Sherri

That Icebike site is a great find. The tips here have been most helpful. I wear hard orthotics in my shoes, which has me wondering, now, if they are part of the heat-sucking problem! As far as shoe tightness, I wear my shoes a little big anyways so there's no problem with having room for an extra sock layer.

I can't imagine sitting on an indoor trainer for two hours. Thanks again for the Assos Thermic recommendation, Sprocket. I hadn't heard of that brand or product before. I ordered a pair from www.bikyle.com this morning, along with a pair of Campagnolo Thermo Textran socks they had, that also looked pretty sweet: "Campagnolo offers Thermo Textran socks that provide a waterproof and windproof barrier when riding in not so pleasant conditions. You wear these socks when temperatures drop below 35 degrees. Perfect combination of breathability, durability, and protection Waterproof and windproof for riding in almost any harsh weather conditions." Winter's not seeming so scary now.

That's exactly it. My rides are 2-2 1/2hrs long, and in fall/winter it's like walking around on painful iced-blocks for an hour after I get home. (I do the wiggling of the toes, too. ) Those fleece-lined socks sounds niiiiice. With all the advances in material for outdoorwear, it surprises me that the best we can do for "weatherproofing" our biking shoes is neoprene, but I suppose it's better than nothing. I've been tempted to get a soft-shell type boot, cut out the sole, and try wearing it over my bike shoes.

But I already ride hard as I can. (The effort heats up my core just fine, but it doesn't do a thing for the feet.) Haven't seen those Teko socks before. I'll check 'em out. Thanks!

Anyone have any tricks/tips for keeping the toes toasty on those chilly morning bike rides? For the coldest mornings, my approach has consisted of a wearing a pair of liner socks under a pair of wool socks inside my bike shoes, then putting on the full neoprene booties over my shoes. This is the best I've come up with, but it leaves a lot to be desired. I've tried sticking the handwarmer thingys in my shoes, but there's not really enough room and they only stay warm if you stop to shake them up every 20 minutes. I was thinking that there might be something better out there, like maybe stuff that hunters use(battery-powered socks?) Anybody got any suggestions? It's only SEPTEMBER my feet are already getting cold on my bike rides. I'm dreading the winter rides....

Not that I've done a climb-by-climb comparison, but it seems to provide fewer topos than the others. Lots of eye candy(the photos really do make you want to book that LV flight!), but that wouldn't be helpful if you wanted something to photocopy and stuff in your pocket to reference during a multipitch climb. They include extra-large topos for the classics, though, so maybe it was a trade-off. Example: Epinephrine topo Geronimo "topo"

Great job chasing that sun. She's been elusive this year. Nice to see some pics of some familiar favorites...makes me wish I was there!

Well said, Arch. Tragedy that it is, it's a reminder that we'll all go one way or another, sooner or later--speaking for myself, when my time comes and goes, I could only hope to have lived a life which warrants such a beautiful eulogy as this.

It's not just you, Bill. Even WITH my reading glasses, I could barely see the thing. Thought I was going blind at an early age. But the pictures sure are pretty.

Sexy. Is the toe hair included, or do have to order the whole toe to get that?

Is that Shaggy on the right??

Way to git 'r done, Rob! Your persistence is inspiring. Spray away.... nice to have some celebration spray.

Yeah, I know "booty is booty" and all that, but I still wouldn't feel right keeping it if I didn't ask. PM me iffin' it's yours.

There will be two kegs of free beer here. Think of it as a Rope Up training event. If you're not into training, consider it a Rope Up pre-party Way to work the party circuit, M! Atta girl!

My copy just arrived today...unwrapping it this very minute!

Added bonus of trail running shoes is that, when you take them on climbing trips(which ususally have great spots for trail running excursions too!)they can double as approach shoes for your climbing. Nice to be able to pack just one pair.

Sweet pics! Those are some fun lookin' rocks.

Rain, rain go away There. It's all good again.

You could see plenty of fractures throughout it, but the climb followed a pretty solid line. The loose stuff was mostly on the larger ledges and in the dihedral on the third pitch. It didn't detract from the quality or enjoyment of the climbs--just added to the "alpine ambience" of the route. (The belay stations are well-placed for protection from rockfall.) A recommended adventure if you're in the neighborhood!

Thanks, Alex. It was a nice change for us, too. Felt like we had the top of the world all to ourselves.

Trip: Olympic Peninsula--Sore Thumb - "Lumpy Gravy" route Date: 9/23/2007 Trip Report: Wanting to capitalize on the beautiful fall weather and do some cragging far from the weekend crowds, "k.rose" introduced me to this local gem yesterday. Jutting out of a thin ridge, at the end of a forest road off Hwy 101 about 30 miles west of Port Angleles, "Sore Thumb" is hard to miss. Sticks out like a ... Since much of our local cragging is in dark, hole-in-the-dirt settings, it was a real treat to be perched up there on the ridge, with the sun beaming on the rocks and on us. View from top of Sore Thumb, looking back at where we parked the truck. Kevin at the base of "Lumpy Gravy". Belay station with alpine ambience. Kevin led us up the three 80-90ft pitches of the route (5.9, 5.8, 5.6 respectively). The face moves were fun and exposed, the conglomerate/basalt-like rock had a nice, grippy texture. Most holds were solid, but we still had to be careful about loose rocks here and there, and the views from the top were breathtaking. Thanks, Kevin, for a great day and a great climb! For detailed beta and directions, check out "Olympic Mountains: A Climbing Guide." The local bookstores stock it, as well as REI. Gear Notes: Set of quickdraws, 60m rope

Nice going, Rob. I've been avoiding leading that "open book" on Aries--I do the Sickle instead--because it seems so thin to me yet. Sounds like your homing in on those .9's!

good question

:(

Me, too. Your truck smells better.