glacier

...and don't run around the pool with scissors less than 30 minutes after you've eaten.

Nah, takin' it from a tribe.

'If I only had a brain...'

Just finished 'The Years of Salt and Rice' by Kim Stanley Robinson, 'Invisible Man' by H.G. Wells, 'Sword & Brush' by Dave Lowry, 'The Persistence of Vision' by John Varley, 'Jennifer Government' by Max Barry, a couple of Carl Hiassen books, and started picking through a Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Yeah, slow field job with lots of downtime.

Righto - just say no to chrome Just like there are folks who stock up on North Face gear at REI to wander around the city streets, you have the middle aged professionals chasing the biker image on their brand new Softails and ElectraGlides (in fact, that's the fastest-growing segment of bikers). And likewise, you've got the climbers beating it out of the city limits at 3pm on Friday or living out of their cars and the riders who are out there in all weather bolting their rides back together for the next few miles of twisties. make it fast and flat black

Yeah, saw it posted with the usual follow-up 'Not me!' on boldering .com web page

I'll be working a job in Spokane for a few weeks beginning 8/11 - looking for partners for evening climbing. Post here or pm me. Thanks,

BULLET-TOOTH TONY: So, you're obviously the big dick. The men on the side here are your balls. There are two types of balls. There are big brave balls and there are little mincey faggot balls. You know dicks have drive and clarity of vision but they're not clever. They smell pussy and they want a piece of the action. And you thought you smelled some good old pussy and have brought your two little mincey faggot balls along for a good old time. But you've got your pies muddled up. There's no pussy here. Just a dose that will make you wish you were born a woman. Like a prick, you're having second thoughts. You're shrinking and your two little balls are shrinking with you. And the fact that you've got "replica" written down the side of your guns and the fact that I've got "Desert Eagle, point five O", written on the side of mine should precipitate your balls into shrinking along with your presence. Now. Fuck off! ~ Vinnie Jones in Snatch

For your consideration: Pulled out a favorite essay I read each year about this time, which continues to be relevant with each review. It concludes, in part, with, "At any rate, spring is here..., and they can't stop you enjoying it. This is a satisfying reflection. How many times have I stood... and thought of all the important persons who would stop me enjoying this is they could. But luckily they can't. So long as you are not actually ill, hungry, frightened, or immured in a prison or a holiday camp, spring is still spring. The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it." George Orwell (1946)

Yeah, with respect to the English system, I think that Myanmar (Burma) is the only other country that consistently uses it. Gotta keep up with those Burmese, you know. Actually, Metric is the official measurement system in the U.S. It was adopted during the Carter administration. It's just that no one uses it. However - as others have mentioned, it would be a nightmare to convert consistently over - especially in land measurement - how to convert the entire township/range-section system over, and the accompanying property descriptions, for every square inch/hectare in the country? 'right...what's a cubit?'

In case you weren't already aware, or planning to celebrate... March 20

Generally, the weather is better (drier) than the Redmond Airport observations/predictions. Check the cragcam for cloud cover over the rocks, but generally, if its 50's and no wind predicted, you're golden.

clearly, its this

My larger cams are split between BD and Metolius - BD's starting at a #1, with overlap from the medium sizes from the Metolius front (along with some older Trangos). When adding cams to double up - I'll likely extend the BD sizes downward towards the 0.75 -

All good advice, even Specialed's. Likewise, without seeing you climb, it's difficult to assess. However, from general stuff I've seen with other folks who are at the 'thrash away at 5.9' level, I can say that it is most often the two aspects mentioned above- that is, limited technique, and general inefficiency due to missed sequences. Technique - as someone else mentioned, get on routes below your redpoint level and take the time to experiment with holds, body positions, sequences, etc. Even when we're beginners we get tied up in the numbers game ('I got up a 5.8!') and forget that childlike skill of just playing. So when you are traversing or tr-ing, take the time to just futz around and experiment with the holds - what you are doing is increasing your movement repetoire, and giving your body memory a greater number of options to throw at a given set of holds. And learn good footwork - critical, especially matching and efficient placement - when I'm teaching, I focus much more on footwork and weight shifting than upper body - that's what drives us up the rock. As far as visualization goes, as you pick up more of your own technique, you'll generally begin to recognize sequences out of sets of holds- so even if you don't have a particular route figured out, you will gain a general sense of the 'flow' of the route, portions of sequence, crux sections, rests, etc. Also, watch other people- even if they may have different strengths or body types than you, you can use this information to pick and choose your own motion. Generally, reinforce your strengths, and improve upon your weaknesses. And play.

BooYah! Hero Powder!

Yeah, it's the only time I've really projected much - I don't put much effort into pulling numbers otherwise. Hopefully I can sink my teeth into something there and make for some consistent attendance. Yeah, Marcus is wacked. That boy has some sick focus- I wish I could get just a bit of his focus/obsession - lessee - 2 season passes, training up for marathon-distance run, heading chronic-ward. 'course, it helps to be underemployed at the OutdoorBorg.

Lessee, the red and white taped problem, then the green problem... Actually, it will be good to get a few early-season numbers at Smiff - a few easy .12's will justify the connective tissue damage over the winter. As soon as Squamish opens up/dries out a bit, it will be a good year to knock off a bunch of the classic multi-pitches I haven't getten around to doing - everything for Snake to Angels Crest to the Grand Wall, as partners and my lead head allow. Sexy Cocoa-Puff - you going to be part of the usual suspects at Si on Tues/Thurs this year? I'm planning on getting in at least one day a week this season, depending on my schedule. Oh, yeah, that orange problem.

What, she can't find enough self-absorbed, narcissistic shoegazers at the dance clubs, bars, or health club? Yeah, I say hook her up with some dirtbag boulderer who's been living in the back of his 1988 Toyota Tercel with 250,000 miles on it for the last several months at 'The Pit' in Bishop. Or some sportclimber with a mangy dog who is completely focussed on spraying beta and pantomiming the moves for his next project and really only needs a belayer who can fog a mirror, although he'll hammer her with a string of invectives for either short-roping him or giving him too much slack (a fine line). Or a trad climber, living in his tent (or with his folks), dumpster diving for bottles for recyling deposits, and reeking of MD20/02, who's idea of a good meal are some perfectly good rolls someone left at the next table over. Or an alpine dude, who won't be around anyway because he's either bagging some peak every weekend, or setting up for his trip to Patagonia and who doesn't wash his polypro as a matter of pride. You know, I think we climbers of differing styles and ethics have finally found something in our sport that we can all share. Where's the warm fuzzy graemlin?

They also had the last of the V-8 Interceptors, of course. "Max! The Blower!"

Quote[ And Dwayner was all like... ] "Morals...ethicks...genetic superiority...blah.. blahh...blahh." And then Glacier is all like... "Zzz...zzzz....xck! Wha? Did I hear something?? Nah.... (Rolls over, goes back to sleep and dreaming of Angels Crest, and Freebase, and Center El Murray, and...)"

Zzz..zzz....Xck! Wha? Who? They have different flavors?

$3.50, baybee! I'm buyin' an Omega Oval in installments!

Funny, I learned that way - But likewise, I wouldn't recommend it to most folks. To actually take this thread seriously for a moment - Rock climbing was originally considered training for mountaineering, then it became its own sport. Bouldering was originally considered training for rock climbing, then it became its own sport. Even gym climbing - originally solely training - now there are plenty o' folks who have no need to touch real rock. The flaw in yer arguments - Pope, Dwayner, DFA, etc. - is not so much some etherial 'ethical' argument, but the old, hackneyed Ford-versus-Chevy argument of, 'Well, they don't specialize in the same thing that I specialize in, so they are somehow devoid of some sort of moral fiber which I am emminently imbued with." Or more typically - "I'm not very good at/have little knowledge in a particular specialty of our sport outside of my own little balkanized realm." Fortunately some of our number are better at hiding it behind a veneer of humor and self-depreciation than others. I ain't gonna do some 'Can't we all just get along?' shit here, but just point out the hypocrisy of it all - Try a 5.11 gear line without any face climbing skills. Try next season's sport project without some friction foot smearing or that critical finger lock/jam in that pocket. Try anything out of sequence. And be 20 feet above a bomber nut, a 3/8 inch bolt, or an ankle breaker landing and don't shake. Wake me up when something new is said.

A fine selection of timewasters. Productivity = zilch