New and Experienced climbers over 50 #22

The lip is at about eye level.

I took this from the Staten Island Ferry crossing New York Harbor in 1972. The structures were built, but the interior spaces were still being finished.

They were the pride of the NY skyline. Who could imagine what was to come.

It's hard to believe that it's been 21 years since that morning when Jan was pounding on the door to my room and saying, with some urgency, "Kris, you need to get out here, the world's a different place!" 

From the Brooklyn Bridge.

Kristian Solemwrote:

I took this from the Staten Island Ferry crossing New York Harbor in 1972. The structures were built, but the interior spaces were still being finished.

They were the pride of the NY skyline. Who could imagine what was to come.

It's hard to believe that it's been 21 years since that morning when Jan was pounding on the door to my room and saying, with some urgency, "Kris, you need to get out here, the world's a different place!" 

From the Brooklyn Bridge.

Thanks for posting these up, Kristian.
I have flown in and out of the NY airports and taken Amtrak back-n-forth quite a bit the past 35 years while I have lived in the Northeast. The Twin Towers were such a landmark. I have visited them twice and hung out at Battery Park several tiimes.
We have a personal connection to 9/11. Not a tragic one like others whom we know. We got married on 09/16 that year and the event was not as happy and uplifting as we had expected. And rightfully so in every way. Quite a few of our friends and family were 'trapped' and were not able to attend. While others came up with creative ways to make it. Like flying into PVD (BOS was shutdown for almost a week) and driving up from DC after somehow snagging a rental car.
We flew out to SFO on 09/17 from PVD. SFO was a ghost town and most people there had glazed over eyes. There was an incredible military presence at both PVD and SFO. And a lot of the young soilders looked nervous and yielded semi-automatic weapons. Mendocino and Sanoma counties were almost devoid of tourists and the merchants were thrilled to see us "Bostonians" somehow carrying on. Recall the planes originated from BOS.

The fact that travel has forever changed after 911 hit me hard a few months later when I flew from SIN to JFK via Frankfurt. During the transit at Frankfurt, I was approached by a couple of heavily armed policemen to be "interviewed". I guess I was flagged because I was travelling solo and of "fighting age". There were a lot of questions, and at some point, I really thought I was going to be taken into a room to be searched and further interrogated. But that passed. I was given back my (foreign) passport and told to get back in line to reboard the plane. No explanation was given and certainly no apology, nor was I expecting one.

I have since seen the Freedom Tower from the air and Amtrak several times.  It is stunning and proudly tall (1776 feet).  But to me, there is something very sad about it.  And that is why I have yet to visit Ground Zero after all these years even though it will be an easy day trip for us.

I haven't gone to ground zero either. 

I have a second cousin who's husband was a big wig at Cantor Fitzgerald. He stayed home on the 11th due to the wicked hangover he'd earned at my dad's 70th b'day party the day before. He and my cousin had new twins. By a twist of fate they got to grow up with a dad.

For those who don't know, Cantor Fitzgerald was a big brokerage firm. The lead plane, flown by terrorist Mohammad Atta, crashed straight into their windows in the north tower.

A close friend of my dad's was the manager at the Windows on the World restaurant. They sang together in the choir at St. Thomas Church on 5th Avenue. He went in early that day to catch up on a bunch of paperwork. He was at my dad's party too, but apparently he didn't drink enough.

Another one from the ferry...

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

so far we have not had your smoke here in the NE this year. last year we had a bunch. 

Nick, sunset Sept 10, 2022.   An "undisclosed location" less than 10 miles from your cabin...

Pretty sure someone's "smoke" was involved...

Ed "spark it up, you cheap b@st@rd..." E

Absolutely. I think the very evening  i declared we had not see western  fire smoke it ended up being hazy as heck. 

I ran into this video today of Jordon Canon climbing The Flake free solo.  This was the first video I ever saw of climbing here in Josh, and it both terrified and inspired me.  I just couldn't believe such an outrageous thing could be done.  I still have not climbed the Flake mainly because of the logistical nightmare of setting up a top rope... but I am sure we'll get it done one day.  I don't even care about the chimney... I care about that slab way up there.  

Meanwhile, things are moving slowly here.  I've been in and out of the ER and Urgent Care, with no real idea of what is going on except a pretty strong gut infection and maybe another.  I met my new Gastroenterologist today who had ideas of his own... mainly that he'd like to do an Endoscopy and see if Celiac has become a problem again.  I thought I was being pretty fastidious with gluten free, but Tony thinks we may have had a tiny bit here and there this year.  I know what the text books say... but it's hard to believe that a very few tiny mistakes (like eating french fries out of a McDonald's fryer) could cause this much damage and misery.  But I'm keeping an open mind... maybe the doc is onto something.  I'm also considering a broad spectrum herbal formula that will kill off anything else that got missed by the Flagyl.  

I got a call from my daughter this afternoon telling me that the Mosquito fire has taken a sudden turn towards their house and is now 1 mile away.  We thought that the fire and air teams were holding the line at 4 miles and it was looking good.  Now it looks like it may just sweep on through and take their house.  My daughter and her husband and kids are evacuated and staying in one place, animals scattered out over various friends and shelters.  I wish I could do more for her.  Tough times all around... I'm waiting for the dark cloud to permanently lift.  

I had a experience climbing today that I cannot recall EVER having in my life.  I needed to go into LA to get something and I decided to try to get a workout in at Sender LAX.  A guy was looking for a partner for today so I arranged to hook up with him.  Last night he texted me "I'll be getting there a little early as I need to take the belay test".  I figured he just had never climbed at Sender before.  I showed up and he told me it was only his second day of climbing and he had never belayed before!  I don't think I have ever put my life in the hands of a beginner before. (Not counting when I have taken my nieces and nephews out and assumed I was soloing stuff to get the rope up, even though they were using the Gri-Gri to "belay".)

Needless I say, I checked that he had actually passed his belay test and repeated three times "never take your brake hand off the rope".  And the first route I did, I warned him I was going to jump off without warning.  Which I did.  But it all went OK and he had an amazing time and I got a great workout.  I basically gave him a 1-1 climbing lesson, with brief history of free climbing thrown in, for the next 3 hours.  He was a very nice young man and climbed very well for his second time.  He's a surfer and lifts, so he's got great balance and is pretty strong. Fun day.

phylp phylp, I'm glad things worked out for someone.

Lori, fingers crossed for your daughter and I hope the docs can figure out what's wrong with you. As we get older, it's one thing after another.  

Sorry you are not feeling well  Lori.  That  fire stuff is crazy.  Hopefully it ends soon. 

Phylp- I’m happy you did not die! Lol … 

Lori- good luck with “it”. Not really knowing WTF is wrong is hard to live with. The Flake…. All you need to do is have one of your stud climbing buddies (Brother Bob) lead the sucker - you follow and unplug the gear. The bottom is ez if you get out about 7-8 feet and chimney like Clint Eastwood does in “Eiger Sanction”…. One of the Best Climbing Movies ever! If you haven’t watched it do so -it will give you and Tony some giggles.

I just returned from a few days FlyFishing and climbing around Mammoth/Bishop. Getting out of the Furnace of SoCal was the best thing ever!
So good to need a jacket. The fishing went great- the San Joaquin River delivered- but for me wading around on the slippery rocks is murder on the back. We climbed in Pine Creek sort of. I managed to get up some 5.8 face but I failed miserably on a off-with section of 5.8– the legs don’t work like they usta. The season is just getting started in Pine Creek and it was great to meet some young climbers who were stoked to climb and climb some more (and take my young friend Joe climbing who finally got on 5.11) 

OLH… please just cut the entire branch off of that peach tree and send it to me, OK?

So with Summer winding down (winter for Carl) I hope all get out and enjoy the fall - my favorite time of the year.

Mark E Dixonwrote:

A recent video about ulnar nerve entrapment, replying to a couple of posts on the previous thread.

Thanks very much for this, Mark.  This seems great!  I've bookmarked, and will put these stretches into practice.  Much better than what I'd found on my own online.

On another subject:  My wife and I are looking into planning a winter destination with us and her parents.  It's a bit tricky - we'd like to go somewhere with a resort where grandparents/kid will be happy by pool/beach, and have it be close to somewhere my wife and I can go out for one day climbing.  The climbing doesn't have to be world class, just something fun for a day - somewhere new to explore.  Probably sport is best, so as to not have to lug a lot of gear around just for one day of climbing. 

GO

Definitely red rocks.  All grades of sport routes, generally good weather, and every kind of circus available for the non-climbers.  

GabeO… think Tuscon. Tons of great “resorts” for Grands and Kids to have a good time.

And I hear the climbing isn’t that bad too.

Gabe - Puerto Rico

Gabe, Eric beat me to it by a minute or 2--Puerto Rico. We've been down there together twice with friends in February both times and it is a great winter option and easy to get to from NE (as long as you don't get stuck in Logan in an ice storm!!!!).  Good climbing close to San Juan, usually good weather, plenty for the kids and parents. In fact, Eric went to a crag a couple of hours from town which was directly above a nice beach.

I missed out on PR this past Feb.  I like to go in 2023 if circumstances allow. Gabe, Eric, Alan, want to plan a return to PR?

The crag Soon posted looks wild but is pretty limited in terms of routes and quite isolated and a bit far from San Juan. It it s also granite, which is quite unusual for the island. Lots of other more accessible options.

Here I am on the same route as the posing girl. I think I look even better   I’m planing on going next February with my wife, my daughter, son in law, grandson, the other parents in law, and probably a few other miscellaneous folks.  One “interesting” thing is that this web site thinks PR is “international”. The separatists must like that.