wdietsch

Hey TG, Better bring your groceries with you, looks like the shelves may be empty when you get there. THis is the NY Times yesterday..... "Tensions have been building for the last four days as poor people massed around supermarkets in the cities of Rosario, Concordia and Mendoza, demanding handouts and sometimes breaking down doors to loot. But the sporadic, isolated disturbances suddenly swelled in the predawn hours across the country today, even reaching the working- class slums surrounding the capital." http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/20/international/20ARGE.html?ex=1009515600&en=d6cc4a3e75f6348a&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA

Reading Rafael H's comments on the BD Androids along with the thread on the Yates Screamers made me think about the Yates Handcuffs and M9 Handcuffs. Has anyone tried either of these? If so, what do you think

Sorry Cavey, not me. I've never made to Lillooet yet. Hope to make it up this year. Chick with a helmet ehh. Sounds more like the screamer your neighbor's are complaining about

David, Usually one of the best sources is the crew at the Black Diamond Retail Store in south Salt Lake City, however I have run into some real boneheads behind the counter here as well. When the info has been good it is normally very to update, sometimes you might even get a afternoon report on conditions that very morning. Worth a try 2092 East 3900 SouthSalt Lake City, Utah 84124 phone: 801.278.0233fax: 801.278.5544 bdstore@bdel.com H O U R S M-F 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A few weeks back Texplorer was talking about maybe swinging thru Utah on his way to Texas for the holidays. You might shoot him a PM Wes

A site that I use a lot is the WA DOT's "real weather". http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/rweather/ This fall I noticed however that they have removed a few of the weather stations such as "Indian Flat" on 410 which would give you a good idea how things in the Little Naches are doing. For those of you that have never used this site it is pretty usefull. You can get 24 hour trending on temperature, precip... for example Grand Coulee station since 10:26 AM yesterday to 8:09 this morning at has registered temps from 33 to 42, a dew point from 19 to 25, wind speed from 0 to 18 mph, no measurable precip. The site is by no means perfect, it is useful Other stations I watch are Tumwater Mt, Alpental, Green Lake... check it out gang if you have not already [ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

was it a "baby angle" or a "long dong" take a hit of your "big bong" [ 12-17-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

Dru.... that gave me a headache

Hey TG, What ya puttin' in that "zip lock bag"?

This is mostly for the administrators of this site. Gents, anyway that you could set up the personal message program to allow "forwarding" and "carbon copy" functions

Man, I knew I would catch some shit sooner or later for my Seattle Sombero but I didn't think it would be from you Will. I would admit that the "wing-nut" mode is stupid and I never use it that way but I tell you hiking, fishing, livin' on the west side of the hills it does a pretty decent job. I'll be sure to wear it just for you at the next Portland Pub Club gathering. A couple of TG's barley wines and I'll put it up in "wing-nut" mode for a table dance I should clarify my commnet about "tube chocks" I was refering to the old fixed length units Chouinard made for a couple of years way back when not "Big Bro's"

philfort, As far as being "old skool" I'am probally somewhere around 3) webbing swamis and Terrordactyls. 4) White canvas painters pants and whillans harnesses i never owned a pair of stripped socks smokem' if you got'em, Dan Larson sucks........

Nalgene bottles... like most petroleum based products over time and exposure to UV rays will deteriorate.. On a winter climb several years ago air temp around 10F I tapped the bottle with the back side of my hand to knock the ice loose on the inside and put my knuckle thru the @#$%&* thing [ 12-14-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

The worst piece of gear I own is an old #7 SMC Camlock, ranks right up there with tube chocks. Hangs in the back of the closet collecting dust. The thermarest thing.... I'm with Dru, much warmer in the snow, I never carry it in the summer. As for bulkier foam pads cathing on shit when strapped to the outside of your pack, use them as a liner/frame around the inside circumferance of your pack, works like a champ. RP... I own a Seattle Sombrero and OR Croc's suck the big one.....

Jarred, Unless you are prepared for a serious ski or snowshoe approach for St Helens make the most of your time and head to Hood. Lots of snow and avy danger is high at the moment

Kevin, To both Texplorer's and RP's point it can be a very dangeous route if avy conditions are high. It is also a great winter climb with a group or solo if you are up to it. Most people that fall off the Spur do so while decending the upper gulleys. The approach is straight forward, not very difficult and most of it can be done on skis as well as the lower portion of the route. A few years back a friend and I did it in a long day car to car in late March. To one of RP's other points in the right conditions every route on Hood can be done in winter. It justdepends whatyou are up to. Wes [ 12-12-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

Hey Cavey, If I remember right didn't you say something a while back about buying the DMM Flys?

Aidan, I also suggest you check with Marmot in Bellevue, they have been really good at stock pile'ng spare parts for all sorts of tools. I picked up a spare BP Adze there last year for $12. Wes

Carolyn, Before sounds like you have a pretty small grip. You might want to check out the Simond Naja and Piranha. Several shaft configurations (bent, clearance, straight). Not that BD doesn't make good gear, I myself own 2 BP's and 2 X-15's and love them but I have big hands and BD historically has had "bigger than your average bear" size grips. The Rage is really the first tool they have made that fits smaller hands well. http://www.simond.com/pagesa/piolcascA.html my $0.02, wes

I guess you could call it the first official meeting of Portland Pub Club, everything went well. Texplorer, Terminal Gravity, Willstrickland, Anne, Dave and myself had a great time. Conversation ran the full gamit from guides and guide services, Aconcagua to Red Rocks, Ice tools, sandstone, basalt, you name it and of course good beer. God's speed and safe travels to you Texplorer on your upcoming roadtrip. TG hope you make it back to Enterprise safe as well. Let us know how things are forming. Best Wishes, Wes

Shawn, I don't know anything about a festival in Nipigon but there is the Michigan Ice Fest held the first weekend every February at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore located on the Upper Pennisula between Munising and Marquette, in particular near the Sand Point/Two Lakes area off of H-58. This year the fest is Jan 31- Feb 3. If you are interested you can contact the fellas at Down Wind Sports in Marquette MI http://www.downwindsports.com/)or the National Park Service. Shoot me a fax number and I can fax you all the info that you would get from the Park Service to save you the hassle. Go to Down Wind's website and look at their fall newsletter for more details. I have never been to this Fest but I am planning to go this year if I can coordinate it with a trip back to my company's headquarters located in Kalamazoo. Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo.Not that it means a whole lot but in the past they've had likes of Pete Takada and Barry Blanchard Hope this helps, Wes [ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

Caveman, You're too much,.... tokin' Yoda. Ya crack me up. Keep up the good work

Well I am not sure how much Will weighs but as for myself I'am 6' and about 210 fat lbs. Chances are it'll be raining so I'll be wearing a Red/Black Lowe shell. Wes

Getting the lights done tonight. Lucky Lab works for me. How does 7:00 sound?

TG,Not sure yet but it could happen, still gotta put up the Xmas lights for the kids. Myself I prefer a good stout. What did you have in mind? How long does it take you to get to PDX from "the end of the road" Wes

Terminal Gravity,Check out Barrabe's again. Looks like they have done a lot of rearainging. The Simond Super Fox is now listed under "Technical Tools" instead of "Third Tools".For under $62.00 it's a great deal http://www.barrabes.com/barrabes/product.asp?dept_id=232&pf_id=832 Wes