Sherri

Kute! Happy T-Day to you too! :kisss:

I was kicking around the idea of Index on Sat. Reckon it'll be dry?

Not meaning to sound optimistic about your unemployment prospects, but if you're still looking for someone with whom to climb whatever on warm weekdays next spring, I'd love to oblige.

My partner worked briefly as a paramedic/firefighter. I'm sure she'd be glad to help w/your questions, too. You can PM them to me if you want me to pass them along to her.

A big squishy belated Happy Birthday hug to you, Sobo. I hope it was a day as special as you, Hunnypie! :kisss: I know you will have a great year ahead of you. May you find new mountains to climb and new friends to climb them with(pick me, pick me!!!) And--most important--may your heart be happy and full. Here's to a year of putting all your parts to good use!

Could we please try to keep spray climbing-free? (never thought I'd have to say THAT here.... ) My tai chi teachers took up climbing a couple years ago to overcome height-anxiety; the were so enrapt by the transformative experience that they wanted all of their students to try it...the rest is history(for me). Thanks Steven and Lorelli!

Thanks for the link, Billcoe. I'd missed the news about that. I'm glad I didn't wait for Santa to bring me an SP.

I love Jerry's book. There have been many times when I have arrived at a crag(or trail intersection) and found folks looking confused trying to match up something in the other guidebooks. When I whip out Jerry's book for them to consult or compare to, the problem is always solved. I suspect he has sold more than a few books via this scenario. It speaks for itself.

I may be able to help you out. Check your PM's shortly.

Well,it IS Red Rocks, so one can easily understand why it would be hard to hang up the harness. Those little red guidebooks have been reprinted, BTW. The new editions are white, though. (Sounds like you've worn out your copy!) Dream of Wild Turkeys is on my ticklist. Just gotta work up the grades a bit more....

Small world....I bumped into Wendell(Broussard) at the Desert Rock climbing shop this spring. Don't actually know if he is still climbing, but when I saw him looked fit as a fiddle and I wouldn't doubt if he was still at it. He was most helpful in pointing us in the direction of a couple good routes to try on that trip. I've had the good fortune to regularly climb with a few of the old guard from there, and most times, THEY are waiting for ME to catch up(and that's just on the approaches. ) Tough breed, they are, and a total inspiration.

Kindling.

thanks, M! Apparently, this is not only Flat Stanley's fave trip, it was also his LAST trip. Kelly was supposed to take him to Moab with her this week, but he was nowhere to be found. Another case of "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

I'll be glad to fetch that beer for you Bug, long as I don't have to reach into any ice to get it. And long as your staying nearby here in Red Rock. Rob, you're so sweet! Much as I'd love to swing some sharp tools with you one of these days, I just don't see it happening, hun. It's not you, it's me(and my cold-temp wussiness). My Sobo knows I like it HAWT. :kisss: Thanks for sending the luv my way Jake, Feck, Rob, Tvash and Bug and helping to make this 41st a great one. Climbed "The Great Red Book" here in RR today. What a fun climb. Those liebacks were a great workout. Rawwrrr.

A great big :kisss: to all of you for your sweet birthday thoughts and wishes.! Corny as it sounds, your posts are a reminder that this place is made up of so many wonderful, real-world folks, and I feel blessed to be counted as part of this big, dysfunctional family. I am happy to report that I spent the day celebrating appropriately: climbing in beautiful Red Rock followed by toasting the occasion with dear friends here. Here's to 41 more! :brew:

Darn it, Argus, I don't think I can swing that one. Earliest I'm able to get back down there is the 13th. Was worth a shot though, so thanks for the chance. Hope you have fun! Denali, we've gotten mixed weather there in Feb. February RR trip report. I think the key may be to allow enough time for both good and bad, so you're not completely washed out if it's cold or wet for a couple days. I'm sure we'll try again this Feb, though, so let's cross fingers for the best! Would be cool to catch you there!

Thanks for the stokey, Sobo! Argus, I'm trying to get there often as possible while the wedder is good, so it's possible I'll be back there sooner rather than later. When are you going?

Anyone going to be down there w/flexible plans or room for a third? My partner for Monday may not be able to make it, and it looks like Tuesday is still wide open for me if someone needs a safe, happy partner for some moderate trad. I'll have rack, a 70m rope and my own transport/accommodation. PM me if you're interested!

Trust me, Flat Stanley had a good time there...some of the photos just didn't make it to the nephew. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

For our nephew's class project, family members were asked to take "Flat Stanley" along with them on their vacations. So, when it came our turn, we took him climbing, of course. Obligatory tourist pose: We spent the first day of our trip warming up on some of the single pitch gems at Willow Springs, where we saw a tarantula crossing the road. She was a beauty. But I'd hate to meet her in a crack! Next day, we met up with our friends Joanne and Jorge for a group-seige of Geronimo(there were six of us altogether, not counting Flat Stanley). We split into two groups of three to save some time, and it was my first time leading w/double ropes. Bill Hotz belaying me. Joanne leading 2nd pitch: Two of the climbers in our group were newbies and Geronimo is a great climb for confidence-building. Lots of big holds and generous belay ledges: Our party finished in the dark and we had a little fun w/stuck ropes and momentarily losing the trail back to Oak Creek parking lot. Thankfully, Bill's sense of direction was better than mine and he navigated us through the washes and cacti without too much lost time. Next morning, I met back up with Jorge and Joanne for my first taste of Ginger Crack, a fabulous 5.9 just to the right of the famed Chrimson Chrysalis. The approach was warm and a bit strenuous, but the climb itself was in the shade. I led the 1st and 3rd pitches, which were a fun mix of face, offwidth, and a bit of chimneying. (photo linked from Summitpost.org) The 2nd and 4th pitches were the money pitches, with plenty of stemming, long reaches, and steep jams. You can summit by doing a few more pitches, but we stopped at the top of 4th and rapped the route. Kelly styling "Chips and Salsa" at Tuna Wall the following day. I onsighted Spiderline at Willow Springs, a 5.7 single-pitch which had been on my ticklist for a while. It starts in a wide crack(which can be face climbed) to a ledge, at which point you follow the edge of the varnish. Book states it is "suprisingly well-protected," but I'm not sure I'd be so generous with my assessment of the pro. Even with slinging chicken-heads and threading varnish plates, the pro was sparse and the climbing thoughtful. Still, it was a nice route w/a 2 minute approach. I think Flat Stanley had a great trip. We did, too. : Approach notes: Southwest Airlines. (no charge for baggage)

Wasn't that one posted by that "Robbovious"? Turns out most of those bizarre posts were churned out by a stalker of the real "Robbovious". Here's the real-deal's profile disclaimer from rc.com: "If you're not a rockclimbing.com regular, you might not know me very well, and you might actually have come here thru a link from some other site, perhaps even yahoo.com. I am blessed/cursed by having an internet stalker who goes by the name of Bristolpipe (on NEclimbs.com) and has spent a good amount of time going around the internet creating false identities based on or around my username here and on other sites, and even my real name in a couple cases. For me, its kind of a creepy pain in the ass, as you may imagine. if one of those faux "robbovi-ae" have somehow caused you hassle, feel free to contact the admins here and compare my IP addy with that of the faux ID, you'll likely find that the IP address of the guy posing as me, leads back to Metrocast cablevision in NH. I don't live there, and you can PM me and talk to me about it and I'll be happoy to relate the entire back story, though I'm going to have to insist that you provide proof that you aren't him. after that, you're on your own dealing with his obsessive fuckup behaviours. " Strangeness is truer than fiction.

Last year, I saw a gf reduced to tears because the bf went off-route(putting her in the harder polished corner to the right of Saber Ledge) and ran it out so that she couldn't hear him--she was panic-stricken, between being on a harder route than she signed up for and never being completely sure she was on belay because she couldn't see or hear bf. I don't think there was much spooning in THAT tent that night. Lesson: regardless of which climb you choose, KNOW the route and stay w/in sight or voice contact in order to ensure happy ending.

Thank gawd.

Oh snap!

Another vote for RR. The place has a lifetime's worth of routes, with plenty of variety for every style. Besides the "classics," you can always check out the new routes being put up at Red Rocks Climbing Guide or mountainproject.com I'm headed there next week to do just that.