Rick_Sharpless

Oldest trick in the world. Ask a lady out to do some sort of innocent and enjoyable activity. Stretch it out all day into the night. Get tires or have car trouble. pull over. Have something scary happen. Jack Dupree said: ............All you need is a good woman and you ......................... Sorry Colonel - looks like a setup.

Climbed moderate stuff at Moores Wall. Saw peak fall color below me all the way to the blue ridge in Virginia. Met a new partner for future climbs, Great day.

A choss free zone

delta has an 8 am flight ou of SeaTAc - change in Atlanta C'mon folks, come east and climb some vertical hard rock

quote: Originally posted by freeclimb9: Porn pictures get cut, too. It's, like, a bummer.

Anybody on this list want to climb at Moores wall Sunday 10/27? email me off list if so - fks@sharpless-stavola.com

How about sex and climbing. Trask - are you any good at either?

quote: Originally posted by erik: no one way is correct and if done correctly no one way is wrong...i think it is very important to be able to do both flawlessy..... so who ever thinks one way is better then the other should do both in different situations.... the best way to overcome problems in the mountains is being flexiable and having a broad information base.... Best thoughts yet. I'll be working on the "other way" to add to my bag or tricks. Can't have too many.

I like the autoblock above the rap device, but short enough that you can reach it even if it becomes weighted (under the guide hand). Putting it below the device seems to be asking for it with the potential for interference with the device itself - as well as potential isues with passing knots.

Oh yes- the excellent weather continues!!!!!!!!!! from Mount Washington Observatory Conditions as of Monday 10:19 a.m. edt Outside Air Temperature Windspeed 15 Minute Gust Wind Direction Wind Chill 16°F 46 MPH 55 MPH 314° (NW) -8°F Observer's Comments:** The Mount Washington State Park Sherman Adams building is open for the remainder of the season to the public. The Appalachian Mountain Club Lake of the Clouds Hut and the Madison Spring Hut are now closed for the season. Drivers, cog passengers, and especially hikers should check the forecast and trail conditions before leaving and only venture out well- prepared! ** Monday 4:10AM A good steady wind today and tonight up here, of course occupied by its ever present partner, the freezing fog. 50 mph average with a handful of gusts topping 70. Not many people made it up here today, except for a few hardy hikers armed to the teeth with winter gear. Snow drifts closed the upper part of the road for today, and I am assuming the ice was the culprit for the Cog. It's pretty chilly (translation: really cold) at 18 F, we bottomed out at 14 F just after "sunset". Through it all, I did manage to catch a glimpse of the big moon overhead; it was a gorgeous moment followed by millions of moments of fog. The rime ice continues to grow in polyps on everything. The ground looks like the top of a rapidly growing cumulus cloud or a garden of huge cauliflowers. I suspect the former is more accurate, for all the clouds on the mountain of late I wouldn't be surprised if we were on top of one as well. Enjoy the moon for us!!! Derek Brown - Observer

How to Tell Republicans from Democrats: Democrats buy the books that have been banned somewhere. Republicans form censorship committees and read them as a group. Republicans consume three-fourths of all the rutabagas produced in this country. Democrats throw the remainder in the trash. Republicans usually don't wear hats. Democrats do, but they're called baseball caps. Republicans give their worn-out clothes to those less fortunate. Democrats wear theirs. Republicans employ exterminators. Democrats step on the bugs. Democrats name their children after currently-popular sports figures, politicians, or entertainers. Republican children are named after their parents or grandparents, according to where the money is. Democrats try to cut down on smoking but are not successful. Republicans are limited by import restrictions on Cuban cigars. Republicans tend to keep their curtains drawn, although there is seldom any reason why they should. Democrats ought to pull down their shades, but don't. Republicans study the financial pages of the newspaper. Democrats put them in the bottom of the bird cage. Ugly stuff along the highway has been approved by Democratic politicans. Republicians don't notice the lack of scenery from the back of the limo. Republicans raise dahlias, Dalmatians and eyebrows. Democrats raise hell, kids and taxes. Democrats eat the fish they catch. Republicans hang them on the wall. Republican boys date Democratic girls. They plan to marry Republican girls, but feel that they're entitled to a little fun first. Democrats make plans and then do something else. Republicans follow the plans their grandfathers made. Republicans sleep in twin beds - some even in separate rooms. That is why there are more Democrats. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: From a document submitted and published in the Congressional Record 1974 by Representative Craig Hosmer [R-California]

The following was sent to dorm residents at a prestigous new england college - a small one but there are those who love it --- Enjoy on this boring Monday morning. (Senders name removed) this is from my uga I kid you not --- Forwarded message from ############--- >Date: 05 Oct 2002 18:41:48 EDT >From: ############### >Reply-To: ############ >Subject: late night loving >To: (Recipient list suppressed) Hey everyone, hope your weekends are going well and you are getting to enjoy this kick ass weather, but I just wanted to blitz you all real quick and make you aware of something that has come to my attention. I guess several people on the first floor and even on the 2nd and 3rd have anonymously reported some prolonged sexual activities taking place at night and lasting for a couple of hours. Now, there's nothing wrong with sex, and I back all of you who are getting some, but beds banging into the walls and heaters make quite a racket and people are having trouble sleeping and getting work done. So, besides not having as much sex, I encourage whoever is partaking in the late night loving to maybe pad their bed and/or keep it from touching things that vibrate and make noise. Secondly, screaming has also been an issue, so maybe not doing it as hard or using devices such as gags or even an apple or something can limit this problem as well. All joking aside, this is a pretty hard topic for me to deal with, because it's not my place to tell you all how to have sex. I am not Dr. Ruth, but I hope that you guys can just respect those who live around you and keep all noises, sexual or not, at a reasonable level. If you have any questions, fell free to blitz back or come talk to me when I'm around. Anyways, enjoy the rest of the weekend, I'll see you all around I'm sure.

No bugs if you camp on the dinwoody glacier. Good sites on the moraine at the bottom - nice place to camp if you plan to be there a few days.

No guide needed - just a topo, crampons an ice axe. The walk in is shorter from the west than the east and the titcomb valley is pretty spectacular. 1 long or 2 days in to titcomb - the climb can be done from titcomb in a long day, or you can spend a night on top of the pass ("backpacker pass" or "bonney pass") or in dinwoody cirque. From the east it's 2-4 days walk in. There are a number of outfitters who will pack your gear in and out to either titcomb or the wilson meadows area. Pretty mountain, beautiful area, nice climb.

Indeed Dr, the wise folks at Yenter "reshaping nature responsibly" will even place the 20 foot bolts while on rappel. See link. And lawgoddess, the "technology for launching missiles from submarines" that shots the 20 foot bolt at 200 mph will, I'm sure, send a smaller projectile into even the hardest granite. nails on rappel

Now almost any terrain can be established as safe for sport climbing! Universal Bolt!

quote: just wondering if any of you folks who came of age in the swami-belt era had taken any good falls on those things and been able to continue climbing wihout installing a spare kidney or two. A lead fall on a swami or bowlne on a coil was quite an experience. That's why we didn't go around taking "whippers" for fun. The goal is "don't fall." If you can't climb it, don't lead it. But the hip belay did cushion the experience.

Which desecrates the environment more? Cutting a 500 old tree, that will take a thousand years to regenerate in its present form, to build a house OR: Drilling and bolting a 30 million year old rock, that will not regenerate at all, because you don't want to learn /don't trust/ want to use trad pro? Hmmm - is there a cetain hypocrisy among some sportos? Just curious

SK and Erik have one thing right - this is about money. But it's also about communities and people. Old growth, especially when you can mine it off public land, is a quick way to a lot of $ for the timber company. Second growth makes dandy lumber, though less money. In the southeast pines are grown on a 40 year (to sawtimber) cycle with intermediate pulpwood thinning. It's hot here, and usually (not this year) it rains a lot. A pine plantation is not a true "forest" but it sure grows a lot of wood as a crop. I have good hearsay that the CEO of Georgia PAcific, about 12 years ago, said "off the record" that he hoped they'd find spotted owls everywhere from California to Canada, because every time a timber sale was canceled on public land in the PNW, southeastern timber cbecame more valuable. So whether or not one more stick of old growth or public land is cut, there will be plenty of timber and fiber. Just a question of where it comes from. Right now, the folks north of 49th parallel seem content to cut down their forests and send the sawtimber south. Bad for them, bad for producers here, but good for wood users here. Aren't the Bushies threatening Canada with some sort of politically motivated duties on wood products? But if you live in a PNW community surrounded by public land and supported by logging,to say "no more cut" is telling a lot of people to give up their jobs and communities and move. So it's not a real surprise that those affected feel passionately about it. The enviros ignore this, which is easy if you don't live there. Cannabis could work - sure replaced moonshine as the export crop of choice in the southern appalachains. [ 08-22-2002, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: erik ]

The little eat my food and chew my gear. On second thought, clearcut their houses! Slash and BURN!

Problem is last time we had "salvage logging" and "fire preventative" thinning the Forest Service wrote the timber sales to require cutting out a lot of brush, dead wood and small growth, and "oh by the way" you can take out so many bf of larger trees, and build a couple of roads. The stated reason, which probably has a little truth, is that the FS wants to reduce the cost of the thining project by letting the contractor take some sawtimber. Of course, you could pay more and leave the more mature timber, too. And if the camel's nose (logging) gets into the tent (forest), well, there are probably more than a few people in the current USDA who think that's just fine. There might be some reason to be suspicious of those in the current FS who say they just need to do a little intelligent thinning. And no, I don't support ending all logging. BUt on public land???????????/ Flame suit is on . . .

One of my frequent alpine partners is a woman. FWIW, she stays cool while the S(*& hits the fan, for her or others, but may have a good emote afterwards, when she or others is in a a position of safety. But she definitely meets one of my prime partner criteria, is this a person I want at the other end of a rope from me when the chips are down.

This sounds hokey but for me focusing in, and in, on what am I doing and how am I doing it - the foot, the hand, the tool, what's going on w/ my crampon, my tool, my hand, the rock, the ice, and NOT on a lot of unhelpful "what-if," or the 450' exposure (until I feel secure) helps a lot. It's hard to articulate, but I guess one of the things I value is that when I'm climbing, my next foot placement is a decision of a whole lot more consequence to me and the other person on the rope than most anything I will ever decide in a law practice - not to say my clients aen't important, but. . .

Neither the FAA nor any airline allows fuel, bottled or not. Neither airlines nor even the postal service will (knowingly) carry butanes or other gasses, sealed or not. Bad idea, big fine. Empties varies by airline. Call the airline and ask ahead of time. I've carried a lot of empties without confiscation. I once heard Canada does not permit any fuel bottles that have ever been used, no matter what they smell like, in airline baggage. Government rule, regardless of airline. I've also heard it is just like in the USA, no government rule, ask the airline about empty bottles. Anyone have any info on Canadian rules? All of ths predates 9/11 by many years.

WTF is it with mayo. After 20 years in NC I have learned that there is an insane desire to slather every type of sandwich with mayo and heat it into a soggy radiative mass. Who ever heard of a hoagie with mayo, hot? Or a cheese steak with mayo. But if you don't want mayo and a soggy sandwich here you had better say so. If you like mayo Dukes is prime. Now, pork barbeque (and that's not beef with thick red sauce) can give a good cheese steak a real run for it's money. Allen's in Chapel Hill is primo.