slothrop

The WA Driver Guide (the guide you get when you go to get your license in WA, published by the state) takes into account the relevant state laws and summarizes them in a readable form. So bikes have the same rights and responsibilities as cars when on the roadway. What's so hard to understand about that? Bikes have a right to the whole lane they're in, but cyclists ride close to the edge of the lane when they can to let cars pass them more easily. Cyclists are doing a courtesy to other drivers by taking up as little space as they can, but we have the right to ride right down the middle of the lane if it's too narrow or dangerous for passing or if there are too many sketchy parked cars (getting car-doored sucks!).

'round about the same time that PBR became the hipster's beverage of choice.

Bring a small stopper (#6?) if you want to ease the runout to the first bolt.

Didja fill the Nalgene up with water first?

Well, if you read the description that REI gives, you'll note that they're prone to pulling out (!) and "not intended for leading". So if you only plan on retreating from ice climbs you can't build a V-thread on, then buy a dozen. Or maybe they'd be good for running belays on low-angle late-season snow slogs. Either way, they don't seem versatile.

I was there this past Sunday (could only stop for one day ) and lamented the fact that I had only brought one 60m rope. You need gear anchors for many climbs and there are few intermediate rap anchors to let you use a single rope for the longer descents, so it's a good idea to bring two ropes. It's an amazing place.

Huh? Does having a blog reveal something insidious an unpresidential about Howard Dean that I'm not aware of? That's a great speech, by the way.

I hear ya, ehmmic. Sometimes I'll get over to let someone by and they'll take their sweet time passing, even though I want to pass the same RV whose blind spot they're happily sitting in. If someone wants to pass me because they want to go 90, then I'll just move over, unless I'm in the middle of passing someone myself, in which case I'll speed up a bit so I can get over sooner. It's all about the flow of traffic. People seem to focus only on the ten feet around their car (often only the ten feet in front of them), not the larger traffic picture. You can avoid all these squabbles by driving only in southern Idaho, where there are three or four cars, er, pickup trucks, total on the interstate.

I think it's a passive-aggressive combination of the two. They don't pay attention enough to know they should get over, but then get all pissy when you remind them of their idiocy and respond by refusing to move.

Nice job, Cracked. Sounds like you've got some cool parents, too.

I just got to Seattle after driving from Kansas, where I picked up my new ride. Out of boredom, I had been giving my girlfriend shit about hanging out in the left lane on the highway, as people pass her on the right. She doesn't believe me when I say that it ties up traffic and is discouraged (if not illegal and indicated by signs) most everywhere. After 2000 miles of pleasant open country, mountain scenery, and relatively few drivers, I find myself in the Mercer Island tunnel on I-90. There's a car (WA plates) in the leftmost lane in front of me going under the speed limit. I predict that no matter what I do, she will not move over to let me pass. Sure enough, after approaching quickly, flashing my brights, and signalling, she doesn't budge. A passenger looks back at me. More flashing and signalling, I even wait to do so until I can see a clear path for her to move to the right. She speeds up once onto the bridge, but I need to exit soon, so I move right. I pass her a few lanes over and she's slowed down again to 60. I used to just go with the flow and pass slow idiots on the right, but now I've been reminded about just how exceptional Washington drivers are. I'm flashing my lights at all you left-lane hangers now.

Folks interested in helping produce this thing should get together in person to talk about it. How about Pub Club tonight? If Lowell can be there (since he started the thread), we should try to have some discussion about it tonight.

I have the non-Thermo version and they're nice, but they kill my heels. For their weight and burliness, they are pretty nimble boots, in my limited experience.

WTF? I just took my new Trango S out for the first time this past weekend and they've already got some blown-out stitching at the heel. Is it true that there's no hope for warranty repair (I got them at PMS)? I've hiked barely ten miles in them!

Snow fluke. Anyone going to Alaska wanna buy it? Plastic map folder. I just get laminated maps or those cool Nat'l Geo maps on waterproof paper. Pins. Haven't used either of 'em (yet). 40' of 4mm cord for bear-bagging. I always end up camping where there are neither bears nor trees.

Nice work, Lucky. Thanks, too, to the State Police for (finally) responding quickly.

An increasingly rare characteristic, I'm finding. Does gym and sport climbing develop the proclivity toward hanging around wasting time, and only looking ahead a few steps at a time, or is there something else going on? I dunno, I started out gym and sport climbing before I did much alpine climbing, but I find I'm pretty focused on looking ahead and doing things to save time while belaying, etc. I think it just has to do with how I was raised, to be detail-oriented and organized.

Isn't that 5.13 or something? Are you and Dwayner training partners? 1. Big hard-workin' adventure somewhere in the mountains, like a grade V or a first ascent. 2. Take girlfriend on cool alpine rock climb somewhere. 3. Get in to the Coast Mountains.

Looks like I'm late to the party, but if neither of the above offers works out, I've got a Yamaha bass in great shape with a 50W Peavey amp. Send me a PM if you want the details.

Huh? Your link's broken, RuMR.

It was a cool show, but I was hoping that panorama of the Pickets was going to be included in the raffle. Nice job Wayne, Colin, and Mark! I was really impressed by the scope of your upcoming journey, Erden, after hearing you talk about it in person. Something about the way you calmly described your itinerary had me shaking my head in awe at your courage. Good luck!

1. No debilitating injuries! 2. Stuart North Ridge 3. Leading the bonus pitch on Silent Running

Gah!

I climbed into my desk chair last Monday morning and didn't leave until, so it seemed to me, this Monday morning. Dear God, help me! I'm going to the UW rock now to make penance.

If you're bored on a rainy Saturday and looking to learn how to rock climb, perhaps it's best to go to the gym and boulder until you get tired (probably about 15 minutes if you've never done it before). Keep doing that until you can make it across the room without pumping out. Then, I would think, it would be more enjoyable once you get on the ropes, since you can climb more than just the two 5.6s. In the meantime, check out FotH from the local library and learn the mechanics of the belay using a shoestring or whatever It's definitely in the business owner's best interest to reduce the number of accidents in their gyms. Insurance at those places, I imagine, is pretty expensive, and gym owners can probably implement certain policies to lower their premiums.