New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #43

So….the boulder looks like the Sandworm in “Dune” in the top photo.

The cliffs notes version: I failed (again).

Matched my highpoint on the last try on my last day.  Bouldering all alone in a remote place at age 65 is…interesting.

Anyway, I really went for it, messed up a couple of sequences, feet came off, but I kept fighting, made the dyno, went for the big move out right.  I thought that I was going to send until I found myself flat on my back panting.

I can’t get upset.  I am in the best shape in at least 10 years.  If I fail because I beat myself then I get mad, but I pulled out all the stops (including no drinking) and still got spanked.  That is OK.

As Arnold said:

Wow.  What a strong effort and mighty goal. 

Todd Berlierwrote:I think the small brand Kinneola had the very first, then BD, then Cordless, then Metolious, then everyone else. Cordless was the first real crash pad that defined and shaped the market. 

My ‘ol  buddy Bruce Pottinger founded Kinnaloa, which mainly produced T-shirts and chalk bags. He gave me this prototype crash pad in the mid 80’s. It’s still in great shape!

Bruce produced and sold some of the first commercially available pads in 1989.

Tiny by today’s standards, but before that I was bouldering over a 1 ft x 1 ft carpet square to clean off my shoes before I stepped onto the rock. 

Since it was so easy to carry around I often used this Kinnaloa original while guiding to add more protection for students from rope stretch on long TRs with hard moves right off the ground.

Bruce moved to Bishop, and in 1989 we teamed up to climb the first ascent of George Bush, which was among the first routes done in Owens River Gorge.

Kinnaloa T-shirt

I had a Kinnaloa rope bag that was the best ever.

'Bout to leave for a week long climbing trip.  Shoulder hurts, wrist is f*cked (temporarily, I hope), and two fingers won't bend all the way.  Should be fun   

Bob Gaineswrote:

My ‘ol  buddy Bruce Pottinger founded Kinnaloa, which mainly produced T-shirts and chalk bags. He gave me this prototype crash pad in the mid 80’s. It’s still in great shape!

Bruce produced and sold some of the first commercially available pads in 1989.

Tiny by today’s standards, but before that I was bouldering over a 1 ft x 1 ft carpet square to clean off my shoes before I stepped onto the rock. 

Since it was so easy to carry around I often used this Kinnaloa original while guiding to add more protection for students from rope stretch on long TRs with hard moves right off the ground.

Bruce moved to Bishop, and in 1989 we teamed up to climb the first ascent of George Bush, which was among the first routes done in Owens River Gorge.

Kinnaloa T-shirt

I had one of the T-shirts! Mine was a bright yellow. 

Sorry, I spelled the name wrong!

An old buddy of mine always said a pad should be a leaders first piece of pro. Did that myself a few times.

Li Huwrote:

-55 pounds one arm 20mm hang. 7 seconds 7 sets. Middle and ring half crimp, Index and pinky chisel grip.

Tried a burly 5.12c with single hand 22mm lieback holds with feet smearing the corner dihedral. Fingers in half crimp could handle it pretty well after the warmup as per above. AI estimated that the force on each hand lieback to be anywhere from 123 to 137 pounds which is within 2 pounds of my one arm -55 pound hang warm-ups.  

Finger strength is getting better, my focus will be more Kikter board.

After that previous session yesterday, I was barely able to climb today. Fingers, strong… body, … not so much. Light-medium soreness overall. Barely got up a slabby and thin 5.11d called “Crimpolympics”   … Ended the session with 6, 4, 2, 2 reps 15mm edge pull-ups over 5 minutes to end the day.

The quintessential American experience.  Camping at Walmart..

Nick, 

Canadians also embrace the Walmart lot CG.

Last year at the Squamish BC lot. 

Ward, will you get more days on the project? I hope so!

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

The quintessential American experience.  Camping at Walmart..

Sorry.  I should have offered you a place to stay in DE.  You probably drove within 10 minutes of me on I-95.

Todd Berlierwrote:

I once sewed a crash pad (edit: about 1991) driving from Cincinnati to Hueco: two 2x3 foot pieces of carpet with 3, 1/2" pieces of carpet padding in the middle. All I had for 45 degree wall, BITD 

Sean, in the NRG Cater movie that's me talking with Sue Patenaude about hubris. Funny moment.

I think that was also the day JB Tribout almost on-sighted Quinsana Plus. Doug Reed and a small group were watching him climb and when JB got to the crux and was shaking out, planning, the next move, Doug, shouts up, "You're gonna want to get that pocket with your left hand." Not sure if he was sandbagging, spoiling the on-sight purposely or genuinely trying to be helpful! Weird moment.

"Look out John Sherman, I'm a baaad man!"  The South's Steepest was on heavy rotation back then, NRG in the 90s was dope!  I think it was Sue's pad under me when I did 45 degree wall.  Good times!

You and Chris Jones are old friends right?  He's a great dude and one of my regular climbing and skiing partners.

Todd Berlierwrote:

Ward, will you get more days on the project? I hope so!

November……

Sean Barbwrote:

"Look out John Sherman, I'm a baaad man!"  The South's Steepest was on heavy rotation back then, NRG in the 90s was dope!  I think it was Sue's pad under me when I did 45 degree wall.  Good times!

You and Chris Jones are old friends right?  He's a great dude and one of my regular climbing and skiing partners.

Small world!!!

Lived with Chris in Salt Lake for a while, worked with him at Rockreation, and one of my fondest memories was doing North Chimneys on Castleton with him, before we went to tuolemne a couple years ago. Yes, great guy!

Ward Smithwrote:

November……

As one who boulders, that problem looks VERY worthy!! Just cuz I can't do anything, don't mean I can't appreciate stuff!

 Re pads, Boise based Asana has been sewing "all things bouldering" since 1999. Guess that puts them in the "everyone else" category, with the latest mentions. Still, it's been sweet to buy gear that's manufactured mere miles from my house, lol! 

Helen

https://youtu.be/qWUGC64VfiI?si=APkJ1jmv-lTTSjRd

She's a Boise gal originally! Super nice, I knew her from the defunct climbing gym she set at! She moved on, got big into ice (moved to Bozeman)....and now the even more niche world of dry tooling.

Not exciting, really, but nice, nonetheless.

And truly strength and gracefulness combined.

Oh, and she makes lovely art by gluing down cut strips of rope. 

Helen

Norm Larsonwrote:

Pave paradise put up a parking lot..

Yep.

Pave Paradise

Ha ha...

I didn’t know that was one of your routes Brian! Thanks, I’ve done it a few times always makes me stop and ponder a bit at the hard part. I like that.

Todd Berlierwrote:

Lived with Chris in Salt Lake for a while, worked with him at Rockreation...

Good times!

Haven't seen Bob in awhile but ran into Jeff a couple daze ago at Momentum.  Doesn't age.

Brian in SLCwrote:

Todd Berlierwrote:

Lived with Chris in Salt Lake for a while, worked with him at Rockreation...

Good times!

Haven't seen Bob in awhile but ran into Jeff a couple daze ago at Momentum.  Doesn't age.

Wow! That brings back memories! 

BITD when I set there after hours, we would lead on the main prow in the middle. Lower to that nasty old tire rubber, then TR back to the top, except the belayer would stop taking in slack after climber got 10 feet off the ground. Climber would go to the I-beam, hang and drop off, stopping less than 5 feet off the ground. We called it practice for lead falls, but really it was just fun.

By Bob and Jeff, you mean the owners?