Stefan

How does climbing an arch like that do damage if you climbed without chalk? I don't see Indian paintings on that thing.

Only two choices. 1)Climb or 2)think about climbing.

Don't try and fight the rain. Embrace it. Give your heart peace. I don't wanna be looking back on my life and say, "I did not get out enough becuase of the weather." So I go out regardless of the weather. It is true. Ask Klenke and catbirdseat. They see my trip reports.

Trad climbers really have no money. They can't get there when gas costs $3 a gallon.

You might burn some rubber. http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/MSH/MSH06/MSH06_slab_on_new_growth_from_NE_04-28-06_med.jpg

Making money rule too much and many of my life's decisions.

When I was there a couple of years ago they had built an ice cave at the exit of the tunnel by the Klein Matterhorn and had ice sculptures with lots of neon around. Pretty cool to be in there becuase it was a raging blizzard during the first week of August. They had done that too to attract the tourists.

Mt. Cook in New Zealand is a little easier than about 20 years ago.

Truth is that leadership really doesn't know what to do most of the time. You just have to act like you do know the future to be a leader.

Park Service doesn't really open the road to the end until 4th of July. I think that might be the case too. In other words....more road walking...and I have never liked road walking. In addition weather is never usually good around 4th of July. You usually have to wait for about 7-10 days after Fourth of July. The last week of July and the first week of August are typically the hottest times in Washington.

Money rules in today's civilization. Try getting rid of it. Question is: Were the Native Americans more of an advanced society over the white man becuase they had less?

I am most grateful to them too for extracting me off of The Temple.

I wonder if anyone has traversed underneath the seracs at the top of Willis Wall?

You forgot to mention the truck at the Darrington Shell station and the humungous chicken breast you had. Remember, some of the best fried chicken in the state is had at that Shell station. The truck. It was beat up! A dead cow head was on the grill. Side was totally impacted. The guy I think was using paper towels as the windshield wipers. Totally busted canopy. Awesome truck for a trailhead!

Holy crapola! I guess your next objective is a ski descent of Hydrophobia.

Haha! Have some kids! Love living in the suburbs with 1/2 acre lot and less cars going by and the constant hiss of noise! Kids can play in the streets too! If you don't have a family I guess living closer to Seattle would be for the more "hip".

Dudes. Americans love being fat. The numbers are showing it.

High gas prices will not affect addicted climbers. A climber will give up a pitcher of quality beer for gasoline to get him back and forth to Index. It will affect more traditional recreational hikers though. Expect to see less cars parked at trailheads.

You are looking at the Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Renton areas of living if you want 30 minutes to Kent and somewhat close to Seatac...with top choice being Federal Way, Des Moins. Do not look further north of 405 or Seatac--you will regret the commute.

If you were up there, I would like to know how it went. We saw your tracks at the base from afar....

I would like to know what kind of thermometer they were using.

I remember someone posting a picture of Spire Rock (the fake rock in Tacoma) of the routes and the ratings. I can't seem to find the link in this forum. Does anybody know where this picture exists?

Yeah. I guess you're right. When they are very young and say nothing it is okay for a guy--we just ignore the crying. However, for my wife it was stressful becuase she thought, "Are they cold, do they need to eat, are they sitting wrong, do they need attention...." Now they just tell me to shut up.

Congrats. You are now entering the most stressful part of your life--I don't know how long it will last but so far it has lasted me five years. Trust me. I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old. Sometimes it is fun, but it is also not everything it is cracked up to be. They are not always cherubs.....like I was.

As long as I got my brake hand on the rope....the other hand is free.