New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #44

They tend to get really pissed at me if I post their crash shots.  Personally I would be stoked to have a shot cartwheeling through a water hazard..   I feel that there is a huge difference between shutter speeds of film vs digital. 1/ 500th with film was fast enough to freeze raindrops perfectly  sharp. 1000th with digital still shows motion.  some kind of false advertising.... 

Yeah, this was back in the film days and we didn't post online. We sent people proofs.
I also have a really great shot of two people coming out of a tandem kayak at the top of quarter mile rapid on the White . No digital copy so I can't post it here.

The route that I'd remembered hearing about with the artificial holds bolted on ( there are likely others as well) is on a cliff called Sa Gubia on Mallorca. It is something like 3 such holds on the third pitch of a five pitch route---and using them keeps the grade of the overall route very consistent. It was obviously an 'interesting' ethical choice by the FA team, but definitely a creative one. I'm sure the route goes 'really free' but with that section significantly harder than anything else on the climb.

Wheeler Crest looks fantastic but the approach always seems to be too daunting for a spoiled lazy bones like me!!!!

Did my first via ferrata today. It won’t be my last! Good fun.
The rungs didn’t bother me at all.

Paula and I had an outdoor date today.  An obscure area where I actually put up the first route in the 90’s (Catamount), that has had a recent resurgence and actually has a Gunks App guidebook.   I was tired with only one day rest after the boulder project, and have had very little roped climbing outside, so the 5.11a onsight I did was full value.  Paula got on a 12c and did so well that I know that we will be going back for a second date.

Jim and I got out to lasso ledge and were good old fart underachievers. 5 routes an 7 and 8. we both think the route Isa and I put up last week is closer to an 8 than a 7. I would have called it an 8 but  theeres an 8 here that seemed harder to me but today it was the last climb we did and I floated up it;) 

Jim on the 8

Wow cool photo Philip!

I’ve been mainly climbing inside, while you all post cool outdoorsy pics.

I’m looking forward to climbing outside soon, it’s been cold and wet mainly.

 Bought a new rope bag and climbing bag. The e9 rope bag is typical e9; I think I have maybe eight pairs of e9 trousers, they’re quite expensive here, about 250, but v cool.  

Also spent about 4K on a new sound system, record player, speakers, amp/reciever. I like the tactile aspect of putting on a record.

Haven’t had a Carl poem for yonks!

I need to get to Araps/Gramps ASAP.

It’s getting hot here. It will be 100° every day this week, but it’s still beautiful. Since I never see hikers, it was very strange to have a group hike up to where I was taking a nap on a rock yesterday and stop to chat. They knew where they were by GPS, but had never heard of the sphinx or Watergate or Hemmingway.  It had never occurred to me that these formation names would be known only to Climbers.  I pointed out a route on the Spinx and one woman mentioned she had tried climbing one time 20 years ago and she would never do it again.

In the afternoon, I watched Adam Ondra climb Silence and listen to him narrate the process in a presentation with Jerry Moffett.  I always thought the name Silence was an intentional goof because of all the screaming, but in fact Ondra said it was because of the profound stillness he felt after clipping the last bolt.  I think this is something most Climbers experience?  I remember sharing with Guy the exhaustion I felt after a day of climbing here, but also the profound peace. I was so tired. I couldn’t lift a bag of Epsom salts, but I was so entirely serene.

We also watched a very early episode of Reel rock with Chris Sharma climbing bibliography. Tony firmly believes that if it’s not competitive, it’s not a sport so I asked him to explain the crowd of people at the base of that climb who were losing their minds as Sharma climbed.

I thought maybe I could compare it to golf, something he loved to do, but he said no, if he was golfing with someone, it was to win, not to cheer them on.

There’s so many ways that rock climbing is special and unique. With all the progress in health span coaching there is a real emphasis on creating fast response situations so that if you were to stumble, you can catch yourself before you hit the ground. So they rig all these exercises in the gym to create strength and speed. I am thinking of the hundreds of times I have been on rock where trying to maintain balance on minuscule foot holds and being fast enough to right yourself before you peel off— I don’t know of any contrived gym exercise that can compare to the hours and days and weeks of training on rock.  The longer I don’t climb in this heat, the more I am truly looking forward to being back on the rock as a beginner, and letting these routes inform my body and regain strength and power by doing.

On the downside I walked outside last night to look at my five precious tomato plants and a huge green worm had eaten them all. That’s it for me. My good friend in Northern California keeps sending me pictures of the bounty from her garden. There is a local Carpenter here who will build a beautiful enclosed gardening house with that metal fencing underneath and some kind of chicken wire all around. I would still have to get Water to it and there is still hot, dry wind, and sun to consider. This just may not be my thing anymore.   

Climbers cheering other climbers on is absolutely:

a. akin to golfers cheering on the players at the Masters.

b. highly competetive.

Crush your enemies projects, have them fail miserably on yours, and revel in their wails and lamentations. 

Tony might enjoy watching some World Climbing comps on YouTube.

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

Climbers cheering other climbers on is absolutely:

a. akin to golfers cheering on the players at the Masters.

b. highly competetive.

Well at least no climber that I know of has threatened to call President Trump if something didn't go their way. Which just happened.

Bryson DeChambeau threatened to call Trump during Open penalty row

Frank Stein wrote:

Crush your enemies projects, have them fail miserably on yours, and revel in their wails and lamentations. 

Conan the Climberian?   

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

...I cut way back this year. only 5 gigs total. 4 down and one to go!  Might skip it completely next year....  Big changes... 

Nick, Why'd you cut back? I know a braider who has been getting less and less work. Sounds like there aren't as many competitions in the NE as there used to be.

We climbed a couple pitches of Rusty Trifle today. The air has cleared up for now.

PSA They're doing work on the Carriage Road for the next month.
But you can still go climbing.
Don't park in the Stairmaster lot - you have to enter from W Trapps lot.

Most importantly, in a summer miracle, there are almost no chiggers this season! I'm wondering what happened. This is the first season since I've been climbing here (14 years) that I haven't been covered in chigger bites.

Carl, thank you for the poetry! Lovely as always.

I realize climbing has gone in different directions.  I did really enjoy my 2 x week climbing gym before I moved here, and watching the kids compete on Friday nights back in the bouldering area.  But I don't think that's what has captured me and held me here.  (we're all different).

This morning I cut over to Steve Canyon, to meander.  Forgive me, Randy... I think of many of these rocks as "Randy's Rocks", even knowing there were many excellent climbers working on your routes with you.  So, this is one of them. 

And I always laugh because I really had no business trying to climb it... but I desperately wanted to touch the top slab.  Proof of my lack as a climber, I climbed the initial cracks hand over hand... it never occurred to me that I could simply walk up it, stemming.  I can turn any 5.10 route into a 5.11 just by being stupid.

But this rock is no competition for me.  There's no one to beat.  I'm so grateful that I don't have to be better than another climber, because 90% of the climbers out there are way better than me.  But I also think everyone deserves at least now and then to experience that "Silence" that Ondra spoke of after he sent his route.  I wish all kids and teenagers could have that.  I wish Tony could have that..  

I was asking myself "Well, was Bachar competitive, or Peter Croft?"  Was Bachar in it to win it, or to be his best self?  Peter has said he free soloed many routes, many times, without ever telling a soul. That makes me a Peter Croft fan.    

Lori Milas wrote:

 I can turn any 5.10 route into a 5.11 just by being stupid.

Lol! We've all done that!

But this rock is no competition for me.  There's no one to beat.  I'm so grateful that I don't have to be better than another climber, because 90% of the climbers out there are way better than me.  But I also think everyone deserves at least now and then to experience that "Silence" that Ondra spoke of after he sent his route.  I wish all kids and teenagers could have that.  I wish Tony could have that..  

I was asking myself "Well, was Bachar competitive, or Peter Croft?"  Was Bachar in it to win it, or to be his best self?  Peter has said he free soloed many routes, many times, without ever telling a soul. That makes me a Peter Croft fan.    

Its all perspective, IMO. All endeavors are competitive in some way, whether with oneself or with others. I think the problem is framing competition as negative. So long as one is not trying to be successful via others failures then it's ok with me!

I'm a Peter Croft fan as well, I mean as far as I know him by reputation, ability and what I've seen in videos. I'm also under no delusion that what I know of him is what he's allowed me to know, which I assume isn't much, however representative it may be.

Dragons. Your friend has less work because there is a really bad Equine virus going around that has folks scared to go to shows and also the price of Diesel is prohibitive.  I cut back because I have been threatening to retire from horse photography for a decade and GMHA pissed me off this spring by screwing me out of the best two shows so I told them that since they took so long to get back to me about the schedule that I was booked out.  Did not elaborate that the bookings were all climbing days ;) 

Lori, Don't know about Croft, but Bachar was VERY competitive--as were most of the Stonemasters. One personal experience, the first time I encountered them, my partner, who had somewhat of a local 'reputation', failed leading a climb at J.T.---and Bachar and Yabo promptly came over and both soloed it!!!

Dragons, I just had learned about the Monday-Thursday Carriage Road closure--just as we are about to head to the Gunks for Thursday and Friday. Guess we'll go to Peterskill on Thursday, Trapps on Friday. Will you be there either day?

Daniel Shively wrote:

Here’s a few photos of Denise on another perfect December day on his climb Milkylala-the Rocketship, fifth canyon, Wheeler Crest. 

The Wheeler Crest is an awesome feature that hosts great peak bagging, awesome rock climbing, and incredible 6000’ ski descents. 

I did this in late April, in slightly less benign conditions. On and off graupel all morning, then full on snow just as we were finishing the penultimate pitch. Decided retreat was better than doing the last pitch slab with an inch of snow over everything :)  You're right how awesome the Wheeler Crest is though!

Lori Milas wrote:

We also watched a very early episode of Reel rock with Chris Sharma climbing bibliography. Tony firmly believes that if it’s not competitive, it’s not a sport so I asked him to explain the crowd of people at the base of that climb who were losing their minds as Sharma climbed.

Tell Tony to watch Race for the Nose or one of the climbing competitions, e.g. this recent one.