New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #39

Off the topic of climbing, but I’m making my predictions for this up coming yea

Game play may migrate soon.

Pretty soon games will use AI to place the gamer inside the game and auto generate scenery and other players each one unique to the player’s preferences.

That’s content and computer aided content creation.

Adaptive gameplay.

On the climbing front, I’m building up endurance leading seven 5.11a 50 foot high climbs at the gym per session, working towards 10 per session then starting on 5.11b next month etc. mainly for a good workout. My plan is ten including all 5.11c and the most strenuous 5.11b/a at the gym before end of year to prepare me for Bard-Harrington this winter.

Even earlier? I'm talking here with the likes of Al-rond and Goldalf; a little Hans Bombadil seemed appropriate!   

PS. Dare I forget Gillbeard!

Terry Ewrote:

The embedded links which display pics were disabled for all Forum posts on ST. I did find the same write up under Trip Reports, complete with photos.

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Seven-Gables-Trip-Report-on-3-Climbs/t138n.html

I first climbed 12,640 after being inspired by a Vern Clevenger photo. I’m pretty sure that trip was around the 4th of July, 2008. We climbed a route similar to the reverse fishhook. I returned a few years later and climbed a line to the left of the fishhook with my wife. A few years after that,  my wife and I soloed a line further west up a nice ridge and face near CMac’s solo. What a beautiful zone!

There is a Gunks climber whose pack is festooned with preserve buttons.  I've seen the pack at the base of climbs but have never met them.

A nice dusting of snow for our morning walk. Grass Lake, Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California.

OK. you guys were very cool but it almost looks like there might be a ranger in front of you reminding you guys of the Rules ;)

Isa and I got out to one of  our private local crags yesterday. Colors were awesome. 

this place is pumpy for us ;) Going over that roof is wicked cool and since I went first  I got to experience all the holds being covered in dry slippery spruce needles. It's  fall and a drought so extra pine needles and dry leaves on the top outs. 

Sunset at the local lake

Gemini, Seven Gables, 12,640.

White Bear Lake,Pass, and Peak.

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

OK. you guys were very cool but it almost looks like there might be a ranger in front of you reminding you guys of the Rules ;)

Isa and I got out to one of  our private local crags yesterday. Colors were awesome. 

this place is pumpy for us ;) Going over that roof is wicked cool and since I went first  I got to experience all the holds being covered in dry slippery spruce needles. It's  fall and a drought so extra pine needles and dry leaves on the top outs. 

Sunset at the local lake

This picture made me sit up and pay attention.   It’s been so nice getting to know you over the years, Nick. The way I envision things is fields of wild blueberries, a pond where you can soak your shoulder in the winter, a huge cat who likes to traipse around after you and even jump stones. And of course, lots of climbing with your partner who is not the marrying type, which made me happy to hear because I’m not either, but it has nothing to do with lack of love. 

I’ve been sidelined for the last month, got an unexpected medical situation, which I hope gets figured out soon. I’ve been blessed with a Doctor who has held my hand and checked in with me each day, prescribed meds and tells me “we are going to get through this”.  I’m trying to avoid the surgical option, but I’ll do whatever.

But I still have had the strength to get up and take walks on some days.  We had rain here and it just transformed the place. This morning, my hiking trail was glorious, as far as I can see the ground was covered with brilliant yellow flowers. Yellower than my camera could capture. I half expected to see the Easter bunny, hopping down that trail.

so yesterday, Tony asked me if I would like to get out of the house and I told him yes, maybe we could go look at a rock.   We drove over to the hall of horrors, and I pointed out, ONCE AGAIN, the formation with Dog Day Afternoon. How could he not remember this? but he didn’t.

But it took me back to one of my favorite times when I worked so hard on this Houser route.  Here’s the thing I was thinking yesterday – – Bob has the patience of a saint.  He was so focused, so instructive and encouraging as I botched the climb over and over for weeks.   There’s not enough money to put up with this. If it had been me, I would have said we’re done here. Let’s go find a 5.2 that you can handle. But I did climb it to the top several times, just needing some “positive belaying” over the crux.

which brings me back to gratitude. I didn’t expect this bounty in my retirement. Thinking about this route, there’s no way I could have climbed it if I were just tackling it on my own or with a friend. In fact, I believe I tried it twice without Bob and couldn’t make heads or tails.

There’s kind of a complicated sequence to start and the thing is you really have to be ready to hit it fast and move through it.  No matter how many times we rehearsed it from the ground when I got right to it I would inevitably miss one hold.  What I learned on this route is you just don’t get more than a couple of attempts because you’re so completely pumped so you gotta be ready and do it right. 

I would really love to go back this year.

Here’s Jeremy climbing it, saying “ if you get tired, just do a hands-free hang like this.”

I hope your medical situation resolves well and quickly Lori. Nice to see you post again.

Although it isn't Joshua Tree, here's a shot taken downhill, along Highway 108, through the walls of granite that we climbers call Chipmunk Flat. Obviously we're well into Autumn and the aspens show it. A climbing crag called Eastbound Wall was at my back when I took the shot. But sometimes I think that I could just picnic at its base and be as satisfied as if I was climbing.

hope you heal up well and soon lori.  We had a monster day climbing today 600ish ft of climbing. 5 pitches  4 of which are fairly sustained 5.10 the 3rd pitch of soul whisperer is only 5.8 but its a bit more heady with the bolt placements even though I added two bolts after doing the ground up FA. my knee got tweaked at work last week and it was fine today until the 4th pitch of the day which is really sustained 5.10 and you have to use a lot of pressure with your feet to stay on..   Injuries suck... 

Li Huwrote:

Off the topic of climbing, but I’m making my predictions for this up coming yea

Game play may migrate soon.

Pretty soon games will use AI to place the gamer inside the game and auto generate scenery and other players each one unique to the player’s preferences.

That’s content and computer aided content creation.

Adaptive gameplay.

On the climbing front, I’m building up endurance leading seven 5.11a 50 foot high climbs at the gym per session, working towards 10 per session then starting on 5.11b next month etc. mainly for a good workout. My plan is ten including all 5.11c and the most strenuous 5.11b/a at the gym before end of year to prepare me for Bard-Harrington this winter.

And yet it takes tens of millions of dollars and 5+ years to make a grade AAA game.  Hence they are few are far apart, and most have serious launch issues and delayed releases.  No fricken way that some stupid LLM is going to cure or change all that any time soon.

heading to the cliff

I led the first pitch of Soul Whisperer which is pretty sustained 10a for 100ft

Then Isa led P2 which has a 50ft section up a prow that every move is 10 for that whole prow. You cant see that part from the belay so the photos of me are on the 5.8 slab at the top of the 30m pitch.

Isa following the 140ft 5.8 pitch

then we made two long raps to the start of the business of Extra Treat. 

The real first pitch traverses in to this belay from half way up P1 of soul whisperer so we usually just rap in after already climbing the hard part of that pitch to get to the top of the cliff by way of Soul Whisperer. This is the start of a long 150ft pitch of sustained 5.10 . Isa led it in good style with one lack of attention slip. I tweaked my knee following and also had a slip. So many places where you have to stand up on almost nothing and a prayer. 

Isa leading the last pitch of Extra Treat. this phgoto makes it look like nothing but that dike is pretty thin.  I had it figured out a few years ago when we put this rig up but its giveing me fits now. I keep popping off on the next move after where isa is in the photo. With my weak knee I just could not get enough foot pressure to stick. I got up it without yarding on gear but it was not pretty. 

the paddle home

Lori, I hope you get it figured out and recover soon. Seems like at our age, as Gilda Radner famously said, "it's always something."

Jan Mcwrote:

And yet it takes tens of millions of dollars and 5+ years to make a grade AAA game.  Hence they are few are far apart, and most have serious launch issues and delayed releases.  No fricken way that some stupid LLM is going to cure or change all that any time soon.

Sure, but the biggest issue now is a stupid administration that wants to stifle technology to one of the largest markets in the world from our content.

I’ve been thinking about how lucky we are to have stuff to do.  Reflecting on my route, Dog Day Afternoon, even four years later and feeling truly lousy today, I can get motivated and excited about getting back out there again.

Even when it was a gym route that needed another day of effort that was enough to get me dressed and out of the house even when I felt like staying home.  

Apparently, Guy and Jan go to great lengths to find trout. One of us here has some unfinished business on the PCT.  I’m following a guy on Insta who is building his own house through some inclement weather – – he doesn’t care. He’s framing his living room right now.

I wish I could be guaranteed another decade of climbing. I feel a little cheated because “the list“ of rocks and routes I REALLY want to climb is endless – –even just here in Joshua Tree. I can’t imagine if I threw in Tahquitz and Yosemite and Bishop.  

A picture Andrew Burch took of his friend atop Dog Day Afternoon. It really is a great view.

Sorry you're having trouble, Lori. I hope you are back out on the rock soon!

The weather was fantastic this weekend here at the Gunks. I was feeling a bit blue due because my three steadfast partners are dealing with issues. As luck would have it, though, I got a last-minute invite to go climbing with some friends. I motored over on Saturday, only to be turned away because I got there so late that the parking lot was full. I was starting to feel cursed. I got there earlier on Sunday, and at last, it worked out.

Here's Susan leading "Baby" (5.6). She's in the short off-width. She only had a #4, which made it not very well protected. The team after us used a #6. I could see that #6 was up in there a lot higher, very nice. But I wondered if it interferes with navigating the off-width.

This was my first go on Baby. I got it clean! It's a wonderful route. The second pitch is awesome, too! After that, I also got a ride on "Ken's Crack".

I think that my summer of climbing on 3s and 4s has helped me do better on these harder climbs.

dragonswrote:

Sorry you're having trouble, Lori. I hope you are back out on the rock soon!

The weather was fantastic this weekend here at the Gunks. I was feeling a bit blue due because my three steadfast partners are dealing with issues. As luck would have it, though, I got a last-minute invite to go climbing with some friends. I motored over on Saturday, only to be turned away because I got there so late that the parking lot was full. I was starting to feel cursed. I got there earlier on Sunday, and at last, it worked out.

Here's Susan leading "Baby" (5.6). She's in the short off-width. She only had a #4, which made it not very well protected. The team after us used a #6. I could see that #6 was up in there a lot higher, very nice. But I wondered if it interferes with navigating the off-width.

This was my first go on Baby. I got it clean! It's a wonderful route. The second pitch is awesome, too! After that, I also got a ride on "Ken's Crack".

I think that my summer of climbing on 3s and 4s has helped me do better on these harder climbs.

The last time I led Baby the chockstone was still in the off width.  I bought a #5 and a #6 this past winter just in case I, or one of my partners, wanted to do it again.  With deference to Buddy Holly, Maybe, Baby....

Climbed at the remote cliff Saturday and in the new cave set in the gym with Paula today.  I don’t like climbing three days in a row, but 14 year old Ella wanted to boulder in the gym yesterday and I never say no to her when it comes to climbing!

Lori Milaswrote:

I’ve been thinking about how lucky we are to have stuff to do.  Reflecting on my route, Dog Day Afternoon, even four years later and feeling truly lousy today, I can get motivated and excited about getting back out there again.

Even when it was a gym route that needed another day of effort that was enough to get me dressed and out of the house even when I felt like staying home.  

Apparently, Guy and Jan go to great lengths to find trout. One of us here has some unfinished business on the PCT.  I’m following a guy on Insta who is building his own house through some inclement weather – – he doesn’t care. He’s framing his living room right now.

I wish I could be guaranteed another decade of climbing. I feel a little cheated because “the list“ of rocks and routes I REALLY want to climb is endless – –even just here in Joshua Tree. I can’t imagine if I threw in Tahquitz and Yosemite and Bishop.  

A picture Andrew Burch took of his friend atop Dog Day Afternoon. It really is a great view.

Hi Lori,
One of my partners and I are looking to Climb in JTree Saturday.

Is it raining hard and all day or is it manageable?

Thinking to get in Illusion Dweller and Heart of Darkness area?

What do you think? Please LMK?

Thanks,

Marc

Li Huwrote:

Hi Lori,
One of my partners and I are looking to Climb in JTree Saturday.

Is it raining hard and all day or is it manageable?

Thinking to get in Illusion Dweller and Heart of Darkness area?

What do you think? Please LMK?

Thanks,

Marc

The weather is beautiful and no rain in sight.  (10% chance). 73 degrees.
But you may get crowds. Illusion Dweller is mostly in shade but a well known route so you might encounter other climbers. Heart of Darkness, I don’t know. Bob may have other thoughts.

I would sure love to swing by wherever you are just to say hi. I don’t know if I’ll be up and around by then or not.