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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Aug 30, 2009 - 05:26pm PT
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Great TR! Love the Afro.
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Aug 30, 2009 - 06:15pm PT
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Doc J,
Great TR and a fine "fro" to boot! Good job. If you think 36 is "old", wait until you get to MY age ;-)
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Aug 30, 2009 - 09:17pm PT
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Great trip report Micro.
You know its a bunch of old fogies when you show them something a little different - your six caribiner brake - and they just start WIGGING out! I thought it looked pretty interesting and just tested it out. Works fine, just like an atc or stitch plate. Definitely has to have three carabiners on the bottom though or the upper carabiners will pop right over. Looks like there is some risk of failure with less than three on the top as well. Two carabiners seemed okay, but one popped. The more carabiners the more friction as well. Easier to rig than the standard 6 carabiner rap. Maybe easier to add friction.
Years ago we used stop in for chinese food in Clovis at the "Gay Way".
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2009 - 11:17am PT
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Ok, just got to work and noticed a few of you liked this TR but some of you had some comments that need a response. I will respond to each accordingly soon.
1. I plan to enlarge the photos a bit so as to display the fullness of the FRO.
2. A detailed explanation of my carabiner brake improvization.
3. Hints on where to pick up a wig of your own and keys to selection.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 31, 2009 - 11:23am PT
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You simply cannot be playing the age card at 36.
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2009 - 11:44am PT
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Sorry Jim.....but I'm feeling like an old man these days. My back hurts on monday mornings at work after a weekend of playing hard, most of my old climbing buddies are victims of domestic marriage and self inflicted hiatus from outdoor fun, my abs no longer have the look of a bronzen Trojan chestplate and I often get scared ten feet above a solid bolt. My bedtime is now about 9:30.
Next it will be prune juice and mowing the lawn in my boxers, black socks and penny loafers.
How do these older dudes keep the magic alive into the forties, fifties and beyond? What's the secret to playing hard in the mountains as age creeps up on us?
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Aug 31, 2009 - 11:52am PT
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"Next it will be prune juice and mowing the lawn in my boxers, black socks and penny loafers."
Are you surveilling me?
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Boise....
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Aug 31, 2009 - 11:57am PT
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The power of the'Fro!!!!
Funny, I've been preachin' that very thing for years.
Nice TR.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 31, 2009 - 11:59am PT
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Micronut,
I'm 66 and climbing as much as ever. I'll agree that certain things are harder. Partying and even modestly late nights and climbing no longer go together. It's probably a function of staying keen and fit and having the right partners
An example would be a five day trip I took to the Sierra's last month with George Lowe who is 65.
Day 1- Fly from SLC to Bishop in George's Cessna 210. Get rental car, drive to Cardinal Pinnacle for some warmup climbing then on to a motel in Bridgeport.
Day 2- Hike into the Incredible Hulk, set up camp and climb the Red Dihedral.
Day 3- Climb Positive Vibrations.
Day 4- Hike out, lunch in Bishop then hike into Temple Crag.
Day 5- Climb Darkstar than hike out and spend night in Bishop and fly out the next morning. Fun trip with little wasted time and, more importantly, no sore muscles.
You're climbing career is just beginning- enjoy!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Aug 31, 2009 - 12:20pm PT
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Nice!
I had to rig one of those biner-brakes once. Handy tool to learn but makes you feel kinda stupid for forgetting your ATC...I did anyways.
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2009 - 12:45pm PT
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Jim, guys like you and George are my heroes. Really. One of my favorite all time climbing articles was one Creg Crouch wrote about you two guys going after some big old route in Alaska and seeing a photo of you barfing in the snow. He did a great job of capturing your alpine stoke on paper.
Thanks for continuing to get after it and being an inspiration to all of us punters. And by the way, I know a guy who can get you an afro cheap. Please specify brown or black. Or grey.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Aug 31, 2009 - 02:34pm PT
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Bump for the TollCasa !
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 1, 2009 - 01:26pm PT
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ok, I looked at the correct 'biner brake set-up and feel kinda dumb for the way I improvised it. But it was totally bomber. I cannot find a problem with it and would contend that it would hold equally, if not more weight in control than the standard way. I mus be purdy smart. Thinkin' on the fly like that and all.
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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"I mus be purdy smart. Thinkin' on the fly like that and all."
Twas the fro, brother micro. My hair is getting there on it's own, no wig needed. Need a haircut, but maybe I should reconsider...
fun TR, as usual.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Probably better you came up with an alternative to a biner brake as those are for rappelling, not belaying - trying to belay with one would suck. I'd also throw my vote for a hip belay with a single non-locking biner through your harness loops and clipped to the side of the rope going to the climber (and keep the rope down on your hips, not up on your waist).
Entertaining TR, and Jim, thanks for that cogent tip about late nights, partying and climbing - as a newly minted 57yo I've been trying to figure out what has been holding back my climbing. Thank god you didn't saying anything about younger women or I'd never be able to get my mojo back.
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