assmonkey

I just read El Capitan: Historic Feats and Radical Routes by Daniel Duane and it whet my appetite for more. What are your book recommendations for a comprehensive history of climbing in Yosemite from the first technical rock ascents to the present day? TIA, -assmonkey

Nobody mentioned the Clamshell area. There are several easy 5.6 and 5.7 routes on the formation that could keep you busy for the afteroon. Plus, a couple bolted sport routes in the 10 range between the cracks. Tends to get crowded on weekends though.

I second this. Not only does leaving the guide book at home open new possibilities, it's fun to spend the afternoon with friends grading routes based on how they climb, as opposed to just accepting the rating in the guide book. I find to that I am more willing to hop on something if it looks 'doable' than I might if I know the "official" grade and I think I'm not climbing at that grade that day. This will sound silly, but I love hopping on boulder problems or routes in the gym before the routesetter tapes up the little sheet with the really clever route name. It's cool to look at the route or problem, guess the grade, and then hop on to see if you're in the right neighborhood. Then, in a day or two, you can see how far off your rating was from the routesetter's rating.

What, is this masturbate to "Goldline" week? Yeah, yeah, Chweenard, Jardine, Bridwell, Watts, Ament, Becky: undeniable masters, progressive thinkers that created new boundaries, yeah, yeah. But... Kurt Smith. (Free your mind.) Lynn Hill. (Free everything.) Alex Lowe. ("Bringing Alex is cheating!") Mark Twight. (The recent impossible.) Chris Sharma. (New number grade. Won't claim it. Damn.) Dean Potter & Steve House. (The new impossible.) These are the names that I associate most with influencing the progression of American climbing over the last 12 years, climbers pushing the realm of what was thought acceptable, probable or possible.

EAT BALLS FUCKWORM! I am the ONE TRUE aSSMONKEY! All other aSSMONKEYs pale in comparison.

True story: Once last summer, I was over by Freeway Gun Show, and I heard gunshots, and shit started falling all around us, and I freaked out because I thought the rednecks were shooting at the rocks above us. Turns out it was just Leland trudling shit off the ledge that his new 5.10s ended at. He had no idea we were below him.

Go read everything that Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz has written over his storied career, and the actions of the current administration will begin to make a little more sense. W. is a born-again, but not all neocons are born-again. Religion is just a convenient framework to drape over foreign policy decsions. Start here, and note the date (pre-9/11).

Think the carpet matches the drapes? Tammy Faye Messner gestures during an interview with talk show host Larry King, as she announces her recent diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer, on CNN's 'Larry King Live' in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 18, 2004. Messner, 62, told one caller that she 'believes in miracles' and told another that she is considering holistic medicine in addition to chemotherapy to treat her cancer. (AP Photo/CNN, Rose M. Prouser)

Television and the Crisis of Democracy. You can get hardcopy at Amazon or your local used book store.

They help you find shit. You should just hand them your list when you get into the store and tell them you'll meet them at the checkout counter.

I would try to bang Mary. Was that the question?

Doesn't anyone ski-pole self-arrest anymore? http://www.sarinfo.bc.ca/Library/Skills/polestop.skl If the exposure is such that a fall could potentially kill me, I opt for an axe-points combo. But if I'm looking at just a long slide, I plan to arrest with my poles. And, when I'm skiing, I plan on using my edges as my self-arrest tool. And--let's be honest here--Assmonkey isn't extremo skier dude. I just like to make my fat ass tele turns on moderate bc slopes, and don't do much skiing at all on glaciers with open holes. Not much at stake for me, I guess. Certainly not worth investing in whippets. Plus, I am sure I would poke myself with those frickin' things on the way down. I just looked at them, too. My 10 year old Leki's (model was called "Lawisond EXTREME," no kidding!) just died, so I upgraded to those sweet orange and blue BD flicklock poles. I just love technological advances.

Apparantly not as fun or challenging as wife swapping, did anyone do this in '00? http://www.charlesbeene.com/voteswap04.html

I dunno. He had 5.10s before but never liked 'em. Not that you asked, but I'm on my 3rd pair of Mythos. I love those things. Every time I blow them out, I try on everything else available, and nothing fits as well as the Mythos. I used to wear Boreal exclusively, but they changed something a few years back, and they didn't fit my foot anymore.

My roommate just picked up a pair of the black velcro-styled slippers last week. He loves them. They are slip lasted, and he says they're very responsive. He's only used them indoors so far. Based on his recommendation, I'm actually thinking of getting a pair. They are currently "value" priced, presumably to build a customer base.

He's vain and dishonest about his vanity: Link. He's a gold digger: Link. He's out of touch with the populace (Kerry was a Yalie and a member of Skull and Bones (1966), just like Bush I and II): Link. He's wishy-washy: Link. He's got a bad rep on his home turf: Link. He's a career politician: Link. Plus, he looks French: Link. The RNC will crush him by virtue of the above list, and more. If this is truly a fight for votes from those who occupy the middle of the political spectrum, Kerry doesn't have a chance. They are the demographic that is most susceptible to standard RNC smear campaign tactics. He's been around too long and has too many skeletons to effectively run against the Shrubbies: Link. I could be wrong on this. Clinton proved that being a douchebag does not mean political death. But I have my hopes set very low. Plus, don't forget that Osama bin Laden will be captured and put on display sometime in the August to October timeframe, thus propelling Bush's approval ratings through the roof. Anyway, given a choice between Bush, Kerry and Nader, I would probably vote Nader. But I heard yesterday on NPR that Nader has officially declined a presidential bid in '04, so you guys are in luck.

Fucking hilarious interview, check it out here. He talks about other stuff too. Glenn Plake is still the master ruler!

More hints toward the August to October timeframe. Link.

Indeed.

I'm sure I'll take some shit for this one. Yes this is a bolted route. I like the picture, though. Call it "Welcome to Seattle," or something.

That, indeed, is the implication. At least the second part of your statement. I have faith that SpecOps have him in sight and they're just doggin' him and wearing him down until, say, the August to October timeframe.

Or, so the headline will read. My guess is in, say, the August to October timeframe? Article.

Ok, assmonkey will bite. Uhm, yeah, so where, exactly, did you procure the aforementioned "NEW SMITH ROCK GUIDE ?" This interests assmonkey. Is it out yet, soon? Or should I go ask this here?

No offense intended, I actually cut and pasted from here. I am very glad. I think this frickin' rocks. Here's to Rep. Delvin and Andy Fitz: Thank you! Great to see the process working!

Assmonkey was poking around on this site (pretty cool site, I might add) and found that HB 1195 (text here) was passed into law last year. I did a brief search of cc.com and didn't find any posts related to this bill. Does anyone know what are the ramifications of this new amendment to the law? It appears that this absolves private landowners of any liability incurred by rock climbers on their property. It even specifically uses the language, "fixed anchors," and the fact that fixed anchors will no longer be considered an "attractive nuisance." Assmonkey is neither lawyer nor politician (I actually work for a living) but I wonder why, a) this was submitted in the first place by a R from Olympia and b) why it was passed with little fanfare or protest (House passed with unanimous vote, Senate passed with 2 Nays). I think it is a great development for Washington climbers, it should open up for development a lot of rock that is on private property by freeing landowners from liability issues. But, the conspiracy theorist in assmonkey can't help but wonder, what does The Honorable Jerome Delvin stand to gain from championing this change in the law? Is he simply a climber who wants to open up more climbing opportunities in Washington? (If that's the case, Prost.) Or is there some nefarious business plan in the works to capitalize off of this new law, similar to the proposal that has been talked about around Smith Rock State Park for years. (As an historical aside, the Oregon politician that unsuccessfully--so far, anyway--tried to rezone the farmland around Terrebonne so that he could build a giant golf course/spa retreat in the shadow of Monkey Face also happens to be a land owner in the area and stands to gain quite a bit from the deal, hence my suspicion of the movtives behind HB 1195. And if that info about SRSP is out of date, please update assmonkey.) At the very least perhaps we will see more "Pay to climb" areas around the state similar to Carver Bluff near Portland, Oregon. Interestingly, the text of the new law allows property owners to charge $25 to people--even volunteers--who access their land. Maybe that's the jig? Property owners around the state who own land that was heretofor deemed 'useless' because of the big rocky cliffs will now be able to generate revenue off of climbers by charging access fees--on an annual, monthly or even daily basis--to get on the cliffs? If I read the text correctly landowners will be able to charge access fees and be absolved of any responsibility for the safety of the routes they are charging climbers to access. Thoughts? Does the Access Fund have an opinion on this?