New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #43

Ward Smith wrote:

Weather has officially crapped out into Summer.  Cleaned off and worked another boulder at the remote crag and went for a swim.  Looks like the best conditions will be indoors this week.

Oh my goodness, looks like the best conditions are outside! What beautiful water, Ward! Happy pictures!  

I got out for some climbing yesterday and had a wonderful time.  When I got home, I was thinking about natural movement over natural rock versus working out in a gym. This was a fairly easy route, but still presented challenges that you would never find in a gym.  There was one move with a left arm on a thin hold at 10 o’clock and the right arm at 3 o’clock with both feet  on a very thin edge. Every move is really unique. A lot of times it’s about letting go of one hold before quickly grabbing the next— and it has to be fast.  And I would add all of this in perfect weather, breeze, blue sky, and wildness everywhere. :-)

Pic by Bob Gaines 

Something I have felt since the very beginning is a powerful timidity the first hour I’m on rock. I guess it’s just part of the way I tick. I am cautious and shaky and reserved and fearful of a slip– – even though I’m on the end of a top rope. My brain just churns out warnings, and then there is a magical moment when that all goes away, and I feel fearless. I wish I could somehow skip that first hour.   

This is a picture I really like of one of my Sunday excursions to trespassers wall.  For me, it’s a sacred place and I love hiking back there alone.

although I did see a rattlesnake under that very rock.   this is the one place where I have to restrain myself from just heading on up that wall solo.  It feels like such a natural rock with such obvious lines. Beautiful.

Was doing some gardening yesterday and came across this little guy:

A juvenile, about a foot long. Only one button on the tail, so didn’t make a sound. I was reaching barehanded for leaves within inches before I noticed.

Thanks Lori, I don’t disagree about indoor vs outdoor, but the training aspect of indoors is hard to replicate outdoors.  I’m still working, so before I work I can get more than a day’s worth of climbing on the board in two hours, including a half hour of warming up on the set gym problems and the fingerboard.  Of course, the nuance of outdoor movement needs to be learned outdoors. Almost all of the best climbers do both, with a few notable exceptions like Chris Sharma, who just happens to live next to world class overhanging 100 foot limestone cliffs.

Lori Milas wrote:

I got out for some climbing yesterday and had a wonderful time.  When I got home, I was thinking about natural movement over natural rock versus working out in a gym. This was a fairly easy route, but still presented challenges that you would never find in a gym.  There was one move with a left arm on a thin hold at 10 o’clock and the right arm at 3 o’clock with both feet  on a very thin edge. Every move is really unique. A lot of times it’s about letting go of one hold before quickly grabbing the next— and it has to be fast.  And I would add all of this in perfect weather, breeze, blue sky, and wildness everywhere. :-)

At lower grades, gym ratings are often soft; a gym 5.10 through 5.11c will usually feel much easier than its outdoor counterpart. However, once you push past 5.11c, the gap closes. The climbing styles remain different, but the physical difficulty levels out. That said, featureless gym cracks are harder than real ones, while delicate, friction-dependent slab climbs are nearly impossible for a gym to accurately reproduce.

For bouldering the gap narrows at V7/8. Still different, but difficulty is roughly the same.

Difficulty meaning finger strength, contact strength and movement capabilities.

That said, you lack the environmental benefits of Joshua Tree… whereas it’s a 10-20 minute drive to my gym versus 2 1/2 hours to a decent local crag.

K M wrote:

Helen, Hope you are doing good. Some really spectacular video coming out of the Boise area from the storms.

Thanks, did okay here, but wow!!!! The storms (plural!!) were amazing. Didn't get the big piles of hail that happened, or -quite- the amount of rain, that happened a bit west of here, but still, I'm sure I got close to an inch. Maybe more. 

I hesitate to drop any links in (copyrights), but it is truly worth hunting up. 

I can drop this in though. Flight radar only does one track at a time, but, there were 7 inbound commercial flights  just circling, waiting for the evening storm to not rip their wings off. Not all in this screenshot.

Next day, all the outgoing flights were just parked at terminals, waiting on the morning one! That one was right on top of us, still no hail, but more torrential rain, and great lightning! I admit it, I do enjoy thunderstorms....from inside.

It was a big wind event, too, but not much damage from that in my neighborhood. Mainly because we already had several tree toppling wind things earlier. Mature trees, snapped, or tipped entirely, with roots torn up. Urban forestry is having a moment this June.

And .....yes, Nick. Snow. But 7000 or so.

Love the beautiful snakes.... and rocks....and stuff.

I'm hoping to start having my own life again, soon? Maybe July. I sure hope so! 

PSA, don't schedule a major bathroom remodel when the best friend who lives in that house is concurrently gonna go down hard with medical issues...and you get to do the brutal caregiving schedule, lol! Did not see that one coming. 

Fingers crossed, the medical might be done this week. Bathroom ....well. Weeks to go. 

Oh well.

Helen

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

I almost went back today but needed to work on the van. Hoping folks will stay off it until I am finished.. 

thats what the little red thingies are for..... 

Nice job with the glue-ins

phylp phylp wrote:

Instantly recognizable to anyone with a history of buildering in urban areas - glue-ups on a concrete underpass. We saw this one in a small city park in Orange. Looks like they have been there for ages - all painted over.

Hart Park?

Spent many hours there, particularly on the concrete and stone retaining walls of the park (some partially visible in the background). There used to be several lead routes down stream under the 22 Freeway.

Randy wrote:

Hart Park?

Spent many hours there, particularly on the concrete and stone retaining walls of the park (some partially visible in the background). There used to be several lead routes down stream under the 22 Freeway.

OMG, yes it is! How amazing you recognized it. Our first time there. We walked down there from the Hilbert Museum, which we really like. We woke up that day with a plan to do our “back yard hike”, from Manker Flat up the fire road up to the notch below Mt. Baldy. But I was tired so I proposed a trip to the museum followed by a walk instead. Our destination was the Archery Range in the park and our route took us thru that underpass.

This must be our week for urban climbing spots. Yesterday we saw these:

outside the Denver ARt Museum. Not a great size for me but I’m certain some climbers have bouldered them!

Are you in Boulder, Phyl?

Two from today from Rainbow area in North Tahoe

wendy weiss wrote:

Are you in Boulder, Phyl?

Yes! For today. Spend the day with old friends from SF who live here now. Tomorrow morning we head west to visit a friend and then back home.
but next time I come I’ll leave M at home and make plans to meet up with you! 

phylp phylp wrote:

Yes! For today. Spend the day with old friends from SF who live here now. Tomorrow morning we head west to visit a friend and then back home.
but next time I come I’ll leave M at home and make plans to meet up with you! 

That would be great!

Nice, Todd!  As usual you look good and strong on that beautiful granite!  

I feel like I turned a corner here this week where climbing felt glorious.  I wish I could do this 3 or 4 times a week to get the strength and skill I need to do harder routes.  But here we are tied to the weather, and availabilty... and my own recovery.  It does feel like that time of life where if there is something I want to do, then DO IT.  

I have noticed something with my knee/meniscus tears.  My knee feels better the longer I am on rock, the pain goes away while I am climbing, which is counter intuitive.  As long as I don't make sudden twists or jerks, it just gets better.  So I was listening to an Orthopedic surgeon this morning who coaches aging athletes, he himself is an aging athlete, and I loved his message, which is that we don't 'wear out' our cartilage or bones, and the term "bone on bone" is not helpful for an arthritic patient.  Working the joint and the increased circulation can only make it better.  Dr. Howard Luks.   

A friend of mine posted this morning in response to this picture of me on the 'yellow route':  "Bruce Lee used to say never say anything bad about yourself, especially out loud, and never ever say 'I can't". The spoken word is a powerful force. The brain hardwires the rest of the body to follow that command. Also, I believe there is a huge difference between I think I can, and I will. There's no time limit on "I will". A small failure only means perhaps today is not the day, but, I will!"  

There was a slight deviation on the route I was climbing a few days ago, taking a 5.9 mantle to the right of me and then proceeding up.  That mantle was chin height and I couldn't imagine how to get my palms planted on that ledge and hoist up and I did absolutely not have the required strength.  I've been thinking about it ever since.  Maybe that's where a gym would help a lot.  But maybe working that move on that rock on some consecutive days would be just as good or better?  

Sunset a couple days ago at Hot Creek. A little fishing, a little climbing.

x15x15 wrote:

Sunset a couple days ago at Hot Creek. A little fishing, a little climbing.

Oh so you’re one of “those RICH guys” who stay in those cabins. My FF friend says “they’re insanely expensive”….. 

So how did you do? 

Thought I could beat the storm and get Blue Bessie up to her home in Isa's barn before the storm hit..

I was wrong

 

“Absurdist existentialism combines elements of both absurdism and existentialism, recognizing that life is inherently meaningless while also emphasizing the individual's freedom to create their own meaning. It suggests that one should accept the absurdity of existence and live authentically despite the lack of inherent purpose.”

I encountered the phrase ‘absurdist existentialism’ today and it perfectly articulates my view of life and living. While I’ve been clear about this sentiment for a very long time, I hadn’t encountered a name for it.

apogee wrote:

“Absurdist existentialism combines elements of both absurdism and existentialism, recognizing that life is inherently meaningless while also emphasizing the individual's freedom to create their own meaning. It suggests that one should accept the absurdity of existence and live authentically despite the lack of inherent purpose.”

I encountered the phrase ‘absurdist existentialism’ today and it perfectly articulates my view of life and living. While I’ve been clear about this sentiment for a very long time, I hadn’t encountered a name for it.

I like this idea too. 

It’s cool to follow a path with no name and suddenly see a sign naming the path and be like “oh, yeah.” 

Pretty much a Camus fan myself

Mark E Dixon wrote:

Pretty much a Camus fan myself

"Mother died today. Or, maybe yesterday."