sobo

When I was a kid living in Italy, we used to call those toilets "European bombsights". I think you can figger out why...

Jeezus H. Christ! And I thought I was a coffee snob for grinding my own goddamn beans every morning and using a French press! You guys are fucking amazing, your knowledge of all things caffienated!

Yeah, but gyselinck lost beaucoup points for not having his name written on athletic tape in Marks-A-Lot pen and taped over the MSR logo.

mccallboater posted using my post for his reply, which Marko subsequently picked up. Marko even quoted my earlier post for further clarification ^^. From this, I must assume that we are talking about Joe Benson as the one who was killed in Asia. I know that Joe Benson lived in Sandpoint when I knew him, and that he was an avid climbing photographer. All of the photos in Randall Green's Idaho Rock, with the exception of only two, are by Joe, including the cover shot. We must be talking about the same guy. If this is correct, it is indeed sad news, and I am truly sorry. While I never met Joe Benson, we talked on the phone once or twice about climbs in the Selkirks, and we made that kind of plan where "...we should hook up some time and do some climbing...", but sadly, we never did. Never do the words "carpe diem" mean more than in situations such as this. Rest in peace, Joe.

For skiing/mountaineering, I have two pairs that work especially well for me that don't fog up. One pair is by Bolle' and the other is by Uvex. They both have these vent systems on the top, bottom, and sides that allow exchange of ambient air to the area behind the goggle that reduces fog quite nicely. They both retail for around $30 to $35 at the ski resort, but you could prolly get them cheaper at a gear store in town. As as an aside, you could always buy that "anti-fog" stick (or cloth) and treat them with that.

What part of you is injured? If it's not your legs, come on over to the east side and make a quick jaunt up Goat Peak on Saturday, then on Sunday take a long stroll up to the top of the Fife's Peak group, most likely West Fife Peak (6,880). The gain for Fife's is about 3,500 feet in 1.5 miles, through game trails and bushwhacking or 4+ miles if you stick to the Crow Creek Way trail. Access Fife's from the Crow Creek Way Trailhead located at the Fife's Peak viewpoint on SR 410 at MP 81.5 Goat Peak is across the road and down a bit, has about the same gain over twice the trail length. Access the trail from Hell's Crossing Campground and the Pleasant Valley loop trail on the south side of SR 410 around MP 84 or so. Both received about three inches of new snow last weekend while we were up on the West Peak of Fife's. It was a near white-out, and it was pretty cool. Then it got dark. We got "misplaced" on the way down and ended up with a twelve-hour day, car to car. Eric's Base Camp has some credible beta here for the main peak, which can be used for the West Peak as well. Also, Beckey's CAG #1.

Paul, I would agree that your diagram depicts what wikipedia defines as enfilade quite well. When I went to your link, that is the same image I had in my mind after reading the definition at wikipedia. "My" definition from Random House appears to be completely different, as I picture the RH definition as a line of "green" troops firing simultaneously at, and probably parallel to, a gathering of "red" troops, essentially trading bullets across the battlefield. That is why I suggested that a "plurality of weapons" would be required to qualify as an enfilade. I appear to be mistaken if I accept your definition. Therefore, I shall stand corrected, since I am going to put more credence in the wikipedia definition than in my 20-year-old dictionary. Good shooting, Suh! <salute> ...time to go back and watch Band of Brothers again... Please excuse thread drift. Now post the rest of your TR!

Random House Dictionary: "enfilade - a sweeping fire from along the length of a line of troops" The above definition appears to contradict your definition (i.e. marching troops are enfiladed if fired on from the front such that the gunfire traverses the length of the column. A line of advancing troops is enfiladed if fired on from the flank.), but I don't want to mince words with you, Paul. I just want to read the rest of your story. Carry on!

Good gawd, hand hammered iron?? How old is that stuff? Might be fun just to hang it on the wall of the cabin, or whip it out in front of a bunch of teenaged gym rats at Smith.

Thanks Mike!

Sweet write-up! Can't wait for the rest of the story. Paul: As an aside, you have a nice grasp of less oft used lexicon, but I might add that it is difficult for a single "soldier" (in this case, Mr. Scurlock) to provide enfilading fire, since, by definition, an enfilade requires a plurality of weapons.

Hey Gator, I didn't see Joe P's name on the '04 ranger list. Was he in AK all season? Do you expect him back in '05? Just curious...

So you're saying that if I send it back to them, there's a good chance they'll fix it, this being my first time they will be repairing it?

Sooooooo, the little pocket thingie where the end of the backstay hoop inserts blew out on me last month. It looks to be a PITA to try and fix at home (disassembly/reassembly of backstay looks complicated, material too thick to stitch, etc.). Is this a typical failure for this pack? Anybody else have it happen, and if so, what did you do to fix it? To clarify, it's the big hoop that goes around the outside rear of the pack sack proper and threads thru a bunch of webbing loops, not the stay inside the pack. And I've had the pack for about 4 or 5 years, with regular use, if that makes a difference.

See the top of this page. Lepton beat you to it 3 months ago.

Anybody ever see that movie from the 1960s called "Doppleganger" about an astronaut who goes into Earth orbit and (ostensibly) fails to complete his mission, but in actuality really does, but he lands on an identical Earth which lies exactly opposite the sun from the Earth from which he left? And his "twin", or doppelganger, arrives on the first Earth and gets the same shafting as the first guy?? Kinda cool concept. Interrogator: "Why did you turn back? Why? Why Why?" Check it out here.

...And they let him keep the f-word in the article. How cool is that?

Marks-A-Lot pens work just fine. Been using them for over 15 years and haven't gotten deaded yet.

Here it is... Climbing #142, 2/1/94 - 3/15/94, begins on page 84; Climbing #146, 8/1/94 - 9/15/94, begins on page 104; Climbing #172, 11/1/97, begins on page 56 There might be more, but that's all I got time for right now. HTH.

There was definitely an article in Climbing several years ago before I stopped taking the rag. I think it was in 1994 or 1995. I can check "the library" tonight when I get home and report back.

Low Grade Smut... Always a good decision!

I was waiting for that. Thanks, Mer.

Andy, et al: The Yakima Climbers Club, which was formed in October 2004, has brought up the idea among its membership to approach Mr. Garretson of Garretson Fruit, the owner of the property around the corner from Painted Rocks, about acquiring the property for a climbing practice area, or at the very least to regain access to the property for climbing purposes. Norm Reid, Rod Nelson, and Craig Sundquist are spearheading this effort, and have the support of the climbing community in Yakima. Anyone familiar with the Yakima climbing scene will recognize Norm and his contribution, and Craig was deeply involved “back in the day”, as was Rod. All still are. The Sundquists are also heavily involved in the orchard fruit business, and have connections with Garretson in that regard. Although this venture is in its embryonic stage, the outlook appears promising... Stay tuned.

A good compass with a mirror will provide that. I wish someone at Suunto or Silvia or wherever thought about putting an aiming slot in the compass mirror, but you don't have to be 100% precise to attract attention. drC Evolution already created it... it's called the hand. Hold the compass/mirror in one hand and aim it in the general direction of the object you're signaling to. Hold up your other hand at full arm's length, with your index and middle fingers extended in a "V", or peace sign gesture. Sight the object with the peace sign hand, putting the object anywhere within the triangle formed by your fingers (but centered as much as possible is of course best), and then adjust the sunlight hitting the mirror to land on your peace sign fingers. Those in the chopper/plane/OP will see the flash, and you are assured that the beam is traveling along your line of sight to the object. Also, if you're signalling to a moving object, track the object with your peace sign and mirror. A (nearly) steady, bright light rising from the surface and beaming right at a pilot attracts a lot more attention than an errant flash now and then. Those airborne searchers see a lot of intermittent flashes as they cover a search grid. A steady light will have them homing right in on you, precisely because it is unnatural in the outdoors to see that.

I thought the same thing when I saw the pic. Those look exactly like the frontline tools that I'm using right now.