catbirdseat

Yes, what are you into? Do you like to get your hands dirty?

The news is just chock a block full of wonderfully spray-worthy items. If you all can't do something with this stuff, you don't deserve to call yourselves sprayers. Let's see what have we got? We have the group of body piercers who hang from meat hooks who got tossed out of the Fremont Solstice Parade with the suggest they go try the Gay Pride Parade instead. We have the story about Terry Schiavo's autopsy report. Enough said. We have the story in Science Magazine about research into how Sherpas carry heavy loads. Cool. Finally, we have a story about an imported breed of rodents (aka giant snaffles) called nutria on the loose in Skagit County. It's a great, great day!

It helps if someone has kicked a set of steps in the snow. If you don't see prints, take the boots.

After you watch them do it right two or three times, then let them do it on their own. Just make sure there is someone at the top to check their setup. It might not be a bad idea to have someone standing at the bottom ready to reach out and tug on the rope if they get out of control.

Actually there is an Exit 38 5.11a I can top rope. It's the only one I've gotten up outside of the gym.

Same advice, but different reason, no one is going to fall with a proper belay. The issue is making it fun for the kids. I've seen kids go right off the overhang at Alphabet rock without the slightest hesitation, while others are terrified.

I thought people had pretty much abandoned use of + and -.

Sarcasm alert! It's 5.8.

5.5 Saber 1st Pitch 5.6 R&D 3rd Pitch, Midway 1st Pitch 5.7 Bathtub Dome 2nd Pitch, Champagne 1st Pitch 5.8 Party in Your Pants, Classic Crack, Givler's 1st Pitch 5.9 Awanaduya, Blockhead (Exit 38), Theresea's Lingerie (Vantage), Jam Exam (Tieton) The first pitch of Midway was 5.5 when it was put up, but it has been polished smooth by thousands of boots. Classic Crack was 5.8, but is given as 5.9 in the latest guide. If you know how to jam, it's 5.8. Seems like 5.9 just because it is more sustained than most.

I and several of my friends are going to hang out at Club Paradiso and Amazonia Wall tonight after 5:30 pm, if anyone wants to come climb with us. We climb up to mid 5.10s.

I think Dr._Crash is thinking correctly. The only other sort of belay would require a separate rope. Belays are a good idea for inexperienced and first time rappellers.

I've met DPS better half. I can understand why he'd want to keep her.

Yves you should get Thebault to hire you to fix his website. It needs work. For example, you can't get it to display in English except on the main page. Imagine crossing the English Channel in a sailboat faster than Louis Bleriot in his airplane!

Sno Co made the decision to cut their budget so they can't afford to rescue dogs. Perhaps you'll pay more taxes so they can increase the budget? Coming back to this old post which I over looked. It shows that people still don't understand how SAR works. It is not provided by the Government and is not paid for by tax dollars. People often just assume it is. These are volunteers. They purchase most of their equipment out of their own pockets. A lot of it is donated or paid for by grants. The Sheriff's Department coordinates the call up of the volunteers. These people do what they do because they like helping other people. They endure all sorts of discomforts and risks for no pay. Cut them some slack.

This thread is drifting towards Spray.

A hydrofoil. Specifically a rigid wing sailboat hydrofoil. Argh. Beat by CBS. The really weird design is the dual propellor sailboat (one for air, one for water). Foiled again? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

A twin foil-sail hydrofoil catamaran. I believe it, or one like it, holds the world sailing speed record (not counting sailboards, that is).

Maybe the time has come to form a special Dog Rescue Unit (DSU). It would be an all-volunteer organization, just like SAR.

This is cool.

That sounds so very lovely. That reminds me of a song. Remember when you ran away and I got on my knees and begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk?? Well... You left me anyhow and then the days got worse and worse and now you see I've gone completely out of my mind.. And.. They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!! They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!!!! You thought it was a joke and so you laughed, you laughed when I had said that loosing you would make me flip my lid.. RIGHT??? I know you laughed, I heard you laugh, you laughed you laughed and laughed and then you left, but now you know I'm utterly mad... And.. They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa, They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa. To the happy home. With trees and flowers and chirping birds and basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes and they're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!! I cooked your food, I cleaned your house, and this is how you pay me back for all my kind unselfish loving deeds.. Huh?? Well you just wait, they'll find you yet and when they do they'll put you in the ASPCA, you mangy mutt!!! And... They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa. They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa. To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!! To the happy home, with trees and flowers and chirping birds and basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes and they're coming to take me away, ha-haa!!! To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time... (fade out) Hey, buddy! Yes officer.. You a head? No, but I'm catching up, ha ha ha.... original recording by Napoleon XIV [They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa from: Dr. Demento's Delights Warner Bros. 1975 BS 2855 0698 ]

A bit of clarification. Calls for rescue go through the County Sheriff's department. The deputy on duty makes the call on whether or not to call the SAR unit.

Television picked it up. They interviewed the man. Never saw it in print though.

I know very little about that rescue, except that my friend Mark took time from work to go look for the guy. I assume they found his car at the trailhead.

Yep, that's the one.

That's it! What is it?