Bug

I was at Marymoor a couple years ago and there was a father-son duo tempting death with a variety of problems. They had a rope, 2 caribiners and a diaper sling made with 1" tubular webbing. They were doing body belays and clipping twice on the way up. I had my unsorted pack with me and invited them to look at how I would belay and with what equipment. They were eager to learn and I sold them a few old biners and a belay device for $15. I also got them started using it. The point is, they did appreciate the advice and the cheap gear. I saw the son over there a few more times and he was progressing rapidly.

Often longer than that. But the point is, you have to jump on it when it is there because the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys are a pretty mild climate.

Royal Robbins, 1st Ascent of NW face of Half Dome, cover of National Geographic in 1964. That was when I first knew I was going to be a rock climber. Alex Lowe, Missoula in the 70's and 80's. Alex put up a lot of hard routes in the Bitterroot and had an infectous spirit of fun and adventure. Pete Schoening, for the most incredible save and for emmulating the character of the "old school". Colin Haley, for climbing massive routes and selling me his Cobras really cheap. He also seems to "emmulate the character of the "old school"".

Cool. Timing is everything.

Just duct-tape their tails together.

Do you want my opinion or the facts? Well tough. You get both. Opinion; Cff is right. Fact; I have seen massive amounts of slush pour off of Asgard Pass in spring.

I spell it relief. Are you a recycled Catbirdseat?

Was that FW?

Oh, Ice. Almost every winter for a week or two in Jan-Feb there are two small flows that form in Hellgate canyon along the old Milwakee bed. The first one is about 200 yds out and comes right down to the trail. They are both easy and short but better than nothing. The buildering in downtown Missou is excellent. The campus has gotten strict but is easy to poach in the dark. There used to be a legal bouldering area on the back wall of the commons.

Rick Torre had a bouldering guide out. Again, it was the late 90's. It will be hard to find so I will see if I can find mine. But you have to pay Ricky when you see him.

How do you spell releif? 3-5-7

OK, OK. When I was in college in Missoula I often went for months at a time climbing at least 5 days a week. All the listed areas are great but what I liked was all the other areas that have not made it into any guide books. Adventure climbing abounds! "Big" is 8-12 pitches. "Medium" 4-8. "Small" 1-3. And that is just thte Bitterroots. Gneiss in the lowlands (short approaches 1-3 miles) and clean alpine granite in the divide country (long hikes in). Lolo domes are spread out but very well developed. Brad Hutchins had a guide out that was last updated in 98 or so. Pipestone mntring in Missoula will have current guides. Ice climbing is just OK. When it is in, it is great. But it is nowhere near as consistent as Hylite. But Boze lacks clean granite crags. Most of the climbig there is smaller crags of limestone and brecca. If you are willing to drive there is granite all over western MT.

I spent 35 years in Missoula. It sucked. There is no climbing and the professors are all on drugs. PM me for details.

If marriage were easy, it wouldn't be a life-long project.

Even if that religion is simply, "love your brothers and sisters"?

It is a looooong ways up there on a direct southern exposure. Do it now while there is still water available. Watch for snakes!

So how does it do in slush?

Is that where your name came from? No. That is a clear misinterpretation of the text. I was originally going to be a dung-beetle as it seemed appropriate for this site. But my daughter shortened it to "Bug". I still smell funny.

Here. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/14/cookie.super.seller.ap/index.html This is way more important than evolution vs creation.

Ho boy. Another thread where Christians with misunderstandings of their own history are held up as the reason no one should become a Christian. Did you know that an atheist once put a bug in his nose on purpose? Yes, a bug in his nose. Makes you want to reconsider being an atheist doesn't it?

Are those shorts or spraypaint?

My temp is up. I am sneezing. I need a break from Rudyesk doldrums as my current position winds down.... Yes, hello, boss? Ahem. I am , uh, not feeling well enough to come in. Maybe if I am ecstatic all weekend I will feel better. Would it be OK if I skipped work until Monday?

I used to be against the death penalty but with video evidence, eye-witness accounts, and DNA, I think the question comes down to "what is a reasonable doubt?" If there is not a reasonable doubt and a person is clearly never going to do anything but contribute to the corruption of other inmates, why keep them alive? Why inhibit the ability of the penal system to rehabilitate other convicts? If someone rapes one of my daughters, I would probably end up in jail myself. In order to survive, I would now be forced to interact with seriously deadly people and live by their rules. Do you think I would come out as a rehabilitated person or a seriously twisted individual? Manson was "raised" by the juvi system in California. It has not improved in terms of returning felons.

I went through a period of hating my job a couple years ago. I just didn't care about all the stuff I used to. I would sit in meetings and just zone out. That is not my style. Eventually, I was found out and just told my boss, my heart just isn't in it anymore. I was laid off and took a long vacation. When I came back, it was on my terms, at a different company, and I was ready to get back into it. I am still gaining in terms of enjoying my job. It was just the right thing to do at the right time. My situation was kind of bad and I did not really care about the position and the company was on the chopping block anyway. In your position, I would advise total honesty and open communications. Leave them liking you so you can come back easily. If you do not like your job, or just need a solid break, it will show in many ways.

Isn't that how it should be climbed? Seriously, I have never done it as a hand traverse. I pull up and put my left foot in the low spot. Then there is a balancy move to reach a positive left facing hold up and left and viola, you are standing. The walk across is not balancy at all imo.