SemoreJugs

August 2, 2009

Just stopped by the store and found out they are closing up for good. Very sad. The entire second floor is wiped clean. They will be done in September.

Everything is 25% off the lowest price in the store. I'm sure the firesale will happen in a few weeks.

They still have some decent stoves, sleeping bags, packs, boots, jackets left in limited sizes. Tents are almost gone. Of course they mostly have clothing left.

Climbing gear is pretty spotty. Mostly biners and cord. vasak crampons, 2 mammut helmuts, and some belay devices.

Good luck getting the last one (s)!

August 2, 2009

Asking to check your bag is understandable when a store has many items worth 100s of dollars that you can stuff in there when using the dressing room. Its a lot better than them asking to search your bag before you leave. The fact is, there are people who jack merchandise, and they dont wear "thief" uniforms.

If you want to forego the demeaning bag-check, you could always champion the idea of a theft-offset-collection-jar. You put a couple of bucks into it when you enter the store so you can enjoy the convenience of being able to carry your bag around. This way , the dont lose any money from the thefts that will indeed occur.

nhluhr, get over yourself and stop expecting the entire world to treat you like your shit is made of brown gold.

May 27, 2009

Went to Tieton. There seemed to be LESS people than normal at this time of year!!! Maybe we got lucky.

Fri-The Bend

Sat - Lava Point

Sun - Rainbow Rocks (that trail aint no rainbow for sure)

Mon - Royal Columns

So YEAH!

May 21, 2009

Smith is going to be like an ant colony at the main area.

Vantage will be overrun by Sasquach campers, fecal matter, and trash. And its too hot now IMHO.

Squamish camping may be tough, but I have never had a problem getting away from the crowds even on perfect summer weekends. The drive is going to be super congested, though.

Leavenworth? not sure, but again, there are plenty of places to go hide from the commoners

And Tieton, it is pretty much devoid of any other users except for climbers. Theres always places to camp off of the logging roads, if you know where to look (or have the patience to search).

Happy Memorial Day! Remember to pour some beer on the ground for those soldiers that gave their lives so that we can enjoy our secure, free lifestyle!

May 21, 2009

Holy crap snowman! Thats some dense political / civic info.

I started doing the head nod about 1/3 of the way down the post, however. Its complicated (and rigged) crap like that keeps the public at bay from participating in our "democracy".

May 21, 2009

So which climbing destination is going to be the most overrun by obnoxious top-roping squatters, overflowing campgrounds, human waste, dogs that aren't controlled by their owners, and noisy groups that want to make sure everyone else's experience is tainted by their existence?

May 11, 2009

We rolled outta Portland at 8am, dicked around watching the 1st party atop P4, climbed our route, and were off and out before the 1st party topped out, home before 9.

Dirty Sanchez was a fun 1/8 of a day in the hills! Pretty solid rock all in all.

Such humility.

May 7, 2009

If you accidentally grabbed them (thinking they were yours), my name was written on them in bold sharpie. No questions asked if you return them. I should note that I have really stinky feet and you will wish you never put them on!

Thanks

May 7, 2009

I have never understood it when the public can not sleep on public lands without paying. The BLM and Forest Service lands are mostly the only pieces of public lands which remain for the people.

I understand charging fees for campgrounds with major improvements such as usually on duty host, bathrooms with running water, thrash collection, etc. But there also needs to be places where the public can go to "rough it" and avoid these fees so long as they keep their impact minimal.

I was talking to the only climbing ranger (I think Julian is his name) at Smith Rock in early April. He was lamenting about how he is incredibly bogged down by his duties. This guy has lots of administrative paperwork like fee collection at the climbers bivy and parking lots, police the entire park and deal with YEAHOOS, and lots more.

Essentially, the park is grossly understaffed. The only help he gets are the people that clean the bathrooms and remove trash. I'm not sure if they are even paid. The problem is that Smith Rock State Park does not receive enough state funds. I don't understand this as it is a fairly crowded park relative to its footprint. Oregon legislators needs to get its act together and recognize this.

On the other hand, Skull Hollow is on federally owned lands. The fed has much deeper pockets than Oregon State. I dont think its too much to ask for the BLM to pay for trash removal and human waste from the pit toilets. This is a drop in the bucket compared to up keeping a mile of interstate road, approx $240,000 dollars per year!

I dont know what the man hours are involved to "upkeep" the grounds in its present state, but I'm guessing maybe its no more than 20 hours per week. Someone correct me if I am way of. If you pay someone $20 per hour, which is pretty good for fairly unskilled labor, that breaks down to $20,000 per year. I dont see how the salary would be higher. Add in another $10,000 for fuel and dumping costs. I dont know how many "sites" are at Skullhollow, they arent that well-defined unless you only count picnic tables and firepits. I am guessing from 25-30. Lets assume an average of 15 are occupied per night over the course of a year. If you charge $5 per site, then you raise $27,000 per year in fees. Well, that's less than the overhead.

But wait, if you impose a fee, than you need someone to spend additional time collecting the fees, writing tickets, policing the campgrounds to enforce rules, etc. Now you added in a lot more man-hours. At least 4 per day x 7 days per week = 28 hours

28 hours x $20 = $480

$480 per week x 52 weeks per year = $25,000

Well, thats roughly equal to the amount that the fees cover. There is no net gain into reducing the overhead and it is likely to only increase.

I believe my assumed numbers lean to the conservative side as well. Whenever I am there, during the climbing season, the campground is at or near capacity. I am guessing it is less in the summer and winter, but there are always some of the trailer types in the summer, and hunters in the winter.

So what does this mean? For the user, there is no real benefit to a $5 fee. For the state, there is no less burden on the budget. This only means one thing, a $5 fee makes no sense. Therefore, shortly after someone does the accounting, they will realize that the fees will have to be increased.

Sorry for the bad news. The only way I would even consider paying a fee is if they banned the damned generators. Or at least they should allow public beatings for those who run them after 11PM.

April 26, 2009

seattle-tacoma craigslist > eastside > labor gigs

Thanks for flagging.

Yard work (Hunts Point)

Reply to: gigs-ywccq-1070196636@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Date: 2009-03-11, 9:30AM PDT

I need someone to work around my yard for a day. I have ten yards of gravel to shovel and wheelbarrow about 150'. That should take about 2 hours. After that, one of the wings on my house needs to be re-roofed. It is only about 20' x 30'. By the time that is done, it should be about perfect for you to prepare me a delicious lunch. After I eat my lunch, I would like you to pleasure me.

When I am done, back to work you go! I have four large fir trees that I would like taken down, and cut and chopped into fire wood. I have a hatchet for you to use to turn the branches into mulch. After that, you can go home.

I am sick and tired of people charging me too much, and doing too little. Minimum wage is $3.35, so I will pay you $35.00 for the day, assuming you get it all done. We will figure out what you owe me for anything that doesn't get done.

Location: Hunts Point

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Compensation: no pay

PostingID: 1070196636

April 26, 2009

huh?

April 26, 2009

Way to grab the last of ascent of OS! Was gonna hit that next weekend too, doh!

Good luck baby raptors. If you can eat ticks, you are gonna love it on that ledge!

April 25, 2009

I can see how you would think they were simply abandoned on Abo.

I think it was kind of lazy for the climber to leave them to begin with, considering its not that hard to remove draws on that route --- everyone else seems to. We are talking about a heavily trafficked sport climb, not fixed lines on a big wall.

Anyway, I think there is little to fault you with since you are claiming responsibility and are returning them in light of the new information you learned.

That climb sees dozens of ascents most weeks. I think its pretty lame to hog up a popular sport climb with your tat expecting others to clip it and leave it be. He's lucky you didnt leave it at the base of the cliff. He likely never would have seen it again and I hope he apologizes to you.

One other curiosity Micah: You climb with another guy named Mika??? I know another Micah, if you want to become a trio ;p

April 24, 2009

I have had a few run-ins lately here with some punk-asses... here's one example. DO others care to share their stories???

I arrived at stone gardens on a Wednesday evening. I realized I didn't have my chalk bag in my pack. I figured I left it at home. Oh well, it will be a low friction day, I figure... I was at the gym two days prior with chalk bag.

Then I decide to do some bouldering. There is this guy with black curly hair, about 5'10" and medium build. Like an ugly, taller Fred Savage. Anyway, he is hogging up the curved overhanging wall when there are 4 other people waiting to climb. You know the type of guy, he does about two moves, falls, then stands 2 feet in front of the wall just kind of looking at it. about a minute goes by, he gets back on, flails, and repeats.

So I'm already aggravated, finally, he gets out of the damned way and goes to chalk up. I notice that he has a chalk bag that looks just like mine. In fact, it has a belt with a specific pattern that did not come with the chalk bag. Its my FREAKING bag.

I can't believe this douche nozzle is defiling my chalk bag! I immediately go up to him and ask, "Did you find this chalk bag?"

He is stunned. He can see the thirst for vengeance in my eyes. "Uhhhhh, I found it in the lost and found in the "old" pile"

ME: "That doesn't make sense, because I last used my bag two days ago."

DN: "Oh well, I lost my bag, I didnt see it in the lost and found, so I took this one."

ME: death stare

DN: "here"

So I get my bag back, and he leaves the area...

LAter, as I am packing up to leave (making sure I have all my possesions), I see douchenozzle walking up the stairs to the lost and found with an employee presumably poaching more lost items. WTF?

April 24, 2009