New and Experienced climbers over 50 #21

Wow you all are sure a wordy bunch!

New start... #21 Seems like a good time to lay out some fresh goals and visions?  #21.  Personally, I could use a brand new beginning.  Would anyone care to drop a few new goals, and maybe check in on them throughout this thread?  

In no particular order:

Competitive Sleeping   (This is actually a thing.  In addition to blackout curtains, I'm adding a weighted blanket.  Why is a weighted blanket at the top of the best sleepers lists?)

Make a better breakfast burrito with GF tortillas

Climb 1-2 letter grades harder by June of 2023.  I'd be real happy if I was a solid 10b climber, throw in a few 10c's. Dream on.  

Be a better friend. Make more time with family.

Understand Heart Rate Variability more, and improve mine.  Seems that is the key... even to better sleep.  

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Bob has often said that the best training for a route is to climb the route.  I think he's right.  How could you ever get the exact right muscle strength and coordination at a gym?  That's the beauty of rock climbing (real rock climbing, on rock).  No two routes are ever the same.  Over time you wind up training every part of your body because no hold or crimp or smear is the same.  You can't formulate it on a piece of equipment.  

Also, it forces you to use your brain and memorize.  One thing has majorly improved for me since i started climbing... quick judgment/reflexes, memory.  

There's a very cool route on Turtle Rock called Hand In The Cookie Jar.  Besides a great flake to layback on, there's a ramp that requires a hard reach and pull down, belly up on some edges.  This is Bob's drawing.  It has stayed with me because it was within my ability, so I could exert all my energy and focus on the climb itself.  No drama.  Lots of good fun.

I'd like to find a great project to work on next season... an intriguing line, something to really want... within possible reach.  

Lori, go to red rocks and get up something long and fun.   something like  Group Therapy, Tunnel Vision, possibly Frogland. If that goes well then Dream Of Wild Turkeys or Price of Darkness is in order.  

Nick, you have the right idea!  Therre is somethng about good, long moderate routes which is so satisfying.  The journey, lots of nice low stress moves, and of course the view from the top.  
Cragging, pulling hard on 6 to 12 shorter routes, is satifying in its own way but not the same. And generally more socialable. Sometimes overly so here in the NE!
Luckily one does not preclude the other! Another wonderful aspect of this silly sport of ours!

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Lori, go to red rocks and get up something long and fun.   something like  Group Therapy, Tunnel Vision, possibly Frogland. If that goes well then Dream Of Wild Turkeys or Price of Darkness is in order.  

Bad idea. For openers the Prince and Dreams are going to blow her out of the water. Secondly, the diabetic thing is pretty serious and half way up any of those is no place for a crisis that will turn into a mega epic.  Maybe start with Walk on the Wild Side and go from there. 

Russ Wallingwrote:

Bad idea. For openers the Prince and Dreams are going to blow her out of the water. Secondly, the diabetic thing is pretty serious and half way up any of those is no place for a crisis that will turn into a mega epic.  Maybe start with Walk on the Wild Side and go from there. 

No sh*T.  About once every iteration of this thread someone gives Lori the (bad) advice of going to Red Rocks and doing some multi-pitch climb they think is OK.  Looks as if we got it out of the way early on in this iteration.  Fortunately, Lori is a smart cookie and knows better than to take said advice.

I confessed to Bob the other day that the reason I persisted so hard on Tiptoe was because I knew of another person who couldn’t do it. So much for my soft and fluffy hippie self. I am competitive it turns out and sometimes it takes a guy like Bob to yank the chain and call me back.  It’s hard to rein in on all the things I wish I could do and would do if I would ignore hard facts.  but can I just be grateful for the 9000+ routes I have left to climb here in this lifetime? 

Having said that my friend Dierdre is in RedRocks a lot visiting her son and new grand baby and if you know her then you know she has a retinue and I could probably call on them for some loving assist up shorter routes.

In a way I am currently grateful for my age which serves as an excuse for not doing catastrophic “Epics“ but also I am so full to overflowing right here and so happy to be in such a vast Wonderland and at least for now I don’t have to uproot Tony and force him to sit in a hotel while I’m out climbing. It’s all a gift.

This coming week I will be climbing in Truckee and may be up at the Leap.  Hope to make it to Pipeworks and see how indoor climbing feels and meet with my very favorite Ryan. Does this count? Todd will you be around for some gym climbing l?  Thanks Russ and Tim.    Nick... thanks for the thoughts.  

Yo. Following on from the other thread about vigorous exercise Vs moderate, I find it’s fun to work hard. Maybe that’s a German thing? I hammer my body and it shows with all the snapped tendons. I’d rather go out fighting than sitting watching TV. The last few years of one’s life are shitty anyway.  

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Yo. Following on from the other thread about vigorous exercise Vs moderate, I find it’s fun to work hard. Maybe that’s a German thing? I hammer my body and it shows with all the snapped tendons. I’d rather go out fighting than sitting watching TV. 

Carl, I'd say train hard but a tad short of getting injured.  At our age, things take a long time to heal, and are setbacks.  
During our Northern winter, I like ptting in long gym sessions; 500 feet not incl warmup and cooldown is always my goal, even if I do not make it every time.

I believe training, indoors and outdoors, properly adjusted to one's needs and weaknesses, is beneficial. Strong, younger climbers, if they can afford it, train indoors as well. Even if it is just the hangboard, bouldering, or systems training. Training done right should add to one's baseline fitness, strength, and endurance. Just more arrows in one's quiver when one 'gets real' outdoors.
I have never been passionate enough about a route to project it into submission.  My loss, I guess, because I have a little ADHD in me.  :)  

Note that I suggested Group Therapy and tunnel vision first. and only suggested POD and DOWT if the other stuff went well. Lori likes 10s so just throwing out some 10s to go with the 7s. I guess DOWT is a bad idea because of the traverse but POD is pretty straight forward crimping with bolted belays and easy retreat.

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Lori, go to red rocks and get up something long and fun.   something like  Group Therapy, Tunnel Vision, possibly Frogland. If that goes well then Dream Of Wild Turkeys or Price of Darkness is in order.  

LOL Nick what are you smoking?

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Note that I suggested Group Therapy and tunnel vision first. and only suggested POD and DOWT if the other stuff went well. Lori likes 10s so just throwing out some 10s to go with the 7s. I guess DOWT is a bad idea because of the traverse but POD is pretty straight forward crimping with bolted belays and easy retreat.

Ok , do we have to do the blow by blow?  Angel Food about 45’ uphill hike. Followed by  5-6 pitch routes with no fixed anchors, very difficult to get down in emergency (I did a rescue off Tunnel, it was quite tedious). Group Therapy, a section of offwidth through a bulge, out of sight of a belayer. Descent from that summit down that gulley, long and tedious. Minimum probably 7 hour continuous exercise?

POD and DOWT, at least one hour approach. Rappels (which I don’t think are in her skill set yet).  No cell reception. I could go on…

Starting to amass the stuff for the next trip! This is only part of it. Some big stuff out in the shop, plus, none of the food things or cooler, lol! Or my climbing partner and his modest pile of stuff.

Two and a half weeks is a long time camping, for me. Plus, June, so it will be toasty. Trying to have actual food around gets tricky.

Aw well. Builds character, or some shit like that, right?

Got out on the local rock today. It was fun!.The move of the day was having my knee clear up at my shoulder. Not that I could stand up from there, but still....

Pic of my friend scouting out routes. Of special note is the very green greens across the river. It only looks like that for maybe a week, lol! 

He took some nice pics of me on the rocks, I almost look like I'm doing something!

Best, Helen

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Note that I suggested Group Therapy and tunnel vision first. and only suggested POD and DOWT if the other stuff went well. Lori likes 10s so just throwing out some 10s to go with the 7s. I guess DOWT is a bad idea because of the traverse but POD is pretty straight forward crimping with bolted belays and easy retreat.

I don't think Lori does multipitch due to her diabetes.

Old lady Hwrote:

Starting to amass the stuff for the next trip! This is only part of it. Some big stuff out in the shop, plus, none of the food things or cooler, lol! Or my climbing partner and his modest pile of stuff.

Two and a half weeks is a long time camping, for me. Plus, June, so it will be toasty. Trying to have actual food around gets tricky.

Aw well. Builds character, or some shit like that, right?

Got out on the local rock today. It was fun!.The move of the day was having my knee clear up at my shoulder. Not that I could stand up from there, but still....

Pic of my friend scouting out routes. He took some nice pics of me on the rocks, but MP doesn't like whatever sorta file they are. 

Best, Helen

Have fun Helen! You had a long winter so a little bit of summer won’t hurt. Hope you take lots of pictures and don’t forget the shoe cam!  

Thanks Phylp.  Rappels are fine and I keep an inReach (satellite) with me since I’m alone so often.  But your Descriptions of those approaches sound gnarly.  

Little by little… more things are possible. (For us all).  I’ve been trying to find out if there is a mini-Sugarloaf on the trail to the main one in Kyburz.  I know I saw a huge bolted rock formation that might have some good climbing.  As I recall… a little welcome shade there. Also, climbing over the river would be fun. 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Note that I suggested Group Therapy and tunnel vision first. and only suggested POD and DOWT if the other stuff went well. Lori likes 10s so just throwing out some 10s to go with the 7s. I guess DOWT is a bad idea because of the traverse but POD is pretty straight forward crimping with bolted belays and easy retreat.

Give it up bro… we know the routes and all they entail.  Super bad idea.

Todd Berlier wrote:

ugh, as much as I hate to admit it...(so hard to type this)I am siding with Russ on this pile-on, and that really hurts my pride more than being downgraded. 

The truth will set you free.

While the search and rescue helicopter crew here in Red Rock is world class, I'm pretty sure Lori isn't interested in the prospect of going for that ride.....

Feeling a little strange about all the commentary.  In the ordinary world no one knows about my being diabetic, unless they might happen to see me glance at my insulin pump. I hate excuses around climbing--I don't want to blame anything for my own (lack of) abilities. It's usually no big deal, I know what I can or can't do.  In climbing situations I let whoever know and give brief instructions, an emergency has never come close to happening, but it just seems a courtesy... other than that, it's not a topic.  

How's everyone doing here?  It's beautiful weather, the great outdoors is calling.... Nick, I love your pictures.  

I'm pre-planning some climbing in Truckee and the Leap next week.  Phantom Spires is an option... the place just looks eerie.  Looks like Sugarloaf will be too hot... but I see that familiar name, Tony Yaniro again on 12+ routes at the Loaf.  Can I get a little history on him?  Quick search on MP shows him on a route in Wonderland on Warpath... magnificent.   

Next pic was of Randy Leavitt... another climber I know nothing about, on Mohawk.

If I were going to stretch my limits, it would be to spend a lot of time in Wonderland.  I'd be willing to take a little extra risk to climb Figures.  Maybe some day... 

Reflecting this morning on the long journey to become a climber.  I like that it's taking years, not days.  I used to play pool with a guy, who consistently always won by a ball or two -- and I decided to find a pool shark and take a lesson on the sly.  We had a great afternoon... he tucked a $20 dollar bill under my arm pit and said 'hold it there'--no chicken wing shooting.  What surprised me was that he said he was still coaching professional pool players 20 years and more... it's a never ending process.  

Ok , I guess my lack of judgement on this topic is one of the reasons I am not a guide. and I did eat a brownie last night...  seriously lori you are climbing all these 10s so i just got stoked and recommended some of my favorite climbs and completely forgot your  diabetic issue.