allison

I went and shot some guns today. I still really don't like handguns, but the rifle was pretty fun. Don't think I'll be buying an NRA sticker for the Soobie, but at least I can say I've fired one of them thingies now. Had kind of a fun rednecky feel to it. Felt very, uh, AHMUUUriCun.

While it is nice to have a mapping program (I have TOPO!), I must say that I still prefer to store-bought maps for use in the field. One of the problems with printing out the custom ones from the mapping program is that the numeric elevation markers for the contour lines sometimes don't show up on the chunk of map that you have printed out, and then it can be a pain to figure out what elevation you're at. The clarity of the maps is also not as good as the GT or USGS, though that may be my printer. Plus they are not at all waterproof, the inks run when wet, so you've got to take the extra step to clear-coat the maps before you go. I can say that while I don't buy any less maps than I used to, that there are times that I've printed out a map where I wouldn't have maybe had any map at all, or maybe wouldn't have gone on a spur-of-the-moment trip for lack of map. In other words, in a pinch, the mapping program comes in pretty handy. For trip planning I only find it handy if I don't have any map at all to look at, and even then, all that scrolling around gets kind of annoying. If you pull back to a bigger view, the map gets harder to read. There is still no good substitute for a USGS quad, IMO.

quote: Originally posted by MtnGoat: don't know about the other two, but I'll stick up for allison, I've done a couple trips with her. She's good people. A bit obsessed with ultralight gear.. but otherwise normal. And the Goat, despite his rather, er, barfy politics, and his unfortunate desire to bring everything he owns into the backcountry, well, he's still my pal. And a heck of a lot of fun to have around! Ray, I'm pretty sure everyone here already knows you don't like me or these other two either. Why not move on to something new? Nobody cares!

quote: Originally posted by Attitude: quote:Originally posted by Necronomicon: Some dipshits suggested I should commit suicide. Losers! I know how you feel. Yeah, me too.

No, your coolness, (Fern), I missed the whole thing today. I did get the chance to admire my work in progress around once a day, but never got the chance to read the whole thing. I was hoping to do so while recovering from my surgery next month. I was proud of them (all I really did was start it) for toppling the Muir record, but since the thread got deleted, it's my take that Muir gets its crown back. Seems somewhat unfair...hmmmm....maybe I should stop paying Jon and Tim all those membership fees!

Missed the whole thing. I really have to quit my job so I have more time to devote to monitoring the board. Wow, I'm guessing that the Black Helicopters from the Muir on Saturday camp must have been called in to clean up the mess and restore Mos to its place at the top of the Spray heap.

Saw him today. Not having a great time with the after effects of the pain from surgery, but his surgeon says he will walk again. Please keep my friend Stefan in your thoughts. The next few days in particular are going to be very tough. If anyone has retrieved any of the gear, please get in touch with me and I'll be sure the stuff gets back to Stefan and his partner.

Ah, Jordo, another talus breaker. Welcome to my world. I'm four years ahead of you. You are in the years now that I refer to as the Second Honeymoon, not too much pain, improved mobility over the first year, and maneageable pain. I got abut two years, roughly the third and fourth years, of tolerable pain. Then the bone spurs really started to hatch, and the arthritis settled in. Now I'm in the Increasingly Crunchy Years, which involve the crunchology that you've already got some of, all kinds of funky pain, and increasing arthritis. I'm going in for my first follow-up surgery in five weeks. This is why I'm currently the most insufferable person on the planet. The pain is pretty unbearable a lot of the time. Even I can't stand hearing about it. Take good care of that thing, and keep a close watch on its, er, deterioration. You might have to get the subtalar joint fused at some point, but that's something hopefully later in life. The bone spur surgery may be maintenance and routine over time, it will be for me. But on to more interesting topics. I'm heading to the hospital tomorrow morning to see Stefan. We will be talking about more immediate issues, like removable casts and dealing with the affects of pain meds!

Some drunk guy at Lowell's in the Market thought I was a dude just earlier today. No makeup, hair was up, big dark circles under my eyes from working too much and not having time to sleep. I looked like hell, but more importantly it appears that I may have had a rare Trask sighting this morning. I was on a lunch break at 9:30 in the morning, and this fattish native American guy was drinking a nice glass of whiskey. So Trask, do you hang out there a lot?

I seriously doubt that individual was at the rope-up. [ 10-23-2002, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: allison ]

Yeah, our riggers get their personal hand lines from outdoor retailers too. I wouldn't even know where else to buy one, frankly. [ 10-23-2002, 10:18 AM: Message edited by: allison ]

Nope, pretty much used as directed, my experience has been that it was either drafty or uncomfortably cozy. It may just be me, as I am a sprawler....but I do know that most bags aren't really designed to work as well zipped together. I will check out the two person bag thing, that sounds cool, thanks.

It's a natural fact....most of us are a little colder than most of you. I have a women's sleeping bag and one of its features is extra down in the feets. Don't hold that against us, just hold your nice furnace-like bodies against ours. One of the sweetest backcountry acts of chivalry is to warm up our frosty hands or feets with your body heat. The two-up thing with sleeping bags doesn't work great, there's the draft thing, it's crowded in a way that I don't find cozy, and the bags aren't made to work well that way. If you have a major height differential (my former spouse was 6" taller than me) the drafty factor goes up. I wish one of the manufacturers would wise up and make a 2 person bag, nuttin' fancy, just a nice 35 degree down or fill bag for two. That would .

Beck should really lighten up and smile a little bit.

Well now that I've had time to ponder and research, I'll be returning at least the accessory pack. They can't just take my money like that.

Then I get this phone call this morning, at 7:58 am on a Sunday local time from the shop.... "Hi, so-and-so from such and such shop....The s40 is really a wonderful camera!......is this your first digital camera purchase?" (inserts hook in mouth), "it looks like you ordered the wrong accessory package for your camera" (pull gently) "blah blah blah $399 for accessory pack instead of the $179 one you ordered"......No, that puts me over budget, cancel the whole order (wriggling off the hook)......"wait let me get the manager and I'll se what I can do for you" (puts me in hold for 1 nanosecond)...."we can do the accessory pack for $229" (I've got to get this clown off the phone and go to work it's now 8:05 and we are slammed, and it's worth $50 to do so)......."promise me you'll tell your friends about our shop".....will do compadre. Promise to tell you guys everything you need to know about idealphotoandvideo.com when it's all said and done.

I'm home from work now if anyone needs me.

quote: Originally posted by carolyn: haha! Thats funny E-Rock. Actually, 'rock stars' are just like any of us...some are ass holes...some are really great people. Ive actually found groupies to be much more irritating over the years. I did a national tour with a rock band for my work a few years back, and they were definitely the biggest pain in the butt. In Minneapolis we played that place where they did the Prince movie. That was cool.

I went with the Canon S40. Anyone in the market for a digital, spend some time reserching prices on the internet, they vary a lot. Maybe that sounds sort of obvious but I was surprised at how MUCH the prices on cameras, and even more so peripherals, varied. [ 10-20-2002, 03:30 PM: Message edited by: allison ]

I felt so sorry for myself tonight that I finally bought a digital camera.Thanks for all the help on this. I ended up with the Canon s30, can't wait to get my mitts on it.

Just got off the horn with Stefano. He's got a pretty good attitude for a guy who's all busticated. I will be giving him the straight skinny on recovery in the coming days. Think good thoughts Wednesday afternoon, Stef is having surgery at 1pm. I'm going to pop in on him at the hospital Thursday morning.

The Canon S40 is really tickling me. I like the features a lot, especially the fully manual part, just like a real camera. Any of you guys actually own one of them? I'd love to know what you like and don't like about it, and how they do on the lithium ion batts. I'm thinking about buying this one with 2 batts and 1 128 mb card, and then getting a second card when I can afford one. This package is going to hit my budget limit at $650.

Ditto that, always less than a week, same amount of time as any other mail order.

I think what the Muffster is trying to say is while you hooligans are drinking Stout and eating meat, she and I wil be comisserrating about our fates!

OK while you madmen and women are out having all of that fun, I am staying in the city and working to save up for lost time while I am out getting my ankle fixed up. Hoist a glass for me, and then call the WAAAHHHmbulance, as you will probably be able to hear the grousing all the way in Der. [ 10-16-2002, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: allison ]