New and experienced climbers over 50 #30

Daniel Joder wrote:

I read all of Abbey’s books BITD (70s/80s). After reading Monkey Wrench Gang, as teenagers, we started tearing down small bill boards and real estate signs out in the desert north of Phoenix (inspired, naturally, by those colorful characters George Hayduke, Bonnie Abbzug, Doc Sarvis, and Seldom Seen Smith). It didn’t do much to stop the suburban growth (“Phoenix… just another suburb of L.A.”… Was that an Abbeyism?)

I read that it was actually the actor Ted Danson as a teenager who was actually the 1st one to tear down billboards, it was between flagstaff and the Grand Canyon track down a book called  coyotes and town dogs, a great read. 

I have partly emerged from my annual climbing lull.

When I first started climbing in Northern CA, there were no gyms and it was cold and rainy often, so I climbed outside as much as possible.  The high season went from April to October and I was typically motivated to climb as much as I could year round.

Then the first indoor gym accessible to me (City Rock) opened, so I was able to climb more frequently year round.  I began to notice that a time would come every year when I just lost interest in climbing for a month.  The lull usually happened about the end of October, which was good timing as the weather began to deteriorate then and the outdoor season slowed down.

Now I've been in SoCal for 10 years and I see my pattern has shifted again.  Because I climb more outside in winter and because the season starts earlier, it hits me by about the end of August that I'm done for a while. I've just gone 16 days without climbing and with no interest in climbing.  Today the urge arose, and since it's 110 outside we went to the gym.  Got a great workout and I don't seem to have lost any strength. But now I have some family travel to do, so I won't touch real rock until the end of September.  By then I will have fully emerged from the lull and be ready to road trip again!

Photo taken while sitting in the car outside the grocery store waiting for my husband.

phylp phylp wrote:

Today the urge arose, and since it's 110 outside we went to the gym.  Got a great workout and I don't seem to have lost any strength. 

The Post? It was crowded at 9:00 members hour!

You may have seen a few of my climbing partners there! Left early to go to the mall for the day. It’s 110F

Photo taken while sitting in the car outside the grocery store waiting for my husband.

Sitting in the car at an outside temperature of 124F?!? Go inside! 

You go, Phylp!  It's HOT there!  It's great to hear about your travels.  

I've been thinking of summer here as sort of a reverse hibernation. I've been out every day, but haven't climbed in 3 months, and haven't wanted to, either.  Last year I learned my lesson, climbing when it was 90-95 degrees, and inevitably barfing at some point during the outing.  Brandt is much sturdier than me.    

I've often thought about what I would do if climbing were removed from my equation.  Would I stay here?  But the desert has become meaningful in itself.  I've walked hundreds of miles this year, explored places that heretofore were too threatening/scary for me.  I see something new every day.  And I'm getting pretty good at balance and scrambling on uneven terrain.  

The big win of this summer was learning a fondness for bees.  I've been afraid of bees my whole life, never been stung.  Just terrified of getting stung. Or swarmed.  But sitting on a rock last week, cooling off, I spent time with a little guy exploring me, my backpack, no doubt looking for some water.  Suddenly the fear just left me... we sort of 'bonded'.  And the six stings from this summer felt like 'courtesy stings'... at least not nearly as painful as I expected.  I do now carry an Epi Pen with me, because I know allergies can develop.  

So, rattlesnakes are now my friends, bees are ok with me... the only things left are scorpions, and tarantula wasps.  I don't know how I'm going to embrace those.  

Weather-wise, I kinda dig monsoons.  I like the sound of wind now.  And I can get used to cold since Bob swears 48 degrees is the perfect temp for slab, or colder.  I'd rather be taking clothes off (in the summertime) than having to layer clothes on, but for climbing, hey, it's all good. I think 48 degrees might get me some traction on Count Dracula some day when I go professional.    

So, if climbing was taken away, I am pretty sure I would still stay,.. I have explored 1% of what's here.  99% still to go.  

-------------

I have also been asking myself "What is Plan B" if something should happen to Tony (or me!)?  And I've been meaning to ask you all here... do you have a Plan B?  Not to be depressing.  But I would be devastated and without an anchor.  I need a beating heart in my home.   And practically speaking, I don't have kids I could move in with.  And I don't have the kind of friends here who would drop by daily. (does anyone?)  A long article in the Wall Street Journal today only made this worse... the enormous expense and hardship of trying to remain at home after 'a certain age'.  

It's hard to both feel SO young, so strong, and ready to hit the rocks... AND know I'm aging, and this can't last forever.  A good informative book by an estate attorney.

BTW... Thank you, Wendy.  Tony is a 'go' for both hip replacements.  Doc said 45 minute robotic surgery, as an outpatient?  Then 6 weeks later, the other one.  

We've been on evacuation alert due to wildfires since Thursday. The way it works, when and if a fire approaches, is that the authorities inform residents by megaphone as they drive through neighbourhood roads. This is then soon followed by personnel going door to.door emphatically ordering residents to leave their homes, immediately. Therefore it is wise to have one's carry- along possessions stacked by the door, ready to go. Last call is when they turn the electricity off.

There's been a change in the weather last night and today; enough that hundreds of firefighters, working in 100+ degree temps, were able to get a handle on the fire raging up high angle chapparal slopes. I love these people.

Tomorrow it is expected to get hot again but then cool by Tuesday, when the fire will hopefully lay down. All afternoon  today we had constant thunderstorms coming in from the west, but nary one drop of rain. I started worrying  about lightning strikes so , with binoculars in hand, and one spooked border collie , went out to Tollhouse Point and looked for hotspots.

 

Lori, you allude to learning to love the desert itself, quite apart from the climbing it might offer. Have you read “Desert Solitaire” by Edward Abbey?

Donald Thompson wrote:

We've been on evacuation alert due to wildfires since Thursday. The way it works, when and if a fire approaches, is that the authorities inform residents by megaphone as they drive through neighbourhood roads. This is then soon followed by personnel going door to.door emphatically ordering residents to leave their homes, immediately. Therefore it is wise to have one's carry- along possessions stacked by the door, ready to go. Last call is when they turn the electricity off.

There's been a change in the weather last night and today; enough that hundreds of firefighters, working in 100+ degree temps, were able to get a handle on the fire raging up high angle chapparal slopes. I love these people.

Tomorrow it is expected to get hot again but then cool by Tuesday, when the fire will hopefully lay down. All afternoon  today we had constant thunderstorms coming in from the west, but nary one drop of rain. I started worrying  about lightning strikes so , with binoculars in hand, and one spooked border collie , went out to Tollhouse Point and looked for hotspots.

 

Hope everything will be okay?

hope you folks in fire danger make it through ok. 

Abbys Road is one of my favorits. 

Raining ash at our house yesterday.  The fires are about 30 miles south so no danger to us, but lots of evacuations around Lake Cascade.  

Donald, hoping things get under control soon. It’s “unhealthy” air here today from the Line Fire. Very smoky out. 

PTR wrote:

Hey - have I missed any further news on a potential meet-up at the Gunks this fall?

So far each time it has been mentioned there was a smattering of interest, but I wouldn't call it a groundswell.  I, for one, would attend, but with my family obligations, I don't think I have time to organize an event.

I will add that with the cool nights, warm days, and lack of rain we've been having, meteorologists are calling for exceptional color this fall.  Anyone know when the leaf-peeping season peaks around New Paltz?

Gratuitous fall foliage shot (not mine, but posted on MP): 

Another:

GO

Gunks foliage normally peaks around Columbus day. all green right now, no colors. great climbing temps of 50-70s. climbed 4 days last week, hope for same this week

anyone wanting to visit, I need partners until early or mid-Oct

Thanks for your concern y'all . A change in weather is afoot, so maybe the worst is behind us; at least for now.

Long before I moved to this area there was a massive fire closer to where I currently live, in 2003. They evacuated everybody. The fire was started by a deranged individual who was caught and is still in prison. Four people died of heart attacks during the evac. Several months later there was a torrential downpour that sent a wall of water down one of the major canyons. Because of the denuded slopes the water soon obtained a ferocious speed -- a flash flood situation. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the night when the flood reached a girl scout camp. 13 were drowned in a situation where escape was nearly impossible.

Fall foliage at the Gunks

Is/was anyone a Sopranos fan?  We just watched a documentary, Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos on HBO.  It was such a wonderful time, watching the 2 episodes.  I miss Tony Soprano, and James Gandolfini and all the characters who felt like family after awhile.  The documentary was worthy of the series.  

And so, this morning I took one of my last hikes for the summer.  I wanted to watch the sun come up, and also to see whether I could FINALLY touch my touchstone.  Almost... just awful crumbly rock, and a long drop..I'm wondering whether it's worth it to take a morning with Bob and ask for some backup just getting to the base.  I don't have to actually climb it... although the closer I get, the more exciting it looks to climb. .

Just enough wiggle room.    

Now it's time to climb. I put the bone broth on the burner, upped my beef liver pills... pulled together all my socks, walked through Nomad and asked them if anyone rope climbs anymore. They said "Well... some. But mostly we see boulderers anymore."

EDIT:  Beautiful fall foliage!  

I watched the Sopranos BINTD of renting it on DVD

I lived in New Jersey, 85 to 95.  Once tried to visit Alpine, home to many Mafia members.  A closed community.  Sopranos was a fairly accurate representation of that segment of the Italian community. Diners that were really laundries (not clothing).  Expensive restaurants that were cash only, but if you were short on cash you just left your business card.  Well understood that if you left a card, you returned with cash. 

Just 2 quick shots out the back side of our cabin in Almo, and one out the front. It actually rained. I stood out in it, with my face up, lol. I truly do not know the last rain I've seen, here. Just smoke. It was a smoky drive down to City, and it is smoky here in Boise too....but we had some actual.blue sky at City the latter part of it! Generally, it was on the hot side in the sun, but most of our time was with my artist group, and that was all shade seeking. We did the hot springs yesterday, that's always nice. 

Before we left today, we hopped on just one quickie route, but that was the first real field test with the new Petzl Neox belay device. We each tried it, live, with climber on, and really really like it! My opinion is it will be great for slow pokey ATC pbus belayers like myself....but will be an adjustment for any folks who've gotten used to bad grigri habits for belaying. I did answer my questions about it today, and I'm quite happy!

Helen

richard aiken wrote:

Gunks foliage normally peaks around Columbus day. all green right now, no colors. great climbing temps of 50-70s. climbed 4 days last week, hope for same this week

anyone wanting to visit, I need partners until early or mid-Oct

Okay, I have booked a site at the AAC campground for October 11 - 14.  I'll be there with my family, and would love to meet folks from this thread.  Would be great to share a rope, trade beers, trade stories, and put some faces with names.

Oh, and FYI, campsites are going fast.

Cheers,

GO