New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #31

Li Hu, I’ve been watching and admiring your training and climbing since you first started sharing here.  You’ve come a long way!  And I love your videos. When I climbed at Pipeworks, I filmed every session and I still have a few.  

I think one of the things that distinguishes this thread from the others on mountain project is that we have made the commitment to be supportive and positive – – not because we’re any nicer but we have the greater need for encouragement and learning.  At least I know I do.  

Also,  for me, this is a whole new stage of life, and it helps to dig in here.  So I am super grateful for the friendships and every ounce of support and laughter we can give. 

Lori Milaswrote:

make my own Giardiniera with fresh vegetables, and no one has a clue. Vegetables have taken a long backseat to meat and pasta in Tony’s family. Maybe it’s also a Chicago thing? Because the only mandatory vegetables I see on any menu is a piece of iceberg lettuce and maybe a pickle.

Tomato is a vegetable, though, Lori. Don't they slather the pasta in tomato sauce? FWIW I love a good puttanesca.

GabeOwrote:

Peterskill was fine. We never had to wait for a route. Sorry you didn't join us, would've been nice to meet you. 

GO

Oh, that's great! When I was there about a week before, half the place was draped in top ropes set up by guides, so I was sure it'd be worse on a Saturday. I'm sorry to have missed you! We're both in the NE so hopefully will meet up some other time.

Li Huwrote:

Posting anything climbing related, even training videos is showing a path towards the goal. Climbing.

We all have different methods to this madness, and all have one thing in common. 

I just would like to point out that  constantly posting about road biking or spin classes in a mountain bike forum would probably not be appropriate, mentioning it on occasion would be just fine though! 

And yes, I'm a negative Nancy, expect no less from me!

dragonswrote:

Tomato is a vegetable, though, Lori. Don't they slather the pasta in tomato sauce? FWIW I love a good puttanesca.

Actually, the tomato is a fruit.  Not that there is anything wrong with that...

Okay, so my Gunks adventure on day 1 (see my previous post) was fun, though unfortunately no one was available to join me that day.  On day 2 Alan and I had plans to meet up at Peterskill. 

Unfortunately, woke up Sunday morning to rain. So instead we met in town for breakfast, and then spent some $$ in the local climbing shop.  Actually I had been looking forward to visiting Rock and Snow, as they have one of the best selections of climbing shoes around, and it had been so long since the last time I bought shoes, I really needed to try things on, as I had no idea what was what. So I did find a new pair of shoes, my wife got a pair of approach shoes, and I think Alan bought a thing or two as well. 

Then Alan, me and my family all trouped down to the local gym: Gravity Vault, and pulled some plastic. On roped routes I found the grades a bit stiff on the lower end, and maybe a bit soft on the upper end. And on the boulders I found everything a bit soft. But all four of us had fun.  And my daughter really crushed, onsighting a 5.7, and nearly sending a V3 (at our local gym she has only sent two V1s).

Then my family went to see a kids movie, and when we got out, Alan and Richard had figured out a restaurant for everyone to meet at. 

More later...

GO

M Mwrote:

I just would like to point out that  constantly posting about road biking or spin classes in a mountain bike forum would probably not be appropriate, mentioning it on occasion would be just fine though! 

And yes, I'm a negative Nancy, expect no less from me!

I’d post my current mountaineering experiences, just too embarrassing.  

On a training note, “the coach” mentioned that I’m not using enough of my right foot. He’s correct… working on that next.

GabeOwrote:

Unfortunately, woke up Sunday morning to rain. So instead we met in town for breakfast, and then spent some $$ in the local climbing shop.  Actually I had been looking forward to visiting Rock and Snow, as they have one of the best selections of climbing shoes around, and it had been so long since the last time I bought shoes, I really needed to try things on, as I had no idea what was what. So I did find a new pair of shoes, my wife got a pair of approach shoes, and I think Alan bought a thing or two as well. 

Then Alan, me and my family all trouped down to the local gym: Gravity Vault, and pulled some plastic. On roped routes I found the grades a bit stiff on the lower end, and maybe a bit soft on the upper end. And on the boulders I found everything a bit soft. But all four of us had fun.  And my daughter really crushed, onsighting a 5.7, and nearly sending a V3 (at our local gym she has only sent two V1s).

Then my family went to see a kids movie, and when we got out, Alan and Richard had figured out a restaurant for everyone to meet at. 

I remember long ago, before I retired from a regular-schedule job, when outdoor climbing days were so precious, that the weather spoiling my carefully eked-out climbing plans would really upset me. Now that my schedule is so much more flexible, I can just work around the weather, or take much needed rest days.

It sounds like you all managed to have a great day despite the weather!

A climbing photo at last. 

Sometimes things and times have no right to be so goddamn beautiful and fuck with our souls so much, no goddamn right.

phylp phylpwrote:

I remember long ago, before I retired from a regular-schedule job, when outdoor climbing days were so precious, that the weather spoiling my carefully eked-out climbing plans would really upset me. Now that my schedule is so much more flexible, I can just work around the weather, or take much needed rest days.

It sounds like you all managed to have a great day despite the weather!

Yes, we made the best of it. And yes, finding time to climb is very precious for this working stiff.  More than that, it was the hope of getting to meet up with others here on a rock that was especially precious. Can't do that every day. 

My timing was especially bad, between the weather and the high holiday. All I'll say in my defense is that it's the only three day weekend my daughter has off school in October. 

Edited to add: Carl, that looks amazing!

GO

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Sometimes things and times have no right to be so goddamn beautiful and fuck with our souls so much, no goddamn right.

That is indeed a beautiful, well-framed image. And the Moon shining through! 

GabeOwrote:

Yes, we made the best of it. And yes, finding time to climb is very precious for this working stiff.  More than that, it was the hope of getting to meet up with others here on a rock that was especially precious. Can't do that every day. 

My timing was especially bad, between the weather and the high holiday. All I'll say in my defense is that it's the only three day weekend my daughter has off school in October. 

Edited to add: Carl, that looks amazing!

GO

I'll add that while I didn't luck out with the weather last weekend at the Gunks ( especially being an increasingly cold-phobic old dude--and, unlike sturdier folk such as Dragons) and didn't get to climb outdoors, I still had a very enjoyable weekend catching up, after many years, with some old friends and getting to know better some new ones--such as Gabe and his family. And, even if it was just in a gym, rgold and I finally got the chance to climb together again for the first time in about 40 years. Hopefully next spring we will be able to do so again, this time on the cliff. The one regret was that none of us thought to take any group pictures--especially at our dinner.

Brandt Allenwrote:

Regarding all the Mythos comments: They are the most comfy shoes I've ever worn and climb better than one might think. I have a stretched-out pair I wear for long routes and with socks on cold days. The Eco models sound interesting for less stretching.

Mythos is a nice Greek beer as well!!!

Here's a photo from a couple weeks ago just for climbing content purposes...
Russ ain't sitting around pining for the Proj.    

Greg Oplandwrote:

Mythos is a nice Greek beer as well!!! 

Nice?

"a nice Greek beer"-- you need the full context and there are not too many options. But it does seem to do the trick--though not the triple IPA or whatever, that you prefer.

Some places in Greece have better beer:

https://untappd.com/b/santorini-brewing-co-crazy-donkey/106763

Eric Engbergwrote:

Some places in Greece have better beer:

https://untappd.com/b/santorini-brewing-co-crazy-donkey/106763

Great place to visit! Beautiful people and houses!

I never knew there was a brewery   

Next time!   

Brandt Allenwrote:

           I need to check out sliderlocks. Who makes them?

Edelrid make a bunch of slider carabiners.  I use the pure slider III on a quick draw (shortie sling not a dogbone) for placements were the locker gives extra assurance against the rope unclipping. When placing, I can operate the slider with one hand to get the rope in, so it's not extra time or effort.