Off_White

I started climbing 32 years ago, and people were already moaning about the diluting effects of taking in so many philistines into such an iconclastic endeavor. Even so, they were only repeating the hand wringing laments of their predecessors.

Roosters are either broilers or nuisances, I think I know which sort you are. Even at your advanced age, if boiled long enough, I'm sure my cat would eat you. Dru, as one who's impacted the moss solo aid climbing, I'd think you would embrace the joys of canned food.

Real climbers cook from cans. 1 can some sort of chicken soup 1/3 can "light" cocount milk 1 squoosh lemon juice as much garlic-chili paste as you can handle quick and dirty, 5 mintues from the pantry to the table.

I dunno, I'd have to say I agree with Iain 100%, the trees off NW are splendid. I'm sure that my opinion is skewed by the fact the best powder days I've had boarding have been there, snowing hard enough to fill in all tracks during the lift ride, and I'm not some Xtreeme cliff jumping sort. I've also had brilliant bluebird days off the summit, cutting wide turns in wind transport powder, trailing 100' long carving contrails. Oh, and I don't think I've ever waited longer than 5 minutes in a line, and that was both rare and extreme. Less waiting = more fun. I think one could argue that there's nothing that qualifies as a "big mountain" in all of Washington. Baker is nice, but the sweet lines track out in very short order, and one shouldn't confuse the scale of the backdrop with the area. Crystal is nice on a big powder day, but what area isn't? Unsung areas that have great possibilities: Schweitzer. We found wonderful powder lines a full week after the last snowfall on my only visit. To be fair, we also found some stunningly crap riding, but sliding helplessly on tree studded boilerplate while giggling helplessly does have a certain appeal.

Das Spanker resurfaces! It's cheaper to live in Tenino, but then again, that wasn't your question, was it?

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

Photo gallery is here

David Whitelaw's guide for Darrington (available as a CD only) is the ticket for that area, though one could easily get by for an enjoyable introductory visit using Mattp's website.

This is where Dru really went, isn't it? All that blather about the Icefields Parkway was just chaff. Dru: The Plastinator

Happy solstice to you too.

"It's like no cheese I've ever tasted..."

Is that Dru in his halloween costume? Damn, he's hot, no wonder he's in such demand over on that Assendyouwish.com sausageland. What a sport plastic climbing wienie. I bought my membership in the Olympia gym about three weeks ago.

Live longer, the funniest part is when that actually sounds like a good year.

Pfft. Silly is cool, "I'm going to hunt you down and kill all your family because you said I was gay" is not. I'm sure a discerning dandelion head such as yourself can distinguish the difference. Churn on oh ineffectual paddle, the bubbles you generate are oh so tickling to my psyche.

Too bad that stuff ships poorly, I like the other white meat.

Sorry AK, but Icegirl got the full IP ban there before she ever even tried to register. That's a hard achievement to top. From the IPO invitation:

Hah, if I recall Mike, you brought up this question around the fire at the first Smiffy Tuffest last year. Weren't your issues about physical distance and different hobbies, rather than some more fundamental disconnect? You're finally getting a little good advice here, but I agree with Fern, don't take the Catbird path. That's fine if you just want to be a buddy, but creepy if you have other motives.

Scott, if you wanna stir the shit, you should make your own paddle, not borrow someone else's.

You really got a thing for wide cracks, don't you? My holdovers from the Valley in 1978 include Shaky Flakes and Freewheeling.

work safe - high speed connection recommended

Well, it's not climbing related, but I've always been partial to "Lugnut" though I have yet to use it.

Thai Crepe? Sounds like it ought to come with avocado and roasted hazelnuts, with just a drizzle of bittersweet chocolate sauce.

Linda Blair Was Born Innocent

Sven and Ole worked together, and both were laid off, so off they went to the unemployment office. Asked his occupation, Ole said "Panty stitcher. I sew the elastic onto cotton panties." The clerk looked up panty stitcher. Finding it classed as unskilled labor, she gave him $300 a week unemployment pay. Sven was asked his occupation. "Diesel fitter," he said. Since diesel fitters was a skilled job the clerk gave Sven $600 a week. When Ole found out he was furious. He stormed back into find out why his friend and co-worker was collecting double his pay. The clerk explained: panty stitchers were unskilled and diesel fitters were skilled labor. "What skill?" yelled Ole. "I sew the elastic on, Sven pulls on it and says, "Yep, diesel fitter."

Well, that last shot is a fair representation!