New and Experienced climbers over 50 #20

Southeastern sandstone is the most fun rock I've ever climbed, I'd live there if the summers didn't cook my brain.

Junk  yard was our  first  stop  but also  climbed  Somersville and kalimoos?  Somersville was the best  but  still  single pitch. I  doubt  I make  another  trip  just to go there.  Certainly would  stop at  Somersville if traveling through.  Definitely  will  visit  Seneca again  God  willing and the crick don't rise..Like  getting on top of  things. 

Yes, southeastern sandstone provides such a great climbing medium, but even within that context there is considerable variety—the New significantly differs from the Red, of course, but there seem to be several varieties in Tennessee as well—-then there is Arkansas!!! I have definitely had some of my best days climbing on those rocks.

Todd Berlier wrote:

revival was my hardest route at the time--i think 13b maybe a or hard a. i went up there for a fitness run after belaying my friends scout troop at torrent falls (b4 it was purchased). there was another party there and i remember i waltzed up to it finishing off a bag of doritos and then reeses cups that i stuffed down since i hadnt brought a lunch and smoked a camel filter while i tied my shoes and tied in without warming up and just thinking ill climb until im pumped and then lower off and give it a real go and then i was clipping the chains! i loved that feeling, one of my favorite memories from those days.

As others have mentioned, the sandstone at The New and Summerville Lake is nice to climb on.  Sure, it is just all cragging, 1p or shorter, but generally very good movement on great stone.
A lot of great memories for me too. Both my first .10 and .11 onsight leads were 'on the road' at The New. I tried a .12a but did not lead it cleanly in a day.
I never climbed at The Bridge so I can say that there are very few crags there which I did not enjoy.

Edit:  Todd, did you get on Quinsana or Apollo Reed?  I have belayed my friends on them but never tried either.  Too late now!

I like all the Jesus climbs

Woo hoo, climbing tomorrow!  Bouldering at Lincoln Woods.  I'm so out of shape, this should be good for a laugh.

GO

Todd Berlier wrote:

hell yeah Gabe! psyched for you!

Thanks Todd!  Had a fantastic time.  Failed on a lot of things, sent a few.  Was so great to get out and try hard on a beautiful day.  And my daughter did great too.  She got halfway up a real V0, before the holds got too far apart.  She did a couple of pretty vertical bits, lots of slabs, slabby aretes, and even pushed out a mantle or two.  Awesome.

One word to the wise: when you have not been climbing and your skin is baby soft, but your psych is sky high, and you don't care how much it hurts...  You just want that send... You can get some interesting results.  I won't show the bloody hand with the flapper, but here's the hand with a blood blister/bruise on every one (well all four) fingers!

GO

Well done, Gabe!
I had those blood blisters before just like you; coming back after some time off. Wear thenm as a badge of achievement!

As you said, what a day! I was in Waterville Valley, being shown a new area. More hiking than climbing to get a lay of the land and the 'good' routes.
It seemed like EVERY climber in NE was out climbing today.
Bu we were lucky; no flies or bugs that far up North yet. I imagine the bitey things were out and about in RI.
LWoods holds so many fond memories for me! Lets meet up this Nov and Dec there for some good times!

I was baby sitting the Bern today

Todd Berlier wrote:

aaaawwwww yeah! especially when you know you won't be getting back to your project or outside for a week then let it bleed!

one must master the tape technique to protect the skin...

What you say is true to the extreme.  I suspect I was last at Lincoln Woods about 15 years ago, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's five years before the next time I get there.  Any beta I suss out today is likely to be long gone before I return.  So yeah, send it or forget it.

GO

This is my experimental first garden here before I put on the shade cloth etc.  Does anyone have a good cocktail to feed them?  This is all store-bought dirt with a scoop of organic fertilizer mixed in. A few plants are yellowing.  What should I be feeding these guys? 

Lori Milaswrote:

This is my experimental first garden here before I put on the shade cloth etc.  Does anyone have a good cocktail to feed them?  This is all store-bought dirt with a scoop of organic fertilizer mixed in. A few plants are yellowing.  What should I be feeding these guys? 

New packaged dirt has enough nutrients for 60 days for sure.  Plants are probably a bit shockey from sun or wind.  A good thing to have out here is a moisture meter. The top dries out so fast, but 4 inches down can still be moist. Uneven watering makes things like tomatoes produce ugly scarred fruit and pepper to be susceptible to scorching.   It’s tricky out here.  How much weed did you plant? It seems to thrive, so I’ve been told.

Russ Wallingwrote:

New packaged dirt has enough nutrients for 60 days for sure.  Plants are probably a bit shockey from sun or wind.  A good thing to have out here is a moisture meter. The top dries out so fast, but 4 inches down can still be moist. Uneven watering makes things like tomatoes produce ugly scarred fruit and pepper to be susceptible to scorching.   It’s tricky out here.  How much weed did you plant? It seems to thrive, so I’ve been told.

I'm pretty sure pot does not grow here.  We will have to come to your house for that.  

Thanks for the thoughts on the elements here, Russ... I'm determined to carry on.  The wind has really done a number--it seems to come in every direction so I don't know if a windbreak would work, unless we just finally build an entire patio enclosure, which actually would solve a lot of problems.  I don't know how any of these plants are still standing.

Will get the moisture meter.  I have been telling Tony that we will be having $400 green beans this summer.  That's probably not far off the mark.    

On the upside, I have a clematis in the shade on my front porch which so far is going great.  On the downside, I probably killed our magnificent bush... whatever it is called.  I killed it.

Dope grows anywhere! CBD tincture(+THC) is the very best recovery supplement I've ever used. Third season of making it now, it even whooped my fever during my covid bout! 

Thanks for the thoughts on the elements here, Russ... I'm determined to carry on.  The wind has really done a number--it seems to come in every direction so I don't know if a windbreak would work, unless we just finally build an entire patio enclosure, which actually would solve a lot of problems.  I don't know how any of these plants are still standing.

Wind really zaps the plants out here. Anything I have protected in the domes does way better than the exact same batch out in the elements. They really need the protection when young. With a raised bed or boxes like you have it is easy to have upright posts in each corner. Then the quick and effective method is to wrap around the boxes with pallet wrap. It’s that clingy clear stuff that keeps loads from shifting on pallets. Super easy to use as it is on a roll. Just attach to one post with a knot, walk around your boxes a few times and tie off the end with a knot.  Helps keep some varmints out too.  Lasts a whole season if needed.

edit:  just looked at the pic of your boxes.  They are perfect for pallet wrap and look ready to go.  HD sells it as dies amazon etc.  get the clear stuff if you can.  I wore my sunglasses (prescription) into home depot to get some… shit was orange when I got home and deployed it!  Made a pretty big eyesore when my whole mini farm was wrapped up in it.

Russ Wallingwrote:

Thanks for the thoughts on the elements here, Russ... I'm determined to carry on.  The wind has really done a number--it seems to come in every direction so I don't know if a windbreak would work, unless we just finally build an entire patio enclosure, which actually would solve a lot of problems.  I don't know how any of these plants are still standing.

Wind really zaps the plants out here. Anything I have protected in the domes does way better than the exact same batch out in the elements. They really need the protection when young. With a raised bed or boxes like you have it is easy to have upright posts in each corner. Then the quick and effective method is to wrap around the boxes with pallet wrap. It’s that clingy clear stuff that keeps loads from shifting on pallets. Super easy to use as it is on a roll. Just attach to one post with a knot, walk around your boxes a few times and tie off the end with a knot.  Helps keep some varmints out too.  Lasts a whole season if needed.

edit:  just looked at the pic of your boxes.  They are perfect for pallet wrap and look ready to go.  HD sells it as dies amazon etc.  get the clear stuff if you can.  I wore my sunglasses (prescription) into home depot to get some… shit was orange when I got home and deployed it!  Made a pretty big eyesore when my whole mini farm was wrapped up in it.

Somehow I don't associate you with the soft and gentle plant whisperer... but here you have it.  That's your altar ego.   Pallet wrap!  Thank you for this, Russ.  I'll get it done.  REALLY appreciate your advice.

---

Meanwhile, I've been taking it easy this week, going for morning strolls.  Here is a favorite place of mine just to hang out.  Why is it not more popular?  I see a route... actually, I see MANY routes.  It's a very cool place.    

After all this time, and after many instructions, I still have no idea which is the North formation and which is the South.  What is wrong with 'left' and 'right'?  How hard would that be?  

Good try Lori!
lots to learn when growing things, takes time (years) to become proficient at it.
I have found that growing herbs is pretty simple and fresh ones really improve recipes.
Do some EZ stuff- Radishes, Carrots etc. You get quick feedback and fresh ones taste amazingly sweet. Jan grows hot peppers- gets bushels of them. I grow hot peppers and get like 3 peppers per plant… go figure. Working on it.

I went climbing at the A-Hills last weekend. With 5 beautiful women to lead the climbs … I got in tons of climbing till I couldn’t take it anymore. A brisk hike to “the stone house” on Sunday finished me off.
The last time I was there was for the “Brutus of Wyde” memorial celebration. The old house is holding up well considering the environment. Needs some roofing repair.

and Lori… a few years back you were wondering about Tesla. Go ahead and get one -“the spaceship” did really really well on the sandy, bumpy, rocky roads.

One more thing… A-Hills camping is now reduced by about 75%…. Sad. I guess the FS, BLM’s new tactic works! Close all the campgrounds, then when folks find another place to go to, close that off too. They (FS,BLM) claim it’s to “save the plant life” ??????!!!!! I guess they don’t know that the plants grow from the Antelope Valley all the way north, to way past Bosie. Go figure.

Go climbing

Guy Keeseewrote:

Good try Lori!
lots to learn when growing things, takes time (years) to become proficient at it.
I have found that growing herbs is pretty simple and fresh ones really improve recipes.
Do some EZ stuff- Radishes, Carrots etc. You get quick feedback and fresh ones taste amazingly sweet. Jan grows hot peppers- gets bushels of them. I grow hot peppers and get like 3 peppers per plant… go figure. Working on it.

I went climbing at the A-Hills last weekend. With 5 beautiful women to lead the climbs … I got in tons of climbing till I couldn’t take it anymore. A brisk hike to “the stone house” on Sunday finished me off.
The last time I was there was for the “Brutus of Wyde” memorial celebration. The old house is holding up well considering the environment. Needs some roofing repair.

and Lori… a few years back you were wondering about Tesla. Go ahead and get one -“the spaceship” did really really well on the sandy, bumpy, rocky roads.

One more thing… A-Hills camping is now reduced by about 75%…. Sad. I guess the FS, BLM’s new tactic works! Close all the campgrounds, then when folks find another place to go to, close that off too. They (FS,BLM) claim it’s to “save the plant life” ??????!!!!! I guess they don’t know that the plants grow from the Antelope Valley all the way north, to way past Bosie. Go figure.

Go climbing

Wait! I thought your climbing career was over. Done. Finished forever!  I thought you were going to take up lounge chair sitting.    So much for that idea!  Really glad you had a getaway, Guy. Hope you are refreshed and ready to continue on. 

re the Tesla. I think we were worried about charging. On a typical 600 mile trip home, what are we in for? I heard tales of long lines and hours long waits just to get a free pump. Also, what if we had a power outage at home of several days? Are we with a dead car in the meantime?  I really WANTED to get a Tesla. 

Tony now has issues with Elon. I told him he has to get over it.  

Left and right depend on which way you're facing. North and south remain the same.

Just beginning to ramp up my climbing once again after 20 years of neglect (raising kids who are now climbing partners).  Very comfortable and happy to be leading Gunks 5.8s.  I think I appreciate climbing more now than I did as a young punk.