Paco

Thanks for the advice. I might end up making a trip up to Vancouver and laying down the cash for some new 500's and a pair of hagens.

I checked out the board in Feathered Friends last night, but didn't see any. Second Ascent didn't have any for sale when I looked, but that was a few weeks ago.

I'm looking for a used pair of skis with Silveretta bindings to clip in to my Invernos for use on approaches. Ski length preferably 165 or less. Anybody have a pair they want to sell or know a place that's selling them either PM me or post away.

quote: Originally posted by Highlander: Find a good mentor and learn as much as you can from them. Clean lots of routes learning the different gear placements. Start on easy climbs placing lots of pro. I'll second that and add that books help and practice as much as possible at placing gear while on the ground. Starting with easy routes where there are really good stances to place gear from is key for those beginning trad leads.

So I've tried the "Go Grape" flavor of Cytomax and it tastes pretty good, but recently I wanted to try a new flavor. One that did not have the patented "herbal lift." The "herbal lift" really seems to work well for those early alpine starts, helping me wake up and keeping me mentaly focused, but it tends to keep me up if I drink too much at the end of the day. Anyway, I didn't have much of a choice at the store because the only flavor that they had without the "herbal lift" was "Apple Berry." This flavor SUCKS. It tastes like bad medicine. I guess I'll have to live with it for a while since I bought a 4.5 lb keg of it. Anyone tried and of the other flavors? "Peachy Keen" or "Citrus Cooler?"

When I am much older and complain to the doctor about the arthritis in my hands and wrists (which I don't have now, but am sure to get) I'm sure they will tell me it was from all the climbing that I am doing, but in reality it will be from sitting in front of this damn computer for 40+ hours a week. Keyboards, mice, monitors, etc. and WORK all suck. Yet another beautiful day in which I should be outside instead of here at work. If only I worked for the government and had today off.....

quote: Originally posted by tread tramp: A pint of Guiness equals 16 fluid ounces. From that point it is just a matter of simple calculations. Go to England or Ireland and a pint of the dark stuff will equal 20 oz.

quote: Originally posted by Mike McNeill: Paco, I've never been to Holderness School Corner. Where about is it? I'd love to check it out someday. Yes, the Whitney-Gilman Ridge on Cannon cliffs is my goal for next season. One of New Englands classic climbs! I didn't realize that it was bolted? And by all means, if you're ever in the area let me know! Sorry to confuse you. The Whitney-Gilman is a stellar route in Franconia Notch area (very close to where the Black Dyke ice climb forms) and it goes for 5 or so pitches with the hardest at 5.9 I think. I haven't done the route, but a friend of mine has. This route does not have bolts. The Wimpy-Gilman is a bolted, one pitch 5.6 route up an easy arete in Rumney near where the great ice climb Selson Blue forms. The climb Holderness School Corner (5.8 trad crack/dihedral) is very close to the main parking area. Follow the trail out of the back left corner if facing the cliffs. For better info check out the Rumney Guidebook.

Mike, I know that Rumney is predominately sport, but Holderness School Corner is a classic, classic trad crack/dihedral. Give it a go if/when you get the chance. It's a great line. The Whimpy-Gillman is also a fun one! It goes at 5.6 and it's bolted. Lot's of other great routes. Rumney is also a sweet place for ice come winter. Ocasionally I travel back to the Northeast to visit friends and climb rock and/or ice. No plans for anytime soon, but if I'm headed that way I'll try to let you know. -Paco

My $0.02 - Joshua Tree now for rock or Banff come Feb/March for ice. Or you could always go to Smiffy Rox.

What's the best month for ice climbing in Banff? I'm toying with the idea of doing a two to three week trip there this winter (if I can get away from work ) and am looking for some beta. Can anyone recommend a good guidebook for the area?

The beauty of leading trad with half ropes is that the impact force on the gear is reduced and that you can minimize fall potentials. I think that using half ropes is a great way to safely push your trad climbing limits. Place gear, climb up. When the gear is at your waste you can place another piece above you, clip with the other rope, and continue, effectively top roping the climb. Under this situation your fall potential is minimized because you are not really above your last piece, even when you pull up the rope to clip your next piece. You can place the next piece as high above you as you can reach, and not have to worry about taking a big fall when you pull up lots of slack rope to make the next clip. No shame in stitching up a route. Also, there's nothing wrong with placing a piece, clipping it, climbing up so its at your waste/thighs, placing another piece higher up, clipping it, and then removing the lower piece to place later on the climb. Just because a piece is placed once doesn't mean that it can't be taken out and placed higher up. You just want to make sure that you do leave adequate gear for the entire pitch.

I have recently met and climbed with a few of the other fella's who post to this site, and we've had great trips. Looking to meet a few more, especially the ladies of cc.com, but I think that trask has already won their hearts with his outstanding poetry.

No beta, but I am interested in doing this route. Want to head up there this weekend and find out?

An old farmer was sitting on his stoop surrounded by his fields when a car pulls up. Out hops a strange man carrying two buckets. He comes up to the old farmer and says, "Say, I saw that you have a large field of buttercups over yonder and I would like to go out and fill my buckets up with butter if it's okay with you." The farmer looked at him oddly and said, "That's the craziest idea that I've heard yet, but go ahead and try if you want." So off went the strange man and sure enough a few hours later he returned with two buckets full of butter. The next day the old farmer was again sitting on his stoop when the strange man drove up. This time the strange man tells the farmer that he saw some fields of milkweed and wanted to fill up his buckets with milk. Again the old farmer thinks this is a crazy idea, but he lets the strange man go to it. A few hours later the strange man returns with his buckets filled with milk. The old farmer is baffled by this. A day later the old farmer is out on his stoop when the strange man returns for a third time. This time he tells the old farmer that he saw some pussywillow out in the fields. At this point the old farmer interrupts him and says, "Hold on, I'm coming with you."

Some GREAT South African Literature: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay -a great story about a boy named Peekay growing up in South Africa. and My Traitor's Heart by Rian Malan -an incredible account and reflection of South Africa during Apartheid and the years up to its end

"Deserve death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends." - J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of The Rings

quote: Originally posted by iain: rbw here's that pack in action. serious offwidth stemmin' action that is. SOOOOOWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEETTTTT!!!!!! I need to get me one of those.

iain, those are some crazy dudes. Sure to do a lot of spancering. Can you be spancerd by HORSECOCK Sign me up!

quote: Originally posted by Uncle Tricky: I didn't realized that SHUT THE FUCK UP now came in a can. Is it "dolphin friendly"? The freeze dried variety ain't so bad--if you mix it with corned beef and hash! "Mommy, what's for dinner?" "SHUT THE FUCK UP, dear." Yeah, they're right on the shelf next to the can of whoop ass. "Mommy, what's for dinner?" "SHUT THE FUCK UP, dear." "But Mom, I wanted to open up a can of WHOOP ASS."

I thinking about picking up a pair of half ropes sometime soon and am interested in the Sterling Marathons. Anyone know who sells them around here? -Paco

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: quote:Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: Your argument goes wrong in failing to look at the situation from more sides than just one, i.e. America's. The terrorists who killed so many innocent people on 9/11 saw their way of life threatened somehow, and engaged in an act of war to preserve their way of life. Flashboy; Who said that we have to look at the situation from any other side than ours? Did we look at the side of the Japanese in '41? In 1942 did we look at the "other" side when we committed to war with Germany? Maybe the Jews WERE a threat to the German way of life; we could have realized this if we stopped to look at the "other" side. You are wrong in your assumption that the terrorists "saw their way of life threatened." Their goal is to EXPAND their way of life by DESTROYING ours. THAT is the reason this act of war was perpetrated on innocent citizens of our country. Regarding your "collateral damage" question. The people murdered in the World Trade Center attack were not "collateral" (i.e., secondary); they were the primary target. Ask yourself if you are willing to fight for what you have and defend your way of life. Greg I ask myself that question, would I defend my way of life, and I answer yes, but going to war with Iraq? I do not see how Iraq poses an immediate threat to my way of life. We are talking about making a pre-emptive strike against another nation because we perceive some kind of threat. In desert storm we attacked Iraq, but that was in response to their invasion of Kuwait. We invaded Afganistan because their government was not taking action against known terrorists and in fact they were knowingly harboring terrorist. I cannot condone the actions of terrorist organizations or suicide bombers, but I also cannot condone bombing the fuck out of a country and toppling its government because we have created a false perception that they pose a threat to our way of life. RobBob, sorry, but we haven't been attacked by Iraq yet.

quote: Originally posted by kashmir: I love it this topic has almost generated as much spray as my DATING SERVICE idea. you people are all sooo awesome. HEY WHO WANTS TO START A DATING SERVICE????? Yeah, I'll get back to politics a bit later. Time to make love, not war. Now where's that dating service thread again?

Beautiful, I expected nothing less from all of you, but Paco will be no gringo's bitch. Sooooo sorry to dissapoint all of you.