John Frieh

Geordie check you pms.

Are you comfortable soloing 4th class/low 5th class? You might want to consider looking into that: it will only keep you safer in the mtns. Just a thought.

When you say aspirin and garlic tablets; are you referring to daily dosage or only on climb days? I would disagree with aspirin on a daily basis. I'm not saying that it doesn't work (I couldn’t tell you), but it can have some long term effects on target organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) depending on your current health as well as genetics issues. I personally haven't seen any literature on aspirin and cold adaptation; bronco or danielpatricksmith: why and or where did you see that aspirin works? Or do you take it more for headache/muscle ache?

I checked pace setters northwest web page (www.pacesetternw.com); the term they use to describe videotaping someone running is Videotaped Gait Analysis in which they "evaluate your rear foot kinematics to find the appropriate category of stability for you." Biofeedback? Kinematics? It probably really doesn't matter... I agree with Michael that adapting is probably the best layman term. Additionally, he raises some good cautionary points regarding the chance to get sick and gradually is generally the best ways to proceed with something (especially new forms of training... you don't run a marathon on your first try). I think the take home message is yes your body can gradually adapt to colder conditions. Obviously getting out there in it is always best, but a number of alternatives exist. Whichever one you choose to implement; do so gradually. And don't hesitate to solicit this page for suggestions and slander.

Yes and no. I don't know how long you've been climbing, but if has been a few season, perhaps you've noticed that you can take/wear less and less on each trip? The generic term for this is biofeedback (at least that is the title under which I have read about/seen it). Its like the first time you ran a half marathon; you though you were going to die. The second time was a little easier and next thing you know that distance is trivial to you. Same with cold; you body 'learns' to deal with it. I would go into the science of it, but it is lengthy and advanced. As far as taking supplements yohimbe root has been shown to promote blood vessle growth. Twight I think covers this one along with everything else under the sun. National geographic had a good documentary on it awhile back about this Russian woman who swam and swam in progressively colder water until finally she set a record by doing a mile up near the north pole (the water temp was basically freezing when she did it). The doctor they had on the show talked about what would happen if you or I tried it without training for it (basically die in a few minutes), but she was able to do it by training. I also remember reading that Herman Buhl would run with snowballs in his hands to train. If you are truely hardcore, I guess you could start taking ice showers (and a million other things you could do to simulate alpine life... hell rent out a meatlocker). While we are on the subject, a good alternative I recommend is put on all your goretex and such (pack, etc.) and stand in the shower (cold or course) with the lights off and practive tying figure eights, etc. with mitts on. Good times and a learning experience! Something I try and do (besides climb a lot in the winter) is just run in the cold with not a lot on (usually shorts, shirt and beanie is all I take), it makes your body learn to conserve heat and makes you keep a faster pace as if you slow down you don't generate enough to stay warm.

Honestly once I knew the lady and my brother were fine, I couldn't stop laughing about the whole thing. I called my parents (who also laughed) and all my friends in town. They all came over and enjoyed a good laugh over a cup of coffee. Good times were had by all.

And finally this one's dedicated to the AARP! Eat it! Sorry I had to attach these (instead of posting them); if someone wants to post them that would be great!

And the outside view. You can kinda see what remains of the brick flowerbed and window.

My new living room wall: mural anyone? Note the amazing power of duct tape and my restored lazy boy.

The aftermath: this is what stopped her from making me a hood ornament.

One last street view

More street view

Street view

Alternate view

My living room in all its glory

This is the view from my bedroom.

Finally! First and foremost I aplogize for the quality; the copy from the slide wasn't as good as I hoped and as it's deadweek here it's in my best interests to log some library time instead of fiddling in photoshop all evening. You can find these photos in my gallery also. Never the less for your viewing enjoyment: my saturday morning.

Did you get a manager? Sometimes you need to go back a number of times before you don't get one. And say something like "so and so told me this was acceptable over the phone and even if the person comes over and says they didn't, get ugly: carry on about how far you had to drive after someone promised this was fine, etc. etc. And which store are you going to? The bigger the better generally. Good luck!

User of this site (at least me.. who knows the rest of you might be physic) will be able to much more definitively answer this question if you detail your intentions/aspirations with these tools: Alpine or waterice only or mixed climbing (or all three)? If alpine, plan on plunging the shaft? Will you carry a third tool? Plan on going leashless or removable leashes? Hand size (big, small, just right)? Bigger or smaller person (i.e. are you strong enough to swing heavy tools)?

Best time I heard was car to car in 6 hours. Generally people manage this climb in a day, but there are newbies out there unfamiliar with going light and fast, simulclimbing (which isn't necessary but will greatly reduce time on route), route finding, etc. so the best answer I can give is it depends on you. I could give you a better answer if you could provide some other climbs with times you have done.

Yes, I have seen it a few times: 98/99, 99/00, and this year. Gappy in places though. It's definately done for this year; we'll need another good year before you see that one again. What are you looking for and how far are you willing to drive? Perhaps I could recommend some alternatives/better choices than that one (even in OR). Let me know. And to answer everyone's questions: No I don't have pics. Sorry! The patroler's name is Andrius; he was head patroller at Willamette for a number of years (late 90's); the true definition of dirtbag: six months climbing, six months skiing. Perhaps some others have meet him? I haven't skiied at Willamette much since relocating to Corvallis from Eugene so I don't know if he is still there (anyone?). As far as which side to ski off of the ridge: West. Hope I answered everything!

Good catch! It wasn't until after I got her relocated to our lawn did I return inside to don some shorts and pick glass out of my hand. Perhaps she caught sight of prince al... oh man... lawsuit.

They wrote her a ticket for something stupid like failure to stay in ones' lane or some shit. Honestly, I feel like she has enough to worry about (insurance rates) that she doesn’t need a ticket on top of it. The only good thing about the ticket is that it requires her too retake a driving test to get her license reinstated (which I agree is a good thing). I'll be honest; I wasn't paying too much attention to the proceedings as I was distracted by seeing my upstairs neighbor in her p.j.'s (its morning wood... I swear! Speaking of which, has there been a thread that discussed morning horsecock/the existence of? Hmmm… ) I should mention that I should have pictures sometime Tuesday night/Wednesday for all to enjoy. And in other news, I spent a portion of the day perfecting my one foot/one hand climbing technique in the gym. I have never achieved a pump so great on a 5.6 before.

damn son you're funny! Here's to you

Just in case you couldn't tell I was joking about the bibler, ice tools, etc. The only real shit that was smashed was my furniture, but being a student you can guess how expensive it was. My landlord and I were joking about all the things I had "damaged beyond recognition" that we hoped to put on the insurance claim... who knows... maybe I will get a new tent and a flat screen out of this... mmm bibler.