Thinker

quote: Originally posted by daytripper: There are a few things that I've found helpful especially with regards to longer or alpine rock routes. 1) Learn to assess your ability so that a unexpected fall is extremely rare 2) Habitually thump holds to test integrity 3) Learn to trust your gear placements by occasionally aid climbing 4) Focus on the moment, things you can control and your immediate neighborhood 5) Ditch partners who aren't okay with your climbing style sounds like my last relationship.......

quote: Originally posted by trask: Some of you guys really need a woman. Get Sum! yeah, whatever happened to Krazy1? she disappeared after we grilled her about her love life........

quote: Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: yellow spandex hasn't been seen at a sport crag since before DFA started climbing of course not, it was superceeded by bold lightning striped lycra, leapord skin lycra, and most recently by tribal print lycra.

quote: Originally posted by danielpatricksmith: If I were to do this as other than a day trip, I would camp at Emmons Flats although it was still relatively crowded. That would make for a truly creative approach to the DC route.

It's impossible to escape crowds on that route or approach. One doesn't do the DC to have a "wilderness experience". the flats are usually a little less crowded than Camp Smear.

Another viewpoint. Sprot climbing and trad climbing are 2 completely different (but related) sports. True, they have some common elements, often share the same name, and many people do both. But, they're still not the same. I liken it to the difference between Canadian football and American football, or the difference between football and futbol. Each sport (sprot and trad) has its fanatics (fans), champions, martyrs, and patrons. IMHO, sprot climbing is much more closely related to gym/competition climbing and trad climbing much more closely related to alpine climbing. So go ahead, spray, denounce, fight over nuances, but don't forget that you're not comparing apples to apples here. If the truth were told, sprot climbing descended from the demons in the abyss who were exiled from the heavens by the LORD in their attempts to climb out of the abyss. Grid bolting, hang dogging, cordless drills, sprot crags, crowds in lycra....doesn't that sound like hell to YOU? Trad climbing, on the other hand, descended from the Greeks in their pious attempts to reach the summit of Mount Olympus to prostrate themselves to the gods and petition them for wisdom and guidance. Alpine meadows, wildflowers, wide open spaces, beautiful views....sounds like heaven to me. (can you tell what my bias is? ) [ 08-20-2002, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

wrist rocket with ball bearing ammo........ silent, deadly, much more fun than a bb-gun

I was amped. I met my gf in Fresno on Fri night and trapsed off to the Valley to do a quick climb on Sat before some (of her) family obligations in the area on Sunday. We had our sights set on Nutcracker as we'd bailed from the top of the second (ramp) pitch last year due to a traffic jam above us on the 4th pitch....all we really wanted to do was finish the thing. The climb was fun, the scenery breathtaking. On about the 3rd or 4th pitch I started looking around for the peanuts I brought with me....damn, must have left them in my pack at the base of the climb...oh well. The mantle 'crux' was a bit puzzling for a few minutes, it really turned out to be more mental than physical. The 'summit' was deserted so we shared a special moment there before starting the walkoff. When I got back to my pack it was obvious something wasn't right.....is that a peanut I see?!?!?!? F*cking SNAFFLEHOUND chewed TWO holes in my pack to get the peanuts. It must have been either a really old, young, or weak hound because it left the headlamp (and a few extra treasures) behind. My fault, I guess, for being in a hurry to rack up and get on the start I wanted ahead of the Russian team of 3 that was racking up in the parking lot. One more thing to add to the checklist before liftoff....check pack for food. At least the Snafflehouds couldn't get to the beer we had in the cooler (in the bear box), and neither did any of the vagrants (I mean climbers) living in the park. Anyone have any favorite gear repairshops near DT Seattle who will do patches while u wait (besides REI)?

SK, so what was it that 'spanked' you? Sounds like you cut your teeth on some great moderate Leavenworth cracks. No shame in taking a couple of falls on your first time there. I'd venture to say that crack climbing is not something you get to do much of at Smith. It takes some adjustment and practice to work out the technique. I really get a kick out of watching sport climbers take a stab at Dogleg for the first time. (Ok, I'll admit I have a few friends who are sport climbers.) The moves and technique aren't immediately obvious to them and it usually leads to much swearing and good natured ribbing. It doesn't take too many days of climbing, though, for them to make the adjustment to the wonders of granite cracks. I'm sure you'll kick some ass the next time you visit horsecock heaven.

quote: Originally posted by Attitude: Sounds like you're both ready to join the mounties. Watch out, I saw at least one of them posting on the board earlier today.....I think he's actually in charge of their climbing classes.

I take an approach somewhere in the middle. I trust my gear, but don't take intentional falls on it. I relax when on sections of the climb where a fall will likely be inconsequential, but am always analyzing where I will hit if I peel. Where the consequences of a fall would be dire (decking on ledge or ground, runout slab), I make a fully informed decision based on the risks and how I'm feeling that day. 9 times out of 10 that assessment helps me focus and concentrate on the task at hand. I focus on one or two moves at a time and work thru it. The other times back off the climb and go back to it another day. Coming back from a scare like that often takes time and lots of building back up to it. Work through it and it will mean all that much more to you in the end.

quote: Originally posted by allison: What's wrong with REI? Nothing, just looking for a few other options. I prefer to spend my money at smaller mom and pop shops when I can.

....the board goes entirely dead for an hour while everyone checks it out.........

your reasoning becomes more clear with a bit of explanation. thanks for being patient. I agree about a residue from soap. Ideally, I'd use an acid solution to decompose the hydrocarbons and then rinse with water. That's part of the accepted protocol for decontaminating metalic sampling equipment used to sample soil and water for hydrocarbons. I'm too lazy for all that and get by with really hot water. I insist on completely drying them as fast as possible to prevent corrosion (yes, aluminum can oxidize).

so it is, right there in front of my bloody nose. sounds like you had a blast! [ 08-19-2002, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

So, after all that planning and filtering thru the spray, how was it? What did you climb?

Sorry Dru, the concept of washing a flamable liquid out of a container with another flamable liquid just seemed a little..........different. I'm sure if it air-dryed for a while before flaming it it would be fine. I just wanted to point out the danger in case some imbecile reading all this decided to drop a match into a recently emptied fuel bottle....boom! I used to work with some welders who did some krazy sh*t with oxygen, acetylene, metal pipes, and other stuff I don't feel the need to expound on. [ 08-19-2002, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

Was the booty left as rappel anchors?

quote: A molotov cocktail has to be in a glass bottle so that when it is thrown it can break and spread burning gas everywhere. I think the worst you could expect from a MSR bottle would be getting knocked out when the thing hits you on the head.Granted, the traditional MC is made using a glass container. It's primary purpose is to start fires. If one, however, wanted to maim people, an explosion using aluminum or other metal would likely be more effective. Though I've not done it (nor would I ever consider it), I understand that one of the best lowtech bombs can be made using an (empty) compressed gas cylinder, a good source of combustible material (fertilizer dissolved in an accelerant), and an ignition source. The thick walled cylinder forces the reaction to create significant pressure before it blows, thus potentially causing greater damage than the wimpy 55-gallon drums that were used in Oklahoma City. The same priniciple is used in firearms, except that the explosive force is directed out the end of the barrel, pushing a projectile along the way. Back to the fuel bottle, the most dangerous scenario is when the bottle has a trace of liquid fuel in it, the remainder of the cylinder volume being filled with vapors which are actually more explosive than the liqiud fuel. That's really why airlines frown on transporting bottles that have been used, even if they appear to be empty. I'm really surprised that the guy who 'flamed' his empty bottle in an earlier post wasn't injured. He was damned lucky! I rinse my bottles with hot water a number of times before transporting them as checked baggage. I always pack the lids separately from the bottles. I've never had a problem with them. A guide in Alaska told me that he often packs a 'dummy' stove near the top of his pack so if an airline gets sticky over the 'used' stove possibly containing fuel vapors, he can just hand it to them, knowing full well that his good stove is burried in the cookset in the bottom of the pack. [ 08-19-2002, 10:47 AM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

Nutcracker on Saturday T'was a little warm in the Valley, but a good breeze compensated nicely. Only one fast party ahead of us, 2 turtle teams behind us.

It's a whole new way to descend slabs...forget walk offs or rappelling.

Actually, I believe it is the FAA (not the airlines) that prohibits flamable chemicals from being transported on passenger aircraft. These regulations were in place long before 9/11. 'Personal grooming' items such as hairspray seem to be acceptable to the FAA, and are often allowed by airlines, but some do prohibit many kinds of aerosol cans. I personally would rather face a terrorist with an aerosol can and a lighter than one with a molotov cocktails made from a MSR fuel bottle...think shrapnel and burning kerosene! It would be pretty tough to explode an aerosol can without an intense heat source, and if someone did, the flame would burn itself out almost immediately due to the fact that it's a gaseous mixture (as opposed to a flamable liquid.) Just my take on it.............. [ 08-16-2002, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

I hear flying with fuel kills brain cells........

I personally like those little toothbrushes REI sells that slip over the end of your finger...talk about no weight. I'll bet if Lambone had had one of those he could have kept the ladies' minds off calling 911 again.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: I can do this one problem with ice tools that i can't do barehanded cuz of the extra 8 inches of reach It's amazing what one can do when he imagines he has an extra 8 inches..............