New and experienced climbers over 50 #30

Guy Keeseewrote:

 I don’t see Lori in a 4x4 sprinter. 

Don't listen to him Lori! Buy one, then you can drive me and a bunch of my smelly friends to climbing spots all around the Western U.S.! 

There's an accomplished climber, lives in Estes Park, who posts regularly on FB and whose profession is, I think, designing and installing electrical systems for RV's.  A lot of expertise there. https://www.facebook.com/alex.kostadinov.56.

Lost my family in the cherry grove. I’ll have to eat my way out.   

Kristian Solemwrote:

But I have a family member who travels with a med that needs refrigeration. She uses these. Even TSA approved (so long as the gel is frozen).

https://4allfamily.com/

Kris, great tip.  I have made a note of it as I can think of a non-med use (air travel, not in the market for a vehicle equipped with a fridge).

100 degrees at 8 am at the Farmers' Market this morning.  Brandt, are you and Paula ok there?  This kind of heat is unreal... just stepping out the door is a painful blast.

Donald, I'm thinking about you.  My son lives near Truckee, same situation.  I hope you mountain folks have a fire-free summer.  Hang in there!  

While everyone is selecting my next vehicle... a couple of thoughts.  It has to WORK.  Like, I can't be sitting out in the desert on a day like today, broken down. And I don't have big bucks to invest in a new vehicle... 

My poor Lexus.  At the time, I mainly wanted a hybrid, and a killer warranty.  I thought I would need it to be my last car, ever, and to drive to the end of my days.  But I didn't know I would be moving to Joshua Tree and might decide to live a little longer.  I treat it like an old jeep... Tony is disgusted with me and won't get in the car unless dire need.  He bought me a car wash coupon for Quick Quack... you can drive it in daily, for free.  In and out in 5 minutes.  He would like to have my car detailed inside and out.  WHY?  I'll only fuck it up again.  And we argue about the Christmas trees, and the whatever stuff they use to 'clean' the seats and carpet which I say is toxic, Tony thinks it smells like heaven.  

My car is covered perpetually for everything.  I drive it to the dealership, they roll out a free loaner, and fix whatever has broken.  

Here's Tony's idea of a bad ass car.  1967 GTO Pontiac.  I don't know what to say about this.  

Brandt, if somehow I manage to bring home something more hip like a Sprinter, I will drive you and your smelly buddies wherever you want to go.  I'll even carry your ropes.  And you can give me a belay in exchange.    

edit:  I really appreciate everyone working on this insulin situation for me.  I will check out all your suggestions!  But I should mention that I have lugged around warm insulin for years without ever having a problem. Also, the insulin in my insulin pump sits right next to my body, warm, for days with no loss of potency.  So, maybe this was an extraordinary situation.  But a related very serious issue, my sugar sources explode in the heat.  An entire 6 pack of 7 ups all exploded and emptied in my car.  Switching to plastic bottles with screw tops, the tops welded to the bottles.  So, a car fridge would be really helpful.  Thank you, everyoine.  

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Lori, you should buy a van with solar power and a 12v dometic fridge to keep your insulin at the right temp. 

Dometic makes a 14L thermoelectric one., more than enough room for a rack of insulin bottles.
I think you can get away with it in a normal car and a golf-cart battery as backup power source.  Maybe a solar panel when their energy density gets much higher in a few years.  The key is to go thermoelectric - no refrigerant compressor, only a recirculating fan which should remain mostly off when the interior is at the desired temperature.

Lori. If you have a van with a good solar power system in it you always have a functioning kitchen, fridge and power source for rechargeing stuff regardless of what the power grid is doing. 

Lori -

Paula and I (and Luna) are doing just fine, thanks to our mini-split. I get up early and take Luna on her walk before it has a chance to heat up. Been giving the plants a little more water and they're surviving. What chores I need to do outside, I makes sure to keep them short. 

I'll be going out tomorrow morning to climb for the first time since getting back from City of Rocks. We'll be lucky if we can squeeze in a couple of routes before we're chased home by the heat. If you're feeling particularly masochistic, you can join us.

Time to get in on the new thread. I put up a new route today, at 8,000 feet elevation, on a north facing cliff. A mix of gear and (mostly) bolts in 85 feet. I noted: "5.9 and one out of three stars."

Two friends then led it with no advance information except what gear to take. One called it "5.8, maybe 5.9." The other, a very strong woman who happens to be the first friend's wife called it "solidly 5.10a." The first friend then quickly modified his opinion to 5.9 (smart man). So 5.9 seems about right.

I was pleased when they both independently insisted on two out of three stars and not one. I tend to be conservative with stars for my own routes, but I'll take it and give this one two.

Kaleidoscope Memories 5.9 ** (I didn't come up with the name, but I like it).

Once the sun came around we were done for the day and hiked out (dropped packs and stood under the waterfall on the way). It's 100 degrees here at the house, at 4,300 feet.

Brad Youngwrote:

Time to get in on the new thread. I put up a new route today, at 8,000 feet elevation, on a north facing cliff. A mix of gear and (mostly) bolts in 85 feet. I noted: "5.9 and one out of three stars."

Two friends then led it with no advance information except what gear to take. One called it "5.8, maybe 5.9." The other, a very strong woman who happens to be the first friend's wife called it "solidly 5.10a." The first friend then quickly modified his opinion to 5.9 (smart man). So 5.9 seems about right.

I was pleased when they both independently insisted on two out of three stars and not one. I tend to be conservative with stars for my own routes, but I'll take it and give this one two.

Kaleidoscope Memories 5.9 ** (I didn't come up with the name, but I like it).

Once the sun came around we were done for the day and hiked out (dropped packs and stood under the waterfall on the way). It's 100 degrees here at the house, at 4,300 feet.

Apologies for intruding on the geezer thread, but I just wanted to say in a world where people grossly exaggerate the quality of climbs as a matter of habit, I appreciate that you strongly avoid that tendency. 

Also, they day I first met you in the high peaks of pinnacles you asked me if I thought Feather Canyon deserves one star or two. It certainly has too many unmemorable pitches to get three on your three star system, but it was without a doubt one of my most memorable days of climbing for me ever. I couldn't answer the question that day, but looking back I enjoyed that day more than my ascents of Snake Dike or even Royal Arches. Feather Canyon is a solid 2 out of three stars IMO. What an an amazing climb. People who hate on Pinnacles are missing out on so much, and I feel that Feather Canyon is the best example of the sort of joy and adventure such people are missing out on. I was both bleeding from a dozen different places and exhausted by the end of the climb, 10/10 cannot recommend enough. 

Can't get out any time soon due to fixing up my POS fixer upper mobile home, but hope to get out with ya some time before too long. 

P.S. my quartzite up 4 doesn't suck, I'm determined to get you up there eventually. =) 

"The Geezer Thread."

Wow, Ricky, sounds like some tall young whippersnapper might need to be introduced to the concept of "penalty slack?" Can I please belay you on your next Pinnacles lead? Please? (I can't imagine how hot it must be there right now!)

Funny timing to your post: Feather Canyon is going to be three out of three stars in the new book, and, tomorrow, Steve and I will be working on book assembly and putting that exact route in. And remember, routes get stars for lots of reasons, not just raw rock and climbing quality. A great example is Cathedral Peak in Tuolumne Meadows. The climbing itself on that route is very so-so. If it was on a cliff face (or a tall slab) it would be very unmemorable. But put it on one of the most iconic and gorgeous peaks in the world? Three star route.

Feather Canyon has some good climbing and some that is OK. Put 10 pitches together though in that location with that level of adventure? Three stars for sure (I think I am just echoing what you said above).

Naturally it's companion route, Rituals and Magic is getting three stars too. One step up from Feather Canyon in difficulty and slightly longer. Rituals and Magic gets so deep into H and L Dome (the first pitch goes up some and then way into a chimney) that the gear description includes a headlamp. The holds on it's first crux pitch are impossible to see without a headlamp no matter what time of day.

EDIT: And I promise that I will get up to your crag. Once the new Pinns guidebook is done I will have more time during the cooler months. I will get there after the book is done or, if possible, sooner. And thank you for continuing to invite me.

Ricky Harlinewrote:

Apologies for intruding on the geezer thread, 

This is indubitably the Geezer thread, but we sometimes grant honorary membership on a contingency basis to young whippersnappers who quietly carry the rack and the rope uphill to the routes.

phylp phylpwrote:

This is indubitably the Geezer thread, but we sometimes grant honorary membership on a contingency basis to young whippersnappers who quietly carry the rack and the rope uphill to the routes.

In my case, it doesn't even need to be done quietly!!!

Lori, get a tear drop camper, like a Little Guy. I was looking at getting one a few years ago but decided to wait until I’m retired so I make use of it. About 20k au. Also a small 20l fridge and a solar blanket and battery.

I’m ’marketing’ this expenditure to my wife as just being common sense preparation in case the power goes out due to load shedding or a fire.

Screw that trailering crapola.. pinta.. I just roll in and take one step to be in my kitchen with a 60L fridge. It's stupidly hot and muggy here. I had a photo gig today and after suffering all day I swam in a nice river. Camped at the top of a mountain pass. Nice and breezy.much cooler as well. 

It was snowing here today. Heading 1,000 miles south on Monday down to the Kenai to warm up (60s) and dip for some reds, fill up the freezer for winter. 

It was a brutal 69 degrees here today but as humid as living in a cloud.

I'm glad it wasn't a climbing day . Got some weeding done, made some cash and met some nice folks enjoying the park without a car or RV.

Ricky, wrong thread bub.

I’ve been watching with such fondness my little buddy Jeremy Schoenborn as he pursues his love of climbing. He was born and raised in Joshua Tree and I got to climb with him three or four times as a guide. He posted this picture a few days ago on Instagram.

The Highway 14b

My best friend’s husband headed up a radiology department in a hospital in Jacksonville. His advice to all his patients and his family, me included, was simply to keep moving. Whatever the complaint was his recommendation was always “move”. At 60 he could beat doctors half his age at squash.

Jeremy‘s picture is a beautiful example of the human body at work. Call us Geezers if you will but maybe old age is just a continuum of what Jeremy is doing right here. We are built to move. We can be crazy strong and stoked. I was kind of shocked to learn that some on this thread are Climbing 5.12 and above. Todd and others are bouldering like maniacs.  Some of our gym rats are outclimbing really strong kids.  I am reluctant to think of this group as exceptional or outliers – – maybe we’re just some of the few who still revere the body and what it can do in its natural state. 

I guess one last thought: I never expected to climb like Jeremy. I expected to climb like me. And as time goes by, there’s always the temptation to compare. I believe every climber has beauty and is one of a kind. 

Brandt Allenwrote:

Phyl's reasons for taking the interstate (more towns, more populated) are exactly why I don't go that way. The part through Salt Lake City is especially awful.

Driving up through the middle of Nevada is a very peaceful and low-stress day of travel.

 If you don't go through Ely you miss two "historic" sites:  Hotel Nevada in Ely and Bella's in Wells.  Interesting to learn about the hotel BITD when it was an overnight stop for the rich and famous heading for Sun Valley.  Somewhere there is a WSJ or NYT article about Bella running buses from Salt Lake City to her "establishments" during the SLC Olympics.  

Lori Milaswrote:

100 degrees at 8 am at the Farmers' Market this morning.  Brandt, are you and Paula ok there?  This kind of heat is unreal... just stepping out the door is a painful blast.

Donald, I'm thinking about you.  My son lives near Truckee, same situation.  I hope you mountain folks have a fire-free summer.  Hang in there!  

While everyone is selecting my next vehicle... a couple of thoughts.  It has to WORK.  Like, I can't be sitting out in the desert on a day like today, broken down. And I don't have big bucks to invest in a new vehicle... 

My poor Lexus.  At the time, I mainly wanted a hybrid, and a killer warranty.  I thought I would need it to be my last car, ever, and to drive to the end of my days.  But I didn't know I would be moving to Joshua Tree and might decide to live a little longer.  I treat it like an old jeep... Tony is disgusted with me and won't get in the car unless dire need.  He bought me a car wash coupon for Quick Quack... you can drive it in daily, for free.  In and out in 5 minutes.  He would like to have my car detailed inside and out.  WHY?  I'll only fuck it up again.  And we argue about the Christmas trees, and the whatever stuff they use to 'clean' the seats and carpet which I say is toxic, Tony thinks it smells like heaven.  

My car is covered perpetually for everything.  I drive it to the dealership, they roll out a free loaner, and fix whatever has broken.  

Here's Tony's idea of a bad ass car.  1967 GTO Pontiac.  I don't know what to say about this.  

Brandt, if somehow I manage to bring home something more hip like a Sprinter, I will drive you and your smelly buddies wherever you want to go.  I'll even carry your ropes.  And you can give me a belay in exchange.    

edit:  I really appreciate everyone working on this insulin situation for me.  I will check out all your suggestions!  But I should mention that I have lugged around warm insulin for years without ever having a problem. Also, the insulin in my insulin pump sits right next to my body, warm, for days with no loss of potency.  So, maybe this was an extraordinary situation.  But a related very serious issue, my sugar sources explode in the heat.  An entire 6 pack of 7 ups all exploded and emptied in my car.  Switching to plastic bottles with screw tops, the tops welded to the bottles.  So, a car fridge would be really helpful.  Thank you, everyoine.  

Lori, Tony is right, the GTO's were bad ass but.......they were not strong enough to get past my Stingray.