cj001f

I think TG posted a thread on Grivel Lite Machines going cheap. Sierratradingpost.com has Lite Machines, Rambo2's and the old BD Black Prophets for ~$150 Check 'em out.

In the PNW it's not that hard to find friendly, courteous knowledgable sales staff at climbing stores. Elsewhere in this country it's not that easy to find a decent, much lessgood, climbing store in a metropolitan area east of the Rockies. When I lived in VA, on seperate occasions, I bought the last ice tool, screw, pin or ascender in the store - and it was never replaced Not exactly a commitment to climbing from the dedicated local, eh? Yeah, yeah, I spray a bit of 'tude myself. Us cube drones get grumpy. I get a bit irritated when people tell me to spend my money locally. I have, I do, and I will - as long as they're worth the difference(and I'm not alone in thinking $150 is not worth the 15 minutes in the store it takes to by ice tools)

"When you shop overseas on line, americans are loosing jobs. " Jesus! You mean I won't get any more 'tude from "helpful" climbing store folks - what have I been thinking all this time! I'm going to go spend more money locally.

quote: Originally posted by eternalX: Another case for the privitazation of roads. Cheers. Now that would be an amusing social experiment. I'm not sure that any community in America would be willing to pay the full cost of roads & transport, but the West Coast in particular would have a fit (What do you mean my UPS rates are going to double!)

quote: Originally posted by Rainier Wolfscastle: I think you can just buy the whippet shaft and a seperate lower section from BD. No need to buy another set of poles. Exp. Probe Pol spare shaft (no baskets) $28.95 - you could probably use the cheaper Traverse pole bottom, since probe poles suck. If there's anyone whose actually tried to arrest with a Whippet - Can you put enough muscle down with one arm to arrest with a whippet?

quote: Originally posted by iain: Oregonians are way too smart for that. We just allow everyone to drive around Portland in studded tires?

IceAxe23- If your still looking for Brooks Ranger Lows, the Mountain Shop in Portland has several, 30% off. Check em out http://www.mountainshop.net/

quote: Originally posted by mattp: I know that some rope manufacturers suggest retiring ropes, even if they have been stored in the closet, after some rediculously short period of time like three years. So I guess they think exposure to oxygen degrades a rope but I can tell you I and most people I know do not retire an unused rope simply for "old age" until it is at least ten years old. Take a look at these test for rope aging questions: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/raedward/cisdetrop.html Strength loss is well correlatable to Rope use, not age.

You are indeed correct doctor. Dana is part of the K2 empire, as is Garuda, which has really disapeared off the radar screen(maybe Bibler bribed them to do it!). Speaking of K2 - how do the new, made in china, but all American, skis hold up?

quote: Originally posted by Beck: "i've been getting glacier glasses from any personal optometrist for the last twenty years in Julbo frames I bring in, and they have NO PROBLEM getting you high altitude, dual gradient, mirror finish polarized glass lenses for around 125 ducats. I've not been so lucky - and tried several optometrists. 93% ref lenses aren't particularly standard in most parts of the world. Opticus was easy to find and the glasses didn't take a trip back to the optometrist to get recoated because they weren't dark enough. [ 11-21-2002, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: cj001f ]

quote: Originally posted by Beck: hey, i've done the math, at opticus you don't get double gradient, you don't get glass, you don't get polarizers. REI sells RX glacier glass frames for $19.95 and bringing frames into RX, you get julbos, from YOUR eyedoctor. under 200 ducats. Most Optometrists can't get the lenses as dark as Glacier Glasses. Rx Oakleys run as much as Glacier Glasses.

quote: Originally posted by mtnrgr: I have a pair of Jublo's I bought from opticus. I love them. Cost me about $300 though. Second the Opticus recommendation. No they're not cheap - but depending on what Julbos you have you may already have the frames.

quote: Originally posted by turn_one : stumbled across M E C site recently web page noticed some really good pricing. my questions is to the canooks or any who have experience w/ these guys as to the quality of there stuf. pros/cons etc. thanks MEC rocks. REI should wish it could be 1/2 of what MEC is.

quote: Originally posted by bolt clipper: What a light, moderately warm, but well-climbing plastic boot? I am looking for something for general ice climbing and snow routes. I am leaning towards Scarpa Alpha shells with Intuition liners. I have huge feet, so weight is a moderately large factor. For what it's the shells on the Alpha are a bit "fragile". A partner of mine tripped while wearing crampons and put a hole through the shell.

quote: Originally posted by RobBob: You yobs miss the point of trask's thread. Back in our day, that young lout would've been properly flogged, and told to quit his puelin', eat his gruel, an' get back to work like a good lad. Silly me! I thought it was to bash them liberals....... [ 11-15-2002, 12:45 PM: Message edited by: cj001f ]

http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/fy2003/fct.html Yes that's the link to the budget. Look at it. See where the money goes. Now look at our $100-200 Billion war with Iraq. Look at how much you'd have to cut to afford it without raising taxes.

quote: Originally posted by COL. Von Spanker:

quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: I see used overboots in Marmot Bellevue store all the time. Might be a chance to find some there. Except he's the Cheese & Beer Milwaukee, not the Portland suburb. If you ever come out west though they're a good number of Overboats scattered around - or try eBay I've seen a number of Brooks Rangers pop up. Carl

1. 90 Honda Accord, 88 MB 300E 2. 0 3. In the past, a couple of times 4. I've found 4wd is rarely necessary with good snow tires, but always really nice when the passes have chain reqs. Putting on chains blows. A good, rugged 4wd wagon can go most anywhere that a standard stock SUV can go (eg Explorer, Blazer) – and won’t require much more thought than an SUV behind the wheel. With a 2wd you can get most places, you’ll just spend a lot of time& effort on the drive in. As the Honda & Toyota wagons of your are gone, you don’t have much choice for a 4wd wagon though. Subarus about it. The Jettas are nice, but not particularly rugged. Add to that the Mexican VW’s aren’t of the highest quality. Audi’s aren’t bad but they are more expensive to maintain & run – and have most the same issues as VWs (same engines & trannies after all). The BMW & MB AWD’s aren’t useful for offroad. Carl

quote: Originally posted by Bronco: quote:Originally posted by bolt clipper: Patagonia dimension seems real nice. The cut is awesome, and the fabric is heavy (7! oz), so it will be real durable. Sure, it's $225, but from what I've heard it works great. Oh, by the way, don't buy the Essenshell jacket, as the hood sucks, no way to get the thing to fit over a helmet. Otherwise, sew your own with a microfiber shell and fleece lining. You should be able to phone order one from their Dillon MT outlet store for about $180. Phone # is on the Patagucci website. They've been on special at the Outlets for as low as $99

quote: Originally posted by RobBob: If my memory is correct, Chuck Yeager said he climbed Denali wearing $39 leather workboots. If you've ever climbed the Exum ridge on the Grand - Glenn Exum climbed made the first ascent wearing football cleats! For cheap gear - your best is to get used stuff. Check out REI's attic (occaisonal great deals - like $3 Evernew cooksets), the classifieds on this site, and message boards. Beware eBay, things are rarely a good deal. If you don't like what you bought, you can turn around and sell it for close to what you paid for it usually - and the stuff will be alot more comfortable than plastic bags.

quote: Originally posted by iain: bad thing about the ecrin roc is those holes on the sides that whistle constantly. high winds on mountain ridges are annoying enough w/o that feature. I duct tape mine shut sometimes. You can also buy a set of plugs from Petzl to fill the holes, for a couple of bucks.

quote: Originally posted by trask: Ade, well, was he wrong? I don't think so. Shouldn't Vancouver and Toronto be like DC then? Fairweather - Your right - the debate has become too polarized, religous almost in tone. People have taken their positions, and no amount of arguing will change their mind which is sad but commonplace in the political landscape. I don't believe that most gun laws reduce crime (DC's certainly didn't affect it substantially). I don't believe that having guns adds to safety (note Richmond vs DC & Baltimore). If the law does nothing their's no point in having it.

quote: Originally posted by Jens: When I mention to others about how far behind the times we are in WA with new steep mixed ice routes, people agree. All we seem to want around here are the thunker ice routes. Sean Isaac told me about a dude who had developed an entire new area up by Mount Baker that had lots of routes up to M8. I had never heard the dude's name before. Anybody know the details? Where? This guy is keeping pretty mum. I'll stay off his projects. I have no personal knowledge, but Tim Matsui's site has pictures of a couple people climbing Gorilla Bar - M8 at the Toolshed mixed area near Baker. www.timmatsui.com

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/dccrime.htm DC banned pistols in 1976 - from the above statistics the murder rates were lower for the following 10 years. I'd attribute it to other factors than the law though.