catbirdseat

I know what it is like to have someone with brain injury. Three years ago son was in a coma for 8 days. Thankfully he recovered fully. I sure hope Ryan pulls through.

Start your beginners out on low angle ice and don't let them get more than a few feet above "the ground", ie a safe landing, until they have their crampon technique down solidly. And make sure they wear gloves.

It has been a long while since I've seen a Dru trip report. What was the last one? Cheam Peak?

No one wants to discuss trask's frightening scenario. I think you're all so scared you don't even want to think about it.

The Middlefork Valley is rather unique in that it is the only low land forest of its kind that has returned nearly to its original old growth state. It hasn't been logged since the 1940's not counting the lower valley where some recent activity has occurred. Manning was no doubt upset by all the vandalism, littering and hooliganism that has spoilt this otherwise beautiful valley. He figures that if you keep out the vehicles, you keep out the yahoos with their beer cans, shotgun shells, etc. The other extreme is to pave the road to its end and put in ranger stations and camp grounds to manage and control the people who go there. The Forest Service doesn't have the money to do that, so they took a middle stance, which is to close some roads and pave others. I think they did what they had to do. The status quo just wasn't going to cut it. The FS isn't going to sell any timber so they don't want to have to maintain "non-paying" logging roads. They want to be rid of them and I don't blame them. Right now we have a situation in which the bad state of the road discriminates against those who don't have high clearance vehicles. If they can get that Federal money to pave it to Taylor River, then anyone with a car can go there. They plan to have a new camp ground at the same time to meet the new demand. The paved road will make it much easier for the Sheriff to enforce the laws. This will spell the end of lawlessness in the Middlefork Valley.

Now it's time for reality to set in. Three years from now, Arnold will be just as unpopular as Grey Davis.

So is it the case that every known fluoroquinolone has this side effect? Apparently, the answer is yes, but some are worse than others: "We found some significant differences in the safety profiles of individual fluoroquinolones: ciprofloxacin was more frequently associated with skin reactions (p < 0.01), levofloxacin and pefloxacin with musculoskeletal (p < 0.01), and rufloxacin with psychiatric disorders (p < 0.05). Levofloxacin was the fluoroquinolone associated with the highest rate of serious tendon disorders; phototoxic reactions were more frequent with lomefloxacin, and toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome were seen only with ciprofloxacin." Source: [/url] Pub Med There were a whole bunch of articles on "spontaneous achilles tendon ruptures" associated with the use of fluoroquinolones. Yikes! So what is the mechanism? No one knows for sure, but they are closing in on the answer. Some think that fluoroquinolones stimulate enzymes that digest cartilage, the "matrix metalloproteinases". Abstract

It worked then. He figures, why shouldn't it work now? Either that, or it's early onset senile dementia. The nice thing about that post is that it makes everything very simple. If you state things in black and white terms, it is very easy to get the opinion you seek.

I predict that this winter, the sun will rise later and set earlier than it does now.

I have a really good doctor who knows I am a climber and is willing to work with me on treatments. He doesn't try to force prescription medicines on me if over the counters will work just as well.

Here is something to watch out for. My apologies if it has aready been covered. I did search. There is a class of antibiotics prescribed by doctors to fight infections called fluoroquinolones, some of which have a side effect that is particularly bad for climbers. They can cause "pain, inflammation and rupture of a tendon". Both Tequin (gatifloxacin) and Levaquin (levofloxacin) have this as a COMMON side effect. My wife took Levaquin for an infection and immediately developed painful tendons in her hands. My understanding is that the drug causes the tendons to shorten and become brittle. The pain went away a few weeks after she discontinued the medication. If you should ever see a doctor about an infection, be sure to ask him if the medicine has any side effects relating to tendons. If so, ask him if he can substitute a different antibiotic that doesn't have this side-effect. Oh, lest I be called a plagarist. I got the idea for this post from a thread on RockClimbing.com.

I went climbing on it last Saturday and it was fine. It is fine now. I'm a happy boy.

I read that the show brought in about $43 million annually to the Mirage.

I didn't know they were going to gate at Taylor River in the winter time. That's news to me. Trips to Goldmyer HS will be quite an adventure in winter.

I'd say listen to Erik and come to Beckfest no matter what the forecast says. You'll get in some climbing, for sure.

cbs are you the little wankstain's pr person or what?? what time should we expect the ole less-then-irish chap??? No, I happen to be his friend. He's working at Starbucks. No, he's not a barrista, he's working in financial software support, or some such.

Okay, I just got off the line with the Scottish Wanker and he says he's been working. Has a new job he likes better than the old one. He'll be checking in soon.

Erik, I believe that brother trask can recommend a better brand of prophylactic.

Trask, what happened to your resolve to quit cc.com? Remember, you quit because it is BORING, right? I'll get JGowans on the phone and see what he is up to. I think its another case of 1) get married, 2) put balls in a jar, 3) place jar on shelf

No, all women are most welcome.

I just had Ramuta do my shoes and I was very happy with the work he did.

Here are a couple of photos from the trip. Catbird on the approach to bivy at Pt. 5779. Toast following on the final ice pitch of the Upper Pride Glacier

I was thinking of Marko when they referred to the "natural climber".

Big deal. Pink tricams are bomber.

We were all wondering where the hell you've been.