New and Experienced climbers over 50 #23

Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer will provide some intriguing info on parasites: where they live, how you get them, how they affect physiology of their hosts.  I won't give too much away, but there are parasites out there that can alter the behavior of their hosts to create a more favorable chance for the life cycle of the parasites.

I don't eat any fruit or veg w/o thoroughly washing it or cooking it; usually both.

Frank Stein wrote:

Carl, I just looked up Nowra…it looks amazing!

Yeah I know! I’ve never been there to climb. I’ve been there when I was in the army to fire surface to air missiles over the ocean. It’s going to be a very long drive from my place.

Carl Schneider wrote:

Yeah I know! I’ve never been there to climb. I’ve been there when I was in the army to fire surface to air missiles over the ocean. It’s going to be a very long drive from my place.

Nice!  Climbing road trips are the shit! We had an Australia trip tentatively planned a couple of years back, but then The Gramps closed to climbing.  We rescheduled to France but were scuppered by COVID. Time to get out internationally again I suppose.

For now, I’m heading out for the weekend to climb NM choss. First nice weekend in a while, so I’m stoked (as are the wife and dog!)

Anyone else have cool trips planned?

 Happy travels and productive sending. 

Just finishing up a couple of weeks at Hueco, then home in time to fly to Catalonia!

Unfortunately, no time to stop and climb at New Mexico crags.
Hopefully next winter!

Finally qualified as a volunteer bouldering guide here at hueco - pretty psyched about that. Five years on the waiting list!

Tough life, Mark!!!! Not that I’m jealous or anything.

Oh man…I have to make it back to Hueco one of these days. It’s just become hard with a dog post-1998 regs.
where in Cataluña?  Climbed in Spain a bunch, but not there. 

Just got the water back in my kitchen sink. time to see if I can find the polar wax.

Carl Schneider wrote:

I’m be been doing a lot of gym leading lately.  Trying to get ready for my upcoming trip to Nowra on the east coast. This is a video of me leading a 5.10c yesterday.
https://youtu.be/OnAjoCGOYd8

Nowra - looks like a great destination for good cragging.
Most of the photos show scenes straight out of New River Gorge. Predominantly horizontal features. Take a look and see if it does the same for yoou, Todd.

Have a great time, Carl. Send great climbs and share fun photo!

Looks it is a 2-hr drive (on the other side of the road!) from Sydney airport, which is one-stop flight from the US for most of us here.

Frank Stein wrote:

Nice!  Climbing road trips are the shit! We had an Australia trip tentatively planned a couple of years back, but then The Gramps closed to climbing.  We rescheduled to France but were scuppered by COVID. Time to get out internationally again I suppose.

For now, I’m heading out for the weekend to climb NM choss. First nice weekend in a while, so I’m stoked (as are the wife and dog!)

Anyone else have cool trips planned?

 Happy travels and productive sending. 

El Potrero in a couple weeks.  I’ve been on the Liver King diet for two days so I’m ready to send!!

Russ Walling wrote:

El Potrero in a couple weeks.  I’ve been on the Liver King diet for two days so I’m ready to send!!

Beer and tacos for me. Standing at base of long term project. Won’t be pretty.

Thinking about Ceuse in late spring. Never been, always wanted to, always intimidated. 

Frank Stein wrote:

Oh man…I have to make it back to Hueco one of these days. It’s just become hard with a dog post-1998 regs.
where in Cataluña?  Climbed in Spain a bunch, but not there. 

Margalef, Siurana, Arboli, Montsant…. The list is almost endless- definitely too many crags to visit them all!

Nowra rock, at least the few bits we visited, seemed a cross between the Red and New. However we had a bit of an epic there.Our campground was across the River/ estuary from the main crags and the most efficient way to get there was to rent a canoe and paddle across. The first day that worked fine. But when we went across on our second morning the tide was up ( estuaries are tidal, had not considered that) and our low angle slab landing spot if the day before was now much steeper. While trying to off-load our gear we managed to tip the canoe and take an involuntary swim. We were able to rescue our selves, the gear, and the boat, but spend a good part of the day ( our last one there) trying to dry out!!! Still what climbs we did there were fun. Seemed more like 3 hours from Sydney and a very long way from there to Arapiles —our main destination.

Alan Rubin wrote:

Nowra rock, at least the few bits we visited, seemed a cross between the Red and New. However we had a bit of an epic there.Our campground was across the River/ estuary from the main crags and the most efficient way to get there was to rent a canoe and paddle across. The first day that worked fine. But when we went across on our second morning the tide was up ( estuaries are tidal, had not considered that) and our low angle slab landing spot if the day before was now much steeper. While trying to off-load our gear we managed to tip the canoe and take an involuntary swim. We were able to rescue our selves, the gear, and the boat, but spend a good part of the day ( our last one there) trying to dry out!!! Still what climbs we did there were fun. Seemed more like 3 hours from Sydney and a very long way from there to Arapiles —our main destination.

Yeah I intend to do the canoe thing too. Hope it goes to plan!

Just remember to pay attention to the tides and the landing on the cliff side of the river. Have fun. I didn’t particularly like the wall with the easier climbs near the descent path from the back way in—but maybe that was because I was still feeling the effects of our swim!!’ I did enjoy Orca and Vandaholics further along the cliff.

Alan Rubin wrote:

Just remember to pay attention to the tides and the landing on the cliff side of the river. Have fun. I didn’t particularly like the wall with the easier climbs near the descent path from the back way in—but maybe that was because I was still feeling the effects of our swim!!’ I did enjoy Orca and Vandaholics further along the cliff.

I’ll check those out, cheers. 

Hey Todd, we’ve got the gout here again and I think Tony is open to some dietary changes. Wasn’t it you who had some kind of a protocol or routine? I’m not sure when we last talked about it but I’d sure like to help Tony if I can. Any tips or advice?

Mark E Dixon wrote:

Margalef, Siurana, Arboli, Montsant…. The list is almost endless- definitely too many crags to visit them all!

Good lord, you moving down there!?  How long are you staying? Sounds fantastic. 

Lori Milas wrote:

Hey Todd, we’ve got the gout here again and I think Tony is open to some dietary changes. Wasn’t it you who had some kind of a protocol or routine? I’m not sure when we last talked about it but I’d sure like to help Tony if I can. Any tips or advice?

Todd's are good advice (I've used cherry juice before).

I really (really) limit my beer consumption.  Hydrate a lot (especially if I can't not have a beer).  Sleep with the feet well covered and warm and maybe even with a hot water bottle. Gout likes a cold joint.  I sleep pretty warm so used to stick my bare feet out the end of the sheets to cool off.  Not any more.

I watch shellfish and organ meats too, but, its really being dehydrated and beer that gets me.  Knock on wood...I've been ok for a bit.  Might also consider a blood test to see how much uric acid you're dealing with.  Had mine checked last fall and I'm a tich high, but, didn't choose to medicate to lower it (not presenting any symptoms).  Caused a rift between me and my former (ha ha) GP.

And maybe drop a few pounds (yeah yeah....)....

Mayo clinic - gout diet

I got out for a few hours with Bob this morning. Had fun on a few routes that are not slab but then had to wrap it up and head home.  

Tony is dealing with the gout.  I have a painful case of dry eye I somehow never identified as such before. I really don’t know what to do about it but I will have to see a doctor this week. Discouraging.

I’ve never been a big Sylvester Stallone fan, but he is incredible in the new series Tulsa King. OMG he is hot. It is really nice to see someone who is older and in my opinion better looking than he was 30 years ago. I’m inspired.