New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #33

Ice plunge is easy. It's a mental challenge to talk yourself into it but once you get past the fear it's easy and only cold while you are going in the first time. When you come out you are toasty warm. You can stand outside naked in sun zero temps for quite a while after a plunge and feel totally comfortable. 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

Ice plunge is easy. It's a mental challenge to talk yourself into it but once you get past the fear it's easy and only cold while you are going in the first time. When you come out you are toasty warm. You can stand outside naked in sun zero temps for quite a while after a plunge and feel totally comfortable. 

I definitely love to plunge or lay in the snow after heating up in a sauna but getting me in ice water voluntarily without heating up first would be a 5.15+ challenge.

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

Ice plunge is easy. It's a mental challenge to talk yourself into it but once you get past the fear it's easy and only cold while you are going in the first time. When you come out you are toasty warm. You can stand outside naked in sun zero temps for quite a while after a plunge and feel totally c omfortable. 

No no no.  Ha ha.  I can't hardly get in a lake, river or ocean unless its near bath tub temperature.  Pretty sure I'd perish even if a crack medical team was standing by.

Whew!

Stark contrast to Nick's Day - we were outside all day hiking in Palm Springs.  Hot and sunny. Fun roadrunner spotting - beep beep! I know they are very common around Joshua Tree but I get a kick out of seeing them.

I don't mind standing by my comment. This is a pretty nice campfire.

Maybe not as out of control as years ago but just as diverse. Me I'm just a used to climb feeding off the energy of those who post.

Keep it up.

Im lying in a tent in the Mojave. Lucky me huh? The diversity in this thread is great. The civility wonderful. Thanks pb

 phylp wrote: “Fun roadrunner spotting - beep beep! I know they are very common around Joshua Tree but I get a kick out of seeing them.”

I’ve got two Roadrunners that live on my property at Joshua Tree and like to hang out with me, even if I don’t feed them. They’re pretty ferocious hunters in their own right, and will kill just about anything they can. They have some very interesting and odd behaviors- always fun to watch.

Woke up at 4:30am and looked at the thermometer. -26f flushed the toilet and ran the sinks. All good. Went back to sleep and didn't bother getting up until 7am when it had warmed up to -22.9f

The ocean kept us at a balmy -7 last night 

Brad Young wrote:

I'm gonna use my third and last post of the day to address one other thing: To my way of understanding, two unkind things were said about Lori earlier in this thread. Both comments surprised the shit out of me and did not seem to fit in this thread (inadvertent or not, I could not tell).

I hope Lori reads this, my view of her posts. In many cases, she doesn't climb the same way that I climb. She doesn't do leads (I think). Or first ascents, or write guidebooks, or (I suspect) religiously note down every route she's ever done and with who when.

And yet her posts about climbing and life fit this thread; indeed they help fill it out nicely. Why? Or at least why for me? Here's why: in spite of the differences in the way she climbs from the way I climb, two things come through in her posts that every climber could use more of. Two things: passion and grit. Probably four actually; add in joy and energy.

Keep it up, Lori. Lots of us enjoy your posts.

And Nick? I love your posts, but I could absolutely never, ever (EVER!) do those ice-water things you do. Gee-sus

I feel like she’s the inspiration for this thread, and the “New” portion is her.

For someone like me, getting back into climbing, her posts give me hope to climb again. In fact,  reading one of hers and Phylp’s posts inspired me to pursue sport climbing at my current age. It’s something I had never realised could be done on a daily basis.

Lori definitely inspires me to continue climbing and training to climb.

I’d appreciate a cogent explanation as to why these tariffs make any practical, economic  sense. Politically, they are aligned with the isolationist/populism that is MAGA, but they are sure to be harmful to US consumers and will likely impact approval ratings, among many who voted for Trump.

There’s a lot going on right now that is pretty confounding, but for the most part, I still think Trump should enact the agenda he ran his campaign on. Americans voted for it…give it to them.

And while I think it’s largely just feeding red meat to his base, the actions taken lately to downshift DEI across the government seem like the right direction to me. Most probably get behind the basic concept of equity and inclusion, but the way it has been imposed in recent years just goes too far, and has often alienated many of those who support the core principle.

Faces and characters:

Thanks Lori.

apogee wrote:

I’d appreciate a cogent explanation as to why these tariffs make any practical, economic  sense. Politically, they are aligned with the isolationist/populism that is MAGA, but they are sure to be harmful to US consumers and will likely impact approval ratings, among many who voted for Trump.

There’s a lot going on right now that is pretty confounding, but for the most part, I still think Trump should enact the agenda he ran his campaign on. Americans voted for it…give it to them.

And while I think it’s largely just feeding red meat to his base, the actions taken lately to downshift DEI across the government seem like the right direction to me. Most probably get behind the basic concept of equity and inclusion, but the way it has been imposed in recent years just goes too far, and has often alienated many of those who support the core principle.

 Oh, god. This has me laughing.  Not the content... don't take offense.  Just, out of the blue, 'I'd appreciate an explanation..."  about the tariffs.  Because there's nothing we don't talk about.    

I keep thinking about a fellow who posted here several years ago.  As I recall, he had an aggressive cancer.  And he wrote a lengthy post about the very last time he climbed, it was an overnight multipitch.  He set up a bivvy at a favorite spot, spent the night, his wife and dog held space for him below in a cabin (?)... he woke up and made coffee up there, and then climbed down.  He died shortly after.  

(I hope my facts aren't all jumbled up).  The point is, well, it was so poignant, and personal, and deeply human.  I've thought about him often.  He wrote with such joy.   

We are all headed down the same road, some sooner than later.  I so enjoy the stories and the lives shared here, which is far more than I ever anticipated.  I was thinking about Jan's tomatoes today, that same guy who did the FA on numerous impossible routes here, and climbed the Bachar Yurian.  It's just a crazy life.  And to get caught up on Helen's life, who seems to plant potatoes and save seeds, cook and renovate, and organize climbing excursions.  I felt like my own best friend was going in for surgery when Guy got his back surgery a few years back.  And while I love reading about John Gill's climbs, it's just great getting to know John as a person... and the goings on in his life.  Phylp's travels.  LiHu and his weighted hangs.     Carl and his  poetry, wherever he really is.

And my own journey.  When I first moved here, I tried 4 times in one day to find Illusion Dweller.  I got lost 4 times--totally reduced to panic and tears.  And anyone who knows the area, knows that Illusion Dweller isn't that hard to find.  So, we talked about map reading, and the futility of GPS here, at least trying to maneuver around rock formations--good luck with that.  Triangulating.  Garmin and the SOS feature.  I mean... I don't know how I ever thought I was just going to show up and climb.  So, this community has been here all the way.  (One of my early embarrassments: sitting on the Sentinel, reading a map trying to FIND the Sentinel.  I just had no idea I was sitting on it.)

So, I am really appreciative of everyone on this thread.  Also, it saves Tony the eye rolls as he tries to be supportive, but has no idea.  I write whatever I am excited about... and I love reading what's going on in everyone's life.  My one burning question... that ice hole, Nick... can you fish in it, too?  

Tomorrow we are driving 100 miles to Costa Mesa to get 'professional training' on the barbells, most importantly that squat and deadlift.  My body is changing quickly.  This should be really helpful. 

I believe that the person whom you mentioned who has passed away from cancer is Frank Minunni, RIP.

Good Morning MIdnight:  Life and Death in the Wild.

AAC book review

Took a hike up Mt Wishicouldtellya today. this time solo and up the side that we skin on. Day after the powder event and I still had to break the skin track.  after 3 runs it was nicly packed.

Chopped another hole in the ice. Just two days and it was 21/2 inches thick..

water is silky smooth and feels surreal when you go under at night through a hole in the ice. 

Lori. No you can Not fish in this little pond which is a good thing because certain body parts might look like bait to a big fish.    Its a tiny little pond but is spring fed so the water is always fresh and clean. Never seen any fish in it. 

Brian in SLC wrote:

Good Morning MIdnight:  Life and Death in the Wild.

AAC book review

Brian, I am very curious. Why are you posting this 20 year old review of a 21 year old book, focused on something that happened 25 years ago, in this thread, now? Is it because it is the 25th anniversary of Guy's death or some other reason?
Just seems odd seeing this here and now, with no further context.

Alan Rubin wrote:

I believe that the person whom you mentioned who has passed away from cancer is Frank Minunni, RIP.

Frank came back East for a farewell visit in 2021, and quite a few of the clan gathered to wish him well. Frank is just above the guy in the green shirt in the front row, with his arm around his wife Midori. This shot is a repost from one I posted to his memorial thread on MP.

Alan Rubin wrote:

Brian, I am very curious. Why are you posting this 20 year old review of a 21 year old book, focused on something that happened 25 years ago, in this thread, now? Is it because it is the 25th anniversary of Guy's death or some other reason?
Just seems odd seeing this here and now, with no further context.

For some reason...Lori's post reminded me of it.  

Lori Milas wrote:

I keep thinking about a fellow who posted here several years ago.  As I recall, he had an aggressive cancer.  And he wrote a lengthy post about the very last time he climbed, it was an overnight multipitch.  He set up a bivvy at a favorite spot, spent the night, his wife and dog held space for him below in a cabin (?)... he woke up and made coffee up there, and then climbed down.  He died shortly after.  

I have the book.  Kind of an intriguing and haunting story to me.  Enjoyed Yankee Rock and Ice and A Fine Kind of Madness (the title might describe our sport...).

25 years ago now.  Wow.  I climbed a bit in the White Mountains and in Huntington Gully.  When the sun's going down after a day out on the ice...and its starting to get cold (real cold)...I used to muse a bit about that story.

Edit to add:  Alan, I didn't realize you have some history here.  Sorry if those memories are painful.  Cheers.