carolyn

I like the idea of a 'techniques' forum. I often ask a lot of questions around this subject which Im sure have been asked or brought up many times before. Sometimes I will do a search, but often times it takes more work than it might be worth...easier to just type out a few words and ask again. I think the ice section should be divided into Canada, PNW, and MINNESOTA ( just kidding! ) The idea of adding a "rock" section is a novel one. I think if you seperated that further into sport/trad it would cause even more controversy than what already appears on the site. It seems like there are a lot of great ideas that folks have out there as to how to make this site "bigger and better", "quicker and easier". Yet, its not often you see someone jump up and say, "hey I'll help with this! Let's do it!". (maybe Im wrong and there are, they just dont make it public?) If people want to see changes, its probably going to require a little help...whether that be posting in the right forum, moving posts to the appropriate forum if your a moderator, or stepping forward and volunteering your time/knowledge. Jon and Timmy seem to be somewhat superhuman with all they do, but geeeesh...there is a limit to what even superhumans can do! I would be willing to help because I have gained a lot from this site (both information and opportunites on my trips to the pnw which I wouldnt have had without people from this site). I just dont know what I could do, since I am halfway accross the country and dont have much knowledge of the pnw...or climbing for that matter! Thanks for all you do Jon and Timmy! Its appreciated even from afar! Cheers!

btw...unless we start getting some freezing temps around here in the next couple weeks...this rain is plainly useless!

Alex, Thanks for putting so much thought into the post and offering your suggestions. (attitude...thank you as well...very helpful!). I guess I have accumulated a majority of the necessities. A few more things are in order this winter...new pack and sleeping bag! I have a hard time deciphering between whats a necessity, novelty, and useless when it comes to actual climbing gear (not clothing, camping equipment). For example...you need qd's to lead. I buy a handful of them. Do some mock leads...and THEN learn how much better it would be to make your own qd's. Now I feel like Ive just wasted x amount of money, because I will eventually want to buy slings and biners to make my own instead. Or, learning to use a prussik as a back up on rappell...buying numerous sizes/lengths of cord to see what works best. Only to later find out how much better an autoblock works. I will spare you with the numerous other examples of how I have wasted money thus far... I guess a lot of it is learning by trial and error to decide what you like/what works best for you. I dont always have a more experienced person to climb with and try their gear. So, its kind of up to me to gather the information from what ever resources I have and hope I can make the best decision before I make a purchase. And, I can understand how you would rack up a HUGE cc bill on prodeals! I made a deal with myself when I started working at the store that I would ONLY spend the amount I make there. Ive stuck to it and it works well. It probably prevents me from buying too many useless items.

THis borders on stupid, funny, and even a bit sad... yesterday as we were getting ready to rapp down a route we had a family gawking at us...saying many funny/annoying things, which we basically ignored (ie/"hope you all get down in one piece"). Then the little 8 yr old boy says, "But how is the GIRL going to get down?"

I was a witness to it all!

Now I must participate in somewhat of the thread drift... This soloing has weighed heavy on my mind since last ice season. Please keep in mind Im still in the midst of forming my opinion on the subject. I started dinking around on my own, bouldering and such on ice, last winter. I always chose to do this on my own, when no one was around. My reasoning...I am completely responsible for myself. I accepted the risks and understood I would be responsible for getting myself out of a bad situation. Soloing around others would then put the responsibility onto them if I were injured. I dont find that to be fair. When I would see other people soloing, I was okay with it for the most part. I trusted the fact that they new their limits and wouldnt put ME in a traumatic situation. What I have a hard time with is watching my partner, who started soloing on ice toward the end of last season. I know he would not want to put me in a traumatic situation. Yet, the thought of having to deal with an "unneccesary" accident when someone you care about is involved is not a risk Im willing to accept. I know that doesnt make sense due to the fact that climbing in general is inherently risky...or driving...or.... For now, the people I climb with, on whatever medium, usually come to the agreement that we will ask each other BEFORE we start soloing if everyone is kosher with it. If one person is not, then its saved for another time. This has been an interesting thread to read. Thanks!

quote: Originally posted by Terminal Gravity: Any newbies have a comment on this subject Well, I would consider myself a newbie (I wonder how much longer I can get away with that excuse! ), who uses this site for information, advice...and yes, often entertainment. What I get from this site when I ask questions are usually a lot of answers that either confirm something I already know, or offer me a springboard. I typically follow up thru reading and talking with other experienced climbers in my area. I never base my actions off of one opinion or post. This is my life we are talking about. I couldnt imagine taking someone's word as the gospel without reviewing and accepting the various consequences involved. I see others' advice on this site (or elsewhere) as an option to explore, but not mandatory to reach whatever goals I may have.

WOW! I needed a smile tonight! Thanks for sharing! congrats mattp et al! (now shouldnt some of you be on a honeymoon rather than sprayin' on cc.com! )

I glanced at this post earlier in the afternoon, but didnt follow thru on reading the article. The details were brought to my attention while answering a "climbing" call at the store and I found myself speaking to a reporter from our local news. NOT cool! It is really tough news for myself and others in this community to swallow. Ed truley was an inspiration and will be missed by many.

Got the radios...cheapos, as suggested. My partner thought they were way "fun". I almost sensed a bit of relief from him. I honestly felt a little dumb at times. I wound up telling others I have a hard time hearing. Most folks were pretty accepting. I think they will take some getting used to and DEFINATELY can not be the only thing we rely on....(we wound up w/interference and heard how "johnny had to use the bathroom" and numerous other conversations in various languages :yellaf). Although they were helpful on one climb today, they served their purpose the best when we hid one in a crack along the top of a climb. i would have paid money to see the tourists' faces as they sat on the edge of the cliff dropping peanut shells on us and then heard: "This is the park ranger. We do not allow any nuts in this park..." We saw them retreat immediately. At any rate, I feel relieved that I have some solid ideas on better communication to keep us safe...and that we are putting them in action.

shawn!! You get out of Iowa only to move to FL?!?!?! Too bad your feet are soooo big! I would love the booties! Hope all is well! -c

quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: I use a bullhorn and whip. They usually get the clue after a whippin or 2. Ya, except the one time I DID use the whip...

Thanks for the replies and ideas. I think early saturday morning I will do some digging around for radios. The more I recommend radios with him, the more he is open to it. I think if I just show up with them he will be fine...and probably thankful. Most of the climbs here arent really that tall, so we can almost always see each other. We are also very good at "knowing" what each other needs w/o saying anything. The problems arise when there is a lot of background noise in the area (wind, vehicles,boats, waves, other people talking) and a simple one word command wont communicate what is needed. Also, on the occasion we do a climb where we cant see each other (more typical on ice). The rope tugs...we have a system and use it when need be. I think adding an extra tug or two might make me feel more comfortable. Thanks for pointing that out. David... I like the idea of not using "on belay" or "off belay". VERY easy to mistake what the person is saying. My guess there are other commands or words we use that could be misconstrued as well. We will have to think it over...or at least be more aware, so we can make changes as needed. Ive also been in touch this week with a person who is deaf and climbs. He had some good ideas which we could adapt and/or elaborate on. Finally, Mike, I understand the importance of having a talk "off the rock/ice". It has begun and will continue until its fully resolved. In the meantime, I wanted to find some creative communication alternatives...to keep us safe, and minimize his frustration. Again, thanks for the suggestions!

That is way wierd michelle! Glad things worked out. Im really impressed with your attitude and ability to go have some fun despite the situation...especially on a day that, in general, had the potential to be difficult. to you! Enjoy your trip.

quote: Originally posted by salbrecher: ...our shouting matches would usually end with a frustrated belayer(me) lowering the climber at unusually fast speeds or paying out generous amounts of penalty slack... OMG THat was SOOOO funny, because that was EXACTLY ME today. Only we just opted to go get some bloody mary's at 10am instead of continuing....with the heat we had, I just wasnt ready to put in the extra energy... Thanks for making me laugh about it for once !

THis board is filled with a number of creative folks. Hopefully some of you can help me develop ideas in regards to some communication problems Im having with my main climbing partner. Let me preface this with stating that my climbing partner is an AWESOME person. Not only do I have a blast each time we climb together, I find I go beyond what I thought my abilities were. Its a relationship Im NOT willing to just chuck away. The concern I have (for safety reasons) is the fact that he really doesnt hear well. Its already proven to put us in some potentially dangerous situations. And Im not talking about excessive wind, road noise,etc making it difficult to hear(although that makes it much worse). He truley has a hearing problem. He acknowledges that he cant hear, yet its obvious he doesnt "accept" it as being a medical problem. Communication while climbing is becoming more and more of a struggle. We have incorporated rope tugs and almost always use single word commands. Im thinking a lot about getting some 2 way radios. ALthough, Im not sure how well that will go over with him. I mean, how silly are we going to look on 50ft climbs using a radio for communication?! On the other hand, how silly am I going to look when he *thinks* I say off belay and I fall to the ground? Has anybody here climbed with another person who has a hearing impairment or is deaf? Know of any climbers who are deaf/hard of hearing? I would like to come up with creative solutions to keep us safe. THanks!

Thanks for the practical info iain! Someone was trying to convince me of this pack recently. It looks and sounds great, however I hate to blindly order something...I dont know anyone who owns one and can show me what it looks like in person (except for the individual who bought theirs in like '88). Cost isnt TOO much of an issue while I can still prodeal schtuff. Zippers are on warranty, yes? If I went with the pack, maybe i could replace the zippers immediately (the store I work at does repairs). What year did you get yours? My understanding is there have been some changes....like the fabric being "waterproof" (even though we know nothing is truley waterPROOF). The ice sac looks nice too. Ive recently gotten word that I might be able to demo some granite gear packs (current and/or upcoming designs). So, I may wind up leaning in that direction instead. Thanks again for the info! carolyn [ 09-04-2002, 09:52 PM: Message edited by: carolyn ]

quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: Now hurry up and get real fuckin cold so I can thrash on some waterfall ice. Amen! I'll even drink a guinness to that one cpt!

has anyone ever used wildthings Andinista? Thoughts?

I was in the midst of doing some ordering from our BD rep during this post, so I mentioned it in an email. I got the following response regarding the zippers... quote: Carolyn, Good question on the I-tent. I actually had to wait and ask our tent designer Tom Jones (don't laugh, that is his name). He said that it could have been the following possibilities. A.) Maybe a prototype or sample was sold to him somehow. Did he buy it used. B.) Perhaps a small batch was made with this. Although he's 99.9% sure we've only used YKK. Overall it totally sounds like a fluke. If REI didn't take care of him let me know and we'll make sure he's all setup. I dunno? Do you think these online companies sell cheap at times because they actaully are used items, samples, or maybe not even the real thing? I know you already got your tent and all is good, but maybe you want to follow up with the company you ordered from online?

quote: Originally posted by sk: imho, you should only teach if you have the ability to teach. There are some people who have a natral ability, and I am not sure that can be tought in any class. Children are precious, and teaching a dificult and rarely rewarding profession. I don't think it is something that you should do simply because you like the hours, but you should teach if you want to help mold a generation or three of amzing minds that will look to you for knowledge and wisdom. I work with children nearly every day. I absolutely LOVE them. I agree that some people CAN teach and some people have a harder time reaching the majority. I have two views on substitute teaching... 1)its a good break for the students from their teacher. So much is slammed down their throats..often by teachers who DONT reach them. Really, think back to when you were in school...what a relief it was to have that one day every month or so where you could just relax because you had a sub. 2) Some substitute teachers (I have a lot of friends who do this) bring experiential learning into the classroom and make that day off from the regular teacher FUN, yet still learn from it. (this is not a general diss on regular teachers...I know a lot of teachers who care and do a wonderful job!) Remember, I prefaced the post with, "if you can tolerate children". If you dont like children or have no desire to be around them, then it would be the last thing I would reccomend job-wise. If you want to be a full time teacher...then I would reccomend more than being able to "tolerate" children. It needs to be a true desire to help kids reach their full potential in many aspects of life. Around here, I THINK top pay is 200 bucks a day. Often they require a degree in addition to make you take some "tests". Reasonable enough, I suppose.

If you can tolerate children, substitute teachers are usually needed everywhere. Often times they put you on a list and call you for the days you say you are available to work. You can say yes or no, or just not answer your phone. I know it pays fairly well out here. And shit, I think kids bring their own computers to the classrooms these days...you could get a laptop, spray on cc.com on the days you work...climb in the days you dont! There is an REI in b'ham, right? Dont they usually hire extra folks around the holidays? *gasp* Could be a way to get some of that gear you have been eyeing lately. Bartending is always fun, especially if they let ya have a few thru the day/eve. There are a couple camps in that area which run ropes courses...you could hang in the trees all day! Its actually a lot of work, pay is usually kind of shitty, and it is somewhat seasonal..but it IS fun and offers flexibility both in the amount and kind of work you do. Most places running ropes courses will teach you. If all else fails, go get a shit job(s) which pays well...suffer thru it for 4-6 months...save every penny you can...then travel for the rest of the time you have left before school starts. Good Luck!

since I seem to attract falling objects, I always wear my helmet. There is already enough risk when climbing. Doesnt seem sensible to me to increase my odds of being hurt by leaving it at home or keeping it in my pack. Actually, I learned my lesson NOT by being hit from ice or rock, but walking out from a climb. The trail was part ice/part rock. Didnt want to beat up my crampons, so I took them off. I had my helmet strapped to my pack for some reason. Slipped. Tried to save a fall down a decent hill into some trees and boulders (can you see my arms flailing? ). Helmet came flying around my pack and smacked me in the eye...nice little shiner, I had!

now you have ME curious about the damn zipper! The person who could have answered the question for me at the store was not in when I worked last. The only zipper refresher I received was that YKK, which is the major zipper manufacturer for TNF, Patagonia, Columbia, Marmot, etc had some issues with them because they kept changing their zipper not allowing for 'zip in's'. So if you had an old fleece and a new jacket, they wouldnt be compatable. There was a big fiasco about it...blah, blah, blah. I find it strange that the zipper on your NEW bibler and others' bibler's are YKK, but the one you ordered ONLINE isnt (that should teach you from buying online instead of supporting your local gear shop! ). Did bibler have a problem with YKK as well and tried a different company for a while? Or are there 'generic' bibler tents being sold online? (okay, its been a long day and its late...maybe not the best time for a conspiracy theory ). Give me a bit of time to do a little more digging and I will see what I can come up with. Glad you have a new tent..hope it see's some great journeys!

grrrrrr...dbl post [ 08-23-2002, 11:11 PM: Message edited by: carolyn ]