Red Rocks with Bernard March 2009 TR
Klooch Man
shoulder?
Last night I told my wife about Bernard and I trying to rent a car in
Vegas and she said it sounded like Bob and Doug McKenzie. This morning
CBC radio played a clip of Bob and Doug to illustrate a story on the
government of New Brunswick getting into the beer making business.
Bernard booked our car rental through Expedia, so why was the cost
about twice the statement they gave him? Largely because of "loss of
revenue insurance." Could the manager tell us anything about the
chances of lost revenue and its likely cost? Not really, but even a
citizen of Moron Nation could tell that the insurance was excessive.
Bernard was greatly distressed by the unexpected expense but he never
raised his voice, either with the car agent, the car manager, various
levels of phone people at Expedia, or with me taking pictures of him
doing all that. There was one moment when he had got through to a
manager at Expedia who had authority to cancel the transaction, and
that manager asked to talk to the car rental manager, and an elderly
gentleman next to us put his elbow on the counter and accidentally
broke Bernard's connection.
Anyway, after 2 hours midnight had come and gone but we had got
ourselves out of that deal and Bernard's credit card would see an
uptick in a mere 6 weeks.
Next we had to make a phone call to The Stratosphere where we were
staying for one night so Bernard could sight-see on the strip.
We used a public phone which was peculiarly impenetrable. Trying to
invoke an operator with "O" led nowhere. No coin slot, just a credit
card swipe. One dollar U.S. per call. First try was 1-411. We got a
human, who told us they did not have directory information and said we
should call 702-555-1212. Another dollar and again we talked to a
human who said they could not give us a phone number and who said we
should call 411.
Make up your own minds whether it was scientific curiousity or Moron
Nation, but we did call 411 and got reflected back to 555-1212.
Bernard walked up to a car rental agent (we were now on good terms
with 3 rental agencies) and within 0.017 seconds they Googled the
phone number.
The next morning was spent on car rental activities and we found an
okay deal. Bernard had no further interest in Las Vegas so we headed
out to the rocks.
It didn't rain but the wind put on a 100-yard dash event: Bernard
versus his tent.
It froze at night and in the daytime we were hard to please. It was
either too hot in the sun or too cold in the shade. On day 5 the
weather got tired of our complaints. A large low cloud set up over our
position. The sun was just behind one edge of the cloud, then it would
come out, then it would go back, and on and on, so that every 2
minutes it was either too hot or too cold.
We mostly stayed with short climbs. Bernard was coming back to the
sport after a long hiatus. He climbed well but lacked the confidence
(or is it complacency?) that comes with regular practice.
I had one pretty good moment when we were all alone in a shadowy slot
canyon and I was high up after many challenging moves, with a few more
to go, and my Tilley Endurable sun hat blew off my head and whipped
around on a sling tether I had clipped it to. Looking down the steep
rock that glowed red even in the shade felt good.
We returned our rental car with a lot of beer empties in it 'cause we
found out too late they don't recycle down there, eh?
^,,^
_promised_ that you and Bernard of the excellent cheese would pick me
up.
you azzholes! i trusted you.
as for the rental car (in vegas of all places) -- welcome to Amerika,
baby! you got off easy. next time you'll end up buried shallow in
the red dust with your unobtanium cards max'd out.
^,,^
(still waiting here, on the side of the road...)
^,,^
with an empty 4000sq/ft house with a wet bar and a hot tub within 15
minutes of red rocks.
but _nooooooo_ -- you guys had to go all 'canadian' like. serves you
right.
^,,^
Klooch Man
^,,^ wrote:
What??
Well, Bob and Doug don't always get it right first try, nor do they
always agree. Bernard's biggest regret on leaving Red Rocks was that
he would have to stop sleeping in a tent.
Hal Murray
>Well, Bob and Doug don't always get it right first try, nor do they
>always agree. Bernard's biggest regret on leaving Red Rocks was that
>he would have to stop sleeping in a tent.
Why would you have to sleep in a tent?
Was it raining? Cold? (bring a warmer sleping bag)
Too much light?
The coyotes always sound better under a full moon,
and if they are quiet, you can always look at the stars
when you roll over in the middle of the night.
--
These are my opinions, not necessarily my employer's. I hate spam.
Klooch Man
Hal Murray wrote:
>
> Why would you have to sleep in a tent?
>
A good question.
The wind was erratic the first night, doing nothing in particular for
minutes at a time and then flattening the tent around one's ears the
better to transmit the odd shuddering noises which the poles made.
However, I suspect I used a tent mostly because it didn't occur to me
not to.
I might sleep in a tent, anyway, at that particular climbers'
campground. It is by far the most desolate location it has ever been
my privilege to pay $10 a night for, even including a KOA in Missouri.
I have nothing against desert or scorpions. JTree is great.
The Red Rocks campground was either placed on native burial ground or
far more likely a massacre site. Perhaps uranium mine tailings or
other mining poison.
We saw Boy Scouts come out from Vegas just to camp. I felt sorry for
them, but it may have opened their minds to have experienced darkness
at night. A hill to the east blocks light from the city. The only good
thing I have to say about that campground.
Michael A. Riches
>We saw Boy Scouts come out from Vegas just to camp. I felt sorry for
>them, but it may have opened their minds to have experienced darkness
>at night. A hill to the east blocks light from the city. The only good
>thing I have to say about that campground.
Can you imagine if the lights "really" did go out in Vegas...??? Freemont
Street, dressed in "Dark", that's quite a picture...
Ratzzz...
^,,^
> What??
...
> Bernard's biggest regret on leaving Red Rocks was that
> he would have to stop sleeping in a tent.
how dare you, of all people, take me seriously. i'm outraged!
that and i'd give my left nut to be in a tent, tonight. this BigEarl
variant is driving me even more nuts. i'm with Bernard -- just get me
out in a tent and i get up with the sun and it all makes sense.
> The Red Rocks campground was either placed on native burial ground or
> far more likely a massacre site. Perhaps uranium mine tailings or
> other mining poison.
most likely you were sleeping above just above Jimmy Hoffa. for scary
mine tailings, think Butte.
~~~
if you ever head back that way, e-me. for i truly do have friends
with this massive house (pool, hot tub, wet bar, jacuzzi's in all 4
bedrooms. and, well, they have informed me they are 30 (not 15
minutes) from red rocks. my bad.
Bernard can always put his tent in the backyard -- close to the pool/
hot tub. they've got 4 acres of UpTown. spent 4 months there, once.
in a tent.
just don't go there in the summer. 109'F is nuts. would surely kill
a canadian. nearly nailed me.
^,,^
Klooch Man
^,,^ wrote:
>
> how dare you, of all people, take me seriously.
I take everything seriously.
>
> you were sleeping just above Jimmy Hoffa
Bingo!
That would explain the dreams, too.
Michael A. Riches
>That would explain the dreams, too.
What dreams are those...??? The ones where you're trying to do that 5-11
face in concrete boots...???
Ratzzz... (Ahhhhh, those were the dayz...)
kellie...@urscorp.com
Nice, Andy. I too have spent a few hours visiting all the car rental
counters in the airport while I waited for my partner in crime to
arrive on a later flight. Fortunately I found a nice lady who cut me
a deal. That was one of the only trips I've taken where we didn't
stay in that crap campground, but in the Bonnie Springs Hotel with all
its grand decor.
I've been enjoying skiing but I'm certainly ready for some sunny rock
climbing these days. Although I hear there is still some ice lurking
about over Leavenworth way.