Pencil_Pusher

What was the "extension" they used? That sounded very odd.

After reading in a thread a comment by Off White, I figured out how to log on. As OW stated: For a space in the username use an underscore _ I thought maybe they didn't like me anymore... It could be why everyone has been so quiet...? I do like the changes although they will be different getting used to. I like this makeover more than the last one.

Well, I got a little chuckle out of the climbing web pages thread so here's my schpeel: Two years ago I did this infamous route. Actually, it did me and my ass still gets sore thinking about it. It all started with the Fault. It was October and cold. We had gotten out of the basic class that summer. After swapping off leads for this beast called the Fault, I managed to top off. It must've been rated 5.9 off-width. We then traversed over to the base of the Saber route. "Hey Paul, let's go up that." "Uh... I dunno Dave, I told the wife I'd be back at..." "Oh this will only take an hour or so." Two hours later finds me desperately gripping my way past that intimidating piton on the blank-sheer face. As is my style, I didn't bring enough of something and that was runners. I think I had nine. So in great style I kept going although I was out of runners. I clipped that stupid piton and started my desperate search for the belay. Narrowly poised on Saber Ledge I was beyond happy when I saw that huge bolt and clipped into it. Parched throat... partially from exertion, mostly from cursing on the ascent. Two hours on that first pitch. "Paul, off belay!" "Uh... Dave... it's pretty late..." More "..." and discussion has me rapping down to the base. Of course the rope doesn't quite reach and I have to downclimb. Paul and I vow to come back the next day to retrieve all my gear. Next day, Paul to wife, "Oh, we should be back in a couple of hours." Setup a double rope rap to tree where I go down to and set up another rap to get gear. Throw ropes, one end goes free the other in a bunch behind a rock. No problem, I'll just pull it free when I get down. Awkwardly retrieve gear. Realize my error rappelling past the stuck rope, thankfully there's enough free to make it down. Spend the next 2-3 hours trying to free the rope. Highlight is prusiking up... I forget how it happened, but somehow or another I get up high on the rope and then go for a joy ride into the fall line. Perlon gets damaged to the core and my sphincter is screaming. Prusik up some more and then decide I'm too scared to go over the lip. Go back down. Paul finds a way to get up to the tree. Paul frees rope. We get back to camp at dark. Saber on Castle Rock (V, 5.11c)

The NoGo's and other military branches "donate" their time? For some reason I actually thought they got paid for their time. Isn't it duty time for them since they are GI's? GI=Government Issue As well, it's the government's equipment with taxpayer fuel keeping that whirly bird in the sky.

If you have a lot of loose dinero laying around, go to Galls online and pick up some of their reflective tape. For that matter, pretty much any LE/Fire Department supply company will sell that stuff. Heck, I think even Shomer Tec sells it now. Highly reflective and costly.

So how did it go, Lambone? Did you go up there?

Sheee-it, I may as well put in the plug for the Boeing Alpine Society. They have a basic and intermediate class each year, both begin in March. Similar deal to the SVC mentioned, basic is one night a week, ten weekends almost in a row with a summit attempt on Baker for graduation. Everyone's gotta learn somehow... [ 11-20-2002, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Pencil Pusher ]

So I went to a party the other night and was walking in behind someone pushing a dude in a wheelchair. I looked at the wheelchair dude from behind and thought it may be resident-dirtbag-skier, Bill. It wasn't so I mingled with the other people. Come back later and see wheelchair dude has one cast around his ankle, bummer. THEN I see another freaking cast, colored purple on his OTHER ankle. STEFAN!! After reading the posts here with some curiousity, that name immediately came to mind. So I smiled like I knew him and said, "Stefan!" Sure enough, it was him. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Stefan. I am curious though, how did you manage to post here with your feet elevated above your heart? Must've made for some interesting typing! to Stefan For all the legendary climbers I got to meet there. They had some great photos. to Ed Bolton and his intrepid story ascending Willis Wall with Wickwire a looooong time ago. Willis Wall? Ed is a very nice person and has some excellent climbing photos. It seems like it's only us that change while the mountains stay the same. Here's to both young and old, in our exploration and challenge of ourselves and the mountains. :salute:

AA, it's not a gumby thing. Following KISS doctrine, my suggestion is take a MOFA course and try not to get carried away with the what-ifs.

Insanely priced backpacks, $500 jackets, what's a beginning climber to do? I know a russian dude masquerading as an Australian who managed to complete an insane number of climbs and hikes for close to a year in his Payless Shoe $15 workboots because the dude is all heart. I have two packs that are four years old, a Jansport frameless 1 1/2 pound and a Kelty four pound internal, $60 and $52 respectively, brand new. The Jansport I use everywhere (was big enough to carry all my gear on a 2-man team from 14 to 17k, for perspective) and the Kelty is used for the winter. How about other cheap gear THAT YOU HAVE USED... how did the gear perform? Any recommendations, perhaps aimed at the beginner astonished by the insane prices? $500 Goretex jacket, $200 hiking boots, $30 polypro t-shirt, $300 watches... Super-long (Pope) posts/replies...

Sixteen pounds? Fer cripes sake! I would've thought their boots would've weighed that much! I'm impressed how back in those early years, especially during the Great Depression, none of the people in the photos were fat. Times were lean and the people were too. What in all tarnation did these guys use for headlamps? Or did they just plow through the night? Maps, portable stoves and cookware, were sticks used for ice axes? I could see the sleeping in a big pile of leaves/shrubs, but holy frijoles, all this stuff we so readily have (polypro) they didn't. Advil? I'm with sketchfest, to those hardcore hard-men of the past. for Bronka too.

quote: but I routinely over-load the thing iain, I never would have guessed!

Yeah, those old farts from yesteryear were hardcore for braving the elements without the benefit of all the conveniences us young 'uns (relatively) enjoy. Thanks for the look into the past.

It's find a cheap one or shell out the $60. Any pointers? Maybe some place local?

"Ride tall, shoot straight, and live to tell the truth"-Cooper? [instant-Homer-Simpson-drooling-graemlin] I just got my Deltaforce catalog in the mail. What a hoochie-mama on the cover! If you're not vegeterian, you pay to slaughter animals by the masses. They may not be as cute as your peachy-fuzzy-wuzzy animals hunters kill, but they're animals nonetheless. Man didn't get to the top of the food chain by hunting like an idiot. Cue Necro... [ 11-01-2002, 02:15 PM: Message edited by: Pencil Pusher ]

Jesus, tits, and casserole, this has turned into quite the soap opera. Who would've guessed lambone was going to put a plug in for VW here? Sheeeit, all Anna needs to do is give a wink and a smile to one of you horndog ropeguns and she'll get all the climbing experience she can handle.

Here's a to that rusty piton on Saber that saved Anna's ass! Isn't there a sheared off piton on that route? Ditto trask. Practice placing pro and setting anchors. While I have not won the Darwin Award, I have done plenty of stupid climbing shit myself. The important part is to learn from your mistakes. Learn or die.

It reads on the hot side because you're moving so damn fast all the time, sketchfest! I heard some watch company in Seattle services the Avocet watches. They can plop a new replacement seal in when the battery is changed.

Insofar as "objectivity" and "untainted" are concerned, consider the chain of custody.

HoustonChronicle.com

Wouldn't it be sweet to get updated digital photos of areas/faces/routes from the likes of Civil Air Patrol folks and others that fly around? I don't fly but I wonder how much flight activity there is for the Cascades and such. Maybe some of you SAR folks could snap some photos and post them here on your next volcano run.

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't watch television. Watching other people live their lives... tv.

Are drug tests the norm beyond govt jobs now? I personally don't like marijuana being an illegal drug. Primarily because it doesn't kill people. Sure, maybe 20 years down the road like cigarettes, but unlike alcohol, pot doesn't make you go out and run people over stoned. Besides, the govt could actually tax the crap out of it like they do tobacco and make some money. I only heard a brief bit on the news of some quadraplegic in Oregon getting busted by the feds for what Oregon law says he can do, grow marijuana at his residence. Does the 10th amendment mean anything?

I thought the helicopter saved your ass. Or was it the cellphone?

Lambone, did you prodeal that stuff?