billcoe

I sort of remember Monte Mako, a kick ass local climber from pdx, working for Nike to develop a rock shoe years ago. Never really saw it come out for sale though, so maybe you're correct.

Dru: we are taking a poll to see if you have a government job.

Well, after 32 years I've decieded to get a helmet for rock climbing. (Have an MSR for mountains, its not comfortable). Helmet technology has gotten better and I have the money for the very best. I'd like to get one that would withstand the the "Microbrew Beer Bottle tossed off of Rocky Butte onto your head test". Has anyone done any extensive research for helmets fairly recently (last year)? If not, love to hear your opinions anyway! Thanks: Bill

Weak assed? Hmmmm, thats one way to look at it. I figure that my old mainstay climbing partner of 20 some odd years (who just stopped climbing a year or 2 ago) probably saved my life perhaps 3 times with his "change of plans". Me as a young pup on Rainer " I can lead this 80' pitch of water ice and drag 3 beginners and you up and we'll summit in 2 hours, come down chop a bollard and rap" kind of bullshit talk. Bob " dude, ya might want to reconsider, check the time, weather, skill levels of these folks, gear we have, etc etc.". about 40 min later it's cloud capped and sleeting near sideways as we struggle down in a whiteout. Dodh You want to hear more? Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon Thank you Bob Mcmahon. Repeat as necessary. Now, thats different than the 3 people who bailed last time cause "I forgot my shoes and it's too far to go back home" kind of piss-assed story." Or, "I gotta mow my lawn". Bill

Hi Carsten: I always felt (that for me) ya should just tell people, "I think it's about......(insert grade here)" and be as close as real as possible. The other real pertainant info I like to both desiminate and recieve is this: if the pro really sucks, tell the dweebs like myself who are not kicking ass at your level so we don't jump on it and die! Now....if I can sneak this question in...where ya climbing these days for new routes?

Thats way funny! Did the dawg that got hit get airlifted to a vet hospital in Fresno? I saw 2 airlifts while I was there. Also talked to Mark, the head ranger as he was posting the Pergrine closure sign on Super Slab/Slide (we had just rapped down and were done thankfully), thay had had 3 major incidents that month, NONE related to climbing except the guy who shimmied up the wooden electric pole right off 4 mile trail and got electrocuted to death. Turns out he was wearing climbing shoes. No one knew why he climbed the electrical pole. The good news is that the Peregrines moved off of El Cap and haven't returned. Captians open all routes.

PS, that post above probably explains why it says "wanker" under my name when I post:-) B

New here? Better story idea: The whores on Sandy Blvd. You know, pricing and what ya get for your money kind of thing. Mix that with some great sexy pics and ya have a sure winner.

Paul: just so you know, the Police have swept the lower area twice in the last few months in an effort to get rid of some of the semi-permanant "campers", who otherwise do not have homes in dignity village. Once they were on ATV's! Wheeeeeee Hawwwwwww!

I'm sure theres shitloads, but I know little. Lute Jerstad, one of the Everest climbers of 63, established a climbing/rafting/adventure service. He bolted some great little lines for toproping for noobs not far from Anthony lakes outside of the ski area in Angel basin. Standing in the basin will give you an idea of some other sweet longish granite routes, bring some large nuts too, in addition to the usual for those wide easy 5.6 cracks you're spying. Many of those routes were FAed before I was there in the 70's by all kinds of people, but like many of the locals, (and unlike us PDX climbers), they climb a hell of a lot better than they talk about it, prefering to climb and not spray - so you get the thrill of discovery all to yourself generally. Lute died @ 96 or 97 from a heart attach while climbing Kalipatar in Nepal, obstensibley to get one last look at the SW col on Everest. He was cremated on the banks of the ganges and his ashes spread in Nepal. His old 1/4 bolts, now surely over 40 years old may still remain if locals haven't updated them so be wary. The nearest Andesite to Lagrande may be Cathrine Creek, good but not worth going out of your way for. Bill

Harder, need good pro skills.

Sweet! Dude if you're taking a lil' whipper it's most likely way harder than .9 as you kick ass above that grade. You'll most likly enjoy the route immediatly to the right of it as well. You can runner the Tree that's over 1/2 way up and also get in some sporadic/manky gear in the dirt-filled condom-encrusted jizz-dripping garbage impacted cracks...typical Butte, which explains why I usually toprope there. Makes shaking the Jizz off and chalking up an easy affair instead of a wet-messy process. Btw, side note - pulled a nice sized incut/handhold block at the top of the r hand route last year and broke my foot with it when it slammed down.

Sh*t, I was gonna say ask Wayne..... Hi Wayne! You may have combined 2 new routes but perhaps done the one on the left. It's just left of "Tits Baby" (thats the only name I remember, "tits" is the route which angles right and up past the tree). Newer route, not an old one (as far as I know but who can really say) both by Kelly Warden. The block of wood got pounded in the left hand route there to keep the rope out of that knarly rope-cutting v-pinch. Kelly did that being a carpenter and all so ask him what the name was/is as I am old and addled and easily forget even my childrens birthdates and names. About a year ago he'd ask me if it needs bolts and where? I said as far as I know he can do whatever the hell he wants, put them in anywhere he wanted essentially as he was cleaning it - doing the work and all, which I've since come to realize was shitty advice. He shoveled and brushed for 2 years. Simple question, I'd put a couple in, 1 about 10' up as that crack is tight, looks near un-pro-able and you'd eat hard dirt if you pitched and it seems kind of unbalanced .10c ish or so ?? (*cough* oldpussy, *cough* oldpussy with weak arms) there to me. I've only TR'ed it by the way and as i suggest it seemed harder than .9 so you all must be eating your wheaties for breakfast or somethin'. You guys lead it? If so, would you recommend bolts and if so where? PS, the "annual" pilgramage to Mecca was unimaginable, even if it was for less than a week and generally just repeating easier classics. Been 8 years since I was in the valley. Ahhhhhhhh.

All I know is that it seemed to have spread to my head.

At least from this angle ya don't see the comb-over and the bare spots the comb-over missed! I finally posted a pic to the site, that makes me happy, who knows whats next, I might be up for a full TR in the style of Minx really soon.

So....you and Tad went and climbed elsewhere, presumably where he wouldn't drop you!? Bill

That is a wonderful TR. Minx, you're a real good writer too. Thanks for sharing! Bill

Film crew filming "devil dogs, the hounds from hell part 2" ??? Also, if anyone notices the absence of trash, it was the SOLV cleanup April 24th. Sooooo, I recently got invite to Yosemite for a bit, I'm gonna miss the next cleanup. Sorry, but I'll be thinking of you all. Anyway, as all the 5 cent beer cans are now all gone.....well whats the point? cya when I git back with that California tan thing happening etc etc.

Trying to do a photo from Sun. climbing with Ujohn, Tara and Dean. Had a great time and they mostly let me lead!! Damn I like to be invited out climbing. Lets see how it looks. I think my ass looks big. Probably time to cease and desist on the twinkies and twix bars? Thats my first photo posted here. Looks OK to me.

Sounds like you have it handled, be sure and take a camera along with the important stuff, kids grow so fast. Have good time! Regards: Bill

It took you 317 posts as Doolitle and thousands as Necromaniac to figure this out?? I BREATHLESSLY await your next signifigant discovery. I will guess some of your possible new discovery contenders: 1) Dog Poop smells. 2) Women can be bitchy. 3) Gas is going up in price. 4) It tends to rain more in the spring. 5) When you stick your finger up your ass it stinks. Good luck where ever you end up, I suspect it will be right back here with a new avatar. My suggestion is that you watch Bill and Teds Exellent Adventure, stoned, and you can thus derive the true meaning out of life, which you appear to have just started searching for: "Dust in the wind, dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind".

Ya, I see a problem with it. I guided for 6 years, helped teach the Mazama "Advanced" climbing program for 2 years, and ran the PSU Outdoor program for 2 years as well, including going on and leading many trips. I am very familiar with it. It could be a real clusterfu*k, and a potentially dangerous one, if you don't have some training and organizing sessions beforehand. Make sure everybody there can not only self-arrest, but stop a rope team pulling them down as well, decide in advance how you will handle folks stringing out all over the countryside, who will group with whom, who knows which end of a compass points north or can work a GPS and plan on havng them stick to the person/people who can't even spell GPS, who has wands and how to use them or not use them and go with good weather only etc etc etc etc etc etc. Planning and training is critical unless you want to just roll the dice. Many do and it works out ok for many of them. You asked for my opinion and thats it. Of course, being scouts, they most likely already have it handled. Good luck: Bill

Opps, wife and family obligations. Sorry I missed it. As an aside, another person pitched off the top yesterday. (I understand they lived, and didn't go all the way). Thats 4 in the last month. Countdown until closure continues.

Everything everybody has mentiond, plus "Free Lunch". Its some way wild position with just about every kind of climbing (face, thin crack, offwidth) going right up Parking Lot (Picnic Lunch) Wall. Wear a helmet, it doesn't get climbed much.

I'm still wondering how ya get to be the "king of spray"?