New and Experienced climbers over 50 ##24

Tim Schafstallwrote:

If it's a sport venue, I always do 2 or 3 easy routes to warm up (by easy I mean 5.7 or below, if possible). I try to get at least 10-12 routes in per day, so I can afford having 2-3 warm ups. If trad, I always do one easy climb (or 2 pitches) that I am familiar with, if possible, before venturing onto harder stuff.  In the gym, several routes in the 5.5 to 5.7 range for a warm up.  That's pretty easy to do because I can do 2-3 shorter routes on each rope, then lead a couple easier routes after that.  But my gym sessions tend to last 3-4 hours so I have the time to do that.  Just for comparison purposes, in the gym I'd be projecting 5.11d to 5.12b, so I know my routine is odd (i.e., I don't know many 5.11 climbers who warm up on 5.5  ).  But at 65 years old, warming up is crucial.

Same.  Even tho I am 3 years younger.  :)  Spoiler; I am a big believer of warming up.
I warm up on between 3 and 6 routes. Fewer outdoors, more indoors. Warming up mentally is arguably more important than physically.
My last warmup is almost always about 0.5 number grade easier than my true onsight grade.

Climbing anywhere close to my limit for my 1st or 2nd route has never led to a good day for me.  YMMV.

I always found a solid 15-20 minute hike with a heavy pack to be a good warmup and I'll do a similar routine at the gym. Keeping the heart rate up for 10+ minutes is key for me being sufficiently warm. Shoulder rotation has worked its way into the routine too, usually during the safety meeting!

it’s probably a good thing that I hit my post limit yesterday, because I was about to burst forth with praise and admiration for everybody here in an embarrassing way. Some of the best and wisest and worthy athletes are here on this site and it blows my mind.

Bob mentioned the other day that there’s some 37,000 posters on a bluegill or a perch fishing site and some 7000 on the main Climbing site. I catch flack for saying that I don’t see climbers here in Joshua Tree. Well, I mean there are climbers, of course, but not like in the climbing gym not like in any sport I’ve ever seen. I get so aggravated with tourists and then I realize they are here for their first time, and they’ve come along way and a lot of them wish they could climb, but most never will. 

How fortunate we are. so for all the input on warm-ups, I just want to thank you all for it. There’s so little in books – – and I still want to write a  “climbing for old people” book. From the suggestions here I think I’m going to institute a two bolt warm-up—just climb to a fixed 2nd bolt point wherever we are, lower down, and maybe do it a second time. Often times it’s the first moves off the deck that are the hardest but I’ll just deal with it. 

Someone here acknowledged the mental warm-up, and that’s the part that’s very odd for me. When I first step onto almost any kind of slab, it looks and feels impossible and I start to become overwhelmed. The tiny crimp or edge looks ridiculous and I’m shaky. By the end of the session, I am stepping up on very improbable edges and crimping on everything and I don’t even need a crimp anymore. I’m fine with a little crystal or nothing. So that’s a head space thing. it’s almost like I have to trust my feet again and accept the new rules of gravity that don’t apply on steep faces.  Maybe this is where getting good and stoned comes in. unfortunately, those days are gone for me.

I’ve been asking Bob about some of my favorite routes that are museum pieces now because they’re not safe or accessible. I wish we could take them out of mouthballs, and re-introduce them to the climbing population. Some would be good as new with just an anchor bolt at the top.  One such is Good To The Last Drop. I believe this is a Jan and Dave route.  I enjoyed this it so much... would love to share it with others. I could never persuade anyone to put a top rope on it for me... Nelson finally did.  I think he had to hunt around up there for a place to build an anchor.  And then place a directional.  But it was a memorable climb... and I got to wear my red tshirt. 

—-

Lastly… does anyone here use hemp protein? 

I’ve been asking Bob about some of my favorite routes that are museum pieces now because they’re not safe. I wish we could just take them out of mouthballs, and re-introduce them to the climbing population. Some would be good as new with just an anchor bolt at the top.

I'm not sure to which routes you are referring as Museum climbs, but not having a bolted anchor on top doesn't make them unsafe - just more difficult to toprope. [Edit: yes, Good to the Last Drop is quite run out. You can blame Mike Waugh.] However, replacement of old protection bolts is always desirable, is something that is an ongoing project and should be supported. 

Climbs that might be more "sporty" than "sport" in nature are all part of the game. Climbing is more than just movement.  Not every route is a suitable adventure for everyone - nor should It be.

Lori Milaswrote:

Lastly… does anyone here use hemp protein? 

5 or 6 years ago when I did more systematic training, I used a combo of brown rice protein, yellow pea protein and hemp protein in shakes, along with some special oils from Vega. I’ve not consumed animal protein for more than 40 years now.

If you are interested, I recommend Brendan Brazier‘s book, "Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life", which one talks a lot about vegan nutrition and training.  BB has some interesting stories, especially about how his performance improved after he started researching nutrition and paying attention to his diet.

Are you guys using the term ‘safety meeting’ in the way I think you are?

There’s a guy I know who basically lives at Araps who smokes joints all day everyday and who then goes and solos everything. I can boulder when I’m stoned and drunk but I never roped climb like that. Although once we did have a Coopers stout climbing day. We weren’t going to climb so for some reason we had a stout at 0900 then decided to climb. Like someone said, it can take the edge off. Coopers stout is made here in South Australia and is about 5.8% alcohol.  
Lori, I used to use hemp protein powder. I liked it. Less protein than whey but I used to mix it with whey and pea protein. It has some good things in it, some fibre too.

Heard this old song on the radio yesterday. I’ve added it to my ‘likes’ on YouTube music. My YT ‘likes’ playlist is extremely diverse…

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=O_BEFyNNIvM&feature=share

Randy wrote:

I'm not sure to which routes you are referring as Museum climbs, but not having a bolted anchor on top doesn't make them unsafe - just more difficult to toprope. [Edit: yes, Good to the Last Drop is quite run out. You can blame Mike Waugh.] However, replacement of old protection bolts is always desirable, is something that is an ongoing project and should be supported. 

Climbs that might be more "sporty" than "sport" in nature are all part of the game. Climbing is more than just movement.  Not every route is a suitable adventure for everyone - nor should It be.

—-

I catch some hell every time I approach the subject. Let me just say that I understand the ethics around this. I am still too new and too green to fully grasp the process of creating a new route. But if I did put up a new route I wouldn’t want future generations screwing with it.

I hiked over to the area this morning just to try to recall what the big deal was about good to the last drop. I wouldn’t want to lead it if I was lead climbing and I know it’s not easy to set a top rope up there. It’s also kind of a difficult scramble and a little weird for me as the follower or top roper.

It’s probably just my tender spot for Dave Houser , and wishing that more people could experience another of the lovely routes associated with his name – – with deference, of course, to Mike Waugh and Jan.

Carl! I’m so glad you checked in. I was getting worried.

Terry, thanks for the input. The subject of diet and nutrition is a difficult one for me right now. I am finally resigned to accept that all the rules have changed for me, and being a vegetarian or vegan isn’t in the cards. However, lots of vegetables and lots of fruits and plenty of olive oil are part of my every day life. At this point I am drifting back to the Mediterranean diet.

Jan Mcwrote:

On the walk to the crag we would stop someplace comfy and have a 'safety session'.  My favorite was on the walk up to Suicide Rock.  After the safety session there was a long log that we would walk out to the end of.  The end was about 20 feet above the ground so you really didn't want to fall off.  The real trick was to stand on the end, which wobbled slightly, and relax enough to pee.  If you could do that you were definitely ready to climb.

3rd classing Traitor Horn was like that too. Stand up on that and relax enough to pee. Good to go!

Guy Keesee wrote:

Lori- re the warm up. I have found that everyone is different and responds to a different style of warm up.
Some like Jan and Kris never warmup- they just liked to start on something hard then keep going. I on the other hand do my best if I can do something trivial first then something with some pulling- enuf to get a minor pump. Rest up, then climb. Now you can’t always do that because of the situation. If you can at least boulder a bit that helps.

That's not quite right. Where you and I butted heads (in the nicest of all ways) was over the grade of the warm up. If the main event was going to be a hard route, I always hated warming up on easy peasy. The gulf to cross was to big, I needed to warm up on two grades under the goal, max. 5.10 for 5.12.

Todd Berlier wrote:

Great song, Carl. Been a long time since i heard it. My uncle, RIP, introduced me to this, Heart, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and Pink Floyd when i was a kid which gave aided my pretty diverse taste--the last two songs i learned on the uke were Nothing Else Matters from Metallica and Fade Into You by Mazzy Star. i should also add my kids had me learn Flowers by Mikey Cyrus--no matter what you think of her music, her voice is incredible.

Thanks for the smile/reminder of my uncle.

I’ve always got time for Led Zep. This conversation makes me feel like watching School of Rock again!

Tony was irritated with me for playing Chris Isaak in the car. “do you have anything that isn’t a funeral march?” So I played him Communication Breakdown by Zep. He didn’t like that either.

It appears that two rubber snakes are the deal on my sunflower garden. The squirrels just don’t seem willing to risk it. Plants are now 3+ feet tall and gaining about 6 inches a day. 

On the other hand, I would like to know how a tomato plant could have so many blossoms, and not a single tomato. At this point it’s “out to the cornfield” with you!

Re real snakes: I heard that a climber found a rattlesnake wedged into the crack on illusion dweller about halfway up, and I assumed that was fake news. Now I’ve heard the story over and over so must be true. Therefore, I will not be climbing illusion dweller again in the summer.  (Or ever again) 

My big mountain expedition days are past so I'm selling my Cilogear 75L pack.  Award winning, fully++++ featured.  Send a message if your interested.

Don't sell it Bob! I was counting on you to carry all the gear when we climb together at City of Rocks in a couple of weeks.

Lori…. Growing tomatoes take time. Those flowers turn into tomatoes - sometimes - if your lucky. Do you feel lucky? Well do you?

Rattlesnakes are everywhere, if you really knew you wouldn’t go out.

Brandt…. Larry and I are arriving 6-4 staying till 6-9… I’m going to need some help with him. Larry is still climbing like he is 30! I’m climbing like I’m 90. We are going to Maple for a few days before COR so I’ll be beat. Anybody else looking for a partner find US. I’m the very fit looking older gentleman with white hair and shaggy facial hair- even more shaggy after 7 days on the road.
campsites: 

6/4 site 46

6/5 site 38

6.6 site 35

6/7 site 6

6/8 site 19

Getting psyched. Looking forward to seeing other folks. 

Idaho Bobwrote:

My big mountain expedition days are past so I'm selling my Cilogear 75L pack.  Award winning, fully++++ featured.  Send a message if your interested.

Bob… right now, somebody’s looking for your pack on “for sale WTB” section… 

I'm REALLY jealous of you'all heading for COR.  Maybe Helen can record everyone singing 99 Bottles around the campfire for me. (?)  So happy for everyone who will be going... glad you can make the trip and all hang out together.  

----

I got out for a hike 2 mornings in a row... it never fails to revive me.  It's just beautiful out, no matter where you go.  I had to pose for a selfie in front of Chalk Up Another One.  The day I climbed this, almost two years ago?, was just so special and I was SO proud (maybe too proud.   )  It's still a beautiful piece of rock.  At that time it was just the most incredible thing I had ever seen.  

Now I have officially worn through my shoes.  They are Merrell's... and I thought it would be easy to find replacements.  Turns out Merrell stores are mostly closed.  And I've worn my shoes so long there is no longer any identifying information for ordering on-line.  A few years ago I bought the last pair of 5.10 approach shoes from Nomad... only to discover I didn't really like them.  

So sad to learn that Tiny Turner has died.  What a lady!  

https://youtu.be/TTfYnRQgKgY

This is from 2009 (hard to date) so she was not a kid doing this performance!!

H.

Lori Milaswrote:

Tony was irritated with me for playing Chris Isaak in the car. “do you have anything that isn’t a funeral march?” So I played him Communication Breakdown by Zep. He didn’t like that either.

Did he get the irony of that? Well, did he? Punk? (I’m sort of following on from Guy’s Dirty Harry reference…)

I think from now on Lori has a new nickname   

Bob, are you back in McCall? Good partners are hard to find here!

Guy - I know all too well that trying to keep up with Larry is a big mistake. We climbed together a couple of weeks ago and I was happily demoted to belay slave for some of the routes. 

Don't worry, you and I can get on some 5.7s, then take a rest period while he knocks off the hard stuff.

Brandt Allenwrote:

Don't sell it Bob! I was counting on you to carry all the gear when we climb together at City of Rocks in a couple of weeks.

Don't worry Brandt, I still have my 60L pack and a few others.