New and Experienced climbers over 50 #20

If I were a kid I'd run screaming. Just kidding. The gut's a pussycat in a devil's skin...

Kristian Solemwrote:

If I were a kid I'd run screaming. Just kidding. The gut's a pussycat in a devil's skin...

Funny story- true even.
The other day while doing my “PT Bouldering” by Turlock, all the young dudes were their doing the hard problems. Andrew Rock’s 5 year old- Russell- was watching me -then he followed me up my “problems” in his tennis shoes! Little Elery (7yo daughter of Rocks) joined in the fun! So I switched boulders to one that was only about 9 feet tall but steeper, but with edges to stand on. “Rusty” hit the wall cause of his lack of shoes. Elery just ran up the problems because she had her boots on… Rusty got mad and yelled at Andrew “You forgot to bring MY boots- I need them!” “Go get them, now!” … Andrew answers back “I didn’t forget them, you were to lazy to go back to the room and grab them… so don’t blame me.”  So I show Russell a little dimple he is missing and another little edge close to the top to use to grab the top… Elery runs a lap and shows him the edge also, as she runs another lap. Russell tried again and slid down onto the pad. He starts crying some, because “if I had my shoes I could do it” 

At this point DeMeat walks over and says “Russell remember there is no crying when bouldering” “you need to bring your shoes every time you come to Stoney” 

So Russell and I are sitting on the pad a little later- he has his juice box, I a Mondelo- and I asked him “Rusty, do you cry when other games are not going your way- like hide n seek?”  With all the conviction of a 4 yo he says “Climbing is not a game!”
DaMeat looks at him and answers- “of course climbing is a game, if all you wanted was to get to the top you could walk up the back…” 

Russell has this look on his face, showing some confusion. Then he looked at me and said, in a forceful voice. “I’ll bring my shoes next Tuesday and show you” … I told him “That’s a deal”
Next Tuesday is tomorrow… I had better bring my “A” game.

To Add: Russel and Elery are 3rd generation climbers. Grand parents all climb, Parents both climb, the climbing is cooked into their DNA … 

End of story 

Kristian Solemwrote:

Da Meat gets around. Here he is at Levy's B'Day party, Cactus Flats, Sierra South...

Kris… Remember WE don’t talk about ESS aka Cactus Flats on the web… 

Guy Keeseewrote:

Kris… Remember WE don’t talk about ESS aka Cactus Flats on the web… 

I'll keep the GPS co-ordinates under wraps...

I don't think it matters if you tell people where it is. There is pretty much good bouldering/climbing starting just north of Red Mountain till you run out of time or into Neveda. 

Todd Berlier wrote:

Great story Guy!

Thanks Todd. Hanging with Rock’s children is giving me a new perspective.
I think I had better bring my A game on Tuesday!

I had one of those very rare but most feared low blood sugars while climbing the other day and this one caused all the alarms to go off, the one on my insulin pump and the one on my phone down on the ground and my belayer, Chris, yelled up “hey are you OK up there?“. I decided this was an opportunity to see if I could handle this while tied in and off the ground and I did a great job! Some of these little victories are confidence boosters. I have avoided multi pitch and big outings for this very reason.  I was able to pull a 7-Up out of my chalk bag and pop open some glucose gels and hang for a few minutes, and then carry on.  Sorry it happened but glad I have figured out how to handle it. 

That’s fantastic Lori! Helps to know you can manage if need be. That bad antibiotic reaction I had a few weeks ago caused a hypoglycemic crash - it gave me a whole new respect for what you go through being diabetic. It was really scary and I can’t even imagine feeling that way in the middle of a route. Good job!

Lori Milaswrote:

I had one of those very rare but most feared low blood sugars while climbing the other day and this one caused all the alarms to go off, the one on my insulin pump and the one on my phone down on the ground and my belayer, Chris, yelled up “hey are you OK up there?“. I decided this was an opportunity to see if I could handle this while tied in and off the ground and I did a great job! Some of these little victories are confidence boosters. I have avoided multi pitch and big outings for this very reason.  I was able to pull a 7-Up out of my chalk bag and pop open some glucose gels and hang for a few minutes, and then carry on.  Sorry it happened but glad I have figured out how to handle it. 

Fabulous news.
I climbed for many years with Craig Olin (RIP) who was- I believe was a type 2- (had it from birth)- Craig did not have much technology to help him control it. We did a few grade 5 routes together and I remember he would stick his finger and then “shoot up” in the morning before climbing. He always had a spare bag with him with hard candy, honey packs, candy bars and dried “Wyler Lemonade”
He told me he preferred to keep it in check by practicing “clean living” and a steady regimen of exercise. We also did a bunch of back packing and he claimed he was most “even” when living on a diet of Trout, wild onions and rice. We shared a bunch of adventures and I miss him. 

Lori- you need to get “The Fish” to dust off the blueprints and make some more of the “beer can” holders he made. They held the cans on the back of your harness for ready access.

O-well I must get going- PT in one hour then I need to get psyched to go bouldering- Russell will be looking to school me this evening.

Later 

Edit: Erika that’s great news about your injury healing. We old folks sure are fragile! Infection is a killer. If we were all living 100 years ago- most of US would already be toast. 

I had a beautiful day out today… it’s all about the blue sky and lovely rock. And friendship.

Kris is here and what a treat that is! We took a little hike together behind the Sentinel looked at some routes you all have climbed and all I can say is geez! 

While we were back there I saw more routes that I wanted to climb and I can already see Bob vigorously shaking his head no. There’s usually a really good reason for that. But as long as we were back there I could see steep face climbs that I don’t think have ever been climbed and I would like to try.  We would need some time to clear all the rubbish out there… This makes me sad I think it should be forever maintained and enshrined.  We made our way back to Bikini whale and no part of me would ever want to climb that so glad there’s something I’m willing to take a pass on.  

Anyway Kris is here to roam and reconnect with Joshua Tree and take pictures and I get to finally get to know one of you guys at least a little bit and I hope more to come.

Where’s Carl?  Over his depression I hope.  

Everyone is so quiet! I’m still a little worried about Carl… Carl are you there?   

I really enjoyed palling around with Kris for a few hours out in the park. I appreciate getting to see this beloved place through his eyes. I don’t mean to be presumptuous at all, I am a newish climber and could not touch the routes he climbed, but I felt a new kind of kinship with a guy who dedicated so much of his life to climbing. Maybe unlike other lifestyle sports climbing  doesn’t require being great or racking up achievements … It does require stoke and a certain reverence for nature and rock. And long after we stop climbing we remain climbers, so we recognize this in each other.

So Kris mentioned a route put up by Scott Cosgrove called New Deal 14a, and it’s in an area I don’t know if I have visited before--Little Hunk. I find it amazing that there was some debate on whether this route was a 14a or a 13d… Certainly a conversation I will never grasp.    How could you possibly distinguish the two???  I still barely comprehend what comes after 10b. Maybe I can get out there with Bob and have a look at that miracle route but I do see pretty wonderous routes on either side that maybe I could climb on top rope.

It was interesting watching a little video of Scott Cosgrove commenting on his own routes and if you didn’t know it was him, certainly no longer the guy in pink tights and long hair, he just looks like a guy . A guy with a ton of achievements in his past and even more wisdom and insight in the present. A climber. 

Today I'm making bone broth... this is a 48 hour process.  Bones roast in the oven for awhile, then into the stock pot with onion, wine, vinegar, herbs for as many hours as you can stand it.  I freeze it in small batches for use later.  Also, today I'll be smoking a rack of ribs, which turns out to be my forte.  I have been trying different rubs and mixes of wood chips, and I'm starting to feel like the expert smoker.  I like to put a dish of baked beans on the below rack and let them simmer all day, too... with plenty of molasses and brown sugar and bacon.  Beyond that, fresh corn would be great... I don't think we're in that season yet, might substitute greens.  

Also... I'm just fed up with the bottles of vitamins and glandular supplements in our kitchen, it's my fault, I just buy them for a reason, usually, and then they sit.  I rechecked my minimal list of supps, and am banishing the rest to the garage.  One thing, however, I noticed a huge change in Tony with the addition of K2.  I had read for years that we should never take Vitamin D alone... it pyramids with A and K2.  They have to be taken together, or you run risk of creating shortages or worse.  Tony bruises easily, and those bruises do not heal.  At this moment, all the bruises are healed, and his skin is beautiful... like a baby's butt.    It's a profound difference, so that one is a keeper.  

my back gets worse not better... 

Top-rope soloing last night and my primary device failed; it was pilot error.  However, I have two backups and the next one caught me.  First time I've ever had that occur.  Maybe I'm too old?  Maybe I need to have my driver's license rechecked?  Where's my diaper?  Old.

Lori my mouth actually starting watering as I read about your ribs!

Lori Milaswrote:

I had a beautiful day out today… it’s all about the blue sky and lovely rock. And friendship.

Kris is here and what a treat that is! We took a little hike together behind the Sentinel looked at some routes you all have climbed and all I can say is geez! 

While we were back there I saw more routes that I wanted to climb and I can already see Bob vigorously shaking his head no. There’s usually a really good reason for that. But as long as we were back there I could see steep face climbs that I don’t think have ever been climbed and I would like to try.  We would need some time to clear all the rubbish out there… This makes me sad I think it should be forever maintained and enshrined.  We made our way back to Bikini whale and no part of me would ever want to climb that so glad there’s something I’m willing to take a pass on.  

Anyway Kris is here to roam and reconnect with Joshua Tree and take pictures and I get to finally get to know one of you guys at least a little bit and I hope more to come.

Where’s Carl?  Over his depression I hope.  

I can testify that Lori and Tony know a thing or two about hospitality...   

Kenneth Campbell wrote:

What device?  Why did it fail?  

Please tell. Enquiring minds want to know.  I TR solo on a gri gri all the time and never had a problem, but I don’t push it.  Was learning to use a shunt a la Dave Macleod but then there was thread here about the rope coming out and the guy cratering so I threw the shunt away. 

I am all warm and fuzzy with an old fat rope and a gri gri. for TR soloing. If it's a pain in the butt to feed through you Know it going to lock up no problem. A new shiny slippery 9.8 scared the crap out of me... 

Lori Milaswrote:

Also... I'm just fed up with the bottles of vitamins and glandular supplements in our kitchen, it's my fault, I just buy them for a reason, usually, and then they sit.  I rechecked my minimal list of supps, and am banishing the rest to the garage.  One thing, however, I noticed a huge change in Tony with the addition of K2.  I had read for years that we should never take Vitamin D alone... it pyramids with A and K2.  They have to be taken together, or you run risk of creating shortages or worse.  Tony bruises easily, and those bruises do not heal.  At this moment, all the bruises are healed, and his skin is beautiful... like a baby's butt.    It's a profound difference, so that one is a keeper.  

Lori, supplements are a pain, and expensive.  But so is modern dentistry.  Do you brush and floss your teeth daily?  God, that is a pain, but I’ve been doing it for 40+ years and have all my teeth. I also go get my teeth cleaned twice a year.  My teeth are no better than 40 years ago, so maybe I’m wasting my money.

How about home insurance?  I’ve been paying over a thousand dollars a year forever and have never used it once.  

Point is, if you believe in it (and I do) the right supplements will keep you healthier than your peers.  Research it so that you believe in it.  My peers are falling apart.  Maybe it is not the supplements, but I’ll keep wasting money. At some point we have more money than time. 

Ward Smithwrote:

How about home insurance?  I’ve been paying over a thousand dollars a year forever and have never used it once.  

Point is, if you believe in it (and I do) the right supplements will keep you healthier than your peers.  Research it so that you believe in it.  My peers are falling apart.  Maybe it is not the supplements, but I’ll keep wasting money. At some point we have more money than time. 

Ditto on the home ins thing.

I am not falling apart, yet, Ward.  We are the same age.  :)   But I do take supplements.  Just not all the same ones as you.

Kenneth Campbell wrote:

What device?  Why did it fail?  

Just missed clipping the swing side of the Climbing Technology ROLLNLOCK into the locking carabiner.  From above, like when the carabiner is on the (backed up) belay loop, the device looks quite similar when it is correctly setup and when it is not setup correctly.  See images. (1) carabiner and device. (2) correctly setup. (3 & 4) incorrectly setup like did and from the top, it almost looks good.  My first backup (same device) stopped me pretty quickly and the next backup (micro-traxion) wasn't even close to being activated.