New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #39

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. 

Daniel, I’d be interested to hear more of your thoughts on this. You were going somewhere with them…

I’ve really battled to find my center ground in the realm of health. As time has gone on, I have backed away from conventional medical care more and more.  Lately I would say I am appreciative that it’s there for emergencies, but otherwise leave me alone.  In that respect, I have refused all vaccines, refused the automatic statin drugs that are prescribed, refused antihypertensives.  I’m due for another mammogram and giving that thought. But I’m also rethinking the shingles and pneumonia vaccines. 

My feeling has been that the body wants to heal itself – – just give it the right food, sunshine, clean water, and of course joyfulness.  I have wondered what will happen when I come up against something I cannot heal naturally. Actually I was just there with eight weeks of blood loss and a suitcase packed in case I needed to get to the ER for a surgery. I just really believe in listening to the body and trusting.  I seem to be turning the corner on that crisis, but Tony would have advised to pop into the ER on day one and “get it taken care of” right out of the gate.  He thinks there is a pill or surgery for every problem so we have fun with those differences.

But I also know that until recently we were only intended to live about 40 years and our bodies run out of steam after that. I don’t know if organic living solves all those problems, but it does solve some. In annual lab work we discovered  I have deficiencies in almost every mineral and many vitamins and I do supplement just to try to keep up. (Probably due to Celiac).  And also, I am really aware of the difference in my ability to be active and climb when I bump up that protein and take modest amounts of supplements.  It’s been a real eye-opener that many people here do just fine without any of that.  So we all carefully forge our own ways.

Lori Milaswrote:

Daniel, I’d be interested to hear more of your thoughts on this. You were going somewhere with them…

I’ve really battled to find my center ground in the realm of health. As time has gone on, I have backed away from conventional medical care more and more.  Lately I would say I am appreciative that it’s there for emergencies, but otherwise leave me alone.  In that respect, I have refused all vaccines, refused the automatic statin drugs that are prescribed, refused antihypertensives.  I’m due for another mammogram and giving that thought. But I’m also rethinking the shingles and pneumonia vaccines. 

My feeling has been that the body wants to heal itself – – just give it the right food, sunshine, clean water, and of course joyfulness.  I have wondered what will happen when I come up against something I cannot heal naturally. Actually I was just there with eight weeks of blood loss and a suitcase packed in case I needed to get to the ER for a surgery. I just really believe in listening to the body and trusting.  I seem to be turning the corner on that crisis, but Tony would have advised to pop into the ER on day one and “get it taken care of” right out of the gate.  He thinks there is a pill or surgery for every problem so we have fun with those differences.

But I also know that until recently we were only intended to live about 40 years and our bodies run out of steam after that. I don’t know if organic living solves all those problems, but it does solve some. In annual lab work we discovered  I have deficiencies in almost every mineral and many vitamins and I do supplement just to try to keep up. (Probably due to Celiac).  And also, I am really aware of the difference in my ability to be active and climb when I bump up that protein and take modest amounts of supplements.  It’s been a real eye-opener that many people here do just fine without any of that.  So we all carefully forge our own ways.

It sounds like you have a well thought out perspective about all of this. I share much of your ideas about health care, and have definitely appreciated being stitched up, having broken bones set, have work related fragments removed from an eye along with antibiotics to treat the infection, etc. But, I also have had some questions about certain practices and also the potential for over prescribing of medications that treat symptoms instead of addressing the root causes of some illnesses. And at some point, I may be faced with a catastrophic illness, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it and evaluate all options when deciding how best to proceed. 

One of my best suggestions is, and this could be more important than diet and exercise, is to be aware of stress and try to understand its causes and find a way to let it go. My dad is my greatest inspiration in this regard. Somehow, no matter how bad or serious the situation he faces is, he finds a way to understand it, then work through the challenges, then get back to his normal routines. I think that his general positivity has really contributed to his longevity and aware and active existence. He is 84, lives alone(but has strong social connections), exercises daily, drives excessively, and still compassionately puts me in my place when I need it. Sometimes I picture myself at his age and honestly it makes me wonder if I’ll be as strong as he is. We chat several times a week and I’m happy for every conversation. 

Thanks for the opportunity to ramble on a bit and I hope this can add to the conversation. 

P.S. Lori, I wasn’t insinuating that you don’t understand or deal with stress effectively. I‘m just pointing out that I think that stress management is an important and sometimes overlooked component to overall health. 

Daniel Shivelywrote:

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. 

 Vitamin D has been touted as a panacea, though studies have shown benefit inconsistently. Still, it’s one of maybe two supplements that have shown any utility at all, yet everyone seems to take a half dozen unproven pills, often while simultaneously disparaging ”Big Pharma”.

And you’re right, there is variability to how much is enough. In Helen‘s case, her osteopenia shows she needs more, + weight bearing exercise. Population data suggests targeting levels between 30-40, but no more than 50-60, which may be harmful. Not sure how she’d feel that.

It doesn’t need to be taken with a ton of fat, only 10-15 g - a tablespoon of olive oil, quarter avocado,  or couple eggs will do.