New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #31

Donald Thompsonwrote:

Riley

Whiskey

Murf, thank you for the suggestions. I'm pretty wary of popular areas like Echo, but you might be right that we could luck out if the timing is right. We don't mind walking in a reasonable distance...and I'm especially happy to do so if it means getting away from people. There is a variety of ability in our group, but all highly experienced climbers, so any kind of suggestion is probably helpful between 5.7 - 5.11. A spot that has good density of routes would be ideal, so everyone can be doing something.

Lori, Bruce seems to be prone to wounds that don't heal and become infected. He should come home tomorrow, assuming the portable wound vac arrives. I just received a box of antibiotic balls to put in the fridge. It feels like I've been dealing with the logistics nonstop today. You will understand how exhausting this is -- and not in a good physical way. 

Whiskey was a looker too.

I got Riley from a breeder located in Midpines on the road to Yosemite Valley.

yeah a few months back he went after a skunk one night and got sprayed. Since it was cold and snowing outside we had to let him in. The entire place stunk so badly that it set off the fire alarm several times during the night. He once charged a bear on a nearby trail but I screamed at him to stop, which he did, thank God!

My brother-in-law a couple years ago had hip replacement surgery. We nearly lost him . When he got home he was in severe pain and he and my sister tried to convince the med people that something wasn't right, but they assured them that it was just a matter of time and that everything was ok. Meanwhile my brother-in- law got worse. Finally they took him back for tests and thereby discovered he had contracted an infection that apparently had been introduced by the replacement objects themselves. It was such a novel and rare bacterium that they reported and described the infection in several medical journals. They had to go in and take out that replacement and swap it with a new one-- hopefully one  they had remembered to disinfect properly this time.

Louis. He's a Pappillion, but very fluffy and small. He's such a good deputy.

So sorry about bruce and tony. 

Lori wrote…”It’s humiliating to learn that some kid climbed 10c on his first day out and it’s taking me five years to get there.”

congrats on getting “there” … but really, climbing is all about “the climbing” all of it. The power, skill, confidence, problem solving, friendship and humiliation are all part of this crazy “sport” we do.
Who cares what others do?

I went out Sunday. I had a great time, I was able to climb my warmup - was my project not to long ago- I got on the 5.10 and felt solid but pulled on a bolt making it A0 to get past the hi-step… Then I felt great and gave a steep 10c a solid try… this one has some technical underclinging leading to about 30 feet of pockets and finishes on some crimpy face to tag the chains… I have been getting tossed off the undercling. Sunday I was past that and at the pocket section before I knew it - the pockets went well but figuring them out took a lot of gas out of the tank … my hands opened up on the crimps and I was off. While getting lowered I was smiling ear to ear. I will get this one soon.

I have some young friends, college age, who have been coming out to SP for less than a year bouldering and they have done maybe 5 pitches of sport… I got them to come out. Not only did they get the rope up for me they Flashed everything they tried right up to 12b …
I find that when I climb with these kids, who have unlimited stoke, I climb better, try harder and have a blast. I feed off that stoke.

Still praying for Tony to recover quickly. Being in hospital is no picnic with all the wake-ups, stabbing and jabbing all day and night. He is lucky to have you supporting him.

@Wendy … praying for Bruce.

@Appoge … I have found that “Rock Garden” despite its short approach and many hi quality routes can sometimes be deserted on crowded weekends. Good luck 

@Carl … what is happening right now is a crying shame. Go work for local political change.

Later all 

I found a little French Bistro where I can drop in for a sandwich while visiting Tony. The braised beef Gruyère is heaven and they serve it gluten free for me.  AND they play French music in the background.  

it’s taken an incredibly loooong time for me to embrace the new protein requirements for reals. Seeing dozens of studies, hearing it over and over from various sources, it’s still all been theoretical, until from repeated experience with exercise and recovery I grasp that 1 gm/pound of body weight is the real deal.

To hone in on this a little closer— if you were going to pick and choose when to really hit that protein goal it should be the day AFTER a hard workout or serious day of climbing.  this is when the body is in its most anabolic state and requires max amino acids to build muscle etc.

For me this is the difference between feeling trashed the day after hard climbing and cruising it.   

Couple from grotto 

philip bonewrote:

Couple from grotto 

I used to love going to the Grotto when I lived near SF.  Those cracks are all great.  Just wish they were 4x longer!

Cracks? That's the approach. 

Yes they are good! That one has gotten nice and smooth inside.

philip bonewrote:

Couple from grotto 

Surprising how mossy and how much lichen there is considering it is the closest thing to a local crag for a lot of folks who live in the central valley. 

Todd Berlier wrote:

Saw this at granite arch tonight and thought I wonder if this brings back any good memories for this crew...?

The first guidebook I ever saw and used! In 1983.

I went to visit an old friend and since tollhouse rock was on the way I went and did tollhouse traverse for the manyth time.  3 pitches of low angle low fifth class fun.  There was a brief storm and a nice rainbow in the afternoon.

Guy - yes that's good advice that comparing yourself to others is kinda pointless. Good to hear you continue to improve - that's the best we can hope for! And climbing with better climbers (of any age) has seemed to help me also. Higher energy level or something like that. One thing though - your suggestion for Rock Garden Valley: it's a great place but gets no sun this time of the year.

Todd - That was the guide for my hometown in my first decade of climbing (the 80's).

Just got home last night from a trip to Bishop. Had a lot of fun at Owen's Gorge. What I lacked in quantity was made up in quality.  I backed off one 5.7 and led some 6, 7, 8's, and one 9. (WOO HOO!)  Also TR'd a 10a that was spectacular. Ready for a couple of rest days now.

A question for Joshua Tree regulars:

Is there a way to do any one of the roots on Lost Horse Wall ( Dappled Mare, Bird on a Wire, The Swift etc.) and then once topping out be able to.rap off into Rock Garden Valley, preferably where Double Dog Leg is located. Every time I've wanted to do that very thing my partners did not'-- so I never properly reconoitered  that possibility? I'm asking more out of curiousity. There's  a massive block with sheer sides that looks like it's blocking the way further west along the top of the formation.

An awful photo pitch 2 of Dappled Mare. Me down yonder.

Edit:  If you get to Double Dogleg etc. by that way , then Guy's suggestion would work. Apogee could split his crew up and do those routes I mentioned on LHW then drop down into Rock Garden. No matter how cold it might be down there you'd be warmed up by then.Lol.

Donald Thompsonwrote:

A question for Joshua Tree regulars:

Is there a way to do any one of the roots on Lost Horse Wall ( Dappled Mare, Bird on a Wire, The Swift etc.) and then once topping out be able to.rap off into Rock Garden Valley, preferably where Double Dog Leg is located. Every time I've wanted to do that very thing my partners did not'-- so I never properly reconoitered  that possibility? I'm asking more out of curiousity. There's  a massive block with sheer sides that looks like it's blocking the way further west along the top of the formation.

An awful photo pitch 2 of Dappled Mare. Me down yonder.

Edit:  If you get to Double Dogleg etc. by that way , then Guy's suggestion would work. Apogee could split his crew up and do those routes I mentioned on LHW then drop down into Rock Garden. No matter how cold it might be down there you'd be warmed up by then.Lol.

You can do the triple rap climbing over the top.

It’s easier just to scramble off to the right (facing the wall).

Li Huwrote:

You can do the triple rap climbing over the top.

It’s easier just to scramble off to the right (facing the wall).

WTF?

Donald Thompsonwrote:

A question for Joshua Tree regulars:

Is there a way to do any one of the roots on Lost Horse Wall ( Dappled Mare, Bird on a Wire, The Swift etc.) and then once topping out be able to.rap off into Rock Garden Valley, preferably where Double Dog Leg is located. Every time I've wanted to do that very thing my partners did not'-- so I never properly reconoitered  that possibility? I'm asking more out of curiousity. There's  a massive block with sheer sides that looks like it's blocking the way further west along the top of the formation.

An awful photo pitch 2 of Dappled Mare. Me down yonder.

Edit:  If you get to Double Dogleg etc. by that way , then Guy's suggestion would work. Apogee could split his crew up and do those routes I mentioned on LHW then drop down into Rock Garden. No matter how cold it might be down there you'd be warmed up by then.Lol.

Is that picture from the 70s?

belayer is wearing velcro slippers.