Fridays at VE, the Magic Bus shows up with an extensive hot dog menu. As I waited for them to set up, I couldn’t help thinking:
"I'm so nervous, I just sit and smile (Too much, the Magic Bus).”
Finally, they let Liz, Lisa and me inside, where we enjoyed a tasty, healthful tube steak. Their menu is here.
Here’s the Gear Junkie’s recent story of climbing the highest peak in Iceland Hvannadalshnúkur.
Tech Tips on keeping the rope free of your feet. Including the:
“Rule of Opposites
On wandering climbs, follow this simple rule: left is right, and right is left.”
These suggestions are from a 1944 manual put out by the OSS (precursor to the CIA) on how to sabotage the enemy’s war effort and delay production if you are working as a spy. How many of us still see these used today?
Organizations and Conferences (starting at page 32)
Insist on doing everything through "channels." Never permit short-cuts to be taken in order to expedite decisions.
Make "speeches." Talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate your "points" by long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences. Never hesitate to make a few appropriate "patriotic" comments.
When possible, refer all matters to committees, for "further study and consideration." Attempt to make the committees as large as possible — never less than five.
Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible.
Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, resolutions.
Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to re-open the question of the advisability of that decision.
Managers and Supervisors
Demand written orders.
"Misunderstand" orders. Ask endless questions or engage in long correspondence about such orders. Quibble over them when you can.
Order high-quality materials which are hard to get. If you don't get them argue about it. Warn that inferior materials will mean inferior work.
In making work assignments, always sign out the unimportant jobs first. See that the important jobs are assigned to inefficient workers of poor machines.
When training new workers, give incomplete or misleading instructions..
Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.
Multiply paper work in plausible ways. Start duplicate files.
Multiply the procedures and clearances involved in issuing instructions, pay checks, and so on. See that three people have to approve everything where one would do.
Apply all regulations to the last letter.
Like this head jam.
You see a stranger across a crowded room, there is an air of familiarity about him, and something intriguing. Well, that is how I feel about the knot. First off, I think I am into quick release knots because I have been biking with my feet clipped in! I think about release all the time. The familiarity… this guy looks like my much beloved prussick! That’s it!… perhaps they are cousins. Ok kids, get about the rope, give it a whirl and think of an application.
Full results here. Split screen video of the finals below. It is interesting how some of the climber try to dyno to get a high hold while others heel hook or use their feet more. (At 4:33, I found something I could actually do; run out with a brush to clean the holds. I could do that.)
As usual, I was very surprised to read in this article, that women can excel at rock climbing. Who knew?
Another surprise, was the number of climbers in the U.S. stated in the article. I thought there were fewer.
“The Outdoor Foundation’s national survey shows that almost 2.3 million people tried rock climbing, ice climbing or mountaineering in 2008.
Duane Raleigh, the publisher of Rock and Ice, said that his magazine’s surveys showed that about 70 percent of the regular climbers in the United States were male, with about one million people participating over all when those who try it only once are excluded.”
This couple is attempting to climb all of the routes in the book “50 Classic Climbs of North America.” (Listed here too.) None of them are in the upper Midwest. One of them, is on CastletonTower in Utah. Video of them climbing that is below. From their website:
“No married couple has attempted such an endeavor to climb over 164,000 vertical feet of technical terrain on a road trip that will cover over 25,000 miles.”
Dave Graham talks about role modeling:
“Remember that being a successful athlete, no matter which arena you compare yourself in (peers, amateur, professional) by definition means doing what other people wouldn’t. Lots of people model their technique, training and tactics on what their peers are doing. But if you want to get better than them, they are exactly the wrong people to look at…So wake up! The greatest success you can hope for by doing what everyone else (in YOUR world of peers) does is to assimilate the same level of mediocrity they have.”
This is also called a "slippery figure of eight". I would call it "almost a figure 8".
It is a quick release hitch often used by Ray Mearsduring his bushcraft television series. The hitch is known for the ease in which it can be tied even whilst wearing gloves or mittens in cold climates. This hitch is also slipped and therefore can be released by pulling the short end of the rope.
That all sounds good although I am not sure when I would like to be quickly released, but I am sure there would be such a circumstance. What do you think?
Will Gadd attends the Canadian Crossfit Regional competition and is “super stoked” about what he sees as he helps his wife compete.
That’s what Lisa calls this type of activity.
“Tropical Storm Agatha swept across Central America yesterday, bringing torrential rain …. and opened a 60m-deep sinkhole in Guatemala City which reportedly swallowed up a three-storey building.”
