New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #39

Lori Milas wrote:

A second adolescence is how I see it,    I have thought about returning to work just to stay current… but nooooo. I don’t want to! I keep thinking about bringing home a dog, or even a “starter dog” (cat) but it might demand something of me. I’m having a hard time just keeping my house plants alive. So right now it’s playtime, might as well go with it.

I’m sure you know, and we’ve talked about this, after many years of too much caretaking it does take longer than expected to recover and craft a new life.    You’re doing great!  Keep crafting!  

——

I’ve been doing a deep dive into my own health problems and it’s such a venture… the first doctor I saw said “cut that thing out”.  I just don’t think that way. I’m more patient and always eager to learn.  So… I have a great “team”, an Herbalist, Acupuncturist, Naturopath and Gynecologist.  There’s big progress and I feel like I will have learned so much. I think I’ll be climbing again soon, with a better understanding of self-care. 

I have hiked to some favorite spots here just to wander and sniff.  We have whole mountains of white sage. We have every kind of plant.  What I wouldn’t give to find a local herbalist who could teach me to identify the local remedies and tonics.  I’m sure he/she will show up.  

——

Daniel, I’m Not sure what the ethical question is about guiding.  Of course I have thoughts on this.  

Sorry, I must have missed it - what is the doctor recommending be cut out?

Old lady H wrote:

I will confess here. Lately, I've been dragging, for no particular reason, and really with no real justification, either. I am quite fortunate, at this point in my life, to be in a position where my life is ....pretty much whatever I choose to make it. I can spend my time however I wish, and have enough to be fine. 

Okay, girl, what's your problem then?

Omg.

I think I'm having a very very late mid life crisis.

Or radically delayed puberty.

I finally reached a comfortable adulthood (ish)....

And I'm old.

How did this happen?????

That 19 year old wants her time!

 

I never mentally grew past 15, so I'm not really having a mid-life crisis it's more of the same.  Decided on a whim to get my ear pierced the other week. Then decided to get the other one pierced too. Now I've made an appt for another piercing in the first (left) ear.  My wife just sighs and says 'You're like a 15 year old girl' which is valid....

Carl Schneider wrote:

I never mentally grew past 15, so I'm not really having a mid-life crisis it's more of the same.  Decided on a whim to get my ear pierced the other week. Then decided to get the other one pierced too. Now I've made an appt for another piercing in the first (left) ear.  My wife just sighs and says 'You're like a 15 year old girl' which is valid....

Carl, this explains a lot! But of course we knew that about you.  What about tattoos… have we got some of those?

—-

As I was making coffee this morning, I wondered does anyone grind their own beans?  To the broader point what are your coffee making rituals if any?

Tony and I almost lead separate lives.  He puts the Dunkin’ Donuts grounds in his Mr. Coffee the night before , runs the water through all the plastic tubing in the morning, dumps some kind of artificial creamer to the brim — and that’s not negotiable.

I’ve tried to explain about phthalates and micro plastics and he does not care.  In fact, I think it just inspires him to do more.

On my side of the kitchen, I use a ceramic coffee cup with Pour over, fresh boiled spring water, and organic French beans. It takes just about as long as Tony’s Mr. coffee. I found my favorite creamer – – I think I’ve tried them all but this one is the keeper for the last 10 years. Once in a while, I would use pure cream and sugar.

I have a grinder, but I have never consistently ground my beans. But this week I read something about how we really should, something about oxidation yada yada and I thought well maybe I could do that.  

On impulse, I recently bought an espresso machine and there it sits— I just realized I don’t know how to use it. It’s definitely not one of those expensive barista types, but I think I could get a cup of espresso out of it if I would just read the manual.  

—-

The discussion about cadmium and lead is one I know well, add to that arsenic and mercury.  I would definitely throw in Phthalates… because if you ever take a urine or blood test for these endocrine disruptors it will convince you to pay attention.

I think for a lot of people this whole discussion is overwhelming, but I don’t think it needs to be. I was shocked to see the various consumer reports studies on lead and cadmium levels in chocolate, and similar reports by As You Sew and consumer labs – – some of the best organic chocolate is downright toxic. After going through some major angst over this, I just made the decision to eat less chocolate and choose from the acceptable options in the consumer reports lists. I also found a great dark chocolate that is third-party tested so you can eat to your hearts content. That’s really a one and done.

Mercury is a bad guy, and I have personally been hit hard by it so I just make it a point to limit consumption of fish and only use Safe Catch tuna, and never albacore unless I’m stuck with it for a single meal. My favorite fish, orange roughy, is simply out of the question forevermore.

But it’s the arsenic that is so hard to avoid and that has made me the angriest over the years because it’s in Rice products primarily and often at very high levels. It soaks up from ground water. So a lot of the Pea/Rice protein powders are loaded with arsenic. Rice milk. Organic rice products are frequently the highest in arsenic . So once you know, just throttle back on too much rice. There’s some simple cooking directions that reduce it. Just know it and move on.

I think it’s important to know what’s going on and make some prudent decisions – – but I hardly think about it in daily life and I sure don’t feel deprived.  

Carl Schneider wrote:

I never mentally grew past 15, so I'm not really having a mid-life crisis it's more of the same.  Decided on a whim to get my ear pierced the other week. Then decided to get the other one pierced too. Now I've made an appt for another piercing in the first (left) ear.  My wife just sighs and says 'You're like a 15 year old girl' which is valid....

 just keep it to the ears Carl, your body parts will thank you. Your wife probably will too.

Dan, to your questions about guiding ethics. Should guides have to follow certain codes? Everest guides will take almost anyone with enough money, pay even more and hire Sherpas to literally pull you up on a sled. Some guides will take over whole areas for a day for enough money. Around here we have Otter Cliffs on the ocean, it's typically 75% commercial traffic all summer,  cash is king. You know what they say about the main difference between a large pizza and a guide right?

Nick, people are funny about PFDs. I hate wearing them when it's full summer temps out but I also know that when it's cold and windy hypothermia comes quick (especially my skinny ass)so I always go with one. 

Alan Rubin wrote:

Edit to add: Daniel, while I was in the Valley in 1970, it was in the fall, so several months after Stoneman's. While I'm sure it was discussed, I have no specific memories of any such discussions and it definitely wasn't a major topic. We were all pretty much focused on climbing!!!! I do know that I had a fairly extended (c2 months) stay in Camp 4 that season, with no hassles from the Rangers, so it seemed pretty mellow on that regard.

Ahhhh!  Alan!  You spent two months in Camp 4 in 1970???  Man, I want to be Al when I grow up and become young again!

What did you climb??? So curious to hear about that experience!

Lori:  We have a lovely hand made semi-automatic Italian Espresso machine and grind our own beans.  Just love being able to change up the variables.  I'll still get my dishwater Dunkin Donuts Iced Mocha on occasion but we've been spoiled with this machine for about 15 years now and just love it.

Dan:  I have no idea what thread or "ethical" questions you are speaking about, and that's probably a good thing.  Maybe post a link to the thread and we can venture over there and join in if we want but if it is that contentious, maybe leave it there???

Carl my Dude!  Pierce it yourself man!  Save some money!

;)

I'm supposed to be helping teach four Marines how to tie in and top rope this afternoon at the West Point wall.  They've never climbed before so it should be great!  I'm sure that they will be climbing harder than me before the two hours are up!

And I'm STILL waiting for my car!  Five weeks on this Friday the auto shop will have had it!  They said it might POSSIBLY be finished tomorrow!  Man, I hope so!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Buck, While I did spend 2 months in Yosemite in 1970, and roughly 2 more in '72 ( as well as a few shorter stays over the years), I have precious little in the way of 'accomplishments' to show for all that time---I have rarely found Valley climbing (with the exception of The Apron) to be particularly 'comfortable' for me, especially the 'technicalities' of wall climbing ( back then, mostly aid for most)--love the Meadows, though!!!

As far as your upcoming 'climbing date' with the Marines, I recall going into a small climbing gym in San Diego, while touring colleges with our daughter. I was alone and looking for partners, and ending up joining with a bunch of very muscular, crew-cut ( and much younger!!!) guys--don't know if Marines or regular Navy, but think Marines. They had climbed before and were VERY strong, but clearly didn't have an understanding that feet played a role in the activity!!!! I admit that I was quite 'chuffed' that I outlasted them!!!!

Carl. I am also a little kid trapped in an ageing body...

Alan Rubin wrote:

Buck, While I did spend 2 months in Yosemite in 1970, and roughly 2 more in '72 ( as well as a few shorter stays over the years), I have precious little in the way of 'accomplishments' to show for all that time---I have rarely found Valley climbing (with the exception of The Apron) to be particularly 'comfortable' for me, especially the 'technicalities' of wall climbing ( back then, mostly aid for most)--love the Meadows, though!!!

As far as your upcoming 'climbing date' with the Marines, I recall going into a small climbing gym in San Diego, while touring colleges with our daughter. I was alone and looking for partners, and ending up joining with a bunch of very muscular, crew-cut ( and much younger!!!) guys--don't know if Marines or regular Navy, but think Marines. They had climbed before and were VERY strong, but clearly didn't have an understanding that feet played a role in the activity!!!! I admit that I was quite 'chuffed' that I outlasted them!!!!

Still curious about the routes! 

I have zero "Delusions of Grandeur" about myself and climbing there.  

I really hope to get out there in two-to-five years and do the Royal Arches, Snake Dike, and maybe the South Face of WC?

If I am really fit, maybe give Lurking Fear a go? (but that is probably just dreaming).

I've never climbed there before!

Having spent a lot of years (urg) in climbing forums like these, I’ve learned to recognize landmine topics (ethics, in this case) that tend to result in shit splattering all over myself, and avoid them. I’ve also learned how to make responses shorter and more succinct, a characteristic that works throughout all forms of communication.

Surprised the coffee comment hasn’t spurred more fanatical posts yet. Only medium-level fanaticism from me in that regard…grind my own (decaf) beans and a French press. No doubt there are many here that go waaaay deeper down that rabbit hole.

Daniel Shively wrote:

Good morning. 

Lori, I replied to you about three posts above your’s from yesterday. I hope that you saw my reply and will reply at some point. My wife and I are users of plant based protein supplements and the latest info has us thinking about our continued use of these products. In some ways though, we also wonder if everything we eat received the same scrutiny, if anything would actually come out clean. Interesting to think about though.

It’s always hard to know when to dive into a topic and when to leave it alone. I think you want to find a moderate approach to food and environmental toxins in general.  But it is true that the plant based proteins are higher in heavy metals.  I get a little daily email from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s team where he tried to put some perspective on this… I haven’t referenced his sources so can’t verify, but it was to say that some of these warning levels and are set way too conservatively.  It’s just not as bad as it sounds!  But more and more I use whey, sometimes hemp protein, pumpkin protein, but I don’t sweat it if what’s handy is a plant-based protein now and then.

With regards to guiding, I probably have nothing to add to the situation you described and I did read through the thread in this forum.  

What I would say is probably overboard in praise of a true mentor/teacher like Bob Gaines who I guess technically falls under the heading of “guide”.  It’s always a bit touchy for me to write about because I am well aware that having a long-term coach/guide is a luxury very few could afford.  But I can say that this time with Bob has been a kind of collaboration that I deeply respect and am grateful for. It didn’t take me long to see that a 65–70 year-old novice climber had no business messing around on these rocks here in J Tree. (probably some of the sport climbing areas I’ve been to would have been easier to wing it).   So I always felt that Bob took me “from crayons to perfume”— over months then years laid a foundation with a lot of support, but also boundaries.  There have been a lot of no’s, fwiw, to some of my overly ambitious ideas.  Just not safe, or not feasible for me.  There’s no way you could pay Bob to put you in harms way.  He and I disagree on this much – – even under his vigilant care. I still think I could hurt myself. Hell, I could trip over my own feet. But so far in over five years that has not happened.

I have climbed with other guides, and I have climbed with friends, but if I want to do something really hard and really challenging, I would choose Bob every time.  If there’s a way to teach me how to climb something hard, he will do it, and he’ll stand by me as long as I want to keep trying.  So that is my version of “a guide”.  No injuries, no terrible days out because of amateur guiding, no choosing routes or destinations that are bound to be miserable,in the heat or freezing cold – – just knowing climbing and how to make it deeply rewarding.    

Lori Milas wrote:

Carl, this explains a lot! But of course we knew that about you.  What about tattoos… have we got some of those?

—-

As I was making coffee this morning, I wondered does anyone grind their own beans?  To the broader point what are your coffee making rituals if any?

Tony and I almost lead separate lives.  He puts the Dunkin’ Donuts grounds in his Mr. Coffee the night before , runs the water through all the plastic tubing in the morning, dumps some kind of artificial creamer to the brim — and that’s not negotiable.

I’ve tried to explain about phthalates and micro plastics and he does not care.  In fact, I think it just inspires him to do more.

On my side of the kitchen, I use a ceramic coffee cup with Pour over, fresh boiled spring water, and organic French beans. It takes just about as long as Tony’s Mr. coffee. I found my favorite creamer – – I think I’ve tried them all but this one is the keeper for the last 10 years. Once in a while, I would use pure cream and sugar.

I have a grinder, but I have never consistently ground my beans. But this week I read something about how we really should, something about oxidation yada yada and I thought well maybe I could do that.  

On impulse, I recently bought an espresso machine and there it sits— I just realized I don’t know how to use it. It’s definitely not one of those expensive barista types, but I think I could get a cup of espresso out of it if I would just read the manual.  

—-

The discussion about cadmium and lead is one I know well, add to that arsenic and mercury.  I would definitely throw in Phthalates… because if you ever take a urine or blood test for these endocrine disruptors it will convince you to pay attention.

I think for a lot of people this whole discussion is overwhelming, but I don’t think it needs to be. I was shocked to see the various consumer reports studies on lead and cadmium levels in chocolate, and similar reports by As You Sew and consumer labs – – some of the best organic chocolate is downright toxic. After going through some major angst over this, I just made the decision to eat less chocolate and choose from the acceptable options in the consumer reports lists. I also found a great dark chocolate that is third-party tested so you can eat to your hearts content. That’s really a one and done.

Mercury is a bad guy, and I have personally been hit hard by it so I just make it a point to limit consumption of fish and only use Safe Catch tuna, and never albacore unless I’m stuck with it for a single meal. My favorite fish, orange roughy, is simply out of the question forevermore.

But it’s the arsenic that is so hard to avoid and that has made me the angriest over the years because it’s in Rice products primarily and often at very high levels. It soaks up from ground water. So a lot of the Pea/Rice protein powders are loaded with arsenic. Rice milk. Organic rice products are frequently the highest in arsenic . So once you know, just throttle back on too much rice. There’s some simple cooking directions that reduce it. Just know it and move on.

I think it’s important to know what’s going on and make some prudent decisions – – but I hardly think about it in daily life and I sure don’t feel deprived.  

Absolutely! When I drink coffee, it loses less “nutrients” that way.

However, I’m into my Yerba Mate phase at the moment. Either is healthy overall.

Daniel Shively wrote:

I’ve lurked around since the early days (2000’s) of supertopo (tradmanclimbs, hi Nck lol) so I’m not completely new to this. I do recognize the “landmine” topics too, I guess I just don’t realize why they’re so controversial and triggering to some people. I get your point about succinct and concise communication, but sometimes find it a challenge to convey complex ideas with minimal words. 

Taking a page out of Apogee's book, I'll keep it short.

I looked at that thread, read through it, regretted doing so immediately and then prayed to the Gods that it doesn't spill over here. Now I feel like I need a shower (or at least a good climb!).

No one has answered, but I will as I happened to have heard the joke before.

“What’s the difference between a climbing guide and a large pizza?”

“A large pizza can feed a family of four.”

(Rim shot)

What’s the difference between a climbing guide and a mutual fund?

A mutual fund eventually matures and makes money.

Lori Milas wrote:

As I was making coffee this morning, I wondered does anyone grind their own beans?  To the broader point what are your coffee making rituals if any?

I'm hooked on latte in the morning and, on occasion, espresso after dinner.  Grind the beans using a Breville burr grinder, using a good burr grinder does make a difference.   By far my favorite beans are from Oso Negro in Nelson, BC. Prefer the "Prince of Darkness".  Dawson Taylor in Boise also roasts some fine beans.  

When camping  or traveling where espresso is not available, we use Starbucks Vias, the Italian Roast, but it's a poor second choice.  

My only ritual is using a cup from Mexico, showing "Pedro" sleeping under a cactus.  He's been my early morning companion for years.

what is a Jets game doing floating in a dumpster? 

gray and ugly here..

Idaho Bob wrote:

I'm hooked on latte in the morning and, on occasion, espresso after dinner.  Grind the beans using a Breville burr grinder, using a good burr grinder does make a difference.   By far my favorite beans are from Oso Negro in Nelson, BC. Prefer the "Prince of Darkness".  Dawson Taylor in Boise also roasts some fine beans.  

When camping  or traveling where espresso is not available, we use Starbucks Vias, the Italian Roast, but it's a poor second choice.  

My only ritual is using a cup from Mexico, showing "Pedro" sleeping under a cactus.  He's been my early morning companion for years.

Huh.  I'm really glad I asked this question!  I hope there are more answers.  I have not heard of Oso Negro.  I don't know what kind of grinder I have... I'll check.  It really makes a difference?  

Coffee (and iron) have always been my 'power herbs'.  I used to try to wean from my one daily cup now and then... but then thought, WHY?  It's too good for me.  I love it.  And just like chocolate, it turns out to be good for you.  :-) 

Bad girl signing in here -- this time it's about coffee. For years I ground the beans -- from our local Brewing Market until the day I got to the cash register and it was $30 for two bags and after that supermarket or online, any brand but Starbucks. Then, two summers ago, when our kitchen floor was being refinished and I couldn't use the kitchen, I started buying cans of La Colombe flavored latte. I thought I'd go back to brewing my own coffee by winter. Didn't happen. The Virtuoso and Cuisinart are gathering dust and the bags of beans are probably tasteless by now.    

I used to laugh at the people who drank coffee all the time.  Now I am one of them, especially when I am trying to cut weight.  It gives me a no- calorie treat.

Buck Rogers wrote:

I looked at the first post on that thread, immediately decided I had no interest in clicking on the video, and departed.

@Buck: your query to Al "what have you climbed in the Valley" prompted me to look at my Valley guidebook and take a trip down memory lane. 150 routes - not a lot I'm sure compared to many but so many good memories of the people I was with.  As to the routes, some are etched clearly in my memory, others I cannot even remember, others were repeated often over the years. The quality of so many were so high. Great place to go but my vague recollection is... not a lot of great routes under 5.8? Maybe I just didn't do them. I've never done Snake Dike and never had an interest in it...