ken4ord

I disagree Joseph, bolt wars exist because people exist. If there wasn't bolts then there would be something else to disagree upon and fight about. Going back, I agree with your earlier comment about Ken being a great climber and very bold one for that matter. His actions over the years though has only fueled the bolting war as far as I am concerned and not helped matters. I understand, fully accept and believe, there should be areas that are protected from the almighty drill and bolt. Drilling away and chopping away are not going to get us preserve areas. I am not exactly sure what will end the debate because, there are two small fraction on both side of the debate that cannot let go either view point, 'I have right to bolt where I want' or 'bolts don't belong in climbing'. As long as bolts are around, they will be a part of climbing. There is no if's and's or doubt's in my mind about that. As long the rest of the climbing community does nothing, (most likely because they feel it is useless to because of the ego maniacs on either end of the spectrum), there will be bolting wars. What it's going to take is climbing communities such as WMCC that are small localized groups that take action to preserve an area in a way they (as a community) seem fit. Now if Ken Nichols really wanted to make difference especially protecting the Conn. climbing areas that are rich in climbing hertitage, then his best plan of attack would have been organizing the community and preserving those areas as such, rather than being the sole-self-proclaimed-care-taker of those areas. To make matters worse for his view point, he took it upon himself to venture into areas that he had no to little climbing history with and erridicate routes that didn't sit well with him. He is just as bad as the person with the drill, who doesn't bother to do his/her homework about area/existing route/local ethics. I agree bolting is not an entitlement, but I would also say that in most areas it is not prohibited. So in a lot of cases bolting is not leagally wrong, though it is morally wrong as far as some are concerned. Now my personal opinion is I like climbing. I especially like trad climbing, it is my favorite type of climbing, and I would love to see area protected as such. For example the Gunks, it would be sad in hell if they started retro-bolting that place, but because there is an organized community of people who gaurd over that area and know and respect the history, it is most likely it won't happen. I also enjoy sport climbing sometime, though not as much, and sometimes I think a good portion of sport routes are garbage, but hey one mans garbage is another man gold. These days it seems there has been more activity in preserving this way of climbing, which is fine with me, because in the end it is presevation of something I enjoy, climbing. I wish some of you guys who complain about bolting in areas you would rather not see bolting, STFU do something about it rather than breaking out the chisel and shouting from soapbox. Joseph, I am not saying you are one of them, actually I find you to be more reasonable than your cohorts in this issue, also from what I understand you do actually do something rather than shouting from the soap box.

You can get a rare hamburger in Seattle, I thought that was impossible.

Well I am looking forward to some Beach Clubin', Dante's 2 dolla, or any other type of beer drinking activities when I am back. The taste of Mutzig is starting to get a little old, I need some PNW beer, even animal beer* will do. (*Schmidty's for those of you who don't know I am talkin' about.)

You are 57% Rational, 57% Extroverted, 28% Brutal, and 42% Arrogant. You are the Hand-Raiser, that annoying kid in class who always had an answer for everything. No doubt, as a child you probably sat in the front of the class, anxiously waving your hand back and forth in the air while your teacher desperately tried to avoid calling on you because you were the ONLY fucking kid that answered her questions. That wasn't me, I was too busy sleeping in the back of the class wishing I was skiing again. Clearly, the key traits of your personality are your rationality and your extroversion. You are like a little talkative calculator, in other words. You also tend to be rather gentle and less arrogant than most people. Your presence is a bane to everyone's existence, because you are too nice for your own good and you absolutely will not shut up. This might be true. So what is your defect, then? Well, you're boring, and when you're not boring, you are just plain annoying with your ultra-logical responses and constant need to talk to others. So keep waving that hand in the air, son. I'm still not calling on you. You are too logical, you talk too much, and your humility and gentleness only makes me hate you more, because they make me feel like I almost SHOULDN'T hate you. But I do. Big time. And by the way, the more you wave your hand in class--your extended hand becoming nothing more than a blur as you insanely wave it, thinking we can't see it--the more smug satisfaction the teacher takes in watching the look of excrutiating pain cross your face as you agonize over not being called on, and the longer we'll wait to call on you, just because we absolutely love torturing you so. What is up with question #27, where is all of the above choice.

Man when ever I see that second picture of that dude I can't help but think of the CHiPs picture with "You're a homo." on it.

Fuck A right!!!!! Thanks...

Hey Dru, stop stealing archenemy's password!

Wow it is crowded in here, here you can sit my lap and we can talk about the first thing that pop's up.

He might not be qualified, but I think he has enough time these days where a rock monkey like him could possibly learn.

Hell yeah, now that is IPA. I got to find me some of this when I am back. Does anyone know who has this in Seattle??? My favorite regularly found IPA is Before I made it out west my favorite was Castle Springs Lucknow IPA, super bitter and hoppy, a great beer from NH. I think they have gone to the wayside now. Dru- STFU if you cannot appreciate a good cold IPA on a hot summer day they I don't know what is wrong with you. Especially if you think it taste like piss and grapefruit, it might be something to check out with a doctor. By the way how did you find out what piss and grapefruit taste like, um, I take that back I don't really want to know.

I have had one and it occured outside on rock. I don't believe that pulling plastic is the problem, it probably has to do more with not warming up properly, not streching and not paying attention to soreness or aches. When I blew my tendon, I hadn't warmed up properly nor long enough. I would agree with AF that proper warm up is key. Do something short and aerobic to get your blood flowing. Start with easier climbs and rest inbetween even on the easy ones before hopping on harder stuff. Pay attention to your body, if you have some soreness from previous workouts, then it might not be the day to hop on hard stuff.

Obviously you didn't watch the same clip I did. The rider view of the dog was blocked by the rider infront and riders left. By the time he saw the dog he was too close and going too fast, hence the skidding into the dog.

Shit happens. Hell at my house I boil water and then run it through a ceramic filter I still manage to get sick. When I was up in Mt. Kenya, I didn't boil or filter my water there and I came back with a clean bill of health.

Yeah I am unsure too, but from the sounds of it they will take it as high as they can go and build big ass hotel at the foot of the mountain. I am not sure if the road is really side issue as you say since the road will make it possible for more Chinese to come in and continue treating the tibetan people like sideshow freaks.

DOOOOOD. That joke is OLD. Still very, very good however! Lets just hope that there are no big and angry mexicans reading this thread! All right fuckers I am back in August!

I had to shout it from the forum top, because I am so freaking excited to get back. Grandpa, just turn down your hearing aid.

ChaChinnng!!! Teh original, accept no immatations. I was going to say there are no climber dirt bags in commieland, mainly because dirt bags don't have computers. If Fred does have a computer, I don't think he knows how to use it, because I have seen many posts on Fred's behalf.

Yeah I am guilty of using roads in the mountains, but I often wonder what it would be like to not have those road and the solitude that could be found in places like WA Pass or Rainier. To me adding a road up Everest, is just sad, next will be the gondola to the summit. I remember dreaming about Everest as a kid, after I saw my first real pictures of the mountains, base camp garbage, ratty old fix lines strewn up the mountain, dead bodies, abandon tents, empty oxegen bottle, my desire faded real fast. The road IMO just adds to the mess. Also this road is not going to benefit any of the local people if anything I see it hurting them more. First, there holy mountain is desicrated even worse than it is, most likely a parking lot will go in, then permanent buildings. People in that area will no longer be needed to porter supplies up to base camp, so many jobs will be lost. The only benefits I see is that it will make it easier to haul all the crap that exist there off the mountain, that is if any one gives a shit. And for the local people there will be better access to items out side of that area, though they won't be able to afford anything since they will have lost income. Sad.

Me too.... my 9 month old was leaning against a foot rest and turned around and leaned on his mother’s leg…..all by himself. We were stoked……I wonder if he will walk before one year. I have been sticking my little girl on the metal bars in the window showing her how to step up on the bars and reach for the next one. She got a pretty good grip on them and hang by herself at 11 month. When we get back from the states it will be time to build a little micro wall for her. As for myself, I spent both days with family on Lake Kivu that borders of Rwanda and Congo. I got out and rode both days pretty insane dowhhilling terrain. I describe is as seat down ass on the rear tire controlled sliding. Some places we were on terraces that had a 20 foot drop on the downhill side. I was wishing I have my body armor and full face to commit to the more technical sections.

I went up to and been holding at 187 for the last couple of weeks. It is way better than my starting 196. I still want to drop more, just need to get motivated again.

How the hell could you do better than that? I guess it could be cleaned up a bit, but if this was on the front, I'd buy it. I would change what you post as to: "To spray or not spray, is really not a question. or "What on your desktop?" or

Check your pm's

Damn I can't wait to get back to the PNW!!!! I need to get my alpine fix in, though three weeks is not going to be enough, especially with having to visit doctors, dentist and family. It is going to feel so good to be up in dem hillz again. Words can't explain how much miss the PNW. Oh yeah I miss you all too.

Awesome sounds like a good character building experience.

Very nice Wayne. My first time climbing in the Stuart range, little did I know we were attempting to do a portion of what Croft pulled off (we were going for Stuart to Dragontail). If I would have known at the time I probably would have chickened out. Since neither of us had been up there we got a little lost on the approach in the dark, luckily for me. We still had a long day out traveling Sherpa to Dragontail. Fun times and real beautiful terrain. Now after being up Stuart too, it really amazes me what what that guy pulled off. :tup: for a pretty damn solid attempt.