New and Experienced climbers over 50 ##24

I am an ice climber. i don't worry about that shit ;) Ben and Jerrys baby :)

Has anyone found Wordle to be a little tougher this week?

Nick. You know those shows where people swap locales and houses for awhile?  I’ll come spend a few weeks climbing your ice (I’ll need serious guidance), you guys come climb Josh.  This would make a great show. (Probably comedy… or tragedy). 

Lori Milaswrote:

I was really just enjoying the polar differences between Tony and me in almost everything.  Who here is more different than alike in their relationship?  

Oh boy! This is Barbara doing her opening lift at the US Powerlifting Association Nationals last July in Vegas. It's a "gimme" squat at 286. Squat is her weakest lift, long femurs. If she nails her form to perfection she'll post a respectable but not outstanding number. BUT: She went on to bench 242.5 and deadlift over 400, to bring in a total of over 930 pounds, placing her squarely in the #3 spot internationally in her age group, open weight class, for as long as they have been keeping records. This won her the title of best lifter, women's masters, at the meet. Masters class is 45 yrs and up. It's a very competitive field, you don't see weak masters lifters at the USPA Nationals, they're all seasoned competitors. At this level of competition the weak one's fell out of the ranks a long time ago. Basically, at that meet she crushed accomplished lifters 20 years her juniors. Next meet is this July in New Orleans. Her coach has her on track to add 30 to the deadlift, add 10 or so to the already outstanding bench, and up the squat a little. If nothing goes wrong this could put her in all time world record masters women's status. 

Fortunately, I can out run her... 

So, it's safe to say that Barbara and I are polar opposites in many ways, and certainly at first glance. What we share, what bonds us, is cerebral. Jan, stop laughing!! I can hear you from here   .

I've had some great friendships, those with people like Guy and Jan endure even as we see less of each other. And I've had some great romances (Jan, stop laughing!!), but I've never enjoyed another person's company as I do Barbara's, and I can say that we've never had a real fight. And since she's willing to move up to a ranch in Wyoming with me she must think I'm okay too...

Carl Schneiderwrote:

I've been hanging around.  Checking in every now and again.  I sort of get lost in all the conversation about things I have no idea about, such as skiing, different areas in the US ect.  I go to Nowra in three weeks for two weeks of sports climbing so I'm trying to get fit; I want to get back to the shape I was in 5 years ago (in the picture) so I've been climbing four days a week, leading outdoors and in the gym and indoor bouldering.  About to go to the bouldering gym and try and send the problem in the video without cutting my feet!!

https://youtu.be/K0v0I14NcOY

So like do u think that a large mass of muscles like are the core of your Climbing?   I've said it before. "when my father and I were training for MC we like both did 30 pullups with 30 lbs until 90 reps. This is the falsely. I've been 145 lbs through my life (well screw that. before marriage lol. The only way to train for climbing is like just do it every day.

Old lady Hwrote:

Any of you using an air fryer regularly? How much can you do with one? Thinking of a friend who isn't able to cook where he lives, besides microwaving.

I know we got lots of foodies on here, including good to great cooks, and a chef or two too, perhaps?

Best, Helen

Helen, Air fryers don't really fry.  They don't use cooking oil.  They're basically a tabletop convection oven.  There's a heating element and a fan that blows hot air all around the food.  I think they're a little gimmicky, but could be great for someone with limited cooking opportunities (like your friend...).   Think of it as a "turbo" toaster oven. 

A microwave, an air fryer and an induction hot plate might be good choice for your friend.  (Years ago, I used to boulder/camp at Hueco every winter for about a month.  I got pretty good at Coleman stove/ toaster oven cooking.)

I did have some questions about a photo of food from the J Beard award Bakery you posted back in "Geezer climbers #23".  The bowl in the middle looks like a saffron flan or custard, Lower left some sort of tort with a meringue; but, I'm can't tell what the large upper dish at the top is. Maybe dumplings with a sauce? Looked interesting.

ed 

Wordel has been tough lately. Some really obscure words.  Naturally I try to come up with more difficult words as starters now knowing that it won't be a normal word. Naturally today it's a normal word.  Has anyone ever gotten it first try? I have gotten it in two tries five times on my current account. I lost my old account when I got the new phone last fall. 

ed esmondwrote:

Helen, Air fryers don't really fry.  They don't use cooking oil.  They're basically a tabletop convection oven.  There's a heating element and a fan that blows hot air all around the food.  I think they're a little gimmicky, but could be great for someone with limited cooking opportunities (like your friend...).   Think of it as a "turbo" toaster oven. 

Definitely gimmicky, we just happened to need a new toaster oven and it came with a fryer basket. Roasted veggies, premade fries, fishsticks!, reheating old pizza, all excellent uses of the frier pan. Turbo indeed. I still make sweet potato fries in the regular oven, they are better with oil and chopped onions mixed on the pan(which I can do in the toaster oven without the air fry basket)

I've been about 15-20lbs over "fight weight" for years now, at first my climbing suffered, then all the sudden my crappy footwork got better, I started climbing faster and now am climbing almost as hard as BITD. It helps not going out for greasy butter drenched food cause if I did it would be 20-40lbs extra.

Kristian Solemwrote:

Oh boy! This is Barbara doing her opening lift at the US Powerlifting Association Nationals last July in Vegas. It's a "gimme" squat at 286. Squat is her weakest lift, long femurs. If she nails her form to perfection she'll post a respectable but not outstanding number. BUT: She went on to bench 242.5 and deadlift over 400, to bring in a total of over 930 pounds, placing her squarely in the #3 spot internationally in her age group, open weight class, for as long as they have been keeping records. This won her the title of best lifter, women's masters, at the meet. Masters class is 45 yrs and up. It's a very competitive field, you don't see weak masters lifters at the USPA Nationals, they're all seasoned competitors. At this level of competition the weak one's fell out of the ranks a long time ago. Basically, at that meet she crushed accomplished lifters 20 years her juniors. Next meet is this July in New Orleans. Her coach has her on track to add 30 to the deadlift, add 10 or so to the already outstanding bench, and up the squat a little. If nothing goes wrong this could put her in all time world record masters women's status. 

Fortunately, I can out run her... 

So, it's safe to say that Barbara and I are polar opposites in many ways, and certainly at first glance. What we share, what bonds us, is cerebral. Jan, stop laughing!! I can hear you from here   .

I've had some great friendships, those with people like Guy and Jan endure even as we see less of each other. And I've had some great romances (Jan, stop laughing!!), but I've never enjoyed another person's company as I do Barbara's, and I can say that we've never had a real fight. And since she's willing to move up to a ranch in Wyoming with me she must think I'm okay too...

I love this, Kris! Maybe someday you’ll post a picture of Barbara when she’s not lifting?  Your post really touched me.

When Tony and I were just getting to know each other long distance, he in Chicago and me in Sacramento, he was trying to understand the whole climbing thing and he said “I bet when you find the right man you won’t be interested in climbing.“ I was so offended and I knew he was wrong, but he was also the guy that would tell me   “Get out there and climb and don’t leave nothing on the table.“   And now he practically pushes me out the door even while saying that in his entire life, no one he knew ever thought about rock climbing. So I love that we are so different that together we make a whole. He was raised with muscle cars, a huge Italian family and a lot of food. I think the key is just a generous spirit toward each other. Maybe it’s not about how similar or different two people are, but just how much love and acceptance you can bring to the relationship. As you said Kris about you and Barbara, Tony and I have never fought. Things that would’ve been a dealbreaker’s when we were 30 just don’t even matter today. That’s pretty amazing.

Windy here. I’m learning to enjoy the sound of it as we fall asleep.  

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Wordel has been tough lately. Some really obscure words.  Naturally I try to come up with more difficult words as starters now knowing that it won't be a normal word. Naturally today it's a normal word.  Has anyone ever gotten it first try? I have gotten it in two tries five times on my current account. I lost my old account when I got the new phone last fall. 

Agree.  While my win % is 98, in the past week I've had two 5's and one 6.  And "beset", who ever uses that?

Idaho Bobwrote:

Agree.  While my win % is 98, in the past week I've had two 5's and one 6.  And "beset", who ever uses that?

I generally do better with more obscure words, at least when there are fewer options. It's the ones that have half a dozen equally good solutions that send me down the rabbit hole.

charles pricewrote:

So like do u think that a large mass of muscles like are the core of your Climbing?   I've said it before. "when my father and I were training for MC we like both did 30 pullups with 30 lbs until 90 reps. This is the falsely. I've been 145 lbs through my life (well screw that. before marriage lol. The only way to train for climbing is like just do it every day.

Well, to be honest I haven’t had a large mass of muscles. Ever. In the pic I’m only 65 kilos at best. 

Carl, I would ignore what that troll said. You look great & I like hearing what you are up to. I'm sure most of the folks here do too!

charles pricewrote:

So like do u think that a large mass of muscles like are the core of your Climbing?   I've said it before. "when my father and I were training for MC we like both did 30 pullups with 30 lbs until 90 reps. This is the falsely. I've been 145 lbs through my life (well screw that. before marriage lol. The only way to train for climbing is like just do it every day.

ummm...what?

Russ Wallingwrote:

ummm...what?

It's bot-speak. It's AI after a few drinks.

charles pricewrote:

So like do u think that a large mass of muscles like are the core of your Climbing?   I've said it before. "when my father and I were training for MC we like both did 30 pullups with 30 lbs until 90 reps. This is the falsely. I've been 145 lbs through my life (well screw that. before marriage lol. The only way to train for climbing is like just do it every day.

In the mid 1950s I had a body image problem. Ever see those ads on the back covers of comics, Charles Atlas trying to avert those ruffians at the beach from kicking sand in your face? I too was 145 lbs at over six feet tall. Then I discovered gymnastics and the enticements of body strength feats. Within two years I was 180, and pleasingly muscular. No more self image problems. 

Had I been totally dedicated to climbing I would not have gained the muscle, for it weighs a lot and gravity sucks it down. But at the time I found that being that muscular only aided my climbing. You could have both since the standards were at least for that time modest. We thought that 5.9 and then 5.10 were hard. 

"The past is a distant land, they do things differently there".

John, you were climbing/bouldering much harder than 10 in those days—just that few at the time realized it.

Mark Frumkinwrote:

Carl, I would ignore what that troll said. You look great & I like hearing what you are up to. I'm sure most of the folks here do too!

Cheers. I mean, I’m quite chuffed really he seemed to think I had ‘a large mass of muscles’.  Ever seen these two guys climb? Thor from Eric Karlson Climbing on YT and Jason Momoa.
I don’t train hardly at all but the idea you should climb ‘every day’ is just, dare I say it, stupid.

John Gillwrote:

In the mid 1950s I had a body image problem. Ever see those ads on the back covers of comics, Charles Atlas trying to avert those ruffians at the beach from kicking sand in your face? I too was 145 lbs at over six feet tall. Then I discovered gymnastics and the enticements of body strength feats. Within two years I was 180, and pleasingly muscular. No more self image problems. 

Had I been totally dedicated to climbing I would not have gained the muscle, for it weighs a lot and gravity sucks it down. But at the time I found that being that muscular only aided my climbing. You could have both since the standards were at least for that time modest. We thought that 5.9 and then 5.10 were hard. 

"The past is a distant land, they do things differently there".

Also, not my ENTIRE life revolves around climbing. I’m a vain animal and want to look good, les saggy, less like a cross between Grandpa Simpson and Iggy Pop.
https://youtu.be/RVwdLuZYjH0

John Gillwrote:

 But at the time I found that being that muscular only aided my climbing. You could have both since the standards were at least for that time modest. We thought that 5.9 and then 5.10 were hard. 

"The past is a distant land, they do things differently there".

Haha John, yes, the rest of us thought 5.9 and 5.10 were hard.  You were climbing multiple grades beyond those "hard" standards.

I'll say it again: never since then has anyone been so far ahead of the pack in terms of sheer difficulty climbed; yours was a unique moment in climbing history and one unlikely to be repeated given how many top-rank climbers there are now.

Congratulations, by the way, on being made an honorary AAC member in spite of never needing bottled oxygen for any of your ascents.  (I know, the Jenny Lake boulders make their own weather, so there's that.)

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Also, not my ENTIRE life revolves around climbing. I’m a vain animal and want to look good, les saggy, less like a cross between Grandpa Simpson and Iggy Pop.
https://youtu.be/RVwdLuZYjH0

Carl, I’d like to say, as a heterosexual male, I’ve always had a giant man-crush for Iggy Pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQvUBf5l7Vw