Ireneo_Funes

OK, how about Mt. Hood from NE Portland? Kickin it wit my homies drinkin forties on the curb Scopin out the ladies and smokin up some herb Wit the gold around my neck you know it's all good Wit my crampons and my ice axe fixin to climb Mt. Hood. See, white boys can hit it gangsta-style too! Don't be hatin', y'all.

Or maybe the new gym's being built under that bridge in Corvallis? See the Pictures!

You just can't beat Leonard Cohen. Everybody knows that the dice are loaded Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed Everybody knows that the war is over Everybody knows the good guys lost Everybody knows the fight was fixed The poor stay poor, the rich get rich That's how it goes Everybody knows Everybody knows that the boat is leaking Everybody knows that the captain lied Everybody got this broken feeling Like their father or their dog just died Everybody talking to their pockets Everybody wants a box of chocolates And a long stem rose Everybody knows

Where the money from the fees goes is important, but it's not the crux of the problem, which is that we're being charged fees to access land that should be open to everyone. I don't think any fee is "fair and reasonable." In fact, if there's going to be a fee, I think it'd be great if they did raise it to $100, or even better, $200. Make it a thousand bucks! Then folks who don't think a $25 fee is worth protesting would maybe get some backbone and take a stand against it.

But do statistics=fate? I hope not!

Whether this bullshit pass costs $25, $85, $100, whatever is beside the point. These are public lands, and we shouldn't need to pay a fee to access them. That's all there is to it. Whether or not the money will end up going toward private companies contracted to "manage" our public lands is also beside the point, though it would add insult to injury.

Great photos. Perfect antidote to this grim weather.

C'mon, details!

I'm not going to admit to any Humbert Humbert fantasies, but "The Professional" is one of my favorite movies.

The first record I ever bought was Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits. I was nine, and didn't know any better. I agree with DFA that greatest hits albums are lame for the most part. When a band I like puts out a greatest hits album it's a sad time for me, 'cause I know the good times are over. That said, I still listen to my Misfits greatest hits CD, so I guess I'm a wanker.

That is strange!

Mike, did you draw up the acclumidization tables for this expedition yet? This isn't a pay-to-climb deal, is it?

Jethro Tull reunion concert on Mars?

"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men/Gang aft agley" That's how the old saying goes. Just so you know.

More law enforcement, Italian style...Genoa 2001. Working for the clampdown.

That's too bad, Carolyn. When I lived in Minneapolis, First Ave was the place to see bands play (even though I personally liked the 400 Bar & the Turf Club better). I have a lot of memories from shows in the mainroom & the seventh street entry... I think the first time I went there was to see Soul Asylum do a show in the entry back in like '88 or something. It was always a big deal when a friend's band got a show in the mainroom, even if they were just opening. From the StarTrib article it sounds like Steve McClellan & another guy might try to start a new club in the same space...hope that works out.

Maureen Dowd's got a good editorial in this morning's NY times... The Red Zone Personally, I hate the idea of the Dems shifting further to the right to woo the kind of voters that think that gay marriage and abortion are more important issues than the disaster in Iraq.

I totally agree with your first 4 suggestions. Especially #1.

Nice pictures, guys. Kinda makes me want to climb in the snow again.

Thanks guys, good information. Good idea on the quicklink vs. the pearbiner; I probably wouldn't have thought of that. I've heard that some people back themselves up by tying knots in a separate line (could be the other half of the rope you're climbing on if the pitch isn't more than 25-30m) and clipping into them. Seems like this would be smoother than tying backup knots mid-climb in the rope you're using to belay yourself. Any of you use a separate line for backup?

Thanks Bill S. & Bill C. I just got a gri-gri and like the idea of getting some different uses out of it as long as it's reasonably safe. What's the big advantage of the soloist or the silent partner over the gri-gri?

I want to figure out a good system for self-belaying on a solo TR setup. What do you folks who do a lot of solo toproping use for a belay? I've known folks who used a GriGri or a ropeman. I even saw a guy using a prussik once with no backup, which I thought was a little sketchy.

I think there's 2 ways to do the 2nd pitch. The way I've done it is to go up the gully from the cave to the bench. I think there's a couple bolts in the gully, but I put in one or 2 stoppers too. I think there's also a bolt line that goes up left from the cave to the base of the spire -- maybe that's the way you did Pitch 2, Iain?