New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #35

I'd gladly be tied up by a few persons on this thread.

M M wrote:

Wait, who is calling for people to beat it?

I've definitely told 40 year olds to beat it

The incels?

On a lighter note.

I forget where I read this, but someone said, after flying Spirit Airlines from Newark to Las Vegas: "That was like riding on a prison bus."

J W wrote:

It is a curious thing to observe the ostensibly mature demographic of the forum so enthusiastically engaging in pettiness, close-minded tribalism, and dogmatic certainty.

For as long as this thread has been going, I’ve looked forward to joining the ranks as a legitimate 50+ member, rather than a silent 40-something observer. Regrettably, I no longer look forward to wading into what has for nearly a year been a cesspool of mean-spirited foolishness.  ...

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/05/trumpism-maga-populism-power-pursuit/682116/

Good article. Read the whole thing.

I suspect, if we were to dig down and see what we each want in our lives, for our families, and for this country, we would see we each have a lot more in common than not.

Headed out to Montserrat today, so I’m happy. 

Well. My Arapiles trip has come to an end. It’s raining tomorrow so I’ll head home the day after then it’s back to work. I had a great time and ticked a few new routes, both trad and sports; also did a tiny bit of bouldering. 

Last night I got SO stoned with random strangers (who I read my poetry to) that I couldn’t get off the crash pad I was laying on. It was a classic night.

Today I followed a couple of routes, a 14 and an 18 with a nice juggy roof.

Bought some old nuts from a local yard sale, some of you may be interested in them. A pic of those and some other random pics.

Carl Schneider wrote:

Bought some old nuts from a local yard sale, some of you may be interested in them. A pic of those and some other random pics.

The one on the right kinda looks like a MOAC.  Cool!

J W wrote:

It is a curious thing to observe the ostensibly mature demographic of the forum so enthusiastically engaging in pettiness, close-minded tribalism, and dogmatic certainty.

For as long as this thread has been going, I’ve looked forward to joining the ranks as a legitimate 50+ member, rather than a silent 40-something observer. Regrettably, I no longer look forward to wading into what has for nearly a year been a cesspool of mean-spirited foolishness.

You once enjoyed the robust fellowship and open exchange of experienced folks whose connecting bonds were knit by a shared love of our great pastime. In their place, you’ve allowed rancor and vitriol to take root, and despite the attempts of the august legends here to gently course correct, by and large, a handful of malcontents have taken over to trot out daily another fresh grievance, no matter how trivial.

Calling for folks to leave the group because your views don’t perfectly align? Such childishness is unbecoming. You can play nicely even if you disagree. Each of you would scold an adolescent for behaving the way many of you are here.

You’re capable of so much more, my friends. When being right matters more than being kind, some introspection is in order.

None of us knows when our final lap will end. It behooves each of us to go out by manifesting love and good will. How else would you like to be remembered?

Consider the familiar phrases, “Belay on,” and “Climb on.” Note the implicit guarantee that no matter what your partner experiences, you’ll attend to your end of the rope, do everything in your power to keep them safe, even risking injury to yourself if need be.

When we utter these words to our climbing partners, we say, in essence, “You’re safe with me.”

Let such a spirit attend your communication here and elsewhere.

My sincere best wishes to each of you.

Jaren Watson 

Boise, Idaho 

Agreed.

I used to come to this thread daily and love the banter and the climbing history and the people here but it has devolved into a daily bickering over politics.

It's worse than working in a retirement care home where almost everyone only talks about their aches and pains and their failing health and nothing positive.  God help me if I come to that.

For the third time I'll say that I think that we should steer politics onto another thread and save this one for non-political discussions and have a safe breath of fresh air here.

I get enough politics everywhere I go and look these days.

And I'm not saying don't discuss them, just save it for the threads that are dedicated to that nightmare and not on this one.

Climb On!  If I tie in with you, I've got you on belay whether you voted for Trump or Harris or Bernie or didn't vote at all.

Seilschaft is greater than politics and we should be here as well!

Carl Schneider wrote: Well. My Arapiles trip has come to an end. It’s raining tomorrow so I’ll head home the day after then it’s back to work. I had a great time and ticked a few new routes, both trad and sports; also did a tiny bit of bouldering. 

Last night I got SO stoned with random strangers (who I read my poetry to) that I couldn’t get off the crash pad I was laying on. It was a classic night.

Ah!!!  Brilliant Carl!

I've never used any form of drugs besides alcohol in my life but I must admit that I might try an edible once I am truly out and retired from the Army!

I've had great, close friends my whole life that smoked or did more potent stuff but I've always had such an addictive personality that I avoided drugs like the plague because I figured (possibly correctly) that I'd try them one time and the next thing you know I'm Tyrone Biggums on the street corner!

But with two years to go with good ol' Mother Army, I'll continue to live vicariously through you all that do experiment and enjoy them!

A while back, I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I quickly yelled, “don't do it!" He yelled back, “nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"

He said, “yes."

I said, “are you a Christian or a Jew?"

He said, “a Christian."

I said, “me, too! Protestant or Catholic?"

He said, "Protestant."

I said, “me, too! What franchise?"

He said, "Baptist."

I said, “me, too!“  Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"

He said, "Northern Baptist."

I said, “me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"

He said, ”Northern Conservative Baptist."

I said, “me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?"

He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region."

I said, “me, too!"  “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"

He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.” 

I said, “die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

We're a little stirred up right now. It's not that bad. It ebbs and flows. Part of the mix.

Is that supposed to be funny? You Twain Hartians are out there.

Oh and; don't hit your little brother, or I'll spank you!

This thread discusses a lot of different aspects of life, and is comprised of a wide variance of people with a lot of life experience. Discussions that focus on real issues that are impacting lives are as valid as discussing how to grow tomatoes. When comments about issues get directed at a single person (as though they are a singular cause of an issue), the discussion becomes much less productive.

Climbing intermission. 

I have a lot of faith in this crew, and we seem to course-correct eventually.  This was an election year, and we are as we speak going through some novel times.  Not wanting to be one who stood by and said nothing, maybe it goes to far the other way.  I don't know.  We are feeling our way on this.  And I am fully on board with having a politics thread, if someone wants to start it.  

What I was hoping, and still hope, is that those who feel differently, who voted differently, would not duck for cover, but would try to enlighten us.  I REALLY appreciated several of Kris' posts where he just laid it out. Like an adult.  

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I was not a Foo Fighters fan, but I did know about the death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins.  Somehow I stumbled across this video of his son, drumming for the band on the song My Hero.  Man that was moving!  I watched it several times and shed some tears. 

Good morning….. 

Carl thank you for sharing your photos of Arapiles. The climbing looks stellar! Is any of it choss or does it just look like it? I’m happy you found the real use for a bouldering pad.
Whenever I have gone on a road trip I’m always sad when it’s over and I just want to go home.

Ward….. Luck with your project.

Jaren ….. Thank you for voicing clear headed thoughts.

Lori…. Luck with your project. Though I think I recognize that corridor and just want you to know it was the scene of a mass assault by 14 stoned individuals back in 77.

 

TBH I no longer care what anyone thinks of me - that’s so juvenile- and I got over that about 56 years ago. I live my life the way I want to. My beliefs are mine.

Time to get going, I have 3 action packed days of Karting at Sonoma, one of the most beautiful venues for karting anywhere, up on a flat mesa with views of the bay, green vineyards and rolling hills.

Later all, Happily Climbing 

Lori Milas wrote:

I have a lot of faith in this crew, and we seem to course-correct eventually.  This was an election year, and we are as we speak going through some novel times.  Not wanting to be one who stood by and said nothing, maybe it goes to far the other way.  I don't know.  We are feeling our way on this.  And I am fully on board with having a politics thread, if someone wants to start it.  

What I was hoping, and still hope, is that those who feel differently, who voted differently, would not duck for cover, but would try to enlighten us.  I REALLY appreciated several of Kris' posts where he just laid it out. Like an adult.  

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I was not a Foo Fighters fan, but I did know about the death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins.  Somehow I stumbled across this video of his son, drumming for the band on the song My Hero.  Man that was moving!  I watched it several times and shed some tears. 

As the "Holy Creator" of this thread way back when, I fully support you and as someone has pointed out, there already exists a thread specifically for politics on MP.

If there needs to be another one just for "Over 50 Politics" then please all of you that wish to keep discussing these issues create it and move those discussions there.

I find in my life that it is soooo hard to have a place that is free of politics, esp so on social media (which I have left completely outside of IG and MP) and this thread was one of them, and per MP, is supposed to remain that way but it has not.

I have yet to see anyone insult someone, draw lines in the sand, propose that they take their ideas elsewhere over tomatoes, or a climbing issue, or drugs, or any of the wonderful myriad of things we discuss here besides politics.

I propose that someone create an "Over 50 Political Thread" and that we no longer discuss national REP/DEM politics on this thread.

When a few people wish to keep doing something that truly upsets others (and there is definitely people upset with the political discussions on this thread besides myself as seen in the comments and the likes on comments calling this out) and compromises those peoples' mental peacefulness when there is another option to not do this (use the current MP Political thread or create an Over 50 Political thread) then that is not acting in a community centered and positive way.

Please use the MP Political thread or create an "Over 50 Political" thread.

That allows everyone that wishes to continue these discussions to go there and leaves those that do not wish to engage or see them in any way to avoid them.

Under normal circumstances, I would cheer the impulse to avoid discussion of politics in lieu of general climbing esoterica and tomato growing techniques. However, under the current circumstances, I believe that the country is at a inflection point.

I am a naturalized citizen and came to the country as a child. I commissioned into the Army Reserve out of college and spent the next seven years teaching special education at a low income school. On the eve of the invasion of Iraq, when one of our company commanders was relieved of duty, I volunteered to assume command and take that company to war.  Not because I agreed with the premise of the war, but because I felt duty-bound to serve the country, the Army and my fellow soldiers. I also knew that I was good at what I did and that I would give my troops a good chance of returning home intact, which they did despite having the highest operational tempo in our group. Once my term of command was over, I went to law school and spent next three years prosecuting violent felonies. I am a firm believer in the rule of law, due process and service to the country and the community.

Under the current regime, my parents, naturalized citizens who grew up under the Nazi occupation, and then under an actual dictatorship, see an ominous turn of this country.  They are actually scared to travel. And, who can blame them? The federal government is regulating through executive order what speech is acceptable, punishing private institutions and even individuals who do not toe the line. People are being snatched off the streets, legal residence are being deported, actual citizens are being detained, and the executive branch is openly seeking the end of birthright citizenship and the stripping of citizenship from naturalized citizens. All with no or limited due process.

I can deal with the goofy economic policies and international relations. After all, Trump won the election, and that is what the public voted for. It was no secret what he stood for and he delivered. Now we get to enjoy the consequences. However, it pains and frightens me that at least half the electorate supports or is at the very least apathetic to the erosion of very basic civil liberties afforded by the Constitution.

Anyway, this is just my opinion and my last political rant.

Rock climbing is fun…

Finally got this one off fist climb clean. 40 feet of hand thrashing madness. Narrow fist or wide hand to find the narrow portion just barely into the crack, wide hands and fist. It’s rated 5.9+ but feels about a letter grade harder than Fisticuffs in Joshua Tree which I had sent recently.

Next on my list is the overhanging hand and finger crack. There’s another 5.11- that looks doable, but I’ll need thinner shoes to get the toe in just enough to keep me from swinging.