pope

quote: Originally posted by Muffy The Wanker Sprayer: dear pope, did you higher a guide to learn to climb??? I did take a class, but mostly I learned through reading/experimenting. I had a good friend who knew just enough to get us in trouble. But I was an 17-year-old punk and couldn't have afforded a guide. My folks simply discouraged my participation, but if they'd been smart, they'd have helped me hire a guide (or at least insisted that I hire one). I had no small number of close calls those first few years. We used to go out to Index with only one cam on the rack and see what happened.

FRANKIE SEZ: Don't clap for destroying America. This place is as good as you want to make it.

Supplementary reading certainly won't hurt. Everything you really need to know is in Freedom of the Hills, which is available at the library for free. However, the game is not played sitting down. A former student went to Leavenworth after reading a few chapters of one manual or another. His independent study had resulted in a gap in his understanding, a misconception which wasn't caught by a mentor (I was invited to attend their weekend adventure but couldn't make it). Gravity is a hard teacher. When his TR anchor failed, he fell 35 feet into the talus and with three broken limbs and a broken cheek bone....he got off lucky. The laws of physics were there to find the misconceptions that resulted from his approach to learning the craft. Again, what price is too high? I recommend that you study a good manual, and then hire a guide.

I know, I know...but if I don't get lifted, then the force on me can't be > 150 lbs, right? I think the forces on the top piece of pro are probably a few factors higher. My biggest fall ever was on a #0 TCU, on the 2nd pitch of Beetle Bailey. It was probably 25+ feet, but the cams looked good! With rope stretch and friction/abrasion to the climber, etc., I think forces are usually well below what the 'quipment is designed to withstand. My partner (climbing partner, smarty pants) said he didn't even feel it. Crazy, where you at these days? God I miss you!

quote: Originally posted by CraigA: So what's the name of a good book that you would recommend for learning to place trad gear? Thanks, Craig Drive right past the library and head to Leavenworth where you'll find an (open) book called Gibson's Crack (5.6?).

I'm thinking that a force-on-belayer of 2.8kN seems enormous. There's about .22 pounds in a Newton, and so we're talking about a force of 630 pounds or so. I can't remember catching even a big guy where my feet ever left the ground (I weigh about 150). Interesting discussion nevertheless.

quote: Originally posted by Noway: Are you serious? Unfortunately....yes. Check your pm's.

To anybody who may have been offended by the jpeg image I had pasted to my cc.com pseudonym, I apologize, and I also wish to dispel a rumor that has been circulating. The jpeg to which I refer featured Frank Zappa picking his nose (or so I assumed). IT IS NOT A PICTURE OF ME, and it it is certainly NOT FEATURED IN MY COLLEGE ANNUAL. It was pointed out to me late last week (first by my wife, then by a concerned colleague), that Frank is not using his index finger to extract mucous egesta, but rather is extending an obscene gesture (employing his middle finger) to the cameraman. To the community of cc.com, and to anybody who may have checked in to check out this embarassing photo, I wish to say that I'm sorry, and I have replaced the jpeg with a Frank Zappa image that represents all I admire about this intelligent artist.

quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: dulfersitz this 8======D Check your PMS....or at least your pm's.

quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: word stefan, glad yer alright. ry... i'm with you, rapping scares the bejezus out of me sometimes, but then again, i am a big hairy... well you know Yes sir, I rapped off of Monkey Face in the dark...that's was spoooooky. You couldn't even tell how fast your were going.

quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: curious, i saw some chick at smiffy with a prussik above her atc while on belay. does anyone out there backup their ATC with some other stopping device, i'd be interested in hearing the different methods and the pros/cons associated with each. gapertimmy For free-hanging dulfersitz raps, I'll occasionally wear my lederhosen and an extra sweater, ja.

Hiked in the Sunrise area with my wife and our daughter. She was so excited to spend the afternoon at "the big snowy mountain". In fact, when she passed gas at the picnic table, my wife admonished her, and she responded, "I'm sorry, I tooted. It was a big-snowy-mountain too-toot." [ 10-18-2002, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: pope ]

quote: Originally posted by Uncle Tricky: All I know is that I was being belayed at Leavenworth by a Vertical World employee using a gri-gri. I took a leader fall and kept falling...and falling. Finally I said something like "hey, anytime you feel like catching me, feel free." Or maybe I just screamed "FUCK!!!" Anyway, only then did she lock me off. Freaked me out, and I've been wary of being belayed with a gri-gri since. I've witnessed a similar incident. No belay device is safe in the hands of an idiot. [ 10-18-2002, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: pope ]

My issue with that show is that even the hardiest participants look as though they could NOT survive one night out on Tiger Mountain in July (not even with a Big-Lou-style expedition parka, fire starter, a Big Mac and a bottle of aspirin). Furthermore, the "human drama" of betrayal and broken alliances on Survivor is even less stimulating than a white-trash cat fight on Jerry Springer.

What? Nobody cares to reminisce?

Get fit in the City of Rocks, climb the Grande Tit in Jackson, then warm down at Devil's Tower and fly home. [ 10-18-2002, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: pope ]

I've got an MSR Firefly....'bout 20 years old now, I think. I've replaced the seals a few times and keep it clean. It's fast and reliable. It simmers as well as it melts snow in a hurry. Best thing is that it's incredibly loud, which can be an advantage when you're hanging in Squamish and the boulering groupies have their disgruntled-youth/marijuana-farmer music blaring. [ 10-18-2002, 09:10 PM: Message edited by: pope ]

Instead of renaming a route or erecting a memorial, how about naming a trail after Bill or Goran? That way, their names would come up in conversation for many, many generations, and perhaps their legends would survive. I also like the new route idea. Hey, how many times have you climbed at Index and been reminded of these guys? [ 10-18-2002, 09:08 PM: Message edited by: pope ]

And everybody said.....AMAN!

Peace out, brother Jon! You need to know that I've never had an ill feeling toward you (singular, anyway!)....No, I just want to know what Sexy CoCo knows about Neil Young.

Long live Trask!

Long live Dwayner!

In a thread entitled DWAYNER THE PROPHET, I reminded the contributors to this bulletin board that I enjoy Dwayner's brand of humor and I admonished those who have rudely ganged up on him. In reply, several members offered constructive criticism; Sexual Chocolate even offered up a prayer for peace, wisdom and understanding, and he asked us to pray for Neil Young while we were on our knees. I responded by asking, "What's up with Neil?", and when I returned this morning to read his correspondence, I was greeted with the following message from our venerable administrators: YOU ARE REQUESTING A THREAD THAT DOESN'T EXIST! Jon, you seemed a little beside yourself when you contributed to that thread, and so I'm left to conclude that you deleted it....doesn't seem rational, just the only possible explanation. In the future, I'd prefer not to piddle my time away at the keyboard if my thoughts are going to be censored. It's not that you guys shouldn't censor objectionable material, it's just that I'd like to get a better feeling for when I'm crossing the line. I mean, come on...since when is it so terrible to come to your buddy Dwayner's rescue?

quote: Originally posted by Peter Puget: PLus this time of year bring cold weather gear and be ready for wind. Good point....I think the elevation is about six or seven thousand feet. Stay clear of the Sidetrack Saloon in Burley (unless you feel like gettin' in trouble).

I particularly liked Alamo Massacre. [ 10-18-2002, 09:06 PM: Message edited by: pope ]