tvashtarkatena

Well, had people been killed in this accident, lets find out using the (Tvashtar Awesomeness Of Death)TAOD Scale Fault factor (yours/theirs) THEIRS Uniqueness of method factor. HIGH Spectacularity factor. HIGH Embarrassment factor. LOW Newsworthiness factor. HIGH Sympathy factor. MEDIUM 'Overstayed welcome' factor. N/A Numbers (just you? others, too?) factor. MEDIUM Coolness of contributing factors factor. (Ex: Trailer propane tank or solid rocket booster explosion?) HIGH Location, location, location factor. LOW This would score pretty high on the scale, I'd say.

The Dying Cool scale could be measured with the following criteria. Weighting TBD. Fault factor (yours/theirs) Uniqueness of method factor. Spectacularity factor. Embarrassment factor. Newsworthiness factor. Sympathy factor. 'Overstayed welcome' factor. Numbers (just you? others, too?) factor. Coolness of contributing factors factor. (Ex: Trailer propane tank or solid rocket booster explosion?) Location, location, location factor.

Not to mention dying inflagrante with a horse.

The only way to die with more press coverage than in an exploding spaceship is to be an assassinated president...but in the latter case a majority of folks might actually celebrate your passing. That puts space accident at the top of the heap.

What I object to is that the people in the mountains are getting better and better relative to me. That makes me look bad. Plus, I have to climb harder and harder shit to try to keep up. Why don't you assholes all just stick to the gym and leave me to my 1980's agenda?

is it bad that i think it's funny that people who climb exclusively in the gym call them selves climbers? ...or people that exclusively crag call themselves climbers? Climbing means playing your own game, whatever that is, not someone else's. You define it. Car ca car pooling....

Waking up with a leech attached to my eye really annoys me.

I like to think that I was born a dumb pussy due to an accident of nature, but worked hard, damn hard, to become an asshole for the specific reason of no longer being viewed as just another dumb pussy. One thing I never forget to bring to an emergency situation is the capability of CAPITALIZING the most poignant points of my posts. Finally, I'd like to POINT OUT that dying in the mountains is WAY COOLER than dying from, say, prostate cancer or a disease of the anus. Much as we'd like to pretend otherwise, there is a hierarchy of cool ways to buy the farm, with spaceship malfunction being pretty near the top, and a dog eating your face off while you're passed out from too much malt liquor after a meth binge being somewhere near the bottom. Some finer points: Motorcycle accident > car accident. Brain tumor > colon cancer. Lion attack > pitbull attack. Hit by train > hit by bus. Shot by a jealous lover > shot by your spouse. Don't ask me why this is, it just is.

Uhm...it wasn't in the throwable phase, if you get my drift. Brit's lost a ton a of weight, BTW. YOu could almost mistake her for mobile home rather than trailer trash.

You need to pay more attention to weather forecasts, amigo.

I'm not so sure we're doing well in Afghanistan - last I checked there were large sections of the country we didn't control and couldn't travel to. Our efforts in Afghanistan are in collapse. The reconstituted Taliban, now funded by opium, is successfully using a carrot stick approach with locals: security (if you're with us), threats and death (if you're not). It's working. We're losing two wars at once (while re-igniting the Cold War with Russia). Now THAT has got to be some kind of historical record. Way to go 50% of American voters! Thanks! If the coalition attacks, simply fade back and go elsewhere. There's way more terrain that Karzai's meager forces can cover. Oh well, when the US finally decides to adopt a wiser isolationist policy, at least heroin will be really cheap.

...by someone other than me. Hows the recruitment process going, KKK? There's still time to do your part in all this evil but 'necessary' warfare.

Big stuck cam just below 2nd belay on Ride the White Lightning. If you've got the touch for getting overcammed pieces out, a return would be appreciated. If not...enjoy the fixed pro. (James, I'll get the piece back to you if anyone can remove the sword from the stone).

Our party left an unpleasant surprise here at belay # 4, probably due to some ill advised Taco Bell cuisine the night before. The impending 5.9 crux may have had something to do with the urgency of the incident. Suffice to say that future White Lightning Riders may want to wait until after a good rain before attempting the route.

...and early attempts at fluoridation. Nasty metals used in the distillation and dispensing process also may have had something to do with the ill side affects of the drink. Basically, it's just a liquor like any other.

This just in: Karl Rove had four DVDs checked out from Netflix at the time of the 'accident': The Bridges of Madison County Tanker Girl Buns of Steel Chariots of Fire Coincidence??????

We've got to stop admitting terrorists to our engineering schools.

get rid of the smart wool and use 2 pairs of thin liner socks.

I'm currently taking on investors for my new bakery.

YOu can use a biner block with a pull line. Put a rap ring or small sling loop in the anchor and run the rap rope through it. Clove hitch the rap rope to a large locking biner that cannot pass through or jam in the anchor (the 'block'), then tie it to a smaller pull cord (4 mm or larger). Rap only on the rap rope, paying out the pull cord from a stuff sack on your harness as you descend (you can't throw a pull cord...too light and tangly). When off, retrieve the rope with the pull cord.

There's an enormous difference between an entity that exists to make a profit verses one that exists to distribute and maintain a shared public resource equitably, just as there is a difference between a 'customer' and a 'citizen'.

For the sake of accuracy, the most common cause of death and injury climbing is falling on rock or ice, not rapping off the end of your rope.

Well, that settles the Viaduct issue.

Haggis? almost as yummy as scrapple, or BBQ scrambled brains. You haven't had homemade haggis, laddy. A little cockie leekie soup, some neeps and tatties, a touch of the Dalmore...heaven.

A 20 degree bag is great of for all around use in the Cascades. At low temps you're going to have a puffy and extra clothes along, which will supplement the bag at night. A down jacket hood is a lite way to supplement a 20 degree bag in really cold temps. Feathered Friends also makes a great down bag, BTW. As for down verse synthetic; I wouldn't even consider the latter for weight/bulk reasons. I've never had a problem keeping my down bag dry. If you want a bag that'll stay dry for 'rescue' purposes, carry a 1 oz space blanket bivvy sack. As for ground insulation on snow, you might be able to go light with a thermarest laid over your pack (if it has an integral backpad and isn't too lumpy. It's not for everyone, but it's warm enough for me.