knelson

...which means they voted FOR Bush. I voted for Kerry for the exact reasons you noted: I disliked Bush's policies/friends more than Kerry's. But at least I'll sack up and admit that I voted *for* him. -kurt

Wow... I get to weigh in before Klenke hands down the verdict? Long Mountain - western most summit. If you could've panned just a little left, you would've gotten Devil's Peak/Thumb, but it's out of your shot. Stilliguamish is further right from the peak in question and farther away. I think that shadow behind the summit in question is throwing you off. It makes it look like there's more relief between the summits of Long than there actually is. -kurt

While I can't offer any opinion on the Canon, I CAN tell you I've never been unhappy with any of the Sony products I've bought. I've got both a digital still and a 8mm (Digital8) video camera from Sony, and will buy Sony again without hesitation. My only complaint are their manuals - you'd think with all their $$ they could hire just one native English speaker to proof read the English part, wouldn't you? Nothing like trying to figure out new electronics through broken Japenglish. I wouldn't worry about lack of an external mic port, if it's just for vacation stuff. Even though the Sony I have has one, I've never had a reason to use it in the 4+ years I've had it. -kurt

Yup. Let's see... $6/head and there were at LEAST 60-70 people there. And "refreshments" consist of 1 keg and 2 liters of pop? Hmmm. Perhaps they just had a bunch of last-minute ticket buyers. Oh well... FF is a great place, so I won't fuss too much about my contribution to their addition! Plus it was a fun little talk with some great photos. Thanks Mike!

Umm... don't take him? Seriously - you need some down time away from baby to somewhat regain your sanity. What better way then not having to be constantly looking over your shoulder to make sure the wee one is OK. Plus I'm sure your fellow climbers will thank you for not bringing the catterwallering little tyke (assuming he's very young) to the crags. Yeah... the breast feeding thing is a definite issue, but bring the little battery powered pump, find a little secluded corner of the crag, and pump & dump. (Yeah, yeah, yeah... let the snide comments commence.) IMO, there's just too much stuff going on at crags to really be safe. YOU might be looking out for the little one, but you'll probably be the only one, unfortunately. -kurt

Also not speaking from personal experience, but... I think you'll find different doctors with different opinions on the safety of climbing while pregnant. A friend of ours sought out a doc with climbing experience, and while I can't remember the exact recommendations, she said it was fine to climb... as long as you use good judgement. Leading is probably not too good of a thing for most, but toproping was acceptable. If I remember correctly, the main concern was the harness being over where the baby was during the later stage of pregnancy. When she gets big enough that this happens, it's time to hang up the harness - not get a bigger harness. The other physiological thing that's gonna happen is that your wife's joints are all going to loosen up at some later stage. Obviously, this is in preparation for the fact that she's gonna push a bowling ball out of her body. This joint loosening is going to make climbing a bit different as the body doesn't do the same things it used to do. Joints "clicking" when trying to do a move you've done hundreds of times before just fine, is somewhat disconcerting I've been told. This alone will probably want to make her stop, or at least minimize, her climbing. And yes... you'll have fun. As noted previously, it seems that all toddlers go through a "third person" stage. Ours did. I'm sure yours will - even without training from you! Oh yeah... and your life won't change much. -kurt

Yes. Thank you. ...or was that your input for another tired cliche?

What are you trying to do, get as many posts a Dru? im fucking possible I suppose you are - but that seems a little too philosophical for me to discuss. Sounds kinda like the first day of my Philosophy 101 class when the prof came in and the first thing out of his mouth was "How do you REALLY know that you're here?" Everyone looked at each other with that "WTF look" and finally one guy by the door got up, said "I'm NOT!" and left. Never saw him again. So yes... I suppose in one form or another, you are possible. -kurt

Wow... Muffy learns how to type/spell and everyone forgets how to read Muffese. CC.com has become quite complacent. -kurt

A third vote for "just use your 10.5 rope." Just expect the snide comments from the "climber elite" as you drag it out of your trunk. ("Wow... think that guy brought his skinny rope?!! Gfaw gfaw gfaw") IMO, you won't notice the extra weight on the climb you're doing. Now if you had some heinous, long, non-roped approach, I'd say spring for the lighter rope. -kurt

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kurt&r=f Must be that other Kurt around here. -kurt

Hey! A "new and improved" NOLSe that can poke fun at himself! And quite well, in my opinion. I bet this version goes over muuuuuuch better around here! And to answer a previous question - yes, you were correct. It was the perceived chestbeating thing, and not a biner fetish that was the issue. -kurt

I have a month-to-month "emergency" plan from Consumer Cellular, out of Portland. You can find them at... www.consumercellular.com ... and have been satisfied. I have an old caveman analog phone, so I don't qualify for their cheapest of the cheap plans, but they do have them for $10/month with no minutes. My parents have a "prepaid" phone from ATT (or whoever that is now.). They hate it. They travel alot (up/down West Coast) and their coverage sucks. Don't forget - if you're looking at packing it in the mountains, analog will far outperform digital as far as coverage - even though analogs will be dead in a few years. -kurt

"It's not polite to point?" Nah... too long. "Pink Digit?" Nah... too ambiguous. "Pull This?" ...still too ambiguous. It's out there somewhere. -kurt

Well, since we're in the area, how 'bout Spuzzum? "Now entering Spuzzum" blink "Now leaving Spuzzum"

As a father of a just-turned 4 year old, I can say that it only gets better! Sorry. -kurt

ZOWIE!!! At least the "things learned" list was pretty good and comprehensive, and not just "Remember to leave earlier." -kurt

The National Weather Service's forecast "discussions" have recently started adding aviation information at the end of the discussion. Western Washington's discussion is here.. http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/disc_report.html (This is a feed from the UW, but if you poke around the NWS/NOAA website, you should be able to find it also.) Most of the time, they give you figures for cloud ceiling. -kurt

Wouldn't that be "pay-per-peeeeuuuu?" And where is "faster_than_poo" with their thoughts on the matter? -kurt

Let me rephrase... ...just many boring afternoons AT WORK wondering... -kurt And just to head off the obvious thread wander, NO, I am NOT employed by the US Government or any form of civil service.

No film... just many boring afternoons wondering, "How the hell does he DO that? Does he have the ability to rotate that thing like an F16 afterburner nozzle?" -kurt

You're bringing Guiness... aren't you? -kurt PS... But seriously - punching through weak layers of snow into a boulder/talus field below are good reason to ponder whether you should continue or not. Sounds like you have a good "inner voice." I'd recommend waiting to see what the weather is like just before you go. If it's gorgeous - go. From what you've described here, you'll make it to Muir... you've got all day. If the weather isn't so hot, then make your decision.

I have seen evidence of this before as well, yet the logistics still baffle the mind. Is the debris boomerang-shaped? 1. Small-assed person who does not completely cover hole in toilet seat. 2. High pressure/low volume flow out of said small-assed person. 3. Low density flow material at appropriate angle to actually bounce off water in toilet and fly up and out of gap between seat and small-assed persons' person. This - I believe - can explain the things that I've seen that STILL cause me to wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. -kurt

No statistics to back it up, but from my recollection Memorial Day weekend has notoriously bad weather for the mountains. That combined with the "we only have these days to climb factor" don't make it a very friendly weekend up there. But then I've never done it at all, so what am I to say. -kurt

GO! Or at least don't rule it out at this point. Granite can be frustrating to a newbie in the right conditions... and rightly so. But Muir in June, in good weather... phhhh. Not to understate the dangers in nasty weather, but the hike to Muir is just one foot in front of the other over a gently rising snowfield. No scary exposed traversing... in fact NO traversing. (I'm thinking of Granite, taking the SE ridge up to the lookout... kinda steep traverse with big pile of rocks below you - was THAT where you stopped?) While I understand listening to the "inner voice", it seems a bit early to bail. Just my nickels' worth. -kurt