certainly does strengthening with her patients, even using weights. This includes little 95 year-old osteoporatic ladies. You can always get stronger to a degree, and even more important, at an advanced age strength work is critical to maintaining what muscle one already has.

Guy Keeseewrote:

Jen - you are still a kid!
The zenith of my “career” was when I was 51- then I ripped my quads clean off of my knee. Six months in a full leg cast and 2.5 years later I could almost run 100 yards.
I don’t think one can become “stronger” (think of how strong you were at 22) but you sure can get into better shape. My back destroyed its self 5 years ago and now, 1.5 years post surgery, my PT consist of stretching and core work. I asked my trainer if I can toss in some strength training. He laughed at me and said “69 year olds don’t get stronger”- “best you can hope for is to be flexible and be in aerobic shape”.

Go back to the beginning of “NAECO50” - so many years ago- and read up on the diet, workout, and medical status of Lori and others. Reading that information will show that we are all not created equal and some are more lucky than others genetically speaking.

So welcome! Please share your stories of triumph and defeat.

Oh yes- having “everything hurt” is a standard condition post 50! What! Nobody told you.

I am just pissed off and mindblown that shit keeps happening. Seems like everybody has acquired some health problem or other, and never the one we expect. Guy,  I’ve seen plenty of new studies that say not only can you get stronger you can actually add muscle far into old age.  It took some convincing for me to believe it but I am convinced now. It may grow slower but it grows. 

Seems like a lot of people break things, like their backs, and then are sidelined in long hard recoveries.  so far I haven’t  broken anything but I am dealing with total endocrine anarchy right now. I am right at the doorstep of agreeing to start cortisol.   Also, it seems to be a myth that we don’t need real preformed vitamin A which is required in the manufacture of most hormones, especially adrenal, and substrate for muscle growth, liver and kidney function, eye and skin health, bone health … well “e”.  It does everything but became the bad boy of vitamins some years ago and removed from nearly everything… and big warnings to avoid it.  Some of us don’t convert carrots into usable vitamin A in the body and if you’re super active you deplete your thin reserves quickly. If you increase your protein (as in recommendations for sport nutrition) you deplete even more vitamin A. If you increase your vitamin D, even through sun exposure, you drain your vitamin A because A and D work together. The result can be exhaustion and muscle wasting.  So when I discovered that despite all the beta carotene (carrots, green leafies, tomatoes) that I eat daily my actual Vitamin A levels were in the tank, I started eating liver once a week which helped some (and I hated it)… Now honestly I don’t care if I have to eat liver three meals a day if it will help me to pull some energy together. Put this in the category of things no one told you.

if the only real problem is being stiff and sore following Climbing there’s so many fixes for that including soaking in Epsom salts, drinking or taking tart cherry juice within a few hours of an outing. I’ve never actually taken a drug or an anti-inflammatory even when I come home thrashed because those remedies take care of it ASAP.

This is a hearty and determined group of climbers here and I think we impress the hell out of each other. I feel like I am privately cheering every single person on this thread. Many have gone through a lot and are so courageous and they keep on smiling and giving their all. And if you can’t climb you can always heckle.   

Jen, your mileage may vary, but I’m 61 and don’t have any real health problems so far.  There are lots  of possibilities for this such as genetics of course.  However, I train and rest smart, and always get at least 8 hours sleep, and usually at least 9.  I eat very few carbohydrates, no sugar, bread, pasta, etc.  I also take a ton of supplements that is really beyond the scope of this forum, but you should at least be taking 5,000 iU of D3, magnesium, and a high quality and high dosage fish oil for staters.  Good luck!

Frank Steinwrote:

Guy, I’d be really concerned if a PT told you that. My wife is a PT and works mostly with geriatric patients. She most certainly does strengthening with her patients, even using weights. This includes little 95 year-old osteoporatic ladies. You can always get stronger to a degree, and even more important, at an advanced age strength work is critical to maintaining what muscle one already has.

I agree with you - but the conversation with my PT, who has a large practice mostly devoted to athletes and their recovery from surgery, was about getting as strong as I was when I was 26. His answer went like this. “Even Tom Brady who is a working machine, is not stronger then he was at 26…” My goal is to get flexible and have endurance.

Lori you asked about Bill Antel. Bill was one of the StoneMasters. He became “famous” because he survived a long ground fall when some tat failed while repelling in Yosemite. He seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. The Boys made attempts to contact him for the 06 SM reunion- no dice.

Now don’t confuse Bill Antel with the other Bill.
Acapulco Bill climbed in JT about the same time. He became famous for taking some huge fliers on popular climbs.
Frummy witnessed one such deed. AB fell from the top of “the Guillotine” and went to the deck! He hit the big flakes and bounced off of them! He was double lucky because the rescue team was “practicing” “rescues” not 20 yards from where he impacted! Sadly AB died from hypothermia on the final pitch of the Nose in the late 90’s. RIP 

So getting ready to go to A-Hills for 3 days. I’m ready for a whole stack of 7,8, and maybe 9’s.

Climb on, Friends