New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

Colden Darkwrote:

At this time of year, the sun doesn’t get above the horizon. But it gets close, giving us about 5 hours of civil twilight in the middle of the day.  9 days out of 10 it’s cloudy or foggy so there’s no real sign of the sun. But every once in a while the sky clears and the wind stops and the sky glows off to the south. Too bright for vampires, Lori.

11:30 am looking WSW towards lights of Barrow

3 pm looking WNW across Chukchi Sea

No surf? That would be a gas

Aside from whales and seals what lives in that sea?

When does it freeze over? 

Coming to the end of my Covid infestation. As always, after feeling poorly I feel like superman, it’s like I always feel light, fit, strong, invigorated. Doesn’t matter if it’s a simple cold or whatever, my bounce back is always significant. Rode my bike fast and loud to the store and got a new drone after selling my other one (sold a DJI Mini 3, got a DJI Neo). Basically shed 500 bucks but the Neo is more my thing.

Cindy is away so I’m drinking too much beer to the point of writing poems.

And? (As Helen would write, with requisite question mark) who cares? Not me, for in reality I am a child.

I Think I Should Write a Book

By Carl

I think I should write a book,

I think I should tell a story, 

Of places that I’ve been,

The peaks and all the places,

The depths and all the places,

The depths and all the spaces,

The wide, wide open places,

That opened mind’s many spaces. 

I know you are suspecting,

A tale of many places,

wide chasms, friendly faces,

Wide open eternal spaces,

A tale of many places,

Smiles, drinks and smokes and all the faces,

In sun-drenched open spaces,

Wide and open places.

But the places and the stories,

With doubleplus good shiny glories,

Are the places where I sat,

Alone wondering why I’m not a cat,

Or a hat or a cast iron pot,

And realised that I’m Carl,

But then realised that I’m also not,

Because every thing is me,

And I am, or will be, that tree.

https://youtu.be/yQYM-nHmYTQ?si=bcXUam1OAnS5RO_a

Lori Milaswrote:

Aside from whales and seals what lives in that sea?

Polar bears. They’re pagophilic. Word of the day.

Also, walruses.

phylp phylpwrote:

Funny, I had plans to climb with a friend at Fairview Mountain in Apple Valley on Sunday, and then I remembered that it is a Holiday weekend, and the westbound traffic on Sunday night will be a nightmare.  So we pivoted to meet at a gym tomorrow.  I don't think you will have too much trouble on Saturday, but I would avoid Sunday.

If you are in Hermosa Beach, Sender One LAX is super close...

We made it up to Corpse Wall in a little over an hour. Traffic wasn't too bad and Vicki drove (she usually drives in LA traffic because, as she says: "it leads to a lot less swearing").

Parking was easy and there was one other group there when we arrived. One more showed up later. Temperatures were perfect (but hey, this is Southern California and that's pretty much required by law here).

Spectacular views from the walk in and out. The climbing wasn't particularly stand out, but it was certainly good. All in all, a worthwhile local crag to explore for a day.

phylp phylpwrote:

Funny, I had plans to climb with a friend at Fairview Mountain in Apple Valley on Sunday, and then I remembered that it is a Holiday weekend, and the westbound traffic on Sunday night will be a nightmare.  So we pivoted to meet at a gym tomorrow.  I don't think you will have too much trouble on Saturday, but I would avoid Sunday.

Saturday westbound was ridiculous. Two miles of backup at the Cali entry gates, which had no one manning them. It was nuts. Can’t even imagine what it was like down in Palm Springs.

2025 reservations for City of Rocks have been paused since August 1, 2024 while changes to the reservation system are in process.  2025 reservation will open at 8am on January 6, 2025.

If you're planning on going I'd suggest getting on the reservation system before 8am and hopefully be able to beat the crowd.  

Happy Holidays to all.

Greg Oplandwrote:

Saturday westbound was ridiculous. Two miles of backup at the Cali entry gates, which had no one manning them. It was nuts. Can’t even imagine what it was like down in Palm Springs.

Only 2 miles? That’s holiday traffic, much better..   

Okay, learnt not to do max hangs prior to climbing. I can’t even get 4c on the Touchstone Board. That’s a V0. But I was able to hold 135 pounds on 35mm for 10 seconds. Bouldered cracks and met Max attempting a TS board V4.

Just going to blame my shoes and pump for not sending. Of course, both my gym shoes are being resoled and the TCPro slipped on every hold.   

Brad Youngwrote:

We made it up to Corpse Wall in a little over an hour. <snip>

Spectacular views from the walk in and out. The climbing wasn't particularly stand out, but it was certainly good. All in all, a worthwhile local crag to explore for a day.

Neat spot.  I climbed there on a business trip in 2007.  I think it wasn't a well-known location at the time.  Had chatted with Steve Edwards (RIP) about it at our local gear store (IME) and he drew me a nice map and location for the climbs.  Needed a partner and found one here on the proj...a visiting woman from the UK who was at UCLA.  She was semi well known but hadn't climbed much recently due to an injury.  Swung by UCLA. picked her up, and we hiked up to the location and lo and behold, was a nice big fin of sandstone.  We did a few routes.  On one, I was leading and broke a big hold.  Both me and the hold were tumbling down toward my belayer.  She calmly stepped aside to avoid the rock, caught me, and, I gratefully led through.  Grabbed dinner at a Thai place afterwards in Malibu.  Memorable and fun day.

Sad that the area here on the 'proj was entered into to the data base by Tony Sartin, who recently passed away.  

Concur with the great views!  Have always liked some of the climbing out of the LA area (OC too for that matter).  Cheers!

Carl Schneiderwrote:

' ' '

Are the places where I sat,

Alone wondering why I’m not a cat,

Or a hat or a cast iron pot,

And realised that I’m Carl,

But then realised that I’m also not,

Because every thing is me,

And I am, or will be, that tree.

Nicely put.  

Greg Oplandwrote:

Saturday westbound was ridiculous. Two miles of backup at the Cali entry gates, which had no one manning them. It was nuts. Can’t even imagine what it was like down in Palm Springs.

My LA prediction of traffic to Hermosa Beach was wrong. This isn't bad at all:

Just yellow stretches, no red.

Getting back to my house from the high desert crags is worse.  The 15 must be pretty slow:

Joshua Tree to my home looking slow also:

If I were driving this,maybe I wouldn't mind the slow traffic:

I don't even like to drive fast but I love Lamborghini's so much!

By the way, if you are coming to the 405 or west, never take the 15 from Barstow.  Keesee turned me onto the fact that the 58 from Barstow to Mojave is now 4 lanes and it is faster to go the 58 to the 14 than the 15 to the 10/210 any time of the day.

WOW! you folks live in a different world.  Its an hr drive to NH from my place just to go to Home Depot... 

Hunting this morning in my back yard. This is actually not my property. its a hay field but my property line is the tree line in the background. 

this was the first official winter sauna with snow on the ground and real ice to chop through..  the last two it was brown ground and just a skim of ice. It was the real deal this evening.

it's intimidating as heck going through that hole in the ice but when you are under you feel like you are in a cocoon.. its silky smooth and super relaxing.

put my christmas tree up in the yard and got the lights on it today. 

Todd Berlier wrote:

Lol, Brian! This is so funny!

Todd you shared “the Californians” last year. I love it. I love to laugh and it really makes me laugh!

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

WOW! you folks live in a different world.  Its an hr drive to NH from my place just to go to Home Depot... 

Through picturesque scenery and New England forested roads, as opposed to stifling exhaust billowing from trucks and sitting in heavy traffic hitting both brake and accelerator pedals in a randomly oscillating pattern.

I’ll take your one hour drive over a 1-2 mile jaunt up or down the 101 thank you.

Proud to say we do NOT have snake catchers in VT.  Jesus H Godblasted christ! they didn't even mention that its deadly poisonous! its just normal.. 

Nick, while the folks in SoCal do live in a different world from you up in the NEK, it is worth noting that there, while the Home Depot may only be a few miles away, it still might take them an hour to get there because of the traffic!!!

Nah, 10 minutes to Home Depot or Lowes... Or the supermarket or 1000 restaurants, etc, etc, etc.

I have been to Southern California and the north east and could not live in either place. One has too many people and the other is way too humid and too many bugs. 

Alan Rubinwrote:

Nick, while the folks in SoCal do live in a different world from you up in the NEK, it is worth noting that there, while the Home Depot may only be a few miles away, it still might take them an hour to get there because of the traffic!!!

Depends upon where you live.

Jan likely lives outside the city based upon his response.