billcoe

Even more interesting is that they only took 1 of the 2 chains.

Pakistan announces: "Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News." Link to the news Rest of the shocking story: "The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban. If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden "would not be taken into custody," Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, "as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen." Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere in the tribal areas of Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, but U.S. officials say his precise location is unknown. In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the "peace agreement" between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners. "What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director. The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world." The Pakistani Army had gone into Waziristan, under heavy pressure from the United States, but faced a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. "They're throwing the towel," said Alexis Debat, who is a Senior Fellow at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant. "They're giving al Qaeda and the Taliban a blank check and saying essentially make yourselves at home in the tribal areas," Debat said. " Calling India off their asses earlier was a bad idea.

Well, the inevitable occured and A single chain was stolen (unless someone just borrowed it and will be returning it later) on one of the new routes on Bill's Buttress. That's correct, just one of them is gone and the other was un-molested. The stud is left in good condition too. Anyone know if that constitutes a record? It was there like 3 months or so. Maybe the access fund will find it down below during the cleanup. Anyhow, I have more chain, and am strategising on the chain re-installation installation. Loctite red, covering it with that epoxy putty (same stuff Joe has been using on Beacon) except filled with tungsten carbide bb's for protection should do it. As this was a new route, and not a retro-bolt of a route that had not previously had bolts for the last 30 years like some of the others, I had my hopes......sigh...nevermind. BTW, cleaned some more of the dirt off the center-right route tonight and tried to hit the location where the big slab had peeled (after having been fairly well cleaned by Sean and I previosuly!) and it had left dirt 4 inches thick (got most but it was sort of out of the way). There looks to be a great face route in between those routes if anyone wants to bolt it up and crank it - have at it. Buy cheap hangers. Gear notes to self; next time bring a trash back for the base -ugh. Interesting to note that there is a "Single" hanger taken off of AC-DC as well on Video Bluff a few months ago. The other one was left alone.

Great stuff Jens: ______________________________________________ I thought you were going to say: *Is female. *is 3 feet tall. *Has no teeth. *Has a flathead (for putting your beer down on top of).

Hi Steve: pics of Joseph on the previous page if you didn't see them. 35 years and your first name is Steve. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Pretty sure it's not Strauch cause you'f have said hi and Steve Strauch hasn't been active for the last few years...probably would have said 40 years too, not 35....hmmmmm, But SS does do antique (japanese) furniture, and swords too....hmmm, what are the odds..... -So- guessing here, I don't mean to out you since you didn't post your last name on your profile: -But- Does your second name start with an L----- and you've been climbing lately with those great guys Andrew T, Gent and Stan M ? S'at you? Just curious. BTW, Joseph, Jim, and a bunch more of us will be out there tomorrow if you want to join in. I'll follow you up Flying Swallow: I give great belay, Andrew, gent and Stan will tell you. Take care: BTW, FYI, most of the acrimony stays on this site, some of these guys will be yelling online at each other Friday and belaying each other Saturday. I don't understand it but there it is.

Found on rockclimbing.com define Irony Too funny. The bold print was my idea. _________________________________________________________ "Touching The Void Collector Set by Mountain Gear Product Description A climber's worst nightmare, the unforgettable Peruvian disaster story was made even more dramatic with this year's release of the film version. Part documentary, part dramatization, Touching the Void raised the bar for films in the climbing genre. Our collector's set includes Joe Simpson's original paperback, the overlooked Flame of Adventure by Simon Yates, and a DVD version of the award winning film complete with bonus features. For a limited time, we're also including an authentic Victorinox Compact Knife ($32.50 value)." It's true ----------> link

All pants 1/2 off at the Starbucks does not compare with the animal love den in Enumclaw sir.

In lieu of Sean jumping on ths story: I'll start if off by saying that Sean says be careful and pay attention when over by Birds of Paradise and points beyone to the West. Appears that the top might (thats MIGHT) be showing some movement after all. OMFG RUN! Sean? Bueller? B-UUU-LLL-LLLLLL-E-R?

Well, we take anything back just to make you happy. Send the soiled dog back directly to the puppy mill in Enumclaw.

Fine Iain, thats where I took the ones with dimples. But since it's not needed now, take the damn dog too will ya? BTW, inquiring minds should be apprised that the dog-pull Alien test works for the hybrids as well.

Damn worrywarts, they got ya covered. Alien testing device.

If somebody has Catbirdseats phone number maybe they could be kind enough to call him up and read the entire first post to him over the phone so as to help a brother out.

You trying to start a new trend here Jens? Now we all have to be posuers by snobishly claiming that we "only drink oly lite" or other pisswater. Damn, that's gonna put a crimp in my Black Butte Porter intake now. Otherwise folks will think I'm a puss.

Alien Recall Don't forget to tell your friends who are not online about this one, this comes in response to what may have been a non-dimpled failure.

Tim Greene has posted this on every site BUT this one. It did get tacked onto the end of another thread, but here it is cause it's soooo damn important. I sent in 19 yesterday. I'd recommend sending in every damn one you own just to be safe. _____________________________________________________

see you there, I only have 1 rope.

yes, I am soooo there. what do you want to do?

Kevin: I have some Permabond thread locker you can squirt on the threads and the nuts will never come off again. No charge, after all I am the Mother Teresa of gear whores, when will i see you next? You at JC or Beacon this weekend? I can tuck it under your windshield if you are driving the blue minivan and I see it. I think my wife says it's OK for me to climb this weekend, but I'm not sure as she has a 4 day weekend and might have plans for me.

Whos out Thurs? Hemp, nice posts. You might re-bump it on this thread as well as a reminder a few days before the events. I'll be out of country for the rocky butte one, so I guess the memories of last years glass and condum pickup fest will be all I have!

Ahhhhhhhhhh, I'm out then. I'll engage Rainman for that philosopical discussion I guess.

Thanks Dave and CCH, thats all I wanted anyway. 1 week? perfect! Thanks again.

You do not see the question as serious either?

I don't really know Kev about all of that. I guess I agree with both practices - area dependant. Like you, I usually see that a rap bolted line is safer and the bolts are usually better. I understand why GFA bolting gets done and the ethics and feeling of both the FA challenge and the remaining memory that imposes (good or bad) on every other climber who follows. With technology however, you can do any ascent- making it significantly easier for yourself and every follower. You could, for instance, helicopter to the top of Great Trango Tower with a pneumatic jackhammer and bolting equipment, and jackhammer holes, handholds and steps, and add bolts or protection every 4 feet. Everybody would then be able to climb what had heretofore been one of the hardest most challenging climbs in the world. If we accept that technology has some limits though, so as to allow all climbers the chance to max out and to fully and deeply engage their mental and physical challenges, then we as climbers should accept restrictions on technology. Otherwise, let’s just put in cablecars everywhere and we can hit any summit we want anytime without regard for skill, strength, skill and experience. I get that and agree with it. What is the line though? What or how do we restrict ourselves so as to fully enjoy the challenges we desire? However- In some areas, every clean line has been done (or damn near it), and what's left is now the choss and shit. To get up it usually entails rapping down and prying off 300 lb death blocks and literally shoveling tons of dirt. You usually cannot do it without using those tactics. (I suspect I shoveled 5000- 10000 lbs of dirt off Bill's Buttress this season for instance). So if you have to rap to clean, why not put in the very best bolts you can, also on rap if it is needed? What would the advantage of doing a GFA and placing a bolt? The route was already ethically soiled, so to speak.....although it does increase the challenges to still then do a GFA lead instead of toproping it first, which is what I did for instance, despite having previewed the routes, sometimes for days and days earlier. Since that area is in a substantially high traffic area, inside of a large city, to say then to the large mass of climbers who will follow, "Well I ran the hell out of it and you have too if you want to lead it as well" seems fairly presumptuous. You could toprope it, if you felt it was unsafe or beyond the grade you'd want to shoot for though. I see it both ways, and don't really get too wrapped up in how others want to do it. I though that the area you've been working on is real sweet, but I see some others disagree. I think I've mellowed as I've aged. You start seeing that the end of the road is so close, so why sweat the small stuff. A sunny day, good companionship, flowing up the rock, challenging ourselves while communing in and enjoying some of the most amazing places: that's why we climb. As long as we treat each other with respect and dignity, 90 percent of the good stuff is taken care of. The rest is the gravy on the ice cream so to speak. That’s what I think.

Cracks rule. No bolts just pro. (Notice: not crack pots Cobra)

I've heard that the massive granite schoolroom crack got done and the new Renton guidebook is out. Confirmation?