New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

While others are holding forth on our foreign wars, I just wanted to clarify my intention for writing about diet. Thank you Ward and Phylp for adding your thoughts. I am not here to advocate for keto, carnivore, Mediterranean, etc. Only to emphasize the relationship between diet and performance, and maybe along with Russ, to observe standing in long lines at Walmart or Vons and noting what’s in the carts and how very ill so many people are.

But aside from that, I jotted down this quote from Jimmy Chin that expressed my thoughts perfectly:

“Climbing is an exercise in failure, where you pick things that you don’t know that you can do, but you throw yourself at it and you take all the necessary steps and you fail, and you come back and try to be better stronger, get your systems more dialed, and you try and try again until you succeed.”  

So for me, part of “getting my systems more dialed” has included paying better attention to diet. Noticing what dietary tweaks have improved my strength and energy and what dietary habits have decreased my ability to climb.  It’s a big player in my fitness, maybe not so much for some others.

That’s all.   

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Bunch of Mexicans live here. Maybe Mexico should invade us.. 

We invaded them. With retirement communities.  

Lori Milaswrote:

But aside from that, I jotted down this quote from Jimmy Chin that expressed my thoughts perfectly:

“Climbing is an exercise in failure, where you pick things that you don’t know that you can do, but you throw yourself at it and you take all the necessary steps and you fail, and you come back and try to be better stronger, get your systems more dialed, and you try and try again until you succeed.”  

Or are too tired and simply fall off, then come back another day of the same.   

China argues that a bunch of Chinese live in Taiwan. And China is vastly underrepresented in that government. That should justify China invading and conquering the place.

Russia starting an actual war... killing people, raping them, taking their land and wealth.  A quantum of a quantum of difference from Ukraine talking alliances with other countries, running their own government, hoping to become part of the west more than the east. You know, Ukraine acting like an actual country.

And by the way, how many non ethnic Russians live in Russia? More justification for war!

Diets, politics and wars be damned,

Happy Thanksgiving all,

Tad

Li Hu: "Most Western nationals, myself included, don't really understand all the issues there".

Your posts on this topic make the 'myself included' part abundantly clear. If you really feel the need to "correct misinformation" then you should stop spreading it.

I'm with Tad - all set to celebrate the day with football and gluttony!

Brandt Allenwrote:

I'm with Tad - all set to celebrate the day with football and gluttony!

Guidebook editing, making sure that the dogs get enough exercise, reading a good book while dinner cooks, visiting with my older daughter, and ...

Gluttony.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I’m staying out of the political debate.  I have done my time in the service and feel the left is too far left and right too far right.  Daniel was talking of the Fulda Gap.  I have been there with live ammo in the early 80s.

 Had a wonderful fall climbing season so that’s what I’m thankful for.  Now it’s snowing maybe I will ice climb more this season. 

Lori you do what feels best for you.well wishes for Tony I enjoy your post and pictures.  I miss the trips to  Joshua Tree. The crowds and camping situation has turned me off.  Thanks for the pictures.  Helen great to hear your ok. 

Stay strong and healthy everyone. Don’t stress over politics,your energy can be used in a more positive way. Peace 

Brad Youngwrote:

China argues that a bunch of Chinese live in Taiwan. And China is vastly underrepresented in that government. That should justify China invading and conquering the place.

My family is Taiwanese, in fact, my family has been there longer than England has been a nation, yet most of my family consider themselves as Chinese. Many were persecuted and property stolen from the Chinese people who invaded us over 75 years ago. The vast majority of the island are run by them, and, ironically, are declaring independence from China.

Taiwan was always part of China, it was just a fishing island off the coast of Fujian, where we originally came from 1000 years ago.

Please stop encouraging yet another war the West knows nothing about. The situation is complicated.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. 

Brandt Allenwrote:

I'm with Tad - all set to celebrate the day with football and gluttony!

Or maybe skiing.  It's 18 F here this morning.  And later huckleberry pie!

Stopped by my sisters yesterday to fix one of her doors.  Found out she shot a deer opening day.   My brother in law giving the nephews a ride

some of their cows

I walked the back 100

heading back to the farm. did not see any deer. 

I don't like killing. I grew up on a farm and learned how but not too keen on it anymore. I do eat meat though. 

Marksmanship is  like zen. Especially my primitive winter Biathlon. They should do that event with traditional archery. I like the practice better than the events because of the solitude. 

last night was the first time I had to clear ice from the pond to get in  for the sauna. We did four plunges..  Isa screams up a storm going in the ice water.. 

its snowing today. Might take the rifle for a ski after I get done prepping the roasted sweet potatoes. 

Happy thanksgiving all. 

Li Huwrote:

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…

"Correct the misinformation", lol. Sounds a bit like Nazi Germany invading Czechoslovakia. It is amazing, with all the Russian gibberish about modern Ukrainians being Nazis while the Russians are acting exactly like the Nazis in so many ways. down to ol' Medved's cosplay and commanders covered with NAZI tattoos (Dmitry Utkin  for example)

@Nick G was repairing the door and shooting the deer related? Yes, my mind is happily conflating those 2 statements.

@Idaho Bob Damn. Huckleberries. I just might not like you anymore. Hey,  how much snow you got up there?? It's looking to be a good year, yay.

Okay, so I'm by myself here. Bought the whole shebang already cooked turkey feast for 4 from Whole Foods. Picked that up yesterday. Figure it can mostly go in the freezer.

And regretting it. Deeply. I dunno what I was thinking. Every single item is a disappointment, since I know what I can make is soooooo much better. And tastier. Oh well. I knew better.

But this morning?

Ah!!!! Yes!!! The far better idea sprung to mind.

Geared up (it's in the 20s for lows now), walked to the store nearby and.....

Pomelos are back! One of the extremely few seasonal produce items that are still ONLY available seasonally.

So today will celebrate that. Real foods, done simply, and the gratitude for all which that simple pomelo represents.

Pomelo salad: spring greens salad mix (if I gardened still and had a cold frame, the last of the lettuces would have come in a few days ago. Spinach would go all winter), about half that pomelo, half an avocado, some walnuts,  and a bit of blue cheese dressing (Toby's brand, soooo good). If I had planned ahead, I would have bought some good blue cheese (or Roquefort omg) and just crumbled the cheese on, with a few splashes of the hefty balsamic. 

Artichoke, well, that's just eaten with good mayo mixed with a bit of lemon juice.

Once it rockets up in the 30s, maybe even 40s, I'll either be outside, building fence, or in my garage, assembling a 36x72 metal storage thing. That's where much of the camping stuff will live, that some of the Over 50ers have enjoyed on the group trips at COR. 

Besides that?

My screen binge lately has been Alone, on the History channel. It fits in here, oddly, as these people are on very extreme extreme starvation diets. I'm in season 10, and not a single person has actually done well. The winners just died last, lol.

The lack of calories is obvious, but nutrient deficiencies come into play very very quickly. And it's been interesting to follow. The very high protein diet, if they were lucky to get that, but lean animals? You starve. Okay, animals with fat. Still very low carb diet. Digestive issues. Lack of other nutrients, on and on. Simply not sustainable, without having a full year of seasons, and a tribe, to make it work 

Pretty much every person has been deeply changed by trying this, and they are people who do this survival thing for fun, or even professionally.

Appropriate to today?

They come away from it with a profound level of gratitude, like they have never experienced before.

And it's for the very simplest of things.

Food.

Water.

Shelter.

Warmth.

Health.

And their people. Those they love more than anything else. Literally, anything. We are not made to do this living thing entirely alone, but with our tribe, our community.

So happy Thanksgiving, tribe! Enjoy.

Helen

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, we are getting our first (wet) snow of the year today.  My 85 year old mother is still able to drive the 2.5 hours to be with us.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Ward, here 12 miles south and maybe 700 ft. lower, we are just getting cold rain--at least so far, though since I'm increasingly becoming a winter-phobe, I'm not complaining!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all the over 50 climbers!

We've had a few below freezing nights at Joshua Tree but it looks like a mild (La Nina) and relatively dry winter.

Old lady Hwrote:

@Idaho Bob Damn. Huckleberries. I just might not like you anymore. Hey,  how much snow you got up there?? It's looking to be a good year, yay.

The trouble with huckleberries is not eating them as you pick.  Brundage has base depths of three to four feet.  Earliest opening in a couple of decades.  Not enough depth to ski off piste but the groomed trails are OK.  I'll wait until the holiday crowds are gone, and cheer for Mikaela on Sunday.  

What a glorious day and happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Helen, I am so in step with you, if we lived a little closer, we could hit the kitchen together. I love to hear everything you’re doing.

I thought today might be sad because I have never spent a Thanksgiving alone, but for some reason it is a joyful day. It’s been a while since I took off on a hike with permission to just roam.  And I’ve been dying to explore the very top of this formation and I thought if I could just get closer, I could see it up close and personal.  But nooooo. It actually looks farther away.  So I keep Climbing.

Covered in white sage and cat claw, who needs smelly fabric, softeners,

Brandt, I would sure love to see what you guys have cooked for the day, assuming it’s vegetarian or vegan? Do we have tofurkey?

i’m just grateful for all of you. LiHu I majored in classical Chinese and Chinese history at UCLA. We only learned Mandarin and at that time the cultural revolution was going on on the mainland. I sort of lost track of everything after that and you would be the guy to catch me up on the last five decades.

It’s cold up here and my hands are numb. It’s time to descend and go home and get that turkey going.    

Colorado just got a s**tload of new snow and I'm missing the days when we could take advantage of it, but I'll make do with our Whole Foods dinner (I'm not as discriminating as Helen, having grown up on Pepperidge Farm and Ocean Spray) and maybe read a climbing book I just borrowed. Happy Thanksgiving at all of your respective campfires.