Thinker

my favorite was the lady who brought her cat to the offleash (dog) park. she spread out a nice blanket and set her cat down on it to enjoy the peaceful Sunday afternoon sunshine. That didn't last long..........

based on my conversations with medical doctors who have treated patients with your particular fetish, I recommend that you clip off their toenails and pull their teeth with needlenose pliers before you send em in for their final mission.

I use the SOLE orthotics for my street shoes up thru my plastics. They've made a huge difference in how my knees feel when I'm done with a run or a big slog. $40...the folks at the running shoe store under/near the Century Ballroom sell them and have loads of experience custom fitting them.

I like my Bibler Eldorado 2-dr tremendously. I've spent plenty of nights in I-tents and a few in a Fitz, but am most comfy in the Eldo (could have someting to do with the fact I'm 6'2"). That 2nd door is worth it's weight in gold for ventilation. I found mine slightly used for 5 bills, including the vestibule, on some climbing bulletin board in Colorado. The BD store in Salt Lake does indeed sell overstocks and blems. I've found that they're usually that depressing green color, though, so make sure you ask about color if you order one. Watch the bulletin boards at FF and Marmot later in the year for climbers ditching Denali gear.

I can't think of a positive experience I've had with a dog on the trail (and I am, by most counts, a dog lover). A classic experience happened just a couple of weeks ago when a dog came bounding up the trail way ahead of it's owner with a stick in it's mouth just begging for it to be thrown. Cool....I thought....I'll chuck this thing so far back down the trail I'll be free of the beast for at least 10 more minutes. Just as I'm winding up the dog's owner starts screaming "DON'T THROW THE STICK!!!" WTF??? Turns out the dog had a medical problem and shouldn't run that much. But wouldn't you think a dog like that should be on a leash to prevent such 'close calls' if it's that gawdawfully important? RE barking dogs at Smith: I would really rather listen to the parrot lady there bitchin at everbody around her over some dog that's just barking to hear it's own brain rattle...and bitchy women REALLY bother me. Damn, I just a chipper chap this morn...............

Helicppters: reminds me of a experience back home. When I was living in the midwest I was watching my ole man's livestock for him one summer weekend when he and the wife were off travelling. I had a cute young lady out to 'the farm' for a romantic early dinner and a stroll in the countryside. As luck would have it, we were amourously compelled while walking and chose to capitalize on the opporutnity. At the most possibly intense moment (for me) two helicopters from the nearby ANG base flew over at about 200 feet, did a quick circle, and went on their way. I'll bet they still fly by there on training sorties and tell that story.

that looks like Richard Simmons... Trask! Have you been playing with Photoshop again?

And nary a Traskism to be seen..............

I find this to be an interesting alternative perspective to US news media: http://www.arabnews.com/

'Guns, Germs and Steel' has brief coverage of the topic of microbes hopping from domestic animals to humans. Laurie Garret's 'The Coming Plague' has more extensive coverage complete with references for further research if you're still hungry for more info. Currently reading 'The Lying Stones of Marrakech' SJ Gould, and 'Survey, Design, and Construction of Trail Suspension Bridges for Remote Areas'

Second Ascent has boots that are already broken in...

I agree. It might have been cheaper to install state of the art security equipment at all the ports and hire qualified people to operate it. Heck, for that price maybe we could have even built the Great Walls of Bush on our northern and southern borders to keep out all those 'pepul who speak Mexicun and Canadeun', and all of the terrorists with WMD they're harboring.

Have there been any recent updates on this guy?

Right on......all in good fun!

PS RE: Ed's questions and statement "First of all why would a climb all of a sudden start spitting out gear? Did a pack of elves who enjoy removing pro take up residence inside the crack or something? Both those routes are splitter and take PERFECT gear." Just passing along some info from an friend of mine who worked at the park for a few years. I agree they both take good pro. Maybe its the people setting the pro that those routes are vommiting out....damn hippies anyway! ...they just get the climbs all greasy and slimy for the rest of us. But wait, I'll bet SpecialEd the slimeball attorney has the same problem the hippies do. Ed, you should really keep your balls in your pants when you're climbing instead of using them for passive pro. (How else would he know they're slimy compared to everyone else's if someone behind him hadn't told him?)

Boy, I see I caught a few of you on a particularly fine day today. I made the assumption that lurker 'Skyclimb' was a relative beginner since he was asking about toprope-able climbs (not exclusively, but he did ask). I personally know how strong the allure can be to free solo, esp on good rock when others are doing it. However, if the guy isn't familiar enough with climbing to run down to FF or REI (or whatever the equivalents are in his neighborhood) and look at the guidebook for himself I feel justified and assuming (either fairly or unfairly) that he's got a bit to learn before being able to make a fully informed decision about free soloing . It was really a vodka induced tangent to my main point about camping areas anyway. Ed, if you want to free solo I'd love to watch if I'm in the area. I'm always looking for more gory photos to post on the web. rock on bro! Erik, I usually don't talk to guys like you unless I see you've wet your pants already. I think that was prolly Dwayner and Icegirl who lectured you! get a life and go climbing, geeeez

There's a Lost World Plateau in the Alpine Lake Wilderness photo from here Really, post the Metolius catalog photo...I want to see it, too. There's also a LWP in Venezuela here

double post, double post, double post, triple buzzzzzzzzzz

OK, here's the scoop. I've written it in a thread somewhere else....there's loads of info about the questions you've asked there...search for it. The free camping is on BLM land just outside the park. Signs posted at the park when campsites are full direct campers to the BLM 'sites'. They're primitive, but they're car camping so you can take as much water etc as you want. to get to the BLM area, leave the park heading toward Almo. Instead of turning left to go into Almo, turn right, go less than 1/4 mile (may be more like 1/2 mile, but you get the drift), turn right into a gated driveway, open the gate, drive, close the gate, and drive 1/2 mile to an area with a small concrete block pump house. If you're lucky the pump will be on and you can get water there. Camp there if there's any room...crowded with RVs and pickups usually. If that's full, continue up the rutted road past another fenceline and there's LOADS of free camping on the BLM land there. It's also wildlife habitat so you may consider staying very visible and making lots of noise during hunting season. Anybody at the park office or general store can direct you to the BLM sites if you want more beta. Also, there's a 'new' steakhouse' in Almo. I've personally witnessed the owner 'ask' climbers to leave if they overstay their welcome, esp on rainy days. Good food, reasonably friendly folks...until they get busy and want you to move on. The showers at Tracys General Store are legendary, includes a towel. I concur with the assessments of Brad. He's a true climber that sometimes has an uphill battle to keep climbers interests on the list of priorities there. He's former YOSAR and goes back there fairly often to climb. for easy sport leads start on Theater of Shaddows on Jackson's Thumb next to Steinfells Dome. its a 4 to 6 pitch 5.6 or 5.7 route well worth the approach if you're climbing at that grade. get there early to be the first one on the route. Last time there I climbed with a relatively new leader and even she was skipping bolts. Most other routes put up by the same guy, Kevin Pogue (sp?) are also over bolted by most climbers standards, but they're a great way to get the lead out early in the year. Be careful on Wheat Thin or Rye Crisp, I heard they've been spitting some pro out recently, possibly injuring some climbers. Do a search on CC.com on the phrase 'city of rocks' and you'll be amazed at what you find. For an especially good time, try the short little climb called Sportin' a Woodie. Climb literally starts out on top of a fence post and is a 3 move wonder....don't forget your stick clip if you're a true sprot climber! Ask locally for the location of the problem. Others not to miss are Swiss Cheese, Scream Cheese, Cruel Shoes, Raindance, Tribal Boundaries, Reservations (last two can be top roped from the anchors if you climb something else on the rock and rap down on top of the climb), New York Ain't the City, Too Much Fun aka Too Many Bolts..... take two 60 M ropes, buy a thin 60 m static, or hook up with another party on some of the routes if you want to reach the ground on your raps/loweroffs.....not exactly sport climbing at that point..hee hee hee! Do NOT be tempted to free solo there, despite what you see other goofballs doing. Save that for when you're older, smarter, more experienced, and have less to live for. I absolutely HATE feeling compelled to waste my climbing time to rescue some bozo free soloing a route over his head....I've done it and will likely do it again, but the price is high...imagine wetting your pants in front of your friends when you're sketched...not very glamorous at that point....I've seen it....I've dropped the end of my rope to guy in that position at the City. so, with all that said, I'll get off my soap box. This vodka induced haze has made me way too reminiscent...............

On top of that, add the millions or billions of dollars Bush's and Cheney's pals will make developing, equiping, operating, and maintaining the oil fields....because, as the whole world knows, Iraqi's don't have the capability to do it themselves. (said in a very sarcastic tone)

I LOVE it when these guys make a pact to stop taking their meds. You know it's going to be a 'special ed' week here at cc.com.......

The CC.com rope ups will never be the same! Everybody should bring a few extra bucks or some old gear to trade Muff for massages. Talk about a great way to build a rack.....

Is that legal not only is it legal, it's encouraged. Wait a minute...you ARE talking about CPB aren't you?

depends, I use some dropped biners for bail biners when I get my sorry ass on a sprot route that's too hard for me.....keep em on my chalk bag until I need em. I dropped one off Outerspace a few pitches up (along with the waterbottle it was attached to) a couple of years ago. The exploding water bottle was cool to see....scared the hell out of the goats. The biner looks undamaged, but that one's staying at home permanently...just don't trust if for some reason.