Alex

wow, what memories! I too have done alot of these things: playing darts, useing each other as targets. Only we called it ninja wars. Indeed, we even got unsharpend chinese starts and hucked them at each other. Eventually we graduated to BB guns (protective eyewear? what protective eyewear?) and shot up each other. Then paintball because at least you could prove when you tagged someone. When we tired of shooting each other, we got in cars late at night and performed "sniper" attacks on 18 wheelers on the freeway (we believed doing against passenger cars would startle someone so much they could actually swerve and hit us, or run off the road, and we didnt want that...) shooting arrows straight up, yup we did that with broadheads. We knew we had 30 seconds to run for cover (the wood shed) and so it seemed fine...until the arrows started landing in neighbors yards... touch the tree-top! great one! we used to climb oldgrowth eastern white pines (like 200+ feet high) and use grappeling hooks just to reach the first branches. thats actually what got me into climbing!! we put together bottle rocket launchers out of copper plumbing tubing, and shoot them at each other. Lots of M80s exploding on skin (hurt, ouch). we drew the line at quarter sticks We would sit in dense trees and huck large pinecones at passing cars, thinking they would think it was just the tree dropping pinecones. Of course, if you are in the car, and suddenly assulted by a volley of 5 cones, you might think differntly... ripping it up with dirtbikes in the local farmers field. he hated that. The first time he came after us with a shotgun was the last time we did that. jumping off the roof! yeah but that was fun, not stupid...learn to drop and roll...important ninja technique got fully camoed out and wandered around the local state parks with machetes, guns and knives. no harm ever done, but were not too surprised when the local cops finally caught us (no doubt after many "terrorist" sightings) and confiscated all that stuff and called our parents. "hunting" just about anything, with any kind of weapon we could get our hands on pour lots of gasoline on sidewalk, watch neighbor kids approach on bikes, light er up!!! thinking I was terribly clever pissing off some upstate NY locals, and then trying to hightail it in a my BMW 2002 with Jersey plates. Thats the day I discovered a stock 2002 is NOT a rally-ready car!! paintball sniper attacks against ATMs and local businesses, culminating in an attack against a convenience store where a hated high school classmate was doing a shift that night...it was all so pointless, but we didnt know that then tying a rope onto a bumper and really getting rockin on skateboards. Thats when you discover "speed wobbles"!! rock attacks against freight trains. yeah yeah we all did this, but we also had track cops to reckon with, so the dirt bikes were always stashed for the getaway

I've done this route in early season just after the highway opened. It was a great ski from the summit!! Alex

I tried exploring aspects of my motivation http://www.mountainwerks.org/alexk/climb/why.htm I ended up not coming up with really good answers to the motivation behind the successes and failures I find that as I become happier with different aspects of my life, the climbing aspect, or succeeding at climbing, became less important sometimes lately I have done trips with a shuddering thought in the back of my head "Gee, it would be really *cool* to just go hiking!" I can't believe that voice is in my head, so I just proceed business as usual and shake it off, but the voice comes back and I question my motivations to lead that 5.10 pitch. Its usually only after I have succeeded at something that I get the elation - so when I have not succeeded at a difficult thing in a while, I find I dont remember the whole mystical high I get well. Its a downward spiral into mediochrity, but maybe I am beyond the point of caring hope not, but its not something i can rationally decide, it just have to do.

quote: Originally posted by Mr. Natural: ..it was done in jest and .. Doug, no offense taken, really!

looking for a pair of quarks I found both telemark-pyranees.com and barrabes.com don't ship this type of stuff to the US anymore, but someone pointed me to sportextreme, and I ordered them. Jury is still out as to how fast they will get here the price sure beat paying 225$ + 8.6% sales tax each (total of 250$ each!) for them at REI or wherever.

Alex check the date smart guy. guess I'm not so smart

"In the days before the elections, Gephardt aides and outside advisers said he was all but certain to run for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, and considering stepping aside as minority leader immediately after the elections or a few months into the next Congress." I am tired of seeing weak-as-Kokanee Democratic nominees for real leadership roles. I wouldnt vote for Gephardt. I was forced to vote for Gore when W showed up, and Nader was sure to not win. Not like the Republicans have it any better (I mean, shit, W is the best they could do?) Why do we have a real leadership vacuum in this country on both sides of the political aisle? I bet half the reason voter turnout is less than 50% is directly related to the lame-ass politicians who bubble up from who knows where and make "choices" so seemingly pointless. Man when Tim Eymans initiative passed again, I was just going to puke.

I am not a real climber, but I have a 4WD Honda Civic wagon.

quote: Originally posted by DLL: Still awaiting a third though, anyone keeping an eye out? Spindrift? Still awaiting a thid what, ascent? This route was climbed by many parties last winter... Alex

whoh, JayB, I am sorry, I originally looked at the Ergos, which I dont want, my search image was just off I guess. You are right, 153 is a great price and worth the extra 20$ to avoid sending them to my parents in Europe, then having the 'rents send em here. Thanks for the pointer, sold.

no. Quarks! 230$ Euros on this site. 130$ Euros at Telemark Pyranees. I did the math, I want it from Spain.

quote: Originally posted by JayB: quote:Originally posted by Lambone: One may also argue that it is possible to climb thin ice, or fat ice without "bashing it into submission." It's called technique. Anyone know where I can buy some of that? I heard it's way cheaper if you order it from Europe over the internet... JayB, they dont ship technique to the US, just like everything else they wont ship thanks to "Free Trade" American retail industry. Political Rant, since I can't order Quarks from Telemark Pyranees anymore: Free Trade to an American == Let us sell our shit anywhere and anyway, relying on overseas slave labor, but when some damn non-american company makes something that could possibly take away marketshare from a competeing American Corporation, KEEP IT OUT OH MY GOOODDD!!

trask, I'm with you, the next two years make me nervous. Last thing I want is a blank check to any one of the three branches of gov't, let alone ALL three!

JayB, there are 3 named routes at Quincy Wildlife Refuge (in the WI3-5 range), with lots more potential around Ancient Lake. Alex

quote: Originally posted by Ohsowrongyouare: Remember if you think you are climbing hard there is always someone that will walk up and solo what just made you cry. And his name is Dean Potter.

quote: Originally posted by Paco: "There are 6 to 8 pitches with snow and ice climbing ranging from 50 degrees to vertical." yeah however beckey states that the vertical is at the bergschrund..!

they have some moored bouys pretty far out at sea that measure swell height and period

Lambone, thats actually an easy one. Most Banks Lake climbs are spring fed, so you are right about the very recent conditions not being critical. Cold temps are a must, though, since the climbs face West, not North, and see sun in the afternoon. Most columbia basin climbs are still surface water flows though, so things like Champagne need desert snow to form. Contrast the spring fed nature of Banks to strobach, (which I have also tried in early season) where most climbs are meltwater fed. A dry year like this means not much happens up there, even though its at 4500 ft, N facing, and in the shade all day. Without snow that stuff is just anemic. In the cascades now, its so dry that anything other than a perennial stream wont form. Limits one to things like Alpental and Drury in dry years. Has to get colder for those perennial streams to form too, since the volume is usually too much to freeze in just 2 weeks... Alex [ 11-04-2002, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

yeah the forecast was for warming temps and precip through the end of the week. I am hoping the stuff thats already formed will survive and we'll have an early year like 2000

Saturday was a great day to be in the mountains!

yup. I soloed Devils Pbowl sunday. There is a bit coming in at Banks. Notably, The Cable is almost completely formed, and Zenith coming along nicely.... here are some pix, Sunday Nov 3: Devils Punchbowl Punchbowl, mid pitch Zenith The Cable [ 11-03-2002, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

two things: the mixed stuff: is Dale I believe, and he hasnt been able to get us the info, so far. If there is someone else we could talk to that would be great, but we also want to respect it if people dont want to share the info.. salt and pepper: it IS mixed, but dont expect much for pro. Its 4th class moves on garbage up the left side. #3 camalot protects the moves after the crux, but at the crux you have pins and mud...great route though! Alex [ 11-01-2002, 06:41 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: Is that the only place you troll for men, Alex? Something tells me the Eastsiders Pub Club is different than the Westsiders!!

as an aside, Jason and I believe that our book is really just the tip of the iceberg, can't wait for you guys to be armed with it... Alex

I think the name "bolt clipper" might have been a giveaway... Alex