New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #31

"Live Strong and Free," as it would be spoken to many people, not just one.  

Looks Awesome.

Its a hectic time of year here for farmers. the weather however has been great for a change. Its all hands on board at chopping time. 

the combine never stops. the full truck races away and back to the bunk pile to unload while the next truck in line slides up into position.  After unloading they race back to the fields to get back in line.  lots of action on the bunk pile as well.  this goes on from sun up to sun down which is about 13 hrs  right now.  My sister is feeding about 30 dudes right now and they will do it all again tomorrow. 

Got up past the crux of this 5.12c I’ve been working, got up there, was surprised I had made it then couldn’t figure out what to do?  
Didn’t want to hang around like a bat so I dropped down so as not to get pumped.

Kris, I thought about this all afternoon. Your pictures are beautiful. Everyone looks so strong and happy and healthy, most especially you. It looks like it’s going up fast!  

Nick, I enjoy all your pictures always. So you’re out with the Farmers now?

This thread reads like everyone is living their best life. I realized I today that I am too. I just didn’t know what my best life would be – – it had to unfold.

I have been immersed in Rick Accomazzo’s book about Tobin and the Stonemasters.  All the questions I’ve been asking here for the last few years are answered in this book. Finally, it all makes sense. And the weird thing is in my own way I have followed suit. Not strong and not young, but I do feel totally free here and I look at those same rocks and think “Hmmm. I wonder if I could climb that.” Apparently some of the goofing around I love to do here – – like threatening to do a dyno on slab—was well established 50 years ago, only by climbers who could actually do it.    

I let Bob sort of lead the charge with me and in his wisdom I haven’t insisted on making the journey to the Wonderland and I have been willing to forgo Tahquitz and Suicide until I have at least gotten more traction here in Josh. But I wish I could see The Vampire and maybe experience that journey of First Ascents.

I will have to drop Rick a note of appreciation for this really fine book.

Jean and I started up the hill at Red Rocks to climb at 7:30. It was already 82. We did 2 climbs and could not take the heat. We decided to drive over to Mt. Charleston to hike. 

I saw people with a clip stick. I asked them what they were climbing. As soon as he spoke I said I know you. He agreed to have a picture taken with us. His friend also did a selfie with all of us.

Made our day 

John

Can't wait to climb with the guy who met the guy.

Oldtradguywrote:

Jean and I started up the hill at Red Rocks to climb at 7:30. It was already 82. We did 2 climbs and could not take the heat. We decided to drive over to Mt. Charleston to hike. 

John

John for today or tomorrow: have you been to the comedy area on Mt Potosi?  That is NW facing. Approach will be mostly shady in the AM. About 100 easy sport routes on limestone. 

Easy to find. Parking midweek will be empty.

May be more routes in the Handren book than are listed on MP.

Lori… Craig Olin- RIP- was a good friend of mine who I did a ton of adventures with. He was born diabetic and had to be very careful with his diet, sugar management. I remember one morning, after sleeping in a grape vineyard while hitchhiking to Yosemite, he broke out his “kit” and shot up in the early morning. While I brewed up coffee. It was all part of climbing with Craig and I knew what to do if he started “falling out”. Oh and it was old school- no electronics back then, just test strips.

Kris- house is looking good. Luck on the tower.

Nick- Farmers are always under the gun. Mother Nature must smile on them.

Mark… great to “see” you here again.

Jan and I went to Colorado to do some FlyFishing … I personally had a hard time working those rivers, with all the slippery rocks and the chance of falling. Jan did better and was able to couver lots of water.

We also got to see old friends

We did go climbing some. A tyrolean traverse protected the secret crag.

L to R… Jan, Roy, Me, Jessica and Nick 

Guy... nice pics.  Jan looks happy--nice!  Love your updates, so thanks for that.  Men and their fish, I will never understand this.     

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I seem to be on a 'theme' recently, that of putting together this '3rd Act' for myself, and checking out everyone else's.  This morning I was listening to a podcast with Chris Crowley as guest.  He's one of the authors of Younger Next Year.  It totally lit me up last week to bump into a post by Chris, at 90, going strong.  Gave me hope. 

So... this caught my attention this morning:  When asked if he had a bucket list:

"No, I thought about this and I don’t have a bucket list. I’ve led a lovely life. I’ve done all kinds of stuff. Some of it deeply responsible, and a ton of fun. I’m good at pleasure. I’ve lived. I was a Wall Street lawyer for 25 years doing big trials. That’s a lot of fun for a certain kind of guy, and at the very high end too. I loved it. I argued at the American Supreme court, serious civil rights cases, that’s a great thing to do. Then I quit young, which I recommend to anybody who has any appetite for it, because I wanted to live a second life. We went out and were ski bums, my new wife and I, we’ve been married for 27 years now. We were ski bums for a few years, and then I started working on the book idea and then reading this book that came out when I was 70. I’ve led two pretty good lives. If I got nailed tomorrow I’d be sick about it, but I wouldn’t have a bucket list."

I love this.  "I wanted to live a second life."  

I think that's it.  Making a break from all that came before, and reinventing yourself.  Creating a totally different second life.  Maybe some of you didn't need to create a second life, your first one was plenty fulfilling. (?)  But as I look around right now, my house, this town, virtually everything is a totally new and fresh different life.  Born again.  

Guy Keeseewrote:

L to R… Jan, Roy, Me, Jessica and Nick 

Great picture!

Guy Keeseewrote:

Jan and I went to Colorado to do some FlyFishing … I personally had a hard time working those rivers, with all the slippery rocks and the chance of falling. Jan did better and was able to couver lots of water.

We also got to see old friends

We did go climbing some. A tyrolean traverse protected the secret crag.

Guy, where in Colorado?

wendy weisswrote:

Guy, where in Colorado?

Nederland, Rollinsville… then down to Durango.

Beautiful Camping, I was impressed.

Guy, you were right in my backyard. There's lots of good hiking and skiing around Ned and Rollinsville and back into the Indian Peaks. If there was a tyrolean there, it probably isn't too secret.    

Yikes. 

Guy Keeseewrote:

At first, I thought this was what I was looking at:

Actually, looks a lot like this.

I had a nice time bouldering today. The first problem looks really easy, and while it’s not HARD as such it’s balancey. The second problem is pumpy but not too hard. Both nice problems though.

https://youtu.be/ZgEiL_hL-AU?si=zjx9LpLnfqWtLwgp