New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #34

everyone knew he was working for the phone company. 

Another nice day at the Gunks. Climbed three pitches of Rusty Trifle, but avoided the traverse. Still hesitant about that.

For those of us admirers of Tony Yaniro, this footage of him (from the classic film, On the Rocks) is bitchin’:

First day back leading outside in about 1.5 years!  Between deploying and then getting back and moving and then being sent to Kentucky for 9 weeks to work at Ft Knox, and my head not quite being in the right space, I just had not led outside in so long.

Went out with four people from the West Point Post climbing gym, one who had never climbed outside and one who had never tied into a rope (he'd only bouldered in the past), and we all just had a BLAST, esp the two new ones!

We climbed at a Cadet Climbing area that is unfortunately only open to Army ID card holders (I am not a fan of gate-keeping anyone from climbing anywhere unless it is for environmental/wildlife concerns) but is was great time.  I led three routes and set up top ropes for them and we just spent 3.5 hours forgetting that life existed outside of the rock and the Seilschaft of the rope.

Fortunately sport bolted but not overly bolted too close.

Cannot wait to get outside again soon and with the weather changing, it shouldn't be too long!

Thinking of heading up to Rumney in a week or two for the weekend! If any of you are in that area and want to climb, please please let me know!

apogee wrote:

The Kennedy assassination files are supposed to have been released- I'll be interested to see if anything revelatory comes from this. My curiosity is not related to anything conspiratorial...I fairly doubt there's anything that's noteworthy...but maybe we'll be surprised by something. Regardless, I'm sure the conspiracy thinkers will continue to rage in their fever dream thinking.

Edit to below: Happy to eat my words on this as needed…it wouldn’t be the first time!

Trump: Revenge of the Conspiracy People.   

Buck!  Great picture!  It’s so nice getting to know you through your recent posts. I hope you connect with a crew to head to Rumney, and…. More pictures! 

Despite terrible odds of ever harvesting an actual fruit or vegetable here, I just can’t resist trying again. I asked our High Desert Gardening group on Facebook how they deal,  it was pretty unanimous that they all resort to some kind of mayhem. Maybe we all need therapy.  

If only I could construct a cage to sit on each whiskey barrel, that would take care of that problem. I might still work on it, but another option is just to put smaller cages over each plant to at least give them a chance.

Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking about one of my recent climbs (without Bob) that I did not enjoy… However, maybe a second visit would go smoother.

There’s really only three things I want to climb… Same things as last year… I don’t know why it’s so hard to get back to them. If I’ve learned one thing about climbing, it’s don’t make plans.  

Not to start a political discussion (although it would be easy to do), but is anyone worried about Elon? I don’t even mean what he’s doing with DOGE. I mean his actual mental health.

I was willing to give Elon a chance several years ago and not just go with all the bashing. I watched the documentary on him and his SpaceX program and thought, well maybe he’s a good guy. Before moving here, we almost bought a Tesla. Elon is obviously smart, may be a little eccentric.  But lately he seems a little crazed. I had read mentions of ketamine and thought it was gossip. It turns out he has admitted to frequent use.

He doesn’t look right to me. He doesn’t sound right.

and maybe it’s unfair but who names their kid X Æ A-12, or Exa Dark Sideræl Musk?  

Lori - It's pretty easy to fashion a rodent guard out of this wire mesh material (called hardware cloth at Home Depot.)

I had planted parsley, which takes a while to germinate. When it finally sprouted, I was very happy. After it got about an inch high, I came out one morning and it was completely gone - eaten down to the dirt. I was very sad. So Paula put this cage around it and it all came back. Happy again! It's ready to start harvesting now.

I don't find myself 'worrying' about the health conditions of people in power so much as I pay attention to their actions while they are there. In particular, the actions of his boss are particularly 'worrying'- talk of impeaching of federal judges that passed down a decision he didn't like. How close to a dictatorship does this country have to become in order for people to notice it?

Buck Rogers wrote:

First day back leading outside in about 1.5 years!  Between deploying and then getting back and moving and then being sent to Kentucky for 9 weeks to work at Ft Knox, and my head not quite being in the right space, I just had not led outside in so long.

Went out with four people from the West Point Post climbing gym, one who had never climbed outside and one who had never tied into a rope (he'd only bouldered in the past), and we all just had a BLAST, esp the two new ones!

We climbed at a Cadet Climbing area that is unfortunately only open to Army ID card holders (I am not a fan of gate-keeping anyone from climbing anywhere unless it is for environmental/wildlife concerns) but is was great time.  I led three routes and set up top ropes for them and we just spent 3.5 hours forgetting that life existed outside of the rock and the Seilschaft of the rope.

Fortunately sport bolted but not overly bolted too close.

Cannot wait to get outside again soon and with the weather changing, it shouldn't be too long!

Thinking of heading up to Rumney in a week or two for the weekend! If any of you are in that area and want to climb, please please let me know!

Hi Buck, If you ever want to head out to western MA--easy day trip distance for you and moderate bolted sport routes ( Farley, Hanging Mt.), let me know. Pretty early still for Rumney, especially the more moderate routes ( slower to dry).

apogee wrote:

I don't find myself 'worrying' about the health conditions of people in power so much as I pay attention to their actions while they are there. In particular, the actions of his boss are particularly 'worrying'- talk of impeaching of federal judges that passed down a decision he didn't like. How close to a dictatorship does this country have to become in order for people to notice it?

Roberts didn’t allow it. Pretty sure even Alito and Co. would agree?

But agree, those darn “pesky judges”.   

Alan Rubin wrote:

Hi Buck, If you ever want to head out to western MA--easy day trip distance for you and moderate bolted sport routes ( Farley, Hanging Mt.), let me know. Pretty early still for Rumney, especially the more moderate routes ( slower to dry).

Wow!  That could be great!

I will have to check out those areas as they have never been on my radar.

Thanks so much for the offer and I will definitely be in contact!

Edit to add:  

Good Lord!

I checked MP for Hanging Mountain and where are all the 5.7's and down???  

And no routes listed for Farley (which makes sense as the private landowners requested that) but this weak guy needs to know if there are any routes there that I can actually lead, or at least decently follow!

Li Hu wrote:

Roberts didn’t allow it. Pretty sure even Alito and Co. would agree?

But agree, those darn “pesky judges”.   

Roberts did NOTHING to stop the very many illegal acts that the tRumpers are committing.  And for many years now has failed to support the constitution.  

Shutting down numerous agencies that are approved by LAWS passed by Congress is illegal.  Trying to stop harmless freedom of speech at universities is ILLEGAL.
Citizens United and reversing the Chevron doctrine are simple partisan politics with NO basis in the constitution.  Firing independent agency leaders is ILLEGAL.

The Extreme Court went out of its way to intrude on trump criminal cases to FALSELY claim they had something to do with "official acts."   Trying to overthrow an election is NOT an official act.  Stealing classified documents, and lying about it numerous times and obstructing recovery, is NOT an official act.  Cheating on taxes and committing fraud is NOT an official act.  Trying to change votes in Georgia is NOT an official act.  Trying to substitute false electors in numerous states is NOT an official act.   Why didn't Roberts comment on the injustice that conald should have been impeached, convicted, and rotting in JAIL?

tom donnelly wrote:

  Why didn't Roberts comment on the injustice that conald should have been impeached, convicted, and rotting in JAIL?

Cons piracy. The work of pirates

I'm not trying to defend Roberts' actions and many of his decisions, but judges, in general, don't make political statements--they rule on the legal issues before them. While there are exceptions, Roberts is a strong believer in judicial 'propriety'. As Chief Justice he does occasionally make general statements in defense of judicial independence and integrity, but tries to avoid specifics---especially if cases concerning those matters are likely to come before SCOTUS. Actually, though I believe he was very wrong in the executive immunity decision, in a number of important 'Trump' cases so far both he and, interestingly, Barrett, have joined the 3 more liberal Justices in holding somewhat of a line against Trump's over-reach. Hopefully that will continue. At least, despite his negatives, he believes in the fundamentals of our Constitution---we'll see if he has the guts to stand up for those fundamentals in the coming months--and what he does when ( not if) Trump defies the Court.

Agreed Alan, Roberts did not want a complete overturn of Roe v Way, but was looking for a compromise.  Whatever his politics, I believe that he wants the Supreme Court to be independent and to follow the Constitution, at least as he sees it.  Not so sure of some of the other justices- on both sides.

On a climbing note, I flashed a 12b and a V7 in the gym.  Either the grades are soft, or I am climbing well.  Maybe both.

Wow Ward, a rare occurrence--we agree about something involving national politics!!!! On a 'non-climbing' note, I'm wondering if I will be able to even get up a VB or 5.6--even with Hadley grades--after I return from my current 10 day family trip with too little exercise and too much eating---though otherwise very pleasant.

Buck. I sent you a PM. Farley definitely has enough in that grade range for at least a day. In the past most of the easier routes were a bit scattered in various parts of a complex cliff. But over the past couple of years a couple of friends opened up a new sector with a pretty dense concentration of easier, well-bolted routes. A bit slow to dry, but very worthwhile. The walk-in from the parking to that section is about 15 minutes.

OLH does not/did not know Charlie Crist, but he sounds like someone  I would have liked.

However?  Crist rang a bell. Crist. Gallery. Was that that little building way back then? That interesting one? 

So, with some sleuthing, I got J Crist Gallery. It is long gone as a gallery, but I'm sure I was there for some snazzy wear your artiste get up thing or other at some point, and it's quite possible, even probable I intersected with your friend,  in my artsy life, way way way before climbing showed up.

The building is still there, and I remembered it as being unusual and quite nice. It also won awards for Trout Architects back then.

Now, it's pretty unassuming from the outside (always has been) but is a nifty space nonetheless. The entrance was/is a nice courtyard, and the inside is all trapezoids. Lots of nice, but subtle, detail. The award part is the daylighting design. Deliver daylight to artwork without sunlight killing it. It truly is a very nice place for art.

And now?

It is the James Castle Archive. Open by appointment only. I peaked in a window, and it's still striking inside. I trespassed enough to take a few pics, outside. If you hunt around a bit you can get the site design, and see the trapezoids, and how perfectly is suits the lot.

It's also worth googling James Castle, who was a notable (and interesting!!) Idaho artist, now in museums.

This building was built to be the J Crist gallery, I'm pretty sure. So your friend left rather a nice legacy here.

Helen

C Miller wrote:

Tony Yaniro at the base of Equinox. Photo by Randy Leavitt (1982).

Tony had GREAT plumbing!  God knows he worked hard enough for it.

Buck Rogers wrote:

First day back leading outside in about 1.5 years!  Between deploying and then getting back and moving and then being sent to Kentucky for 9 weeks to work at Ft Knox, and my head not quite being in the right space, I just had not led outside in so long.

Went out with four people from the West Point Post climbing gym, one who had never climbed outside and one who had never tied into a rope (he'd only bouldered in the past), and we all just had a BLAST, esp the two new ones!

We climbed at a Cadet Climbing area that is unfortunately only open to Army ID card holders (I am not a fan of gate-keeping anyone from climbing anywhere unless it is for environmental/wildlife concerns) but is was great time.  I led three routes and set up top ropes for them and we just spent 3.5 hours forgetting that life existed outside of the rock and the Seilschaft of the rope.

Fortunately sport bolted but not overly bolted too close.

Cannot wait to get outside again soon and with the weather changing, it shouldn't be too long!

Thinking of heading up to Rumney in a week or two for the weekend! If any of you are in that area and want to climb, please please let me know!

Hey, Buck. Out of curiosity, would they let you in with a retiree military ID? Or is it specifically only for active duty Army (as you stated)? Just double confirming. 

Daniel Joder wrote:

Hey, Buck. Out of curiosity, would they let you in with a retiree military ID? Or is it specifically only for active duty Army (as you stated)? Just double confirming. 

Veterans and Gold Star Families are eligible for a free Military Lifetime Pass, providing access to national parks and other federal recreation sites, obtainable in person at sites that issue passes or through the USGS Store

Assuming there’s still a USGS remaining.