miladugga

Hey Off! Am I right in assuming it's going to be too wet for tonight? The sun is out in Tumwater, but everything is pretty soaked.

Kewl!

Looking like I'll see you there, unless Off made the rain go around Tenino.

Sorry, right you are, I meant as opposed to toproping off the anchors only, so you get a feel for finding a stance for placing or removing the draws. I don't know if he has only climbed in a gym or what.

I didn't do much toproping before my first lead, but did quite a bit of following and cleaning so that I got a feel for dealing with the gear or quickdraws. My first lead was a 5.8 at Smith. My advice is to pick climbs that are well protected with no long runouts or ledges if you fall, a grade or two below your ability until you get comfortable with the mental aspects of leading. Even on sport routes leading is quite different from toproping. Practice clipping quickly on the ground, make sure you know how the rope should run (don't invert) and be clear on how you are going to deal with the anchors and get down. Have fun!

I tried the accelerade too, and couldn't stomache it after awhile. Switched to chocolate milk and thats going pretty well.

I disagree with your self characterization, except the white legs, that's true. But it's only July, summer hasn't started yet!

Hey, Happy Birthday Off, we can celebrate with Squirt Theory tomorrow!

Cool video and i liked the music.

Back early from the Tieton- Quarry night tonight???

Went there Thursday, it was actually very fun, once you got over the expectation that the holds couldn't possibly stay on. In the company of a couple of other duffers we did most of the 5.8s and 5.9s on Boyal Bobbins, and the 5.9 and 10a around the corner, and everything stayed on. Fun climbing, longish walk in but easy.

I'm in, what time are peeps arriving?

I've been there and agree it's a terrible place, don't go! BTW, has anybody seen the Yoder guide for sale recently, I was looking for one and can't find it? Out of print I suppose. I've got the Washington Rock Climbs.

Just because we went there in a VW bus doesn't mean we're hippies. Or does it? I second what Off said, great trip! Really nice rock, and the uncredited routes on the gof course were super well thought out and thoughtfully bolted. Thanks to whoever did that. I'm still amazed we didn't see a single other climber there all weekend. You eastside guys are spoiled! Can't wait to go back and try some of the other areas.

Hey Jibby, let me know if you find my grigri, I haven't seen it since I was there a couple of weeks ago. Probably under the seat in the car...

Just what I was told, but apparently not correct. It looks like the published drop tests are to reassure on the quality control issues they had. Cool.

I recently borrowed a set of older aliens and really liked them. So I was all excited about getting some until I was told that CCH went out of business, and I read the various posts and product updates about recalls, etc. My question is, I'm seeing them in some online catalogues, and I'm confused. Is CCH in business? Are the ones I'm seeing old stock, new models, or what? Is there another brand that replaced their market niche, or that people like?

I'm out for tonight, working on the deck and the garden. Thanks for Monday though, Off, it was awesome. 7 pitches in two hours and I was done, have to build up some endurance. Speaking of holds breaking off, I thought Hercules had lost it's starting holds, then realized it was just harder then I remembered! Yikes!

OK, so I got a singing rock locker for rope soloing, it works great. I tried it off my regular harness, pretty good, but I also aquired a petzl chest harness to try that. Here's my question- do I girth hitch a sling to my belay loop, run it up and through a quick link on the chest harness and then to the ascender? Sorry to be a dumbass, but I'd like to get this right. Typically I wouldn't tie in to my belay loop, so just wondering...

OK, so here's how it goes for me when I try to be "helpful." I'm at X38, we did rock, with a guy I met at the rock gym, first time outside together but he seems to know what he's doing. A couple of young guys show up and start doing a 5.9 next to us, perfectly competent, but I notice one of them rappels off just one bolt. I think about this thread for awhile then strike up a conversation, turns out it's his second time out. I politely suggest he use two anchors when he lowers off, and he says yeah, his partner told him that too, so I back right off. Lo and behold, 5 minutes later my new partner is setting up to rap down and HE DROPS THE ROPE!!! Turns out he thought he tied a loop and clipped it before untying, but apparently didn't, and doesn't usually tie a knot after passing the rope through the anchors.(!?)I'm surprised, he can't reach the rope which has stopped at the clip 10 feet below, and I have to ask the "noobs" I had just straightened out if they would pretty please either traverse over from their climb and hand my partner the rope or belay me up to him. They were considerate enough to get our rope, and nice enough not to tell us we should be careful not to drop it again. Sheesh!

I have to work tonight (boo hoo!) but if you get rained out I would be up for Sunday or Monday at the quarry!

Stewster- The easy ones I've done at Tieton Royal Columns were Western Front, Rough Boys, Slacker, Good Timer, Double Trouble, The Apprentice, Nimrod's Nemesis, and Nimble Novice. All in the 5.3 to 5.6 range, and all were fine, although the 5.6 climbs were harder than expected for my poor sportclimber based abilities. At the Bend I did Ed's Jam 5.8 which went fine, but Alar 5.8 was at my limit and I bailed off First Blood 5.8 when I ran out of the right sized gear and had to lower off trembling and sobbing.

Hey, I'm also a newbie at trad and trying to get better. I've done GNS, Aries and the twin cracks 5.8 right of toxic shock, and they were all fine. If possible, and I know this is a bit far afield, but I just got back from 4 days in red rocks and it was great for working on trad leads. The climbing at the grade we were doing (5.6 and 5.7) was super easy, which allowed me to concentrate on placing gear from good stances and figuring out the changeovers. I came back with a much better idea how I wanted my rack and much faster at the belays. If you can get down there try Cat in the Hat, Johnny Vegas, or Solar Slab. On the other hand, the weekend before I went to Tieton and shredded my hands and was totally gripped on a 5.8.

The GROOVE is in the heart. Dig! (Deee-lite)

Trigger point massage therapy works pretty well