New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #39

Greg Oplandwrote:

I'm kind of curious. Any type of bolt that is used for climbing (and probably especially for a bolt that is frequently fallen on) will need replacement eventually. I've asked people who really think they're the greatest thing ever how exactly they can be replaced. I get some hand waving and something about heating them with a torch to soften the glue, but has anyone actually done testing to see if replacement is viable with glue-ins, or will the crags eventually just have ugly chiseled off bolts with a new hole/bolt next to them? 

I don't think the heat method works well and is dangerous. better to drill with a thin bit around the bolt and then use a breaker bar to twist the bolt loose. Clean up the hole with a bigger bit and the usual brushing and puffing and replace with a bigger glue-in. Unless people are running a rope directly through them or it is a highly corrosive environment, 316 SS glue-ins should last a very long time. 

There are a bunch of discussions about glue-in bolt replacement in the Fixed Hardware forum with more ideas.

An early ride to beat the heat this morning. Great views of the San Gabriel and Santa Ana Mountains.

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Emil, are you any relation to Bill Briggs from the Tetons? 

I don't think so but if he originally came from Rhode Island it wouldn't be that unlikely he was a distant relative. 

Guy Keeseewrote:

"So back to the Pinns….. Best side? East West?

Any BLM camping close by?"

Both sides have wonderful climbing but it's hard to make recommendations without talking to you about what type of stuff you want to climb (how hard, how long, you know, the usual stuff).

Overall the East Side has more climbing formations and more rock. Generally, one can climb more with less "approaching" on the East Side.

ALSO, depending on when you plan to go, DON'T GO to the West Side if the Government shut down is still raging. That side's access is limited now, during the shut down - the last mile plus of the road in is coned off and that's an extra mile plus to walk just to get to where we normally park for that side (and then back up it at the end of the day).

Camping is a tough issue at Pinnacles. There's one campground in the park, on the East Side. It's usually all reserved for Friday and Saturday nights though, well in advance. Most commonly sites are much more available on weeknights. This is a gorgeous and very convenient campground.

Alternate, formal camping is very limited and around an hour's drive away from either side. For the West Side, Arroyo Seco Campground is northwest of King City on Forest Service land. South of the East Side, Sweetwater Campground on Coalinga Road is, I think, on BLM land. But I've heard various stories about closures there due to asbestos in the soil? I've never stayed at either of these alternatives, by the way.

Bandit camping (informal, no sites) is essentially unavailable, at least not anywhere closer than these two alternative campgrounds.

Finally, I will definitely extend greetings to Clint from Phyl, Alan and Bill (and wow, Alan, his undergrad days were, yeah, quite a while ago). I'll pass on a hi to Bruce H. too.

Randywrote:

An early ride to beat the heat this morning. Great views of the San Gabriel and Santa Ana Mountains.

That looks pretty dang good! Love this time of year when I don't have to do the pre-dawn riding just to beat (hahaha) the heat.
Much more civilized when you can go during the day when things are limbered up and working properly.

Edit to add: Clint was a pretty regular poster on the old Wreck.Climbing newsgroup in the very early 90's. Good to see he's still gettin' it done.

Brad Youngwrote:

Guy Keeseewrote:

Finally, I will definitely extend greetings to Clint from Phyl, Alan and Bill (and wow, Alan, his undergrad days were, yeah, quite a while ago). I'll pass on a hi to Bruce H. too.

It's even 'worse than that' Brad, I was already a law school alumnus by several years in the Mountaineeeing Club when Clint arrived as a freshman!!!!

Carl the Clambering Clown Sighted at Australian Climbing Gym Celebrating Weird American Holiday

A friend of mine, Andrew Burch,  posted this picture of himself climbing a route in Tahquitz called The Untickable 5.12a by Darrell Hensel and Jonny Woodward.  I had been feeling a little blue until I saw this.

Bonus points for looking it up on Mountain Project and finally seeing a picture of Darrell.  

Slab climbing had me at hello.  Once I started climbing, I wanted to be well rounded, but I always veered back to those impossible-looking blank walls.  my favorite routes are the ones where, even as I was climbing, I would say “how is this even happening?“.  I would tease Jan here about levitation and Jedi Magic, but I really think that’s not far from the truth.

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Carl the Clambering Clown Sighted at Australian Climbing Gym Celebrating Weird American Holiday

I understand that those are common Australian spiders of average size, but some pest control may be in order, no?

My lovely spouse made an Anniversary Basque cheesecake. We declared it incredibly delicious, and "heart attack on a plate." Will definitely be sharing it with the neighbors. 

Btw, The Untickable is at Suicide Rock, home to so many classic and desperate face and slab routes.

Bruce….. Thanks for the information.

Right now my priorities are: Short approaches, easy straightforward face climbing with big holds that’s steep.
My favorite place to climb at now is Area 13, a part of Clark Canyon. 5.9-5.8 jug hauls.
Low angle granite really hurts my lower back and basically any strenuous crack climbing is a show stopper.
We can camp in the dirt anywhere it’s legal - been doing that forever - fully equipped.

I have been to the East Side before, was driving home after Karting in Sonoma, just to stretch the legs and boulder some.

Thanks for the information.

Randy- congratulations! That cheesecake looks delicious.

Later all 

Guy, Too bad you aren't on the east coast--plenty of steep, easyish climbs with big holds!!!!

Randywrote:

My lovely spouse made an Anniversary Basque cheesecake. We declared it incredibly delicious, and "heart attack on a plate." Will definitely be sharing it with the neighbors. 

 

Btw, The Untickable is at Suicide Rock, home to so many classic and desperate face and slab routes.

Basque?? Boise has a rather large Basque population! I didn't go, but this year was the Jaialdi, (a huge festival, held every five years), the first post pandemic, iirc. Super fun! Dancing, sporting events (including a sort of handball as a blood sport, lol), choirs, food. I can have croquettas any ol' time..... we've got a Basque bar/restaurant downtown that also happens to have (imo) Boise's best french fries. And a kickass grilled cheese sandwich. I had to take my (then young) son there quite a few times, strategically seated at the bar, until he had that grilled cheese technique nailed. Boise's best grilled cheese sandwich now comes from my son's kitchen! YMMV, depending on if you are or are not, a fool with no taste buds.

My costume for a lunch thing today, basically 2 packs worth of stuff, lol! I don't have a pic wearing the whole works, but it's the scariest I had to offer. 

That photo? Me. First time hands on rock, about 10 years ago. No previous experience at all. And yes, wearing those shoes, lol!

My little spiel to go with it?

Lots of things in life are scary. 

Life is scary.

Don't talk yourself out of being alive, just cuz something is scary.

My short version of that philosophy?

Put pants on, show up 

Helen

Hi Carl! Enjoy YOUR turn, tilting back toward the sun!! it's getting darker and darker, here. It'll be especially bad when daylight savings time "falls back", and sunset ends up being late afternoon. Argh.

Could be worse. Idaho often (lazily) gets dumped into the Pacific Northwest....but we are high desert. Not gray for 9 months of the year, lol!

Okay, a stupid question. Dunno why, but my blood tests came up low on vit D, even though I get a huge amount of sun. I also now have osteopenia. 

So, I'm supposed to take D. Not on an "empty stomach" because it is absorbed better with food. 

Okay, so googly gooing gets me that it's fat soluble, so eat something.

But eat how much? Is the milk in a latte good enough? Or do I need an actual meal? Could I just toss a small handful of almonds down, with the pills? 

I don't take anything at all, regularly, so it's tough to remember to grab these. And that osteo is, well, scary. Don't wanna go there at all, but definitely not this early (68).

So if I can make it easier.... that's a plus.

Oh, and no, I'm not a first thing in the morning breakfast eater. 

Thanks! I'm pretty sure we have peeps on here who know this sort of stuff!

Helen

New highpoint on my remote boulder problem in New Hampshire last Saturday, one more hard move left to “easy” climbing.  Heading back on Sunday to try and send, then out to the real project in Arizona.  Wish me luck on both.  I will probably need it!

Old lady Hwrote:

Okay, a stupid question. Dunno why, but my blood tests came up low on vit D, even though I get a huge amount of sun. I also now have osteopenia. 

So, I'm supposed to take D. Not on an "empty stomach" because it is absorbed better with food. 

Okay, so googly gooing gets me that it's fat soluble, so eat something.

But eat how much? Is the milk in a latte good enough? Or do I need an actual meal? Could I just toss a small handful of almonds down, with the pills? 

I don't take anything at all, regularly, so it's tough to remember to grab these. And that osteo is, well, scary. Don't wanna go there at all, but definitely not this early (68).

So if I can make it easier.... that's a plus.

Oh, and no, I'm not a first thing in the morning breakfast eater. 

Thanks! I'm pretty sure we have peeps on here who know this sort of stuff!

Helen

You opened a can of worms there Helen.    I’ve lived in the desert, now six years, full sun full body exposure year round—no sunscreen—and my Vitamin D level is tops 30. But this has been the case my whole adult life.

So I supplement year round, D, K2 and A which are fat soluble vitamins.   Take them with a high fat meal.

Finding your target range is where the controversy comes in.  There are doctors who say 30 is sufficient.  Kaiser docs now recommend 50.  I’ve had doctors who are sold on 60-80.  There’s pro’s and cons to each of those levels.  I shoot for 50.

I thought it was interesting that there are over 20 fractions of Vitamin D made on the skin.  You can only get two from a pill.  So get what you can from the sun and supplement with a quality D3 — maybe 4000 units during winter months.  

There’s lots of info on osteopenia— hormones, Vitamin D and K, resistance training and so much more.  

Ward Smithwrote:

New highpoint on my remote boulder problem in New Hampshire last Saturday, one more hard move left to “easy” climbing.  Heading back on Sunday to try and send, then out to the real project in Arizona.  Wish me luck on both.  I will probably need it!

Ward, your "luck" is spelled G-R-I-T  and D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Keep and it, have fun and good luck.

I thought you just sent your NH project?  busy beaver?  Good luck in AZ!

its been gray cold, wet and stick season around here... supposed to be snow on the ground tomorrow?? 

Last weekends work... 

and what I would rather have been doing..

My Granddaughters are so excited for Halloween. Last year Vaila didnreally understand that she gets candy at each house…. But she has been practicing for the last 6 months and decided to be a witch.

Don’t be scared 

Happy Halloween 

Lori Milaswrote:

You opened a can of worms there Helen.    I’ve lived in the desert, now six years, full sun full body exposure year round—no sunscreen—and my Vitamin D level is tops 30. But this has been the case my whole adult life.

So I supplement year round, D, K2 and A which are fat soluble vitamins.   Take them with a high fat meal.

Finding your target range is where the controversy comes in.  There are doctors who say 30 is sufficient.  Kaiser docs now recommend 50.  I’ve had doctors who are sold on 60-80.  There’s pro’s and cons to each of those levels.  I shoot for 50.

I thought it was interesting that there are over 20 fractions of Vitamin D made on the skin.  You can only get two from a pill.  So get what you can from the sun and supplement with a quality D3 — maybe 4000 units during winter months.  

There’s lots of info on osteopenia— hormones, Vitamin D and K, resistance training and so much more.  

Maybe not all humans need the recommended amounts of anything. There is a heck of a lot of unaccounted for variability of humans to contend with. At some point, how we actually feel on a daily basis and our overall “healthiness” could be considered too.  This is just something that I ponder and not a criticism of how anyone else evaluates or relates to their health. Your information  about the target range and the differing recommendations kind of illustrate my point. And yeah, this topic is quite the interesting can of worms.