catbirdseat

I tangled with a guy who needed to get a speeding ticket. I pulled out of my parking lot at work today and looked both ways and turned left. After a couple of driveways, this green Jetta careens around me on the right and cuts in front of me, stopping at the light where we both waited to make a left. He sat there like a freaking maniac, screeching obscenities out the window like Ozzy Osbourne. I guess he felt I had pulled out in front of him, but the way I figure it, he must have been going 70 or 80 in a 30 mph zone. After the light turned he was all over the place. Couldn't stay in any one lane. It was bizarre.

Point taken.

Many years ago my wife was pulled over in her '62 Corvette for going 120 mph at 2 am on the Corona Del Mar Freeway. She explained that she had to open her up every once in a while to clean out the four barrel carburetor. The cop only wanted to see under the hood and off she went with no ticket.

Matt, I don't know where you and Mark get the energy to go climbing after putting in a day of trailwork. I was tired and went off to eat burgers and drink beer. My hat's off to you.

You thought Tim Eyman was cool.

I had heard somewhere that icing a bitten limb is a good way to slow tissue damage while you get to the hospital. Is there anyone who can comment on that? Last time I was at Tieton my partner started leading a pitch and it was only then that we noticed the baby rattlesnake only 4 feet from my belay spot. That little guy sure made it hard for me to maintain my focus.

We were at Sunshine Wall yesterday and it was great. After waiting out a rain shower for an hour under an umbrella, the sun came out and there was not a sport climber to be seen. There were two other parties of trad climbers and that was it. Must have been like the days of old. Wow it was beautiful out there with lots of wildflowers and everything green. The air so clear and the temperature just perfect. Life is good.

I am glad that I am not the only person who felt that route is hard for a 5.8.

The Lyman has been delisted as an Intermediate Alpine Ice climb. There isn't enough ice anymore. It's a hike.

Admit it. What made the plant attractive to you was that it was forbidden.

Dru you always have to prove people wrong. He could be right. Chances are more likely that's what he encountered. Soralens are potent compounds that are activated by light. There are soralens that have been used to treat skin cancers. They administer the soralens systemically and then activate them locally by irradiating the skin with light of the correct frequency.

Sounds good. Amazonia Wall anyone?

Starting in June, the P&R will be closed so they can build a parking garage to replace it. I suppose we could shift to the Issaquah Highlands P&R at Exit 18. The forecast for tonight doesn't look too good. I have my gear. We'll just have to sit tight and see what the weather does this afternoon. Maybe we'll get lucky.

I didn't know it was illegal to paraphrase Twight.

"Another Trail" means a bicycle trail rather than one that climbers use.

Also, don't forget that you don't have to have fun to have fun.

If you run around Mercer Slough, you're going to have to run in circles in order to even run 2 miles. I don't like running there. Robinswood park in Bellevue has a 4 mile trail out and back that is nice, soft dirt/pineneedle mix. You can also run down the sidewalk and loop around through the blueberry fields. If you want more info, just ask me. Cougar Mountain Trailhead off Coalcreek Pkwy in Bellevue/Renton also has tons of great runs. Not sure how long of a run you're looking for, but there are a lot of 4-10 mile loops. Just make sure to study the map at the trailhead first before starting. A lot of my friends have ended up running to Issaquah on accident. Nonsense! I do a 4 mile loop that does not retrace any part of the route. You have to be willing to run on pavement for part of the route however. About half will be on bark, gravel or boardwalk, and half on pavement. http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/departments/Parks/pdf/trail_map_ms.pdf

Well, since We Did sees so many beginners, you'd be swimming upstream if you try to get people not to lower off the chains. Best thing to do is carry some quick links to throw on there. If you see some chains that need replacing you can fire off an e-mail to Garth Bruce to let him know about it. He'll replace it or see to it that it gets done (see www.northbendrock.com for address).

Yes, they do. Both the WC and Metolius are better than the Black Diamond.

Just tie a knot near the end loop and then always use the loop in addition to the bar tacked short loops. No need for separate carbiners that way.

I've got a set of Clogs. I've used them long enough that I've had to replace almost all the trigger wires, that is about 6 years. They work fine, but as I gradually add a second set of cams they are going to be the pricey Camalot C4.

Given that the man was beyond help it was a question of offering comfort to the man by staying with him to death or at least unconsciousness. Only the exceptional person would do this for a total stranger. Since he was soloing, everyone was possibly a stranger to him. Had he been part of a party, chances are a friend might have stayed with him, but this was not the case. The behavior of the other climbers was excusable, not reprehensible.

Ask MCash. He'll tell you whatever you want to know about trad at Vantage.

Hard to tell, but it looks more like a wolverine.

That's because many on this board ARE assholes. No question about it. They sort of congregate here.