Bill_Simpkins

I have a set of these for alpine: I bought them at www.gearshack.co.uk You can carry only three of them and have all sizes. I usually only carry (from left to right), #1,3 and 5. I throw in a #5 BD and a #7 BD for good measure. Also put in a pink and red tricam and Camalots, you have your self a nice neat little alpine rack.

Maybe you could consult the new Mt. Erie book for the correct route of Zig Zag and beta for other Erie routes. Possibly mention New Halem. Leave out mention of Shuksan Crag. It's an old, small route. Again, mention parking fees at Vantage and where to get permits. People bash on your book man, but I used that thing till the bindings fell apart my first few years of climbing. After I became more familiar with the areas, and I if liked the areas, I bought a local guide. People should stop comparing local guides with this one, they have different purposes. If someone is road tripping through Washington, do you expect them to buy local books for each crag? No! That would be dumb and a waste of money. This book will get people around just fine. Once they get there and climb a few things, they'll figure it out. You get the best information about a route by climbing it. Frankly , I like the short descriptions for the routes, it doesn't give everything away.

Oh no! You're one of them!

I DO eat fruits and veggies! lol Just for reference, Ill give you a typical day now: Breakfast: Oat meal with nuts, soymilk and fruit or low fat cottage cheese and fruit. Lunch: Turky or tuna salad and fruit. (meat, lettuce, nuts, celery, olive oil, vinager) Snack: Hummus or light cheese and fruit Dinner: Baked halibut and green beans or Chicken with broccili and snow peas with fruit and nuts. Desert: fruit or veggies. That's basically what I've been eating. I've been eating more fruit and veggies now than I every have. I think since I'm losing weight too fast, I should either: A) more portions B) more water(even though I drink a lot) C) add some whole grain to my diet (which seems the best balance). I think I'll do a little bit of all three. I mean, it's all obvious stuff, I just never thought about it too much and now I'm paying the price as I get older. Plus, maybe this thread could help others in the same boat. Talking about it is motivating. Thanks!

Ketosis can be dangerous. My diet has carbohydrates in it, all from fruit and veggies. It may be, since I'm following recipes almost exactly, that I'm not getting enough calories and it's inducing ketosis for my activity level. I should just eat a little more to compensate, I may be starving myself. The last thing I want to do is start eating up my muscle tissue, expecially in my heart. Thanks.

"so even @190 lbs you would be at upper level of "normal" (and remember what normal is is statistics like that)" Well I hope so, I'll be cranking pretty hard if I get to 185.

Dude, my arm weighs about 190. Yeah, I changed my habits a bit since a few months ago. I get out a lot more. I used to just sit in front of the computer and nothing else for a few months. Bad idea. No really, I followed Micheals advice, and lost a solid 5 pounds since Thursday. Crazy. The book says I should lose a 1-2pounds a week, but I'm losing about a pound a day, steadily. Riding my bike to work also, about 15-20 minutes, going to the rock gym 1-2 week and doing something bigger on the weekends. I'll keep you posted to see if I lose another 5 pounds of video game weight next week. Basically I cut out grains and sugers and high fatty foods. Lots of fruits and veggies at every meal wih some lean meat. I eat 5-6 times a day. I didn't NEED a book, but it helps because my wife likes to prepare my meals and I like following specific regiments sometimes.

"At 215, you're not obese (unless you have a really thin "frame" underneath); " I'm not even fat! i have a large frame underneath. At 190 lbs, I looks like I'm on crack. Once, when I was 185, my friends would ask if I was sick because my me neck was so skinny. Speaking of crack, maybe if I lost 20 pounds, I could get out of the ass jams easier:

Studded gear sling! Brilliant! "Hell bent, hell bent for leather!"

Answer: Light rack, runner (I prefer a tied runner so you adjust the length and use it for a rap sling). Heavy rack, sling. Got a route wired down to nuts and a few cams, just throw it on your harness. Other than that, just throw the crap on and climb.

Good one!

"Another Prophet of Disaster Who says the ship is lost, Another Prophet of Disaster Leaving you to count the cost. Taunting us with Visions, Afflicting us with fear, Predicting War for millions, In the hope that one appears."

Imagine if all this happened..... Look what consequences divorce has. Case in point: Little girls parents get divorced, little girl visits dad 1-3 times a week. Energy crisis. Little girl is either a)momless or b)dadless. How selfish we are. If there is such a crisis, I think the family unit will once again become very important. Divorce maybe was a bi-product of prosparity and subsequent independance. What are all you divorced, commuting families going to do with no cars? Disposable cups, disposable rags, disposable cell phones, disposable friends, disposable mates....but children arn't disposable, but everything around them is. Disposable Earth.

You don't need plastic boots in the lower 48 states. They are miserable. You can do most routes, including volcanoes, in tennis shoes. That been said, a pair of Makalus or simular style will get you just about anywhere.

Well, I'm not a fat slob, and I'm in good shape. I can still jog all day in the mountains with a pack. I think MVS may have a good point. My parents and my sister have big time troubles with their weight, and they eat pretty reasonably. I'm not fat, and most people consider me in good shape, but I have to work for it. It's getting harder and harder, like I'm fighting something. It is very possible that the food I am eating is throwing my insulin balance out of wack. My father has diabetes, maybe I should look into it more. Thanks.

Cool! I also just talked to a lady at work. The first thing she asked about was my stress level. I've been pretty stressed out lately. Is it true or a myth that stress can lower metabolism and release cholesteral into the bloodstream?

Thanks for the discussion. It's nice to hear things from other people sometimes. So lets say I start riding my bike to work EVERY day, and extend my routine exercise a bit longer. I think that would help. Maybe my exercise durations were a bit short on average. One day a week when I climb a mountain or hike 14 miles isn't enough consistancy with my shorter daily work outs. My daily stuff should be longer, and really try to cut out any crap from my diet and not pork out after the long day in the mountains or at the crag. I'll try to do longer sessions in the morning and see if that helps. (my wife has been telling me that all along, but I'm too stubborn). Thanks again!

A challenge is a challenge, whether it starts on something real, like a mountain, or somewhere fake, like a video game. The challenge is still real. I get obsessed when a challenge is presented to me. Now I am obsessed with the challenge of losing 20 pounds.

I used to work in the evening and exercise during the day. Now I work in the day and exercise in the evenings. Could that alone make that much of a difference? Is basal Metabolism just your average metabolism? Also how many of you have had to exercise more and eat less as you've gotten older? When did this happen for you? How much did you have to adjust. Just curious.

I understand the whole conservation of energy thing, input and output. I have a degree in Physics. The thing I don't understand is that I eat better and work out more than I did 5 years ago and can't lose anything. I usually eat oatmeal for breakfast, a largish lunch, and a regular dinner. Lunch is usually a salad with meat (chicken). Dinner is usually on average rice and meat or simular. I try to stay away from noodles and high cholesteral things. It's usually Indian food based, asain or mexican based. I don't eat fast food anymore, nor much processed food. I don't eat desert and dont snack much. Basically, 3 meals a day. I eat about the same amount as my wife, and she is 5'4" and not overweight.

Also, I am going to start riding my bike to work at least 3 days a week. It's only two miles though. Is that enough to get my metabolism up or should I take the scenic route? I'm playing dumb here, because whatever I thought before isn't working.

I got hooked on a video game for most of the winter and gained 20 pounds. I have been dieting and working out, i.e. hiking running and climbing, a lot for the past two months. Maybe Hiking or running 3-4 times a week, light weight lifting 2-3 days a week(no heavy weights) and going to the gym or outside rock 1-2 times a week. I've been really active. Although I feel back in shape and could climb anything I have ever done before, I cannot lose any weight. I eat less and exercise more. Is it because I just turned 30? Maybe because I work out at night? Does working out in the morning make a small difference, or a big one? How much can your metabolism change from day to day? Help! I weigh 215 now, want to get back to 190-195. Going nuts trying. I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and do not have a lanky figure. At 190-195 I am very lean.

I agree with billcoe. We intentionally put ourselves in risk. Why should we expect someone to save us? The people getting rescued should have to pay for every cent of the rescue, unless there are volunteers involved. If I'm ever hurt that bad, it will feel good knowing a helicopter is on it's way, but I should still have to pay for it. They could put the money somewhere to help people that never asked for grief, like abused children, etc... Now that's a rescue program. I'm sure flying a blackhawk up a mountain with a crew costs a pretty penny. I don't think climbers deserve free or subsidized rescues. I think the effort should ultimatly be from volunteers or money from the ones being rescued.

I am just shocked there are Walmarts in Germany!