TR: What I Did on My Halloween Vacation
Mad Dog
Day -1: Fly to San Diego, Elaine and Gnar meet me at airport, drink wine at
Gnar’s, check out the beach at 1 a.m., crash at Elaine’s.
Day 0: Elaine has to work so bummer no problem, get groceries, headlamp battery,
gas, go walk and jog the beach, reject lesbian duo’s offer to buy my salmon
t-shirt, pick up Elaine at work, drive to Idyllwild, eat at Mexican place, crash
at Tahquitz Inn, decide on Whodunnit for tomorrow.
Day 1: We both experience Montezuma’s revenge to start the day. Slow team on
Whodunnit when we get there, decide on Sahara Terror instead. Three good
pitches, four OK pitches, good line, cool summit. Andy Gale arrives as we
snack, shoot shit, crawl down gully, drive back to San Diego. Eat pizza, get a
beer/wine buzz, talk philosophy, spray bullshit lies about back when we used to
be able to climb. Tahquitz is a beautiful place, BTW.
Day 2: Rise semi early, drive to Valley of the Moon, wander around like idiots
to find routes. Climb 2 sport and one trad line, leave early to get me to the
airport on time. High center the truck on a granite knob; spend 1.75 hours
getting unstuck. Beautiful place, BTW. Jam tunes at truck mach 2, get on
flight to Phoenix with 2 beers to spare, who needs solid food anyway? Opie
picks me up, grab food and beer plus Taco Hell, shoot shit, pet Fred, and tell
more lies about former climbing ability, crash hard. Fred is Opie’s dog, you
must have been thinking about Henry.
Day 3: Up early, drive to Paradise Forks, climb 5 pitches. First one is 5.8, my
ass, hardest pitch all day; I hang like a half-mast flag. Recover on 8+ and 9
routes, ego suffers but the climbing is stellar. Only 2 other climbers at the
crag thus no witnessing of my groveling. Dinner at brewery in Flag, pounda beer
or two, off to camp near Overlook. Paradise Forks is a beautiful place, BTW.
Day 4: Up early, cold night air was excellent, drive down to Sedona to get OJ
for me, Dew for Opie, drive to trailhead for our destination (Oak Creek Spire)
(extended trailhead actually, carefully calculated to extend my asskickage),
wait for Scott, hike to base, minor grunt. Lead pitch 1, looks like one of
those flarish sorta stemming sorta nothing to pull down on better try to push
down why does the rock crumble and why does it go “tonk” when I place gear, gee
I’m glad that shit is over pitch. Belay Opie on pitch 2 it sure looks like a
bitch and when I follow this sure is a bitch even with 3 tons of tension but
after the pitch you out and tweak your shoulder hand crack; the flair and
chimney are a blast. Great lead, then I leg press Scott up it and my thighs
look as huge as my former ego so when Opie offers to lead pitch 3 I let him
besides who wants to lead a pitch that starts with a 7’ jump across the void?
Then realize that when seconding, the jump across is even worse with the first
piece of pro 20’ to the left. Make the jump, then continue to lead on up to the
summit. Opie and Scott follow and I belay them down, then down-lead it then we
do the bogus rap routine down the choss chimney to hell, hike out, eat killer
Mex at the parrot place. Drive back to Phoenix while jamming tunes, get food,
beer and gas, crash at Opie’s. Oh, I forgot to say that Oak Creek Spire is in a
beautiful place, BTW.
Day 5: Starting to get wasted here with the early rise late sleep burly climb
routine. Drive to Granite Mountain trailhead, hike to base and wait for team of
three to get moving then instead I do an alternate start at one ten billionth of
the speed of sound to easily beat them to the anchor, groveling like a pig in
heat. Opie tries the 5.9 variation and hangs, then I hang seconding, my how
we’ve gone to the shitter. Then I hang on the next lead! Is there no end to
the carnage? The ramp is cool and I bring Opie up. He offers me the last lead
so I take it and manage to relax and enjoy it. We scramble down in building
heat, then hike out to dine at the Gurly St. Brewery, totally humbled by Granite
Mountain 5.9 but at least the place is hugely beautiful, BTW. The beer is good
but the waitress is a bitch, teases me about drinking 3 whole beers with dinner,
I surmise that she has a constipation problem, back the tip down to 10% and we
go shop around town before driving back to Phoenix, jamming tunes. Crash at
Opie’s after organizing gear.
Day 6: Drive Felicia to work, come back and play houseboy. Do laundry, dishes,
trash, recycling, organization, food shopping, gift shopping, packing, get beer
and ice, reserve Jtree site. Hike up Lookout Mountain twice, the second time
linking to the peak to the west which has steep sport routes. The first time,
it’s morning, 75 sunny degrees and a breeze, the second time
ninetyfuckingfourfuckingsearingsunny degrees and do you know how much fun it is
to boulder on steep slick shit when sweat is pouring out of your body like a
lawn sprinkler? Shower, finish packing, pick up Felicia and she and Opie drive
us to Jtree, set up tent, go on moonlight midnight scramble and bouldering hike,
crash like a ponderosa. Man oh man, Jtree is a beautiful place at night by
moonlight, BTW.
Day 7: For some reason, I’m a bit tired but manage to talk Opie and Felicia into
doing MooseDog Tower, do that in the building morning heat wondering how I can
feel hung over on just 3 beers and glad Greg led pitch 1? Go do an easy sport
route, then go do the two easy routes on the Headstone, which were excellent and
besides it’s a beautiful place, BTW. With six sorta full half rope lengths, we
cash it in, eat at Pizza Hut, crash like ponderosa but not until hiking every
single campsite in the entire fucking entirety of Indian Cove before realizing
that the rec.climbers were just one spot uphill from the first place I checked.
But then again my tour snagged a stiff margarita and 3 beers so that was cool
plus I met a ton of fun sometimes weird sometimes flaky people although it goes
without saying that they weren’t as beautiful as the rocks, BTW. Finally found
the note which led to the site and saw Andy and Jean, met Karl and Marc or is it
Fred plus Greg and too many others which I’ve forgotten I apologize, sorry.
Day 8: Rise early and begin to break camp then wait, wait, wait for Frank, Gnar
and others. Eventually head to the Rock Garden’s Shorter Wall with the above
plus John Vawter, Al Lindsey, Jay Tanzman, Andy and Jean. This is a beautiful
wall, BTW and it has loads of easy climbs and we do a bunch of them, me taking
lead duty turns with Frank. Five or six hours later I’m physically and mentally
trashed and was asked to leave. Get shower at Gnar’s room then head for the
party in Indian Cove. Meet a bajillion rec.climbers including Robert and Hilde
Fonda, Fish, Chris of Putzl fame, Geoff Jennings, and a gogoolion others, mostly
lurkers, sorry for not trying to list you, but I just remembered Mike Rawdon and
President Bush was there doing Frank’s Jell-O shots, geez that old fogey can
drink. Captured excellent party images which I’ll see if Chris will put on
Putzl for me, including Sue Hopkins and Wendy sucking down Jell-O shots, Gary
Fike and wife doing a funny thing with her tongue and Greg’s friend Susan
putting a vortex spell on him, nearly knocking him unconscious. Also Jean in
her kissing booth mixing drinks with the battery powered blender, Andy preparing
for a remote mammogram and all that normal stuff including barely managing to
protect my Titties and Beer t-shirt from gang theft. Nobody bitched that my
chili wasn’t hot enough but they didn’t manage to eat much so I poured it in my
eye just to prove that they are wussies but still it was a beautiful party, BTW.
We left early and I slept in the Motel 6 with Gnar’s crew. Long day, again, how
does it end?
Day 9: Casual morning, then up to Hemmingway Buttress with Gnar, John, Kirk,
Robert and Hilde, where 3 routes were enough to finish me off, glad they were
easy. Watch beautiful women climb all kinds of stuff with their lean muscles
and headlamps on bright, thank you for those visuals, what a great last day at
another beautiful place, BTW. Down to the car for beer, then to Nomad Ventures
for toys and a few doors down for beer to take up to the Fonda’s. Tell lies,
talk the mumbo jumbo then roll up and down the hills and valleys to San Diego.
Fortunately, Elaine is up for a rendezvous at Gnars, so they plus Kirk and I
tell more lies while dispensing with another bottle before repacking and getting
a great set of photos of my 3rd and 4th wives smiling it up together. Crash
like an old, rotten Ponderosa in a high wind.
Day 10: Time for a rest day. Get up after precisely 5 hours of sleep, drive to
airport, and stand in lines like a frustrated lemming. Pick up a paper and
expose myself to news after a long reprieve. Fly all day; get home to the hugs
and kisses of Karen and the boys. They sure are a beautiful sight to see, BTW.
Do dinner and play until bed time for the boys, then type this until well past
mine.
The real story here was yet another review of the lessons learned in a class
called Partnerships 101. Climbing is about many things but the most important
thing is the people you do it with and the good vibes that result from hanging
with people rich in soul and wealthy in the love of life. I didn’t climb a
single impressive route during those nine days of bliss but I did climb hard
enough to fall and repeatedly hard enough to have to think and work hard and in
the process, managed to solve a problem or two. But I had confidence in those
on the other end of the rope so that I could allow myself to give it a shot,
knowing my back was covered. So thanks to all those that climbed with me and
all the good things you did for my psyche. And thanks to Jean for organizing
the party, which allowed me to shake a few hands and put faces with online
names. It was a beautiful thing, by the way.
Mike Shutters
One of these days I promise myself, I'll get back in shape to climb several
days in a row.
Mike
===========
"Mad Dog" <mad6...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:9rmpt...@drn.newsguy.com...
<Bunch of exhausting climbing and running around snipped>
Jay Tanzman
> Day 0: Elaine has to work so bummer no problem, get groceries, headlamp battery,
> gas, go walk and jog the beach, reject lesbian duo’s offer to buy my salmon
> t-shirt...
Bait taken: The shirt reads, "Eat salmon, the other pink meat."
-Jay
Andy Gale
Mad Dog wrote:
> Day -1: Fly to San Diego, Elaine and Gnar meet me at airport,
<snip>
Nice TR. Looking forward to the pictures.
Andy
Steelmnkey
>
>Great TR!! If only I was in that kinda' shape to run around like a madman!!
>One of these days I promise myself, I'll get back in shape to climb several
>days in a row.
I'm with Mike on this one! Way to hang in there MD!
G.
Greg Opland
Phoenix, Arizona
Susan Peplow
3 days of ass kicking climbing and driving around northern arizona snip....
Captured excellent party images which I'll see if Chris will put on Putzl
for me, including Sue Hopkins and Wendy sucking down Jell-O shots, Gary Fike
and wife doing a funny thing with her tongue and Greg's friend Susan
putting a vortex spell on him, nearly knocking him unconscious.
ok, i've checked with several people including greg himself and no one
remembers me placing any type of vortex spell. are you sure you're not
confusing me with jim bridwell's wife....she's a witch you know.
other comment received by your post were, "geez, we were at that party?" it
seems that many of our memories are clouded.
thanks for the post and get in some rest this week, you are back to work
right?
susan
jean
and to all those who make it especially fun by returning every so
often... And, yes, we do have regulars at the halloween party -- not
everyone is wrecked by the traditional jello shooters! (btw, Frank,
you outdid yourself this year with the black and orange shooters that
could last a millenium in the desert!)
So to all of you who came and had fun, I raise a frosty margarita
(made in my battery operated blender) to you!
-jean
(planning next year's party...next week. hey, I need a little break!)
:)
AdeBK
(snip of TR, inclusive of H-Ween report)
Glad I decided to skip it. Sounds dull. So glad I booked that Tofurkey Day trip
instead.
Anne in NYC (bitter? no...why do you ask?)
John Vawter
[snip]
> The real story here was yet another review of the lessons learned in a class
> called Partnerships 101. Climbing is about many things but the most important
> thing is the people you do it with and the good vibes that result from hanging
> with people rich in soul and wealthy in the love of life. I didn't climb a
> single impressive route during those nine days of bliss but I did climb hard
> enough to fall and repeatedly hard enough to have to think and work hard and in
> the process, managed to solve a problem or two. But I had confidence in those
> on the other end of the rope so that I could allow myself to give it a shot,
> knowing my back was covered. So thanks to all those that climbed with me and
> all the good things you did for my psyche. And thanks to Jean for organizing
> the party, which allowed me to shake a few hands and put faces with online
> names. It was a beautiful thing, by the way.
So well said, it bears repeating. Though I'd only met Andy and Inez
before this weekend, I felt at ease with everyone. I particularly
enjoyed climbing with you, Andy, Jay, Al, Frank, Jean, Kirk, Robert and
Hilde. What a great group of people. I'm looking forward to more
adventures.
JKVawter
Paulina Varchavskaia
Sigh, next year...
Paulina
Stephen Prouty
Ah, thanks for not making me ask, I was wondering. On a related note
I have a friend that wears a sticker on his helmet: "Cat, the other white
meat". He happens to be of Chinese descent so it always gets a second
look.
sprouty
Stephen Prouty
>
> ...Nobody bitched that my chili wasn’t hot enough but they didn’t
> manage to eat much so I poured it in my eye just to prove that
Now that's a party trick! Great trip report, I got tired just
reading it. Sounds like it was a great time, good for you.
sprouty
Josh
sister's and another friend's birthday, so no climbing/jtree for me.
Made it out to Tahquitz on Friday though with Steve Aho and did Open
Book finally, lots of fun except for the third pitch option of runout
slab or runout squeeze, blech. Then I did Traitor Horn again and had
fun watching Steve lead
the horn :)
Got rained out at Woodson on Sunday...
Went back to Tahquitz with Mark Whaling yesterday and did Fingertrip
again, good fun, then I led and he followed the first pitch of Dave's
Deviation and Jam Crack since we didn't want to get on a long route
with the weather threatening.
BTW, possible booty alert: if anyone finds a #4 tech friend at the
base of or on the the first or second pitch of Fingertrip, it's mine.
It's identified by green fingernail polish. I _think_ I had it at the
start of the climb, and I can't find now and I couldn't find it at the
belay change over for p3.
..josh
Michael A. Riches
10/30/01 11:01 AM:
> The real story here was yet another review of the lessons learned in a class
> called Partnerships 101. Climbing is about many things but the most important
> thing is the people you do it with and the good vibes that result from hanging
> with people rich in soul and wealthy in the love of life. I didn’t climb a
> single impressive route during those nine days of bliss but I did climb hard
> enough to fall and repeatedly hard enough to have to think and work hard and
> in
> the process, managed to solve a problem or two. But I had confidence in those
> on the other end of the rope so that I could allow myself to give it a shot,
> knowing my back was covered. So thanks to all those that climbed with me and
> all the good things you did for my psyche. And thanks to Jean for organizing
> the party, which allowed me to shake a few hands and put faces with online
> names. It was a beautiful thing, by the way.
I was soooooo disappointed that I had to miss the party. The people that I
met last year, were the greatest bunch I have met in so many years. We all
spend a lot of time with each other, here in the romper room, but to
actually put faces to those flat black on white posts, is as exciting as it
is fascinating. I was able to meet people there, last year, that I will
cherish for the rest of my life. I especially wanted to be there this year
to meet you, Karl, JK, Inez and the rest...There were so many of the RC
greats there, this year. I especially wanted to see Jean and the rest of the
crowd that was there last year, too. It was a serious blow to find out that
I had to work that particular weekend. Clients...at times, they don't
realize that we are (almost) human, too. That we have lives, too...(grumble,
grumble). Anyway, as it turns out, it still took another week to wrap up his
job (and he still hasn't paid!!! Again, grumble, grumble!!!)
Also, I really enjoyed your pictorial, thanks for taking the time to get
your pictures posted and thanks for the TR. I really enjoyed it, too. I
spent the entire year planning on this trip. Butttt, such is life in the
construction world. I guess I'm fortunate enough to be working (now...if I
could only find that magic formula for making money from my endeavors, I'd
be styling....).
If you ever get out this way, again, let me know, I'll be more then happy to
show you around.
And, again...thanks, thanks for writing and thanks for posting about your
trip. You're TR's are always appreciated and always enjoyed,
Hope to see ya soon,
That RatDhuuude...