Sherri

The VW bus barely gets 20mpg, we don't have the dogs' tuxes finished, and the Indigo Girls are playing in Seattle next weekend, so we're going to have to take a pass on this one. Thanks anyway. 2A2Jt4WOxN8

She's purty.

I've done some roped-soloing trips lately--as in, planned to climb by myself, rather than being forced to do it because someone bailed--and I have observed an interesting phenomena on these trips. Not only do they take on a more personal rhythm than the usual climbing trip, which is primarily shaped and driven by the partner dynamic(where do we meet, what do we climb, who's going to drive, etc), but I find myself gravitating toward more low-key or out-of-the-way routes. If I go to a "popluar" crag, it's on a weekday, or in the late evening, or in bad weather when there's less likely to be company. It wasn't a conscious strategy, but, rather a pattern that created itself, presumably driven by the same impetus that made the solo experience a desirable outcome in the first place. I've learned a lot about myself and my climbing when I'm alone. I also talk to myself(I've got to stop that, it's getting annoying.) The fascinating(and surprising) part of this new world for me was that somewhere along the way to my "solo" experience I slipped into a subculture of other "soloists"(I use the term in its broader sense, as in, someone climbing alone, whether roped, aid, bouldering...). As the clouds roll in or as the sun begins to sit heavy on the darkening horizon, people quietly appear. Some with just a pair of shoes, some with aid gear, some with a rope and I-pod, but each is alone in their pursuit. You hear no one shout "on-belay" or "off-belay" or "WHAAAAT?!" The few times it's happened, I remember it being a surreal scene, such a contrast from hustle-bustle crag activity I'm more familiar with.

Ew. Now I know why I don't do alpine.

Inspiring as usual, Tvash! Your TR's would make an incredible coffee table book; the pics take you right in. Forgive my ignorance here, but why do you need a cooler in that environment? Looks like the whole landscape is one big ice chest. Brrrr.

I'm worried all those wires will get in the way when we go climbing this summer. And my "guns" aren't THAT big. It's just that the rest of me is small. Except the clown-feet.

Uh, maybe you should have opted for the stitch. Just sayin'.

Who's George?

It's good enough for the crowd I run with.

Exactly.

Looks like you found yourself a fun line there, Blake. Nice job. Glad you got it while the sun was shining, too. Weather sux in Squamish today.

The rest of the story was worth waiting for. Well told, Sobo. Poor Debbie. And she was such a trooper about her injury at the time that one could have suspected it to be just a sprain. If I were a REAL goddess, I would have made it all better. That's what goddesses do, you know. Good thing you were there to do the real work. How's the whole in your head, BTW? Cool scar?

Awesome, Porter! I heart RR.

I think it was three accidents total, but Sobo will have to come forth with the final tally. Bizarro day for all involved, though Dane certainly got the worst of it, I reckon. M, Good thing you only thought of Sobo as being the naked cc.com guy when your hubby fielded the phone call; if you had said that out loud, you might have had some 'splainin to do. (For the record, he's a hunk even with clothes ON.)

no longer taking applications. Thanks all!

You can try, but nobody's going to believe that one guy can have THAT much bad luck in a single day.... On the plus side, the second accident brought us together in real life, at last. Only image I had of you up until then was your naked climbing photo on cc.com. Not that I'm complaining. Dane, thanks for sharing your tale. It's full of food for thought all of us, and it's encouraging to hear that you are pushing your way back to health and wholeness. Be well and keep up the good work.

Squamish

Oreos do not go with avocados.

I'm a spooner. Will that be a problem?

from Wiki: "How to Cut an Avocado Without Touching the Flesh" When you love eating but hate peeling and cutting an avocado you may want to read these instructions. The trick of not getting avocado pulp all over your hands is cutting it without touching the pulp. Steps: Use a medium-sized sharp knife to cut lengthwise around the avocado. Let the knife follow the contour of the avocado by pressing the knife blade into the flesh touching the large pit. This will guide the knife making the process easier to cut the avocado into two halves. Make a vertical cut around the whole avocado. Twist the two avocado halves while pulling the two lengthwise pieces gently apart. Use a knife to remove the pit from the avocado. Whack the knife firmly into the pit. Twist the knife and the pit will be removed from the avocado half. " Sounds like fun.

That 2p is rather featured, isn't it? Musta been a bumpy ride.

I'll take the salsa, thanks.

You had me right up until "dimpled."

Fell just couple feet on a #3 Camalot on the fistcrack start of Aries in Index. My second, third, and fourth trad falls have been on a #2 cam on Classic Crack. (hey, at least I'm consistent. )