yeoman

the weekend warrior thing can wear you out fast in the bay area. i did it for a little over a year and was over it. too far from snow and while there are a lot of small crags around the bay, most of them suck in comparison to everything the Sierra offers. That said, one of the better places to climb is close to you at Castle Rock SP. Sandstone bouldering that some people really dig. You're maybe a little over an hour from the entrance of Pinnacles NM. I personally really like that place, but it's a bit of an acquired taste. Brad Young has an excellent guide book for that place, and there is a new (2013) guide for the Bay Area and all its little crags. Plenty of great cycling and trail running which you can do easily year round. Get a surfboard too.

been looking for some time. Someone make me an offer I can't resist.

Nice TR man. Looks like a good route.

Bump for Hood conditions.... Looks like there has been some snow and wind recently. Thanks for any updates.

$hit, I knew I'd see something sick checking in here. Awesome

Great topic. I've dealt with debilitating leg cramps on big days and it can stop me nearly in my tracks. I'd prefer to prepare and treat nutritionally, but I believe I have some circulation issues that cause some of the problems I have in one of my legs. So I either don't push it (the lame option) or keep experimenting with diet, training, stretching, supplements, etc. I've tried many different things and the most recent and what I think useful tactic are the Hammer Enduralytes. I've also started "loading" a bit on potassium (bananas) days before an outing. Coconut water is supposed to really help re-hydrate the body too. The next wall I do I will have a liter or two of coconut water. I have carried salt and those salt stick tablets, but I can't say I've had a lot of success with those methods. There's something else missing that I can't get from just salt. Gatorade is a joke. Gu brand and Nuun sports mix are my preferred brands now. I won my first can of Gu mix at a ski movie once. After using that stuff, I realized how much Gatorade actually sucked. Note to company reps: Those movie giveaways work. I've turned several people onto Gu powder since winning that first jug. There is a lot of differing opinions on what actually causes cramps and how you can prevent and treat them. Here's an interesting article that looked at pickle juice as an antidote to cramps. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/phys-ed-can-pickle-juice-stop-muscle-cramps/ (I see this was already posted. Has a lot of other info on cramps though) I have thought about carrying a bottle of pickle juice and even have a jar in the fridge at home in hopes of testing it some day. But since I've found the Enduralytes, I just pop one and hydrate properly and the cramps at home seem to not be nearly as much of an issue. My dad swears by yellow mustard and he keeps a bottle beside his bed for night time cramps (which are the worst). This hasn't worked for me. I keep salt and water by my bedside too and have in the past hit that when a night time cramp strikes and it has worked. I actually think it's just the water and getting up and stretching the muscle a bit that works it out. But maybe the salt does do something?? Nothing like rolling over in bed and having your calve or hamstring go into full seizure mode.

Need a set of Quark Cascade picks, mine are beyond shot. I'd prefer new or damn' near new. My tools are the older model Quarks, not sure if the picks have changed or not (hopefully they are interchangeble??)

If you heave to head back to WC, there is a crag that is actually worth a half day or so on Diablo. Needs to be cool though and there is a raptor closure a good portion of the year. Trail running is really quite good on Diablo and there's a good chance you won't see anyone else on any weekday evening. Doubt you'd have a bike either, but the road biking is quite good as well.

if the nomic sale doesn't work out, I'm interested and motivated.

thanks for the info

Nice TR. Which route did you descend? The same? How was it?

Huh, thought I would update this a bit... So yeah, have been in the east bay for almost 2 years, how the hell did that happen so fast?? Yeah so the weekend warrior thing has basically been in full effect and it pretty much blows. I've certainly got a lot of climbing in but it comes with a cost. The amount of driving required to get to the goods here is too much for me and many times, if you are unfortunately stuck on that weekend warrior schedule, the goods are crowded. And why this really blows so much is because California is friggen huge and there is plenty of wild places to get out to, but you gotta be on the right schedule. I have managed to meet an incredible woman and we are moving in together, in Tahoe. There certainly isn't a shortage of great rock and good skiing up there so I'm very much looking forward to the change. Someone said in this thread that living in the Bay for a couple years is something everyone should do if given the chance. That dude hit the nail on the head. I don't regret it but I don't really feel the need to stay here any longer.

there is some climbing in southern Ohio and I've seen pics of some ice in of all places, Columbus. Most gyms I've ever had to test in were 5.10 test routes. Took me awhile to get up to taking that test, took a lot of TRing, then I got it.

REI has kind of passed it's apex of usefulness for me. I can't get very specific gear there anymore. Still great for gear for the gf, shot blocks, some books and outdoors staples. I've come to accept that they aren't employing people who have nearly as much interest in gear as I do, evidenced by the genius who recently told me you're not supposed to use ANY flick lock pole for any type of skiing. I decided to bite my tongue rather than try to explain that 90% of the type of skiing I do is basically hiking on snow. Better tell all those people you see in the backcountry with BD flicklocks they are using the wrong poles I'm okay with old women supporting my hardware habits. I won't return a worn out pair of gloves or shoes, but a busted gps or other high ticket item, you bet.

oh man, that looks so friggen sweet. nice job.