New and experienced climbers over 50 #37

Thought I'd get the next thread kicked off.

I'll kick it off Lori style, with a personal update from my household.  My cats are fighting.  Actually, just one of them.  Let me explain.

They're sisters, been together since the beginning, I think they've never been apart before in their lives (when they go to the vet, they go together in a big carrier).  So they are super bonded - sleep together, groom each other, the works.  Of coursed they fight sometimes too, but not like this.

Two days ago I had to bring one of them - her name's Ash, to the vet.  While there, she got ear drops, and I guess picked up lots of other smells.  Since then her sister - named Luna, will not go near her without hissing, growling, trying to chase her out of the house.  I guess Luna decided that the cat who came home was not Ash, because she smelled different, and now she's trying to chase her away.  All the time, after she chases her away, she cries for her sister, who she misses (even though she just chased her away).  And poor Ash - she did not have fun at the vet, but this is even worse!

I've separated them onto different floors in the house, with a screen between the two.  Hoping for signs of reconciliation - tried this morning, but it did not go well.

Very sad.

GO

Meeting my daughter up on the river today. Her birthday. A short distance from her home birth 42 years ago. A short distance from where we spent our summers as kids. I’ll bring some pictures back perhaps.
Come home tonight and go up this fork to camp and finish a new crack climb. It’s not very hard, but it’s long and airy. Needs a little brush. 

Haven't dropped in here for awhile,  the wife and I are on a month long road trip thru the NPs in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest Canada in our van, the TADMOBL. 

We've hit Mt. Rainier,  Roslyn and Leavenworth WA, North Cascades,  Glacier,  Banff,  and are now in Jasper before making our way thru Kamloops, Squamish BC, Olympic and down the Washington, Oregon and NorCal coast before heading home to Redding. 

The scenery has been magnificent and the trip so far epic.

Well we are looking at the 13th rainy Saturday in a row here.   Hit the Kilter Board today, looks like rope climbing in the gym with Paula tomorrow.  

These rainy weekends are really starting to SUCK.. 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

These rainy weekends are really starting to SUCK.. 

I call it “central Pennsylvania sunshine”. Pretty sure there was a month or so this spring that had zero sunny days. Or at least it felt like it.

The cicadas seem to be enjoying it though, so there’s that.  And chilling with the indoor cat isn’t too bad.

null

Lori, I loved that Landman show. Ole Billy Bob sure can lay it out there for us all to see, can't he?

I liked his other series very much too - Goliath; California instead of Texas, but still dealing with crooks and bastards as only Billy Bob can do. I liked how they took on "Big Almond" in one of the seasons. I live smack in the middle of almond country and he spoke the truth.

Gabe, that’s the spirit! Thanks for posting something personal. Your poor kitties! They are so confused.  Hopefully they’ll get themselves sorted out soon.

Norm— I also found that Calgary stampede! Now I have to go look at the route. That’s a great name.

Well, I am really bummed about this but now that I have seen white mamba up close and personal there will be no walking like an Egyptian across that dike. Randy was right. Those are definitely fingers of steel and the whole thing looks miserable.  Can I say “I’m really disappointed“ quoting directly from our president?

But while there I found John Long’s Bird of Fire. John must’ve been an incredibly strong and prolific climber. That thing is way up there. It must be an exhilarating climb.

So what about that Dolphin?  Could I do that?  

sitting in the shade of mamba reading, Randy‘s guidebook makes it a whole different outing.

Here’s another bummer. I will probably never get to climb Housers Grand Canyon donkey Trail.  There’s a bolting problem.  But also, looking at some of these.10a and 10b routes I forget that these are hard. They are not chump change and I seem to never remember that till I’m actually climbing them,  

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I’m installing a pull-up bar today. I was happy to hear Dr. Stacey Sims say that it took her 11 years to do her first chin up.  So might as well get started.

I am guessing there is more to this cat story.. Two sister fighting.....

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

I am guessing there is more to this cat story.. Two sister fighting.....

<bites lip>.  Nice try, Nick, I will not be baited into discussing the Trump Musk catfight, however entertaining it is.  Oops, did I just do it already?

Anyway, I sure do miss having Todd Berlier on these threads.  I appreciated his perspective on fatherhood, climbing, bouldering, music, and now I bet he'd have some great insights into his actual profession - animals.

Yep, Saturday's weather looks lousy (once again - this is getting pretty old) but Sunday looks decent.  I'll try to get out for a day then.

GO

Speaking of cats

GabeOwrote:

Thought I'd get the next thread kicked off.

I'll kick it off Lori style, with a personal update from my household.  My cats are fighting.  Actually, just one of them.  Let me explain.

They're sisters, been together since the beginning, I think they've never been apart before in their lives (when they go to the vet, they go together in a big carrier).  So they are super bonded - sleep together, groom each other, the works.  Of coursed they fight sometimes too, but not like this.

Two days ago I had to bring one of them - her name's Ash, to the vet.  While there, she got ear drops, and I guess picked up lots of other smells.  Since then her sister - named Luna, will not go near her without hissing, growling, trying to chase her out of the house.  I guess Luna decided that the cat who came home was not Ash, because she smelled different, and now she's trying to chase her away.  All the time, after she chases her away, she cries for her sister, who she misses (even though she just chased her away).  And poor Ash - she did not have fun at the vet, but this is even worse!

I've separated them onto different floors in the house, with a screen between the two.  Hoping for signs of reconciliation - tried this morning, but it did not go well.

Very sad.

GO

Perhaps give Ash a good scrub in the tub (good luck with that if she is anything like my Suzes who absolutely HATES baths!)???

Snuck out this morning for a quick lead up Yum Yum Yab Yum with Bill before the forecasted rain for the next 2.5 days hits here.  

WHAT A CLIMB!

Sorry for all my updates about my finally climbing in the Gunks but so many on this thread know the routes wayyyyyyyy more intimately than me! and I love sharing with all of them!

God I loved that climb!!!  I led pitches 1 & 2 and the final 4th pitch and it was a dream!  Great times!

Suzes:

Lori, when Paula and I went to Joshua Tree in the early 90’s she could not follow my lead of our “warm up” Dolphin despite the 5.7 grade.  Then she had absolutely no problem with Bird of Fire (10a).  Something about off widths.

GabeOwrote:

Anyway, I sure do miss having Todd Berlier on these threads.  I appreciated his perspective on fatherhood, climbing, bouldering, music, and now I bet he'd have some great insights into his actual profession - animals.

Yep, Saturday's weather looks lousy (once again - this is getting pretty old) but Sunday looks decent.  I'll try to get out for a day then.

GO

I also miss Todd and hope he is well.

And, sorry to rub it in, but we're having day after day of perfect blue skies and slightly warm temps here in the central Sierra Nevada.

This was my traveling cat Sophie

Here is a portrait that I drew of her

Brad Youngwrote:

I also miss Todd and hope he is well.

And, sorry to rub it in, but we're having day after day of perfect blue skies and slightly warm temps here in the central Sierra Nevada.

And you aren't under the smoke screen from Canada either, the last two days have been filtered sun here on the coast. Hopefully you guys are out raking up the forests in order to minimize the fire season. Durp.

Dolphin is surprisingly challenging up at the top. A little wide work for the fun.

Lori: "Started watching season one of.Landman, with Billy Bob Thornton and it turned into a two week binge watch. Stereotypical and demeaning portrayal of women. Almost unbearable violence. I am loving it."   

If you have Netflix I highly recommend "Dept Q", a unique and riveting Scottish mystery with twists and turns that are shocking. Extremely well done, starring Mathew Goode. Netflix has had a slew of top notch limited series, but this one is unique. IMO

M Mwrote:

And you aren't under the smoke screen from Canada either, the last two days have been filtered sun here on the coast. Hopefully you guys are out raking up the forests in order to minimize the fire season. Durp.

Two things, MM:

1. No smoke here right now, although as you know, we've had our share of wildfire smoke about every other year for many years;

2. Raking the forest floor? Let's just say that the originator of this "idea" (or the reputed originator of it) can just eat shit and die ;)

I do take fire prevention on our property very seriously (ladder fuels especially) but we don't rake and some people (who exactly are we alluding to with these allusions?) are just flat clueless.

Raking or not, if THE BIG ONE does come some day, no amount of fire prevention work will likely stop it. This is one of the risks we voluntarily take in return for living in a beautiful forested area.

John Gillwrote:

Lori: "Started watching season one of.Landman, with Billy Bob Thornton and it turned into a two week binge watch. Stereotypical and demeaning portrayal of women. Almost unbearable violence. I am loving it."   

If you have Netflix I highly recommend "Dept Q", a unique and riveting Scottish mystery with twists and turns that are shocking. Extremely well done, starring Mathew Goode. Netflix has had a slew of top notch limited series, but this one is unique. IMO

Department Q is the best detective series I have ever seen on TV in my life! Finished it last night.

Dropping in for a minute to very highly recommend the book series of Department Q by Jussi Adler-Olsen, set in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Just fabulous.

Also to say that I have started a communal TR  thread for everyone and anyone, of all ages, climbing in City of Rocks this June.

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/201107378/2025-june-cor-groupcollective-tr

Drive safe everyone...