chucK

Dude, REICHSTAG FIRE. Learn your history.

Yes. Why wouldn't it? Assuming it's not fraud.

I was just thinking of some famous fixed gear. Specifically the #4 Camalot serving the needs of so many in the Great Gendarme (NR Stuart) offwidth. I wonder what the story was on that? Was it interesting? I'm sure the user/loser had no idea that his/her Camalot would become such an enduring testament to their epic, and save so many the weight of a carrying a large piece up a few thousand feet. Anybody on here fix that piece? Story? What about other famous fixed gear? That .75 Camalot above the catwalk on The Mighty Tooth is becoming quite well known. Anyone here fix that? Others? That #4 on p1 of SF Prussik recently got cleaned. What a shame. Perhaps we should bestow upon these icons some sort of historical status. Sure they are not truly amazing fixed pieces like the 4x4's pounded in to cracks in the Devil's Tower first ascent, but they are becoming part of the lore. The Devil's Tower 4x4's would be like Independence Hall, or Bob Dylan's childhood residence. Perhaps the #4 in the Great Gendarme would be like that Denny's in Ballard.

Might be ELF. Might be insurance fraud. Getting stuck with a bunch of multimillion $ homes in a real-estate bust, I'd think you'd be jumping for joy (secretly) if 'ELF' came and burned 'em up.

I guess with all my edits I forgot the mandatory, "we're not talking whole foods here!" disclaimer. Safeway, cheaper than QFC, that's where we go. Same damn loaf of bread we buy has increased over the last couple of years from 1.29 to 2.39. Beer! That's gone from ~$5 a six of micros to $5 a six of Bud. Ouch. I'd say our food bill has probably gone up 100% in four years, but there's lots of stuff that factors in to that like growing kids, and switching to some organic stuff. But I still stick to my carefully worded claim that the increase is "closer to 100%" than 10%. You know one thing that hasn't gone up in 10 years? Rock gym entrance fee. It's been $15 as long as I can remember. Oh...and computers and cheap shit neon plastic toys.

Why is leading always better than toproping, but free soloing "not bright"? When you lead (using in situ bolts) an easily topropable climb all you do is add some degree of danger and a little bit of practice clipping the rope to bolts. When you free-solo you are also adding a degree of danger, but freeing yourself of all that clunky rope, gear, belayer, etc. The difference, of course, is the degree of danger you've added. In both cases the degree depends on the climber and the climb. Maybe people enjoy the "little bit of extra danger" that a bolted lead adds to the toprope problem. But it seems at best quite artificial. For that carefully dosed measure of aritificial adventure is it really worth ruining the day of many folks like Pope and Old 5.9? Seems inconsiderate to me.

Food prices up 10% in four years?! I'd say it's closer to 100%. For a family of four that adds up. So do the gas prices, what with all the ferrying around you gotta do for the younguns. Prius sounds nice, but less than one fillup per month? You obviously have a different lifestyle than many.

Angel Crack is probably a lot easier right now (if it's not filled with ice ).

The connection is probably that you posted it in the NEWBIES forum.

While there is obviously some pride going on, I'm sure this post is mostly a celebration for RuMr. He has now seen the tail end of endless laps on the groomers.

Here's some climbing content UzYlEO-s3hI

While I don't have extensive experience with Tiblocs and such, I thing that using some sort of fall arrester mid rope like a Tibloc is at best a PITA, and at worst a false sense of security. You just shouldn't simulclimb unless both climbers would be comfortable with soloing most of the climb. For those bits where the second would not be comfortable soloing, the leader should get a piece or two in and at least hip belay the second up. eldiente's GriGri plan seems good. Now with most everybody using 9.7mm lead ropes, are there Gri-Gri'like devices that work on sub 10mm ropes?

Another indicator our economy is in trouble (and BTW, It's all Bush's fault!)

Here's some thoughts on the topic. You will have to wade through a lot of crap in these threads but there is information in there too. thread 1 thread 2 <--- this one seems most pertinent (though a bit dated) thread 3

With respect to subject line: Yeah I am. Have fun. Make sure you don't push him too hard.

...can't...stoppppp....ppppposting.................... or reading

stalkers stalking the stalker

Yes, I think my statement is clearcut. I said I didn't know about "ethically", but basically the definition of being a dick is putting your needs/desires above others, with little or no consideration.

Wow now there's a teaser. And to make this even more interesting (ethically of course) what if said Miss Normandy is not being completely straight about his/her gender?

I don't know about ethically, but if you refuse to honor his request then you're being a dick, in either case. But this doesn't really relate to the hot burning issue of the moment as nobody refused to take any pictures down, AFAIK.

Republican reactionaries remember your words, as you will be seeing this all from the other side in one year.

That might be a sweet option. $50k/yr plus room and board. Probably beats working in a cannery. Seriously though, it's the lenders' fault here. They had all the advantages. They knew the rules. They have the lawyers and accountants. It was up to them to protect themselves in the likely case of a default (why do you think they are called sub-primes?). That they didn't get enough $$$ down to cover their costs in the case of a quick default, is their fault.

I thought he already did the plummeting to earth in flames thing during the regular season?

I've got an old Kyocera 2325 Brick phone. It seems pretty sturdy. Problem with the brick phone is the tendency to get turned on in a pack, then it runs out of battery search for non-existent signal. A bit of a hijack, but does anybody have an old Kyocera 2325, or similar Kyocera model just laying around? I need a back battery cover for mine (the little tab that holds it in is busted). I'll give you a six-pack (or similar compensation if you don't prefer to drink or are legally prohibited from doing so). I'll take the battery too, if you don't want it. Here's what the housing looks like