Off_White

Don't say that about Minx, or she'll kick your ass!

Well Ben, bwrts, szy, whatever, your real world identity has not been a mystery to those in the know, but you should chastise your parents for their choice of middle names: Bill, Bob, and Tom exhibit a certain lack of imagination. I'm glad to have your voice still present, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for the kinder gentler avatar to manifest. I think the edge comes from you, not the moniker you choose. That's not a diss, btw.

Be aware that the 3/8" Rawl Bolt (now Powers Bolt due to buyout/merger) has an actual bolt diameter of 5/16" The sleeve (hence the diameter of the drilled hole) is 3/8". I don't know much about lengths in granite or rhino, but I'd think you would want one where the blue plastic collar is sandwiched in between the bottom expansion piece and an upper sleeve. I've seen some lengths where the plastic sleeve is right up at the end of the bolt, next to the washer and hex head. This would mean that the bearing surface of the bolt in the typical 3/8" hole hanger would be the plastic bit rather than the steel upper sleeve. In sandstone, my typical medium, I've tended to use 1/2x6, thinking of them not so much as bolts as rock pickets. A buddy gave me some 5/8x6, which yields a true 1/2" diameter bolt, which while very secure are a pain in the ass, since you have to bore out the hangers to accommodate the massive bolt diameter. For reference, the bolts on the bottom two pitches of Stellar Eclipse on Silver Star, in good granite, are 5/8x3 5 piece Rawl bolts. I consider that hideous overkill, even in an alpine environment, but it wasn't my call, but rather that of my belt-and-suspenders type partner.

right, because moss is beautiful.

Hah, have to do your own second ascent, eh? I know how that goes. I can't believe this route doesn't get any traffic. Nice pics, let's hear Longpause jabber and gibber about the now...

I don't think it's fair to accuse Pope of lying, the fault lies in his source of information. He just repeated hearsay that supports his bias and sense of outrage. He's hardly the only person on this board to have done that.

I added the "not work safe" warnings to your post, but it is kinda funny.

Dru's math is correct, and Icefall's denial strikes me as creepy. It doesn't mean that his plea is insincere though.

If you're looking to be trusted here, I suggest you come clean about just who you are and your other recent avatars here. Maybe you've got it bad, or maybe it's just another hoax. The help you need may not be financial in nature.

Guys I saw do N-Central a few years ago approached from NE ridge notch, they didn't have any approach problems. They spent the night beforehand on the ledge a pitch and a half up the NE ridge, picked up their stuff on the descent. Seemed like a decent plan.

How many grams of toenail fungus does it take to get high?

I dunno, I can't see into the crack, but the "hand jam" comment looks to be a bit of satire? When he's clipped to the bolt, half his body is stuffed inside that thing. What's with the bolts on Kor-Ingalls on Castleton or Journey to Ixtlan in Red Rocks? Of course, maybe there's solid wrist locks in the back of that thing, but experience suggests that Inacan is a bit of a joker.

Blake, your TR's just keep getting better and better. Thanks.

Hey, he's sixteen now, and the poor guy is probably mortified by the hilarious frivolity he's inspired in all you savage rabid weasels. Ummm, not that I'm a fan of Coldplay mind you.

Six String Samurai - what's not to like about a post apocalyptic movie with a scuzzy Buddy Holly lookalike with a samurai sword sheathed in his guitar, fighting his way across the desert to try and succeed Elvis as the King Of Las Vegas? Just saw Straight To Hell, Alex Cox's (Repo Man) 1987 shoddy masterpiece starring The Pogues, Joe Strummer, Courtney Love, Dennis Hopper, Elvis Costello, and several of the folks from Repo Man (Oly, The Mad Scientist, Kevin the fry cook, and Dick Rude) in a muddled story about bank robbers gone awry in a desert town overrun by incestous coffee addicts. Tonight's treat will be "End of the Century: story of The Ramones."

OFFICAL UPDATE WEDNESDAY 8/17/05 Things look good, this morning's light drizzle has given way to intermittent sunshine, and everything is dry. Temps are nice.

Well, and what's great about the NE Ridge is more position and overall experience rather than the climbing itself.

Okay ChrisT, here you go: (Hey, doesn't your name count as a religious joke?) OK, so everyone knows Gandhi walked the plains of India for years, but few know that he rarely wore shoes - this, of course, left him with blistered, toughened feet after years of such abuse. Most also know that he was a strict vegetarian and that, especially in his later years, his diet left him in a weakened state more often than not. And another thing that few people even think about is that, given the relatively poor dental hygiene practices in India at the time, Gandhi also had chronic bad breath. All of which combined to make him......... .....you ready???...... A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis

A nun catches a ride in a taxi. As the taxi is going along, the nun notices that the cab driver keeps looking at her in the rearview mirror. She says, "What is it my son?" The cabbie replies, "Oh, I'm too embarrassed to say, sister." She says, "Please, feel free to say anything, I've been a nun for many years and not too many things surprise me anymore." The cabbie says, "Well, I've always had this fantasy of getting a blow job from a nun. I'm sorry sister, I feel so ashamed." "That's OK my son, I know well the needs of the flesh. I will do it on two conditions: one, that you are Catholic and two, that you are not married." The cabbie says, "Yes on both conditions!" So they drive around the corner to a spot where the nun takes care of the cabbie. As they continue on their way, the nun notices the cabbie is crying. She says, "What's wrong, my son?" He says, "Sister, I lied. I'm Jewish and I'm married!" She says, "That's okay. My name's Steve and I'm on my way to a costume party!"

Yes, or possibly and outing to the gym in town. Of course, the large animal selection will be better at the Lewis County Fair.

I hear ya, it's only my favorite day of the week. We've got a little light rain this morning, lets see what the afternoon brings. I'll post up around 2:30 with an update, don't give up hope, it could still be alright this evening.

Excellent.

Thanks for the taste Ken, that looks great. The Diamond Couloir and the Ice Window were on everyone's radar back when Chouinard's book Climbing Ice came out years ago, back when Terrordactyls were cutting edge technology. There were some good photos of those routes in that book.

I've had friends go a bunch of years ago, and some others who live in Truckee who are thinking to go this year. It actually sounds like a pretty entertaining iteration of the Earth Circus and the people watching is pretty fabulous. I like that sort of public group art and wierdness expression, it would be worth it just to check out the various bizarre vehicles. I expect it was better years ago when it was fully subculture, instead of getting written up in Time and Newsweek. The heat would just add a surreal edge, though I am a fully acclimated Northwesterner who's idea of a great beach is one that includes shade. But no, I'm not going down there. Are you LG? If so, take pictures and tell stories.

and they would prefer that you post about it here...