New and experienced climbers over 50 #30

I've been watching this fire news for a week now, and for some reason this one has got me deep.  I sat on a ridge in Placerville and watched the Crozier fire start a few miles away.  I thought "hmmm... that doesn't look good..." but it was still just a few tufts of smoke.

Damn... our precious state.  I love California.  I love our beautiful country, this planet, our home.  And I feel really helpless, watching us burn.  

My kids and grandkids live among those trees.  Now every year they have to remain on alert, and packed for evacuation. 

I had never seen 'resources' listed for a single fire, but here they are.  I had no idea a single fire required almost as many people as acres burned.  And there's dozens of fires burning.  There must be a way to curtail this.

On my way home I was getting gas in Tulare, wondering where all the smoke was coming from.  (triggering asthma).  As I was parked there, two Cal Fire trucks drove up to get gas and refreshments, out poured 20+ fireguys and gals.  One guy showed me the fires on his App, and the one they were heading for in Atwater, having left San Diego in the early a.m.  Fresh respect for these men and women putting their lives in harm's way.  

What can we do?  What's going to be left?  

Packing up and ready to go!

Okay, here's a mystery maybe someone can solve?

Wtf are they up to? Since these rigs are capable of carrying science packages aloft, I'd assume research? Or, mapping? Or.....??? These aren't the little weather balloons they used to send up, these are the UFO balloons, lol! They are up for a long time, and, I think can be controlled remotely, at least somewhat.

A few years back, they were supplying internet, but I don't think this is that same company anymore.

Flightradar has been my spycam to see how many and what type of aircraft are up on the many fires here. It can be interesting, and, well, living with a pilot for decades, and not far from the airport, I tend to look up when I hear an interesting engine overhead, or see a trail on the more unusual track. The latter are west coast airliners going over my tiny piece of flyover country....to/from far destinations. Istanbul. Germany. Paris....

Best, Helen

Old lady Hwrote:

Okay, here's a mystery maybe someone can solve?

Wtf are they up to? Since these rigs are capable of carrying science packages aloft, I'd assume research? Or, mapping? Or.....??? These aren't the little weather balloons they used to send up, these are the UFO balloons, lol! They are up for a long time, and, I think can be controlled remotely, at least somewhat.

A few years back, they were supplying internet, but I don't think this is that same company anymore.

Flightradar has been my spycam to see how many and what type of aircraft are up on the many fires here. It can be interesting, and, well, living with a pilot for decades, and not far from the airport, I tend to look up when I hear an interesting engine overhead, or see a trail on the more unusual track. The latter are west coast airliners going over my tiny piece of flyover country....to/from far destinations. Istanbul. Germany. Paris....

Best, Helen

China? Maybe it's just an urban yuppie with too much money looking to find the next FA without leaving the couch? We have an influx of Chinese nationals in Maine getting caught doing illegal things, I suppose that could be it as well.

Cool website 

M Mwrote:

China? Maybe it's just an urban yuppie with too much money looking to find the next FA without leaving the couch? We have an influx of Chinese nationals in Maine getting caught doing illegal things, I suppose that could be it as well.

Cool website 

Growing weed?!? 

Li Huwrote:

Growing weed?!? 

That's what they are getting caught doing, where the money is going nobody knows

Is anyone climbing?   

I’ve spent some time exploring this rock and wondering whether it could be climbed (by me).  Every time I walk by it I have to stop and consider.  

That lower left picture is a little troubling.    I should swing by again today to see what that tiny hole is all about.

It’s a John Long route.  He is not a tiny guy.  

Catching up on this thread (y’all have been busy!) after a couple weeks away. Had planned on Black Hills for vacation, but realized we were overlapping with the Sturgis rally. Not wanting to deal with that we did a quick pivot and spent time split between Fraser/Winter Park and the Crested Butte area. Husband built himself a gravel bike (like really built - welded the tube set) so we did a ton of riding. Had gear but didn’t climb at all.

Interesting discussion on retirement. I made the decision to leave full-time academia and resigned my position (effective 9/30) on Monday. Not sure what I’ll do, I already spend 1 day/week in clinical practice (PT) and do some training/coaching (I also have my strength & conditioning specialist cert) on the side. Perhaps I’ll do some adjunct faculty work. So….. ‘semi-retired’ at 55.

Local peeps - looking for mid-week partners starting in October? Hit me up! Interested in having a strength/conditioning program created? I can do that for both local/non-local folks.

Mostly still processing what the next phase looks like for me/us.

My/our next phase just got a bit clearer yesterday after meeting with a TIAA-CREF guy.  We are *probably* not going to outlive our savings, so that's a relief.  Trying to get my head around the financial side more generally.  I'm an academic, not a finance guy -- so I guess I'll find some books to read.  I have about 3 years to figure it out.

Looking forward to getting into shape and doing more climbing.  Was contemplating a trip on Friday, but now need to shoot down to my father-in-law's place to help interview home health care providers.  It's near a good diabase bouldering area, so I may slip the pad in the car.  His needs have now scrubbed 3 trips this summer.

Lori Milaswrote:

That lower left picture is a little troubling.    I should swing by again today to see what that tiny hole is all about.

It’s a John Long route.  He is not a tiny guy.  

Skinny Dip?  If so...he was quite a bit more tiny when he climbed that route...  Too funny:

Skinny Dip

PTRwrote:

My/our next phase just got a bit clearer yesterday after meeting with a TIAA-CREF guy.  We are *probably* not going to outlive our savings, so that's a relief.  Trying to get my head around the financial side more generally.  I'm an academic, not a finance guy -- so I guess I'll find some books to read.  I have about 3 years to figure it out.

Looking forward to getting into shape and doing more climbing.  Was contemplating a trip on Friday, but now need to shoot down to my father-in-law's place to help interview home health care providers.  It's near a good diabase bouldering area, so I may slip the pad in the car.  His needs have now scrubbed 3 trips this summer.

Yes - aging parents has also taken an inordinate amount of time over the past several years. We have had to cancel so many trips. My dad is in assisted living (he has frontal temporal dementia but is physically fine) and while I spend a ton of time with that it’s so much easier than when he was home. Hope you are successful in finding providers you are comfortable with - and that you get some time to boulder! 

Lori Milaswrote:

Is anyone climbing?   

I've climbed seven days this month. Put up five new routes up to 5.10a. Going out today to check out a new crag that, we think, hasn't ever been climbed.

The irony though is that while I'm climbing and hiking as much as I want, I've still been somewhat demoralized. The climbing is great and life is absolutely great. Oh, except for the one thing I've most looked forward to for the last year: finishing the last 109 miles of the PCT with my daughter. This long-planned trip seems to be out of reach this year. Fires in far northern Washington have the trail we need to hike closed. Still. Sigh.

So I'm trying to focus on making lemonade.

I have been lucky with my parents aging.   My Dad died suddenly  of a heart attack; not that it was a happy occasion, but he lived life at full throttle, and we were spared the long hard decline.  My mom (below) just turned 85 and is going strong.  I am 63 and hope I got her genes!

 We did have to deal with my mother in law”s long bout with dementia.  That was very hard on my wife.  

Brian in SLCwrote:

Skinny Dip?  If so...he was quite a bit more tiny when he climbed that route...  Too funny:

Skinny Dip

Went back this morning, this is the only 'hole' I can find.  And I'm not climbing through it.  Perhaps there's another hole on the back side?  It's still not making sense. 

My journey was cut short this morning because my water container leaked and soaked me and my backpack.  Game over.  A swarm of thirsty bees were all over me in no time. 

As I sat on a rock contemplating the Canyon, this Jay flew up, perched on a tree limb, and then hopped over next to me.  I suddenly realized that what drew him was Otis Redding, he was completely enchanted by my music.  The bird loves Otis.    

Walking under this big guy always feels like such an honor.  Sidewinder Wall.

EDIT;  Brad, our posts crossed.  I'm so sorry about the PCT with your daughter!  Can you pick it up again next year?  

ErikaNWwrote:

Yes - aging parents has also taken an inordinate amount of time over the past several years. We have had to cancel so many trips. My dad is in assisted living (he has frontal temporal dementia but is physically fine) and while I spend a ton of time with that it’s so much easier than when he was home. Hope you are successful in finding providers you are comfortable with - and that you get some time to boulder! 

Yes, when Sheree's mother was in her final stages we traveled to Georgia so often that I didn't climb for 2 years.

Interesting that the fight is in the cauldron again. Let's hope history does not repeat itself. (BY troll)

From time to time I read the posts on this thread to see what you youngsters are up to. I retired as prof of math in 2000 at the age of 63, while I was still capable of getting out and scrambling some. I had quit any sort of difficult bouldering in 1987 after an arm injury, but kept up my most satisfying form of climbing, free solo exploration at very mild difficulty levels, roaming over isolated domes and repeating some of my Teton climbs from the late 1950s and 1960s. 

At 87 and recovering from several medical issues I look back and contemplate my departure from the sport to give perspective to some of you who speculate on how long you can keep it up. I have scoliosis and severe shoulder arthritis and the latter was becoming a hindrance to continuing the sport by 2010, but the very moment I made a decision to quit happened as I was soloing one of my favorite climbs here in S. Colorado, Lovers Leap in Hardscrabble canyon. The route I had explored some years before is very exposed but not hard, but it had (has) a place where one stems over onto a block about the size of a refrigerator and gently shifts weight onto it, before reaching up onto the proper face above and good holds. 

This time as I moved my body onto the block, the block began to shift, vibrating a small bush on top and releasing small pebbles down the crack between the block and the face. I managed to put my weight on the block and quickly reach up to the good holds. Above it and looking down it seemed to have regained stability. I had not, however, and decided at that moment to quit while ahead. I have never regretted literally stepping away from the sport, and have kept up elementary math projects, exercising, and other activities. 

For what it's worth. A case study. But we are all unique.

Hey Mr. John Gill , good to hear from you. I would sometimes exchange words with you on a few Taco threads, such as Largo's "What is Mind " .  I always found it easy to have a goodly amount of enduring respect for you and I therefore hope you can show up on MP  on a regular basis. You are , after all, a seminal figure in the history of climbing -- the father of bouldering , as we know it.

Lori Milaswrote:

Went back this morning, this is the only 'hole' I can find.  And I'm not climbing through it.  Perhaps there's another hole on the back side?  It's still not making sense. 

The route tunnels through the rock coming in from the left edge of this photo and into the chimney. 

Read the comments on the route description page here on MtProj. Very interesting!

I tried it some years back - got stuck and could barely wiggle my way back out.

John Gill.  What a treat.    

How nice to know that each of us may simply know when to say when--as you did, it doesn't have to end in a catastrophic fall or heart attack.  

Very interesting that both you and Rich have spent your lives with math (do I remember this correctly about you?)  I wonder what it is that draws mathematicians and engineers to climbing.