New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

Interesting anecdote from BITD. Not sure how meaningful it might be. While in an F-16 squadron stationed at Hahn AB (496th FS) in what was once West Germany, one of my additional duties was Plans Officer. Basically it meant keeping all plans up-to-date and making sure the leadership and other pilots knew the basics of them. There were occasional exercises to practice what we could of said plans. Interestingly, there was no plan that I knew of that involved invading Warsaw Pact countries (it is certainly possible something existed above my pay grade and security clearance, but I wasn’t aware of anything, and all our exercise scenarios were defensive in nature). It was all about stopping the Soviet tank divisions from pouring through the Fulda Gap. (Yes, we simulated attacking targets in Eastern Europe, but always with the goal to turn back the Soviets and “win the war”… it wasn’t about taking territory.)

It was an interesting time as I was there from ‘89 into ‘91 with all the Wall stuff happening. We even went through an already scheduled NATO TacEval (a major exercise and evaluation of our three squadrons, conventional and nuke capability, maintenance, security, and support) after the Wall had technically fallen, an exercise that started with the aforementioned Fulda Gap scenario.

I also seem to recall in the early 90s that there was a lot of hope in the air and there was even talk of the new Russia joining NATO (!!!) but I’m not sure how serious that was. I guess it was too much to expect Russia to transition to a true, corruption-free, oligarch-free, democracy in just a few short years. (Even a basic familiarity with Russian history and literature should have made that plain.)

Anyway, as to climbing I have to say I’m jealous of all the gorgeous crag pics of late. We are down here in Mendoza, Argentina until early January visiting two grown daughters and three grandkids (the latest, a girl, is now a month old). So in the past six weeks here I have only had one short session at the local bouldering gym. Mostly it is grandparent duty, which is very enjoyable… but they aren’t climbers—yet. I’m trying to do a fair amount of regular gym weight work and some mountain biking so I don’t get back to Barcelona as a fat couch potato. But not climbing is tough to accept (but “acceptance is the answer to all my problems!”)

So, keep posting those climbing pics so I can keep adding to my bucket list and live life vicariously through all of you. 

Bb Ccwrote:

Also a Stallion. Lived at RB. 74-80.

Bb … perhaps you know my kid brother- Mitch Gill- my parents really loved living in Stuttgart so Dad went for another tour. Mitch was class of 76.

Robinson Barracks…. You folks had the big PX.

Stallion Power

Here you go Daniel: the first photo is Tennis Shoe Crack 5.8, a Joshua Tree mini-route. The next two are up the road a bit north of Joshua Tree in the Giant Rock area.

Brad Youngwrote:

Some of your posts make me miss my dad's old Lee–Enfield (British military) .303.  I never did much with it, and my brother really wanted it, so I let him take it. I don't regret that by the way - he gets some use out of it and I wouldn't have (and my dad's still around too - he'll turn 90 in January - but he and his wife downsized massively about 10 years ago and so the rifle had to go).

I've never really been a  gun guy, having only previously shot my grandfather's pellet gun and one of his 22s as a kid a little bit, though I do like marksmanship. However, back in the 90s I did get to  to shoot a L-E .303 while I was up visiting my brother who was working in Rankin Inlet in the Arctic . The Inuit all use them. Maybe it was because the barrels were all worn out, but, for people who's survival relied on it, they seemed to be terrible shots and could barely hit a barn door, at least the younger ones. I noticed the grandfather would go off by himself and always brought something back.

We ended up going with a hunting party a few hundred miles out on the sea ice to a little island to set up camp so they could stock up on seal meat. The voyage itself was a blast, though a bit freaky as it was early Summer and the ice was melting so we had to skim over a lot of melt holes. One of the Inuit ended up losing his sled. Anyway, they weren't having too much luck , so I asked if I could have a try. I borrowed my brother's nice stainless steal all weather .243. that I had practiced with a little before we went out and his sled and wove down through the pressure ridges to get closer to where the seals were, then stalked on foot the rest of the way  while everybody watched my progress from the island. I ended up making 2 quick succession perfect shots and got two seals. (you have to have perfect clean kill shots or they will go down their ice holes and you will lose them.) 

I think they got jealous because the rest of the trip they kept trying to prank me, including when they let me try firing the .303 and ended up stealing my nice knife my brother had given me. It was only the last moment when I figured out my eye was probably too close to the scope for the kick and the idiots just watched and didn't warn me.. Later on, at another spot where they were hunting geese, they had me chewing on a raw goose gall bladder telling me it was a delicacy (I did see them eating them!) It was completely disgusting and had the texture of a superball. Raw seal and caribou is delicious though. Unfortunately, the two seals I got for them ended up getting wasted bc they fucked around and didn't put them in ice or anything and they spoiled in the heat (they may have used them to feed their dogs at least, hopefully. It really pissed me off. 

I still don't like to kill things unless I really really need to, even down to bugs, but I must say hunting felt completely natural when in the context of  needing food, so I fully respect hunters who respect the creatures and aren't doing it for trophy hunting or for some sort of kill thrill. If I could afford it, I would probably get a good high quality air rifle and practice my marksmanship. Skiing biathlon always seemed cool with the skiing and then having to calm everything down to be accurate

Brandt Allenwrote:

 I just received "Infinite Jest" yesterday. 

Really quite a wonderful book...

phylp phylpwrote:

Really quite a wonderful book...

My son did the FA:
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/115134554/infinite-jest

Eric Engbergwrote:

My son did the FA:
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/115134554/infinite-jest

Eric, it seems to be a quirk of this forum that one must add a single space after copy/pasting a link in order for it to work? Weird.

This should do it for your link:

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/115134554/infinite-jest 

EDIT: Nice. Pretty strong son!

Nice, Eric! Is Zeb still climbing a lot or have other interests pulled him away?

@Lori- if it isn’t too late for your meeting-

It would be reasonable for you to try to find out exactly what happened. I’m guessing that the surgery involves making an incision to reach the femoral artery, threading a (collapsed) stent up into the aorta, expanding the stent, then withdrawing the rest of the device (the introducer, not sure of the name)through the hole in the femoral artery.
Again, my guess is that the introducer didn’t shrink back in size and when it was withdrawn it tore the artery, causing the bleeding.
you might want to ask how common such a failure is and whether it should be reported to the company and to the FDA.

At this point, the surgeon definitely wants Tony to fully recover. Try to enlist his help in getting Tony the nutrition and rehab that will help.
Perhaps he knows the Medical Director at the NH? And could make a call or two? If anybody can make something happen in a medical context, it’s a Doc. 

But you should have concrete suggestions that he can implement.

1) increased calories and increased protein. Don’t expect restaurant quality, and Tony needs to eat whatever is available or what you bring 

2) activity, rehab is a great idea, and Tony needs to get moving as much as possible, even if it means nagging people to help.

Good luck, you will get more help from the Doc and the NH staff if you show gratitude for their help, whatever you are actually feeling. 

M Spraguewrote:

Nice, Eric! Is Zeb still climbing a lot or have other interests pulled him away?

Hi Mark - he goes in spurts - Move to Saint Gorge (Utah) a while ago,  Married, has a full time high tech job (remote mostly).  They had a baby (girl) about 8 months ago.  At the exact time Emma's water broke he was close to the send on some project of his (14d/15a) in the Hurricave (local hot spot in Hurricane).  He don't send that day and reports that he has 1 hung it 20x since then and it will probably take 20x more.  And he hates it when I mention him on social media.

Eric Engbergwrote:

  And he hates it when I mention him on social media.

LOL. Thanks for the update. I was wondering what he and Vasya had gotten themselves off to. Nice to know he is doing well.

M Spraguewrote:

LOL. Thanks for the update. I was wondering what he and Vasya had gotten themselves off to. Nice to know he is doing well.

Vasya is not quite as shy.  Doing hard trad stuff in Colorado.  

Brandt Allenwrote:

Here you go Daniel: the first photo is Tennis Shoe Crack 5.8, a Joshua Tree mini-route. The next two are up the road a bit north of Joshua Tree in the Giant Rock area.

 By the way, I just received "Infinite Jest" yesterday. If I don't want to read it, I can use it for weight training!

I love hand cracks. This one looks like maybe slightly wide hands?

Have fun with the book. It’s amazing in its detail. If I got through it a lot of others can as well. I sometimes run out of energía if the book starts to bore me, but this one kept me interested. The author died by his own hand, I believe, which is quite unfortunate. 

Lori, diet is very controversial.  If what you are doing is not working then you need to change it up.  I’ve been mostly keto for a couple of years, and after listening to Dave Macleod I went on a full carnivore experiment for six weeks.   All I can say say is that the idea that you “need” to eat carbohydrates is bullshit.  Your body can make all the carbs you need from protein through gluconeogenesis. I lost 10 pounds without trying, my blood work was perfect, and I had absolutely no diminished ability to perform at climbing.  

Not saying that anyone else should do this.  My wife handles carbohydrates well.  However, most people who slag keto have never tried it.   I thought it was all bullshit too but it totally works for me, after the carnivore experiment I’m bringing back more low carb vegetables like sauerkraut, brussel sprouts, etc.  What I will never eat again is bread, pasta, etc.

Mark, thank you so much for your input.  I have been VERY appreciative to all those who have taken care of Tony... trying to leave any criticisms behind.  We met with the vascular surgeon this morning in Indio.  He was just so pleased at Tony's progress, and thinks he should go home soon. You were exactly right about how this happened--a stent failed to seal. What wasn't expected was that all that blood would pool literally down Tony's entire leg, and then abscess everywhere.  After seeing the doc, I returned to the NH and watched this expert Wound Nurse take down and redo his wounds and the wound vac, and she'll be teaching me that next... I had no idea the groin wound was so huge and gaping.  Yet she said it was almost healed.  

I've been bringing Tony huge Italian beef sandwiches on focacia from the Italian Deli... made specially by a guy who looks like Furio from the Sopranos.  Now I have a bad crush on him.    Today Furio threw in some tiramisu with the sandwich. 

So good to hear from Helen!  I think I'll be doing the same thing... staying at home, cooking a mess of food, and then heading out for a hike.  The weather is beautiful... dark, rainy, stormy.  I've been thinking about my new route.  New gym.  Talking with my kids and grandkids.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!  

Ward Smithwrote:

Lori, diet is very controversial.  If what you are doing is not working then you need to change it up.  I’ve been mostly keto for a couple of years, and after listening to Dave Macleod I went on a full carnivore experiment for six weeks.   All I can say say is that the idea that you “need” to eat carbohydrates is bullshit.  Your body can make all the carbs you need from protein through gluconeogenesis. I lost 10 pounds without trying, my blood work was perfect, and I had absolutely no diminished ability to perform at climbing.  

Not saying that anyone else should do this.  My wife handles carbohydrates well.  However, most people who slag keto have never tried it.   I thought it was all bullshit too but it totally works for me, after the carnivore experiment I’m bringing back more low carb vegetables like sauerkraut, brussel sprouts, etc.  What I will never eat again is bread, pasta, etc.

Ward, some of what you are saying is true, but it’s not the full story. I don’t have time to go into the biochemistry and metabolic pathways right now but in general a keto diet would not be recommended for a type I diabetic: 

Daniel - Tennis Shoe Crack is locker hand jams, not wide at all. If you ever get out this way, I'd be happy to go do a lap with you.

Brandt Allenwrote:

Daniel - Tennis Shoe Crack is locker hand jams, not wide at all. If you ever get out this way, I'd be happy to go do a lap with you.

Great! And give a holler if you get to Barcelona. 

phylp phylpwrote:

Ward, some of what you are saying is true, but it’s not the full story. I don’t have time to go into the biochemistry and metabolic pathways right now but in general a keto diet would not be recommended for a type I diabetic: 

Thanks Phylp, obviously I should not be giving medical advice. 

Gene Bankswrote:

The Ukrainian people just want to be free to live their lives. This isn't rocket science.

17% of whom are Russian ethnicities and were underrepresented in the Ukrainian government which is one of many reasons why the war was started.

Most Western nationals, myself included, don’t really understand the all issues there.

Biden’s agenda “defending” Ukraine was a big show to the world that NATO was important for world peace and order. The administration severely underestimated the resolve of the Russian people who support and actually voted for Putin.

Now, we’re on the brink of a wider scale war, and the weapons used getting more and more powerful.

https://youtube.com/shorts/_fzdrz_oN-E?si=8_jDI04aNRIQPypq

Russia notified to USA prior to the launch, so we wouldn’t accidentally start a nuclear war.

I’m done criticising the war, just needed to correct the misinformation. Sorry to those who feel the opposite is true…