billcoe

JB obviously wants the federal government to pass a national law making fire insurance 100 percent mandatory 100 percent of the time. His wet dream.

Talking crags, not mountains here. Closely bolted safe leads can be had inside of any climbing gym inside of or near cities. A crag where a rescue would be protracted, lengthy, (no cell service, long hike) and dangerous (steep rocky ground in a treed setting where no heli's can land) for the rescue crew is something worth considering. If someone spends half a day rapping down to top rope some line, after 4 laps in 3 days then does the "bold" lead, and expects that everyone else will celebrate this "boldness", does a disservice to the rest of us. Close to town, someone boffs a runout route and eats dirt, a quick ambulance ride will fix them up. A different proposition than the remote one with the corresponding logistical nightmare for volunteers.

There are many ethical and stylistic considerations which each individual takes into account. Certainly these can be read up on via an internet search as they've been heatedly debated for will over 40 years. They can and do change even for each individual based on each cliffs history and prevailing ethics. For me, a factor worth considering is how distant and remote it is. An area up in the mountains that you have to Hump into would be different than a place inside of town. Those remote areas should be better equipped and safer IMO. Certainly there should be a thought given to all those who will follow, and sometimes it's nice to have a mix of it. Furthermore, if you are doing a big mountain it's a radically different thing than doing a 60' high cliff next to town.

Posting it here to start an argument is your wet dream.

She's not in Kansas anymore. Todd McFarlands updated Oz. Dorothy looks awesome, the Lions amazing, don't know about the scarecrow, but the Tin man really needs the funnel cap. I'd pay good money to see a McFarlane remake of this classic.

Columns? 2 hours from PDX? If these are those columns in Skinners Butte in Eugene, most of those have seen ascents. I have a hard time believing that there is a totally unknown crag of splitter columns. If it's visible eastern Or rimrock, a lot of that has been climbed. I would think that it depends on your attitude and the situation what you want to do. If you have to walk up a rattlesnake infested slope, you have to ask what would happen if you took a hit at the furthermost point from the car. Is it an easy short trail or are you on a long circuitous trail hopping over boulders.

LOL! So true:-)

Catbus ?

Double Dohhh! I went out to Coethedral yesterday (didn't climb anything though) and as I was grabbing my softshell coat for the hike in: the one that has been living under my car seat (probably since I was out at Beacon Thursday), I heard the telltale rattle that indicated my stupidity. FOUND THEM IN MY COAT POCKET. I could have sworn they were in my pants pocket as we left the car to go climbing. Nevermind

LOL On Oct. 1, 1958 — 52 years ago Friday — self-professed to be in a "frenzy of drink," Thompson penned a letter of application to the Vancouver Sun. He had heard about the paper through an article in Time magazine — where he worked briefly as a copy boy for $50 U.S. a week — that praised the paper's new editorial direction under Jack Scott. Scott, whom Thompson had addressed his letter to, was a Sun columnist who was appointed editorial director in September 1958. According to Time, the "tart-tongued" Scott "unleashed all of his formidable flair for spectacular stunts" in his new role, which included sending the football editor to Formosa (now Taiwan) to interview Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Republic of China, and the women's page editor to Cuba to cover the aftermath of the revolution. He was promptly demoted in March 1959, summing up his brief stint with, "It was a ball while it lasted," according to Time. Thompson's letter is among hundreds — to friends, family, lovers, editors and debt collectors — published in The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967 (Ballantine, 1997). Vancouver Sun TO JACK SCOTT, VANCOUVER SUN October 1, 1958 57 Perry Street New York City Sir, I got a hell of a kick reading the piece Time magazine did this week on The Sun. In addition to wishing you the best of luck, I'd also like to offer my services. Since I haven't seen a copy of the "new" Sun yet, I'll have to make this a tentative offer. I stepped into a dung-hole the last time I took a job with a paper I didn't know anything about (see enclosed clippings) and I'm not quite ready to go charging up another blind alley. By the time you get this letter, I'll have gotten hold of some of the recent issues of The Sun. Unless it looks totally worthless, I'll let my offer stand. And don't think that my arrogance is unintentional: it's just that I'd rather offend you now than after I started working for you. I didn't make myself clear to the last man I worked for until after I took the job. It was as if the Marquis de Sade had suddenly found himself working for Billy Graham. The man despised me, of course, and I had nothing but contempt for him and everything he stood for. If you asked him, he'd tell you that I'm "not very likable, (that I) hate people, (that I) just want to be left alone, and (that I) feel too superior to mingle with the average person." (That's a direct quote from a memo he sent to the publisher.) Nothing beats having good references. Of course if you asked some of the other people I've worked for, you'd get a different set of answers. If you're interested enough to answer this letter, I'll be glad to furnish you with a list of references — including the lad I work for now. The enclosed clippings should give you a rough idea of who I am. It's a year old, however, and I've changed a bit since it was written. I've taken some writing courses from Columbia in my spare time, learned a hell of a lot about the newspaper business, and developed a healthy contempt for journalism as a profession. As far as I'm concerned, it's a damned shame that a field as potentially dynamic and vital as journalism should be overrun with dullards, bums, and hacks, hag-ridden with myopia, apathy, and complacence, and generally stuck in a bog of stagnant mediocrity. If this is what you're trying to get The Sun away from, then I think I'd like to work for you. Most of my experience has been in sports writing, but I can write everything from warmongering propaganda to learned book reviews. I can work 25 hours a day if necessary, live on any reasonable salary, and don't give a black damn for job security, office politics, or adverse public relations. I would rather be on the dole than work for a paper I was ashamed of. It's a long way from here to British Columbia, but I think I'd enjoy the trip. If you think you can use me, drop me a line. If not, good luck anyway. Sincerely, Hunter S. Thompson © Copyright © The Vancouver Sun Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Hunter+Thompson+brutally+honest+Canadian+request/3606508/story.html#ixzz11GTzhFwq

Hi Mikel: I appreciate you passion and love for them. I'm sure you have a lot invested in the Totems, time and money. It is a new design. We as climbers all benefit from this. I have good news and bad news. I did give an honest opinion. Furthermore, as you don't have any Alien offsets, I would RUN, do not walk, RUN and go get some. I will send you a loaner if you need. The Silver/Red Alien Offset is the Purple Totem size. Get one and compare and you will be shocked to see this thing sticking where the Totem won't. Not saying that in standard cracks your's doesn't work well, it does. I'm saying in very marginal placements -the ones most people would not stick a cam into if they could avoid it, and when they do place it are almost peeing their pants in fear: Offset Aliens stick better. I only stuck it in basalt. I wish we had some limestone handy, but we don't. I have an extra Silver/Red offset if you can't find any, let me know. I'll send it over and if you don't trash it too bad send it back to me. Last spring they were selling for over $100 on ebay: used. Currently they are unavailable except used, although the price has dropped for now: it should be interesting to see what they sell for next spring when wall season opens. You may in fact be blessed beyond belief. Mostly because you do not have to compete in the marketplace, for now, with Aliens - they are out of business and not producing them any more. Here is the story. See, unlike your cams and everyone else's for that matter, which appear to be of consistent high quality, Aliens, despite being a superior design, were often shoddily and poorly made. If you do a search, you will find evidence of people tearing their hair out and agonizing over this very point. Misdrilled holes, inconsistent cam angles, and worst of all they occasionally would just fail in what appeared to be well below where they should have: just fall apart under little more than body weight. People got hurt. Climbers with Aliens got discouraged and started selling their cams. CCH offered to test anyones cams if they would send them back. I sent mine in and they all came back except for one: the Green one. The Green one they sent me a brand new one -with no explanation. They all came back stamped "tested". I was feeling pretty good about this until one of these "tested" cams fell apart on somebody. Then I was like.....crap. See, they were really the best designed cam in the small size range. Metolius tried to make one, and it's good, but not as good. Now yours come out, and they are good, but not as good. Metolius quality, unlike the Aliens, is superb! They have an awesome reputation of near perfect production. So lots of people had chosen to sell their Aliens and get the Metolius Mastercams. Although they are arguably not quite as good functionally, it's a huge plus that due to the awesome Metolius quality they are not falling apart either. Here's the important part coming up. My preliminary look shows that Alien offsets DO outperform your cam in marginal placements. They DO outperform Mastercams (Which are very good cams)...and everything else too. It's not me or my placement ability. I've climbed for 37 or 38 years, it's just that they are better. In basalt anyway. Hopefully you are still listening cause this is the part you need to read. Dave Waggoner, the former owner of Colorado Custom Hardware, the company who made the Aliens) passed away and the widow is - or was, selling the business. Buy it. Buy the business. Make Aliens of higher production quality than before, of consistent quality, and we will all be thanking you. Here's is the contact information of the widow, who is (or was) looking to sell. Nadia Waggoner production/office manager Colorado Custom Hardware 115 E.Lyon Street Laramie, Wyoming 82072 http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1132391&msg=1137223#msg1137223 I am no relation. I will gain nothing if you buy it. Be apprised that at least Trango and Metolius have been rumored to have chosen to NOT buy the business. Also, with the dollar dropping vs the Euro, it would be cheaper for you to buy it anyway. If she is still selling the shell of the old company, and you eventually take a trip to Wyoming, bring your climbing stuff as Wyoming has some great climbing in the state. Some of the best in the US with the Tetons, Devils Tower, the Wind River area and a bunch more. Good luck! Let us all know if you pick up this quest and need anything which we can help with. Perhaps do an internet search to get you started. LINK TO START YOU ON YOUR MAN OF LAMANCHA QUEST Warm regards Bill

Love the Cinch for belaying. However, like all mechanical things, they wear. My friend Stan Miller, who probably uses his Cinch as much or more than anyone on this board, has shared his method of replacing the Dowel Pin that is the main wear point. Allowing the Dowel pin to get too low will allow faster wear on the body. As Stan is not just a better climber, but much smarter than me, his replacement went much better. So I'll share Stans routine on this. Here's a newer one, this is the way the dowel pin is supposed to look. ie, new. You can see that as the pin wears, the metal off to the left of the pin wears as well. Putting a new dowel pin in there reduces the wear on the surrounding base metal. Stans, with some markings pointing things out. I figured I'd just grab our little press at work and use the new dowel pin to replace the old without doing anything to the existing jig. This is called laziness. My son had jigged up some PDFE for a job, which I took about 3 seconds to blow out. Dohh. Furthermore, as it wasn't straight, I actually blew a few thousands of the edge of the Cinch where the rope will be running away. You can see that error where the metal isn't flush to the pin in the last pic. Stan had said that the pin came out with very little pressure. Tore the jig out and hammered the wood in half with a hammer and a screwdriver, then used the PDFE to support the Cinch. Out with the old and in with the new. Gear notes: Cheapo press. 5/16 x 3/4 Dowel pin Wear reading glasses, not safety glasses so you can see what you are doing. I have extra dowel pins if you want to try this yourself, ask me for one if you see me out and about. You can easily get a 5/16" x 3/4" long dowel pin at any hardware store as well.

Still a federal offense, but step outside Yosemite national park and it's now just a fine. Good on California. http://thenewsoftoday.com/schwarzenegger-signs-bill-decriminalizing-marijuana-despite-opposing-prop-19/3047/ The California Governor, Schwarzenegger, who opposes Proposition 19, this morning signed a landmark bill in the state of California which decriminalizes the possession of marijuana. For those wondering, this does not make marijuana possession legal, but it no longer will be a misdemeanor offense. Instead of the mandatory fine of $100 as well as the mandatory appearance in front of a judge, the outcome of being caught with marijuana will now simply be a $100 fine. The new law will be in effect on January 1st and include anyone caught with up to an ounce of marijuana. Basically the possession of the drug is seen no different by California now than speeding is. Schwarzenegger signed the bill because it will save the state a ton of money since there will no longer need to be a judge and attorneys appointed to each and every one of the misdemeanor offenses involving marijuana possession. Last year alone there were 60,000 Californians caught with the drug, and in the last decade approximately 500,000 offenders. Schwarzenegger however remains against November’s Proposition 19 (known as Prop 19) vote to legalize the drug.

Round 2! ding ding ding -Nice job and thanks for sharing.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/980443/Plaidman_on_the_Nose_report#Post980443 We got pics of you on El Cap. Here's your partner with my haulbag on top of boot flake. You just did the pendulum (red helmet)...?

Whew, looks like we're finally done blaming Bush then. Rahm, the new boogieman. He's probably Al Kaida.

Seriously?

Bizarre. Wonder if any otter words start with T? Here's the Kennedy - Lincoln comparison coincidence again. " * Both presidents were elected to the presidency in '60. * Both presidents were elected to the United States House of Representatives in '46. * Both were runners-up for the party's nomination for vice-president in '56. * Both successors were Southern Democrats named Johnson born in '08. * Both presidents were concerned with the problems of American blacks and made their view strongly known in '63. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, which became law in 1863. In 1963, Kennedy presented his reports to Congress on Civil Rights, and the same year was the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. * Both presidents were shot in the head. * Both presidents were shot in presence of their wives. * Both presidents were shot on a Friday. * Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre. Kennedy was shot in a Ford car, a Lincoln limousine. * Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who told him not to go to the theatre. Kennedy had a secretary named Evelyn Lincoln (who was born 100 years after Abraham Lincoln, and whose husband Harold's nickname was Abe), and she warned him not to go to Dallas. * Both Oswald and Booth were killed before they could be put on trial. * Lincoln and Kennedy each have 7 letters. * Lincoln and Kennedy both have five syllables in their full name (which counts Kennedy's middle initial). * John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald each have 15 letters and 3 words. * There are 6 letters in each Johnson's first name." interesting but partially debunked.

mmmmmm pressed Chicken! "Say hello to mechanically separated chicken. It’s what all fast-food chicken is made from—things like chicken nuggets and patties. Also, the processed frozen chicken in the stores is made from it. Basically, the entire chicken is smashed and pressed through a sieve—bones, eyes, guts, and all. it comes out looking like this. There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color. But, hey, at least it tastes good, right? High five, America!"

Crazy stuff. http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/29/okeefe.cnn.prank/index.html?iref=24hours

Dohh! Played hookey from work to go climbing at Beacon and did a lap on the corner with the Uprising finish with Jim today. Sooommmmeeee where in there, the keys fell out of my pocket. Have a large electronic 3 button Honda key and 3 other regular keys on a ring.

A quick glance shows some real nice work Lowell.

Best TR of the season? Woot!

I see what you did there with the title:-) You always crack us up Dave!