i_like_sun

OMG that was fantastic! I know some gay dudes who've been happily "married" longer than any hetero couples I know.....

No. No. My understanding is that you just go "free and loose in those jeans"... I started one summer when it was like 500 degrees, my undies were so worn out they had holes..... fuck it...... Now I can't go any other way! 3 of my buddies have followed my example...... those fags.....

Thanks! Any insights to this sickness are helpful. I think my problem is simply that I LIKE TO SUFFER... Meaning, "um, lets see how rediculous we can be this weekend with a ziplock of cereal and a can of tuna"....

Once you start going commando......you can't stop. Shit just likes being FREE!

Whats the general consensus on wearing pants commando style?

haha, I still don't care....... :-)

The point is that I'm trying to figure out what my so far wasted life has been all about and that I am far beyond caring what anybody thinks.............

Please bare with me on this ramble... So, i've pretty much decided that when it comes to the mountains, sunshine, and birds, i fall into the category of "borderline lunatic". I have been known to melt into a pot of boiling happiness simply because of how beautiful the mountains can be. If I find that if life is lacking in exercise, and the occasional strong dose of mountain suffering, things just aren't right! My climbing habit, along with my near obsession with coffee and chocolate, has lead me to the conclusion that it takes a certain personality type to live this way. More precisely, I'm positive that many climbers (or high-end athletes in general) have addictive personalities. I suppose alpinism could possibly be as addictive as a hard-drug habit, but at least climbing can be used to make us healthier and live longer and richer! I apologize to anyone offended by my comparisons of climbing and hard drugs. This is stemming from some serious self contemplation and personality reorganizing this year (read the fitness and overtraining forum). I must point out however, that a natural exercise induced euphoria is chemically identical to the euphoria administered through drug needles! On the surface this is rather a downer, but if you think about it, nature has given us this fantastic gift of the sympathetic nervous system that is supposed to allow us the potential for pure and utter bliss. When that is in balance with the parasympathetic nervous system, man, life takes on a whole new level of contentment. Just talk to any major triathlete or runner etc..., they "need" their training in order to feel happy and content. Mountain climbers are no different. As an exercise science and physiology major, I don't think life should be without these healthy addictions. Its simply a matter of striving for balance. Peace:

From the picture it could still be a tendon rupture, as Layton says (even if there is no sign of pulley damage). If thats the case surgery is the only option to regain use.... But she still has full range of motion? Under her own power? (meaning not moving the finger with her other hand)? Then it could be a partial tear, or as you say a pulley strain (I've had that one)... At ANY rate, I'd get into see someone. Second to nervous tissue, hand injuries are extremely delicate. If you can, get into the UW hand clinic or ambulatory surgery center (this sounds drastic but they really are the best). There is a surgeon there named Thomas Trumble, and he it basically the leading hand/wrist researcher in the country (he did reconstructive Scaphoid surgery on me). I also know a hand therapist who can give me more names of people in the Seattle area, if you'd like (ie. Northwest Hand in Shoreline). All I really know about finger tendon injuries is that the sooner a rupture is diagnosed and and fixed, the better the final outcome (if you wait too long it becomes difficult to reestablish good blood supply). I appologise if I sound too dramatic...... but I've seen some horror stories regarding hands..... Peace:

I like the idea of asking him to workout WITH YOU........You could entice him even more by saying you'll both go naked..... Oh yeah, hey Kurt!

Hey, my mom had the same surgery about 15 years ago. She returned to all of her activities within about a year. She never did any real PT however, and reinjured it about 5 years ago. Again, she's made a full recovery. She's not super active however, so remember that athletes are in a different category all together. They just recover faster and more completely. I'm sorry I can't offer any real technical knowlege about this back surgery, but I do know that physical therapy has come a long way, and that there is a ton that can be done for your recovery. I've done quite a few volunteer hours in PT clinics, and have seen some pretty fantastic recoveries from other back injuries. What I can say is that, when you do come back, work on that core strength as best as you can! In my 4 years of being a pre-pt/med. student, I have figured out that weak and imbalanced muscles are usually the cause of many of these sorts of problems. Sorry if this sounds too simplistic. I'm sure you can find some studies published online that might help you find more of what you are looking for. Best wishes to your healing pal. Hang in there, and stay sane! I agree, injuries suck. R

Oh man, last summer was nothing short of spectacular quadriceps carnage.... It wasn't one day in particular, more of a "theme" to my climbing, or rather, lifestyle. I had about six consecutive trips where I would be out for, oh, probably 15 - 18 hours straight, basically what I like to call "shredding". My most massive failure was to not plan my nutrition adequately. If you can imagine how many calories you burn in hard mountaineering, then factor in perhaps only as many as 1700 for my "trail food", I lost ALL of my body fat. Then I noticed that when I came down from climbs, my appetite wasn't its usual ravenous monster, but more of a pathetic sick little bird with a broken wing. On top of that I was working constuction during the week, and weight training in the evenings. Basically, overtraining lead to a wierd little eating dissorder. I simply could not stomach enough. After about 4 months of my appetite dropping lower and lower, I crashed completely and learned what REAL suffering is all about. Man I hope nobody has to feel that kind of pain......... Then, only a few weeks later, I got Mono......... all through the fall I suffered myself through university, and my health simply decided to say "you suck mister, I'm leaving". God damn I fucked up this year! 8 months later, my body is finally out of that "Jacked-to-fuck" state, but still having a hard to keeping up. I'm fianally starting to heal some of the "personality problems" that lead to this, so perhaps I can start to actually LIVE for real and materialize a finer, stronger, smarter me. I am looking forward to putting this shit behind me. Sorry if I've spooked the living shit out of anyone. But burnout can be, as I've learned, probably the hardest lesson for any athlete to overcome. Peace. R

High Cambell does give some of the best veiws of the mountain. The Emmons looks heeaalthy!

young shwety studds....

Sahale is a fantasic day. And if you want to be really masochistic, going on to Boston Peak is real neat too. Take a helmet. For a nice easy day close to Seattle, I'd say Kaleetan peak up at Snoqualmie pass. It has one of the coolest summits you can find......you'll see!

I have a widow's peak. Sometimes it makes me feel all squishy inside.

copious amounts of bubble gum stuck to the bottom of your cramps. works PERFECT.

The Alpha Comp is rad too. Perhaps a better summer softy than the Gamma.......

In my other post I talked super highly of my plastics, and, for me they work great! Its just my personal finding that plastics are more comfortable on bigger glaciated peaks. Maybe its just that I've broken both of my girly ankles twice, and I have bony ass feet that require copious amounts of babying. I do agree however that a good "all around" leather/synthetic mountain boot is far superior for its versatility (as long as they don't cause blisters). I only use plastics on more technical ice stuff. In terms of nonplastics for general cascade volcanoe things, I know tons of people who do it! I've actually done most of my stuff in boots super close to these: http://www.zamberlan.com/catalog/uk/product.html?id=126&idc=8 Mine are just way older. I think its pretty damn funny how climbers are so opinionated of each other based on gear choices! I just say go with whats comfortable.

Yes, you are right, the BDs I suggested will only work with heel welts. I think your boots would be fine in a strap-on crampon, the only question is how stiff is the sole really? If you get any significant flex, esspecially torsional, they'll be utter hell when dealing with super stiff crampons and hard glacial ice. I'm sure they'd be perfect for scrambling around on most of the northwest's peaks though. Stubai makes a decent strap on thats pretty cheap. As for kicking steps, the harder the boot the better. It has been my experience that you can get away with quite a bit in terms of softer boots, its just not as comfortable and fun. In fact, when dealing with really hard ice, you HAVE to have crampons. And, soft boots won't support your ankles as much. I might go as far to say that until you've developed some foot skills on the ice, softer boots might actually be less safe (sure footedness is the first defense against accidents). I'm replying with this much info. simply because I've spent WAY too much time suffering in my own feet! I now have two sets of boots: 1 Old soft leather pair of Zamberlans for scrambling and non-technical rock (I actually went up Rainier with these, just remember wishing I had more ankle support) and 1 pair of Koflac Arctic-Expe plastics for ice climbing and general glacier stuff. You'll meet people who totally hate plastics, but man, I love em! You don't need to brake them in, thier plenty warm, and your feet never get wet. I would recomend plastics for Rainier or Baker, simply because they are such glaciated peaks. Besides that, love your leathers! Maybe go walk around you neighborhood for awhile in them to brake them in though. Then when you do go out, take duct tape and moleskin! Later.

For the peaks you've described, as long as you are on the standard routes, you won't need plastics. I even did Rainier in some super old softy leathers. Plastics will make life more enjoyable though; probably moreso on Baker than Adams. I would recomend that you simply rent some from REI or somewhere for these climbs to learn what you like. Crampons now are all pretty good, with the exception of the little "4 point lightweights" (not really intended for general glacier travel). The BD Sabertooths are pretty cheap, and they work great. Just make sure that whatever boots you use are comfortable and broken in BEFORE you go up. The worst thing in the world is ending up with zero foot skin at the end of the trip!

I was up there a couple years ago at the same time. There was hardly any snow in the mountains (drought year) and the forcast was good. I went up there with minimal gear......no map or compass, no gloves, no hat, weak jacket and pants......long story short, I summited, alone in a whitout w/3 feet of fresh snow, and had a mild epic getting myself out without frostbite. Lesson: even small places can be super dangerous! It would have been a perfect day for snowboard gear though......

I'm thinking spring glacier ice......and yes Blake (giggles) I know the difference between axes and tools...... jeeze...... these forums are political suicide traps......

Some waste more time than others....... as you say, who cares?! I'd think these look pretty rad: http://www.grivelnorthamerica.com/products.php?gid=2&id=14 I think we should keep this going for a while, just for entertainment purposes.....see what kind trouble we can raise!

Cool. I'm stoked to have the appropriate knowledge to stop destroying my posting credit! Im off to go laugh for a while.....