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Rad

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Posts posted by Rad

  1. That's pretty cold, dude. I agree with goatboy- I'm sure the other climber who lost control of the rope has called himself all sorts of names and will do so for a long time- he definitely doesn't need anyone else calling him names, even if "knucklehead" is a fairly tame insult. I cannot come close to imagining how that person must feel right now. Have a heart.

     

    Agreed. Stillcrankin, you can go back and edit your post to show more compassion for the people who will have to live with this for many years to come.

  2. The only rappelling mishap I can think of off the top of my head is when I started down an overhanging face w a figure 8 and a bight of rope flipped up and locked everything up. I had no prussik or other way to unweight the rope. Fortunately, I wasn't too far from the top. I had to hand over hand up the ropes to the top of the cliff, which thankfully was only 10 feet, but if I'd fallen in that length I'm not sure what the 8 would have done to help or harm me, but it probably wouldn't have been pretty. I gave the 8 away the next day and haven't used one since.

     

    I haven't had other rappelling mishaps (knock on wood) and like Oly it always makes me at least somewhat nervous. That makes me check and check again.

     

    I have had multiple instances where I've inadvertently unclipped myself from everything when I was in a very exposed position and high enough off the deck that a fall would at least be life-altering. In one instance, my partner grabbed my harness and asked what I was doing. In the others I realized quickly what I'd done and clipped back in. So thankfully no accidents. In all but one of the cases there was a messy anchor that likely contributed to my mistake.

     

    I don't read ANAM every year, but there are plenty of patterns that keep repeating that I'm very aware of and try to guard against.

     

  3. I feel so bad for the partners. IMHO, we must not write these off as "I would never do that" because you could. People do every year. It just takes a single error or moment of inattention at the wrong time, or sometimes it's just bad luck. So we learn what we can, try to be careful, and keep climbing.

  4. pretty hard to do those things in doors though...

     

    Actually, it's very easy to do indoors. You can put removable bolts in t-nuts on any climbing wall and set up ropes, anchors, and everything you need to learn, test, practice, and experience different set-ups.

  5. Truly tragic. I grieve for this young man, for his friends, and for his partners who will remember those few seconds for the rest of their lives.

     

    Gyms need to give ALL young climbers FREE basic training in rappelling, cleaning anchors, and other basic safety skills. There have been too many of these tragedies in recent years.

  6. 'Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.

    A little voice inside my head said:

    "Don't look back, you can never look back."

    I thought I knew what love was.

    What did I know?

    Those days are gone forever.

    I should just let 'em go, but...

  7. This is like the great Agatha Christie book And Then There Were None, which in turn was inspired by the poem below:

     

    Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine;

    One choked his little self and then there were nine.

     

    Nine little Soldier Boys sat up very late;

    One overslept himself and then there were eight.

     

    Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon;

    One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.[8]

     

    Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks;

    One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

     

    Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive;

    A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

     

    Five little Soldier Boys going in for law;

    One got in Chancery and then there were four.

     

    Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea;

    A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

     

    Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo;

    A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

     

    Two little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun;

    One got frizzled up and then there was one.[9]

     

    One little Soldier Boy left all alone;

    He went out and hanged himself and then there were none

  8. You might want to check out the stroke thread dude... :crazy:

     

    Not likely. There are two kinds of strokes: ischemic (loss of oxygen to the brain, which is usually due to arterial vessel blockage) and hemorrhagic (bleeding). Both cause irreversible damage in proportion to the size/area affected. As a long shot, this could be a temporary vessel occlusion (blockage) that is released within minutes of stopping the descent. That would be very unlikely. Add that no permanent effects have yet been detected and it seems even more unlikely to explain this. Maybe Dr Phil can help...

  9. Holy crap. I learned something from you guys!

    Thx much. Rad

     

    ps. Once you've solved this mystery try to figure out why I get double vision during long pounding descents but not during any other high exertion times. It sometimes gets to the point where I have to cover one eye to keep from being confused about where to put my foot. Not fun, but it goes away within 20 minutes of stopping. There is no pain or other symptoms, and doesn't seem to be affected by ibuprofen, extra hydration, food, or electrolytes. I haven't been able to induce it using any other exercise mode. Very odd. Hasn't changed in severity in the past 8 years.

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